Something Wicked This Way Comes …

Posted on June 12, 2012 by digitaldtour

As noted in my last post, Saturday June 2nd promised to be a very interesting morning at Cars&Coffee/Irvine, especially in light of Mercedes-Benz being selected as the weeks featured marque. On my drive down to Irvine that morning, I found myself taking a mental inventory of the different 300 SL Gullwings that I had encountered in the past (since they are on my all time favorite cars list), and wondering just how many of those same cars might be on display. Saturday morning would also be an opportunity for the select owners within the Mercedes-Benz community to exercise their supercars, such as the Vision SLR, AMG SLS, and the CLK AMG Black series coupes, and to share them with the spectators for the morning.

By the time I arrived at the event, there was already a line of Mercedes-Benz stretching all the way out of the parking lot, queued up single file and waiting to enter the featured lot. Non- Mercedes traffic was being waved over to the left side of the entrance, in order to avoid this early morning traffic jam. Once I cleared this bottleneck, I quickly found a space, parked the car and headed off to grab a quick bite. After visiting with several of my RGruppe friends (all the while finishing my donut), it was time once again to grab my camera and head off into the crowd that was building over at the featured lot.

As I picked my way through the crowd, the first Mercedes-Benz I came across was this beautiful 300 SL roadster, with its hard top in place, in pale yellow with red interior. And if I’m not mistaken, this was the first time this particular 300 SL has been displayed at Cars&Coffee.

And parked just behind this pale yellow 300 SL hard topped roadster, was a collection of five 300 SL’s; three Gullwing coupes and two roadsters. The white Gullwing seen below was the only one from this grouping to be actively campaigned in vintage racing. Externally, the visual clues to this cars alter ego was the removal of the front bumper, the application of racing numbers and a large collection of technical inspection stickers proudly displayed on the driver’s side corner of the windshield. Internally, the clues were equally as obvious; the inclusion of a roll bar, fire extinguisher and racing belts.

Immediately to the right was the first of the two 300 SL roadsters, this one in red.

And to its right (as seen below) was the second Gullwing coupe, wearing a set of rare Rudge knock-off wheels…

And this Gullwing’s engine compartment was just as clean and detailed as the rest of the car.

And one space over to the right sat the second 300 SL roadster; this one in a rich slate blue, equipped with european headlights.

The last 300 SL parked on the row was this stunning dark blue on tan Gullwing coupe.

Another of the immaculately detailed engine compartments.

The car’s interior was equally as impressive as its exterior; from the tan leather appointed trim, to its leather seats with plaid patterned inserts, matching fitted luggage and tie-down straps.

The paint job and overall finish on this car was equally mind-blowing; the color depending upon the lighting, appeared as either a very dark blue or a bluish black. I had a chance to ask the owner about this unique color and its spec name, and with a straight face he responded “its blue”… I followed that up by stating that it looked allot darker than any of the other Mercedes-Benz blues that I have seen. He then confessed that this particular shade of blue was in fact a custom color that he created, to insure that there would not be another 300 SL Gullwing coupe painted this same color. The dark blue finish also lent itself well as a medium for capturing some incredible reflections across its flawless contours.

Ironically, as spectacular as this group of 300 SL’s were, there was still one more surprise awaiting. And what a surprise…

Parked on the outside of the median, just opposite of the 300 SL row, was this amazing silver 2012 Mercedes-Benz race car.

My first impression was that this must be a Mercedes-Benz spin-off model from the German DTM racing series.

However, after reading the biography information provided on the clear acrylic display, I quickly learned that this car had been purpose-built to compete in the American based Pirelli World Challenge GT series, by the local Huntington Beach, California firm MBBS Racing, and their affiliate Evosport Engineering.

While walking around the car and after shooting it from a variety of different angles, I struck up a conversation with one of the team members standing nearby. It turned out that the gentleman (Evan Chance) was in fact the race engineer /sub assembly specialist for the team, who was kind enough to share some of the back story regarding this car and the MBBS Racing / Evosport Engineering race team. During our conversation, I was introduced to Craig Stanton, the teams Lead driver and Development Manager, who is a very successful Southern California-based road racer. Craig also has the challenging task of monitoring all of the racing activities to be undertaken by Evosport Engineering.

Shortly after meeting and talking with Craig, I was then introduced to Simon Atik, a team Principal, who shared with me his and the teams excitement in building this Mercedes-Benz race car. He spoke of the teams amazing opportunity to debut a Mercedes-Benz race car into a major U.S. racing series, and the chance to compete against the Cadillac CTS/V, Volvo S60 and the Porsche GT3 Cup car; all competitors in the premier level GT class.

Evan then asked if I would like to take a closer look at the car, and in response to my reply, proceeded to open up the doors and then the rear trunk, explaining many of the details and features as we went…

Craig Stanton’s office…

Out back, beneath the rear carbon fiber spoiler and massive trunk mounted rear wing, were some amazing race components…

Mounted on top of and plumbed off of the fuel cell was the fuel pump and filter, and framing each side of the centrally mounted fuel cell were the remote pressure reservoirs for the MCS rear shock absorbers. And the long blue anodized cylinder, mounted just to the right of the fuel cell is an accusump unit; a pressurized dry sump oil tank that will provide supplemental lubrication to the 6.3 liter V8 race motor under severe racing conditions.

Evan then mentioned that the team was just several weeks away from a test session up at Buttonwillow ( a race track located 28 mile northwest of Bakersfield, California), and how much the entire team was looking forward to getting the car out onto the track. He also stated that their goal is to have the car race ready for the last several Pirelli World Challenge GT races of this season.

With the event winding down, and as the crowds began to thin, it was time to button up the Mercedes and load it back into the transporter…

Evan (below), waiting for the transporter lift gate to be lowered…

The Evosport transporter…

Even the undercarriage displayed the same attention to detail and finish as the rest of the car…

Based upon my conversations with the team, and having witnessed firsthand the thoroughness and attention to detail paid in the building of this race car, this is going to be a team to be reckoned with, and one that will quickly become a threat to the competition. Stay tuned for future progress reports relating to this team…

I’d also like to give author Ray Bradbury (who passed away Tuesday, June 5) credit for the inspiration behind this weeks blog post title, taken from his 1962 book by the same name…

(All photos by the author)

“I Keep Holdin’ on to Yesterday”…

Posted on June 4, 2012 by digitaldtour

My title for this post came from what I perceived as the theme for last weeks gathering at Cars&Coffee, and reinforced after recently hearing the song with the same title by the 1970s group Ambrosia. Saturday morning May 26th definitely had a nostalgic feel to it, given the sheer number of vintage cars that were in attendance.

This was especially true regarding the first pair of vehicles I encountered that morning; a Dove Blue Volkswagen type II transporter, parked alongside a pale yellow Porsche 356 A coupe. This setting looked like a scene straight out of the 1950s…

And just two cars to the west of this pairing sat another classic; a black, 1950s vintage Porsche 356 A coupe. In addition to having a flawless paint finish, the car possessed a very interesting interior; one that was finished and detailed in green leather. Combined with its charcoal gray carpet, it made for a very interesting color combination. The green leather actually worked quite well with the black exterior, though not a color combination one normally associates with a black car.

From the outside, it was obvious that a lot of time had been spent on body work; addressing panel gaps, hours of block sanding and the laying down of a mirror like paint finish. The reflections alone were incredible, with body panels as smooth as glass, another testament to the amount of care given to the prep work. And the chrome trim installed was just as pristine as the rest of the car.

And out back, the reflections were just as amazing.

My next stop was just across the aisle at Porsche row, to check out the mornings assembled participants.

My first subject on Porsche row was this beautifully restored, orange 1970 Porsche 914-6. While I was standing at the back of the car, studying the reflections and colors visible across the rear decklid and bumper, the owner approached and suggested I take a look up front, as he had an interesting detail to share.

Once I was positioned up front, and with a twist of the key, the owner powered up the electrical system and up popped the headlights. It turned out that the mystery detail was the white headlight trim bezels (as seen above and below), which are incredibly rare, and as I came to learn, were only sourced from 1970 through 1972. By 1973, Porsche switched over to using only black trim bezels. These were the first white bezels I think I had ever seen on a Porsche 914, let alone on a 914-6, but because of the meticulous concours preparation that this car has undergone, I would expect nothing less than absolute period-correctness. I also received some additional design insight into the origins of the pop-up headlights as used on the 914. Apparently Porsches original design for the 914 had the headlights located just below the bumper (where the fog lights wound up being located), but because of the United States headlight height laws, it became apparent that the original location would not work. Porsche returned to the drawing board and came up with an ingenious solution; pop up headlights. By positioning them above the bumper, at the corners of the front hood, once raised their centerline height was almost identical to that of the 1970 model year Porsche 911s. They now had a design which would be in compliance with the U.S. headlight height law.

(This same design concept would reappear, repurposed for 1977, incorporated into the design of the brand new Porsche 928).

My next stop was over at the “Featured lot”, which on this morning hosted an eclectic mix of automobiles. Tucked away in a corner parking spot, sat this burgundy over tan, “coffin nosed” 1937 Cord 812 convertible, as seen below.

From a historical standpoint, the Cord was the first American front wheel drive vehicle produced, which also included the use of an independent front suspension. Cord produced two different models over a two-year period; the model 810 in 1936, powered by a 289 cubic inch motor.

For 1937, the model 812 was built, which added a supercharger to the base 289 motor, bumping up the horsepower figure to 170, well over the stock motors rating of 125 hp.

The key design feature used to identify a Cord 812 from an 810 model were the external, dual chrome plated exhaust pipes that exited out the sides of the front cowl, merging into the cars pontoon front fenders (as seen above and below).

Parked just across the row and facing towards the Cord, was this beautifully prepared, modified British Racing Green Jaguar E Type roadster, one of several Jaguars on display. This car is still campaigned in vintage racing events, and on this morning was being displayed complete with a drivers helmet resting in the interior.

I immediately recognized this helmet design as being from Formula 1, but could not remember which driver had this as his personal design. After doing some research when I returned home, I was able to confirm that this was in fact the helmet design as worn by Eddie Irvine during his career with the Jaguar Formula 1 Racing team, during the 2002 F1 season. It was also the same helmet design Eddie Irvine wore during his participation in the 2002 United States Grand Prix.

And parked just one row behind the Jaguar, as seen below, was this beautifully restored yet slightly modified, early 1970’s vintage Datsun 240 Z (produced well before the rebranding of the marque, which saw the name change to Nissan).

Back over at the main lot, cars had already begun leaving, but were quickly being replaced by cars that had been queued up and waiting to enter the event. I had observed these changes first hand, especially since the pale yellow Porsche 356 A coupe that had been parked next to the Dove blue VW Type II transporter was now gone. However, in its place was a black Porsche 997 turbo cabriolet.

This also presented another interesting visual comparison; old and new models displayed side by side, providing a clear example of changes in automotive design philosophy, technology and vehicle evolution.

This pairing also made for some very interesting visual imagery: reflections cast across the flanks of the turbo Porsches bodywork…

As I was getting ready to leave the event, I hard a rumor that the following weekends event (on Saturday June 2), would be a tribute to Mercedes-Benz. My immediate thoughts raced at the possibility of another gathering of 300SL gullwings, SL’s, SLR’s and more. Little did I know the surprises that awaited… Please stay tuned for my next post with coverage from another truly amazing event.

(All photos by the author)

“Badges? We don’t need no stinkin’ badges!”

Posted on May 28, 2012 by digitaldtour

As I walked through the rows of cars Saturday morning at Cars&Coffee, it dawned on me that regardless of the makes or models present, each and every car to one degree or another possessed an often overlooked detail; vehicle graphics, be it dimensional manufacturers badges or applied decal/vinyl graphics. And in addition to these basic badges, a large percentage of these cars also displayed secondary ID in the form of car club badges, installed on either vehicle grills or on badge bars (i.e. driving light bars), typically mounted at the front of the car.

If one takes a historical look back at the creation of the automobile, the coachbuilders and subsequent manufacturers soon recognized the value of marking their cars to identify their origins and over time used these emblems or badges as a tool to differentiate between brands and models. Manufacturers also shifted their design focus over to the creation of vehicle radiator caps and hood emblems; starting out as a functional component and over time evolving into visual brand markers.

With the arrival of the automobile, and as public interests grew, these new passions translated into the creation of car clubs. These interests in turn created a need for member identification, thus the creation of car club badges. These became a means for the identification of specific regional club members, and provided the opportunity to commemorate specific events (club tours, driving competitions, concours events, etc). And with each new event, owners had the opportunity to add additional car club badges to their vehicles. For many of the european makes, these club badges were proudly displayed on the front grills of the cars, or if the car was equipped with driving or fog lights, the badges were secured onto the unused portions of the horizontal lighting support brackets, common to so many of the cars of the day.

It also became apparent that most vehicle manufacturers utilize a two tiered system regarding vehicle identification; a primary graphic ID (hood of front grill brand ID), along with a secondary graphic( usually found at the back of the car), and used to identify the specific models.

The following photos recount a few of the observations I’ve made on this topic…

And as seen above, Porsches new 2012 type 991 with its new branding design layout, reintroducing the PORSCHE copy as a dimensional element in concert with the model ID. However, for those within the Porsche community, the concerns being voiced seem to be over branding; how much is too much? What do you think?

(All photos by the author)

A stranger in a strange land…

Posted on May 21, 2012 by digitaldtour

Saturday morning May 12 saw many of the Porsche faithful return after their previous weekend’s RGruppe Treffen event in Solvang, California. The discussions that morning focused on personal accounts from the previous weekends activities, along with a rumor that one of the rare, standout cars from Solvang would be attending Cars&Coffee on this particular morning. And as if on cue, a Mexico blue Porsche 993 was seen entering the driveway into the parking lot, aimed towards Porsche row.

Once parked, the view from behind revealed this 993s true identity. This particular car is not only an example of the rare, european only Carrera RS models, but also has the distinction of being one of the limited production, highly desirable performance variants – a 1996 Carrera RS Club Sport.

For 1995, Porsche produced a total of 1130 Carrera RS models, followed in 1996 by a final batch of only 57 RS models, making this particular car by virtue of its build date one of the last type 993 RS models produced. And from the total number of Carrera RS models that Porsche produced, only 47 examples were constructed to accommodate the right hand drive (RHD) marketplace.

Three visual cues can be used to differentiate and identify a Club Sport variant from its base Carrera RS sibling. The first and most obvious is the large dual plane, adjustable angle rear wing and with added cooling and induction intakes, instead of the flat profiled, whale tail spoiler found on the base Carrera RS. The two remaining cues are both found within the car: the pair of lightweight sport seats ( reported to save 66 pounds each over a stock seat), and an installed welded in roll cage, instead of a bolted together cage.

Returning to the exterior, another prominent but unique detail to the Carrera RS are its wheels. For both the RS and Club Sport models, the cars came equipped with 18 inch, Speedline 3 piece modular 5-spoke race wheels as seen below; sized 8″x18″ up front, and 10″x18″ at the rear…

Speedline 10″X18″ rear wheel (as shown above)

Speedline 8″X18″ front wheel (as shown above and detail below)

Another unique, yet less obvious performance component fitted to the Carrera RS Club Sport model is the front hood. For this model, Porsches weight savings efforts focused on material options, and as a result manufactured all of the RS Club Sport front hoods from aluminum. This demonstrates a classic example of Porsches attention to detail; studying the cumulative effect of component weight reduction for an increase in vehicle performance.

The photo above and those following provide a glimpse of the design evolution that occurred between 1996 and 2011, as witnessed by the recent performance offering; the 2011 Porsche 997 GT3 parked beside the Carrera RS Club Sport. It was also interesting to observe one of Porsches latest color offerings, especially this interpretation of blue. Case in point, the 2011 Type 997 GT3 dressed in Porsches Riviera blue. Each of these cars when viewed by themselves appeared to be very similar in color to the other. However when parked side by side, their subtle color differences became much more apparent.

Residing beneath the Carrera RS Club Sports rear wing is Porsches purpose-built, 3.8 liter motor, tuned to deliver 300 horsepower. This potential translates into 0-60 times of 4.7 seconds, with the capability of producing a terminal velocity of 174 MPH.

Parked side by side, these two Porsches provided the casual observer an opportunity to view the design changes that have occurred over the past 16 years, not only to the overall styling, but to Porsches revised approach towards aerodynamics.

Once again, I feel very fortunate to have been able to experience this car in person given its rarity, and to have recorded each encounter photographically. This type of experience is what makes events like Cars&Coffee or an RGruppe Treffen so amazing; one never knows exactly the type of vehicles that await discovery…

(All photos by the author)

Three to get ready and Porsches to show…

Posted on May 4, 2012 by digitaldtour

100

The last Saturday in April saw a full house at Cars&Coffee/Irvine, in part due to the crisp, clear morning weather that was once again served up but without the threat of rain. And by 7 AM, “Porsche row” was filled entirely by a variety of Stuttgart’s finest.

Several of the cars were even seen previewing the latest magnetic backed graphic, celebrating an RGruppe event…

Over at the “Featured lot” there were a variety of cars on display, and one in particular that stood out from the rest was this beautiful blue Ferrari 275 convertible seen below…

And tucked into the back corner was this stately trio of Jaguars, each having mirror-like paint finishes and brilliant, chrome trim, and all readied for the mornings event.

Located perpendicular to the Jaguars and just one row west, was this beautiful silver Porsche 356A coupe, as seen below.

After admiring the 356, I headed back to the main parking area to see what other cars of interest awaited. And half way up on the second row, was another Jaguar in black. But in this case the model was an E- Type coupe, and absolutely flawless. The owner had opened up the hood and rear hatch, and as I passed by I noticed a flash of blue color being reflected into the surface of the rear hatch. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be the reflection from a Mexico blue Porsche 911 parked behind the Jaguar, just one row over…

The next aisle encountered was “Mercedes-Benz row”, and as I have noted in previous posts, is the gathering area each week for a wide variety of Mercedes -Benz vehicles.

And parked just several spaces over, was this 1935 Mercedes-Benz 200 Cabriolet A as seen below.

This is just one of the many models showcased by the folks from the Mercedes-Benz Classics Center, also located in Irvine. In addition to their Restoration and Parts facility, they also have an automotive museum , so there is always a variety of very interesting cars for them to choose from.

And immediately to the right, was this Silver Mercedes AMG SLS, complete with its gull-wing doors…

This weekend I will once again be absent from Cars&Coffee, and instead be heading North (by invitation) to participate photographically in a special Porsche event. There are some references placed within this post that will serve as a clue to the event in question. So please stay tuned for my next post, which will recount and reveal this weekends special event…

(All photos by the author)

A tribute to Ferdinand Alexander Porsche at Cars&Coffee/Irvine…

Posted on April 13, 2012 by digitaldtour

Saturday morning, April 7th saw the coming together of the Porsche faithful at Cars&Coffee/Irvine, as a tribute to the recent passing of Ferdinand Alexander (Butzi) Porsche. An email was circulated on Friday April 6, and forwarded to many within the Porsche community about a plan to pay tribute to and honor the memory of F.A.”Butzi” Porsche. The intent was to gather up as many Porsche 911’s as possible, to represent the model range from 1965 up to the latest 2012 iteration. Also hoped for was participation by any of the local Porsche 904 owners. The destination Saturday morning would be the “featured” parking lot area at Cars&Coffee. To further this cause, I forwarded the email to my friends Gene and Dave, both owners of Porsche 930 turbos, in hope of their participation come Saturday morning.

For a change, the early morning skies Saturday morning were clear and dry. As I pulled into the parking lot still cloaked in darkness, I was waved into the “featured” lot, to join the already present assortment of rainbow-hued Porsche 911’s. As I rounded the parking median, I encountered my friend Gene backing his black 930 turbo into a corner parking spot, and after he was settled in, I grabbed the space immediately to his right. As the lot continued to fill with even more 911’s, my friend Dave arrived in his 1984 Slate Gray 930 Turbo, debuting a brand new, upgraded turbo motor. By the time the sun had risen, the lot was filled with an even greater variety of Porsches, and what an amazing, colorful collection it was…

Dave’s slate gray 1984 930 turbo, and the first photos of his brand new turbo motor with mirror polished intercooler…

And parked shoulder to shoulder with the Porsche 911’s was this ultra rare, Grand Prix white, 1981 Porsche 924 Carrera GTS Club Sport. According to Porsche, a total of fifty-nine GTS Carreras were built (50 to meet the Group 4 homologation requirements back in the day, plus an additional nine for good measure). And of the fifty-nine total cars built, only 15 were further modified to Club Sport specifications…

In fact, this is the only GTS identification displayed on the entire car, and almost invisible due to its monochromatic design…

From week to week, one never knows who might be seen strolling through the parking lot at Cars&Coffee. On this morning, local resident and American racing legend Dan Gurney (in the white jacket and blue sweater) and his wife were present (see photo above), taking in the sights and examining the mornings diverse gathering of Porsches…

And obviously, the tribute email reached the owner of this beautiful Porsche 904 Carrera GTS as witnessed below. A fitting tribute, since the Porsche 904 was the second milestone car penned by F.A. Porsche, shortly after his completion of the design for the 911…

Several other rare and unique Porsche models were also represented Saturday morning, and ironically were each parked in close proximity to one another.

The first was the pristine white, 1962 Porsche 356 Carrera 2, powered by the model specific, Carrera 4 cam motor as seen below…

The second model was a silver,1961 Porsche Carrera Abarth GTL (shown below), also sporting a 4 cam motor, and backed by a freestanding display that chronicled the cars racing history. This particular Abarth GTL is another example of a very rare Porsche, being part of the initial, limited production run of 21 GTL’s from back in 1960. This particular car (serial #1015), was the fifteenth of only 21 produced during that time frame.

And last but not least was the second Porsche 904 in attendance ( the blue model shown below), and the only 904 model to possess a very special connection to Ferdinand Alexander Porsche…

This particular car, a 1964 904 Carrera GTS, serial # 904-002 (of which I have written about previously), is not only historically significant because of its status as one of the surviving pre-production prototype models created, but also because of the unique design features unique to this car only. And no less important is the fact that this is the single 904 Carrera GTS to have been owned and routinely driven by the designer himself (Ferdinand Alexander “Butzi” Porsche).

Thus the personalized California license plate that adorns the rear of the car; a clue to the cars historic significance, and reference to the identity of 904-002’s original owner.

As the morning came to a close, and the sound of Porsche boxer / flat six motors coming to life echoed throughout the parking lot, it was time to reflect on the event that had brought us all together that morning. And what better tribute and reminder to all present, than the photo of a young Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, photographed sitting on the fender of his design come to life, the Porsche 911. One only had to look at the Porsche participants that Saturday morning, or recall the Porsche 911 parking corrals at Porsches Rennsport Reunion IV, filled to capacity with 911’s from every model year and color as far as the eye could see, to understand the impact of this designers creative genius. And hopefully, the DNA from his original 911 design will continue to thrive, for future generations of aspiring Porsche 911 owners to experience and enjoy…

(All photos by the author)

Of Speedsters, Spyders, Porsche GT3 RS4.0’s, and more…

Posted on April 7, 2012 by digitaldtour

Saturday morning, March 31 once again dawned cool, gray and damp. So much for spring weather here in Southern California… and for the past several weeks, we have been witness to storm fronts blowing in, just as the weekend was coming into view. Lately, my Friday evenings have been spent watching the 11PM news, to see what possible surprises Mother Nature has planned that could negatively impact Saturday morning’s Cars&Coffee event. And this past Saturday was no exception. However instead of rain, we were treated to sporadic, light drizzle. Just enough to mess with a freshly detailed car… My first encounter with the drizzle was while heading down to connect up with the southbound 5 freeway. I was definitely becoming concerned, especially with each new pocket of drizzle that I encountered. Luckily, the further south I drove, the drier it became. By the time I arrived in Irvine, there were low, gray clouds everywhere, but no rain. And gauging by the number of cars already present at 6AM, there were a lot of other drivers with similar hopes for a dry morning.

While I was assembling my camera gear for the mornings shoot, I noticed what appeared to be an early 1970’s vintage, white Porsche 911 make its way up the nearby parking row, and come to a stop one row over behind where I was parked, faced towards me. From the sound of the exhaust, it was apparent he was running a modified exhaust system on a healthy sounding motor. After shutting off the motor, the driver exited, locked his car and disappeared into the crowd. The glowing white visage was enough to get my attention, so I headed over for a closer look.

The interior was in keeping with the race inspired exterior; stripped down with an RS carpet kit, door panels, roll bar, RS steering wheel, shoulder and lap belts, and dual racing sport seats…

Even the fuch wheels (front and rear) received the race prepped treatment: long wheel studs with steel lug nuts, to securely anchor each wheel in place.

This is only the third Porsche 911 that I have ever seen fitted with a set of the rare Cibie Biode headlights ( as shown above).

And situated just one row over from this white 911, was Porsche Row. Below is a small sampling of a few of the cars found along the row…

My next stop was over at the featured parking lot, where this beautiful red, Porsche 356 Speedster was being displayed…

This particular car has a rare, hardtop option, which includes a hinged vent window, located just behind each door window…

The Speedster reflected in the yellow, award-winning (European model) Ferrari 246 Dino’s rear wheel knock-off, parked to the left of the Speedster…

And then along came a Spyder…

…a white Boxster Spyder to be precise, complete with Porsche 934 styled rear fender flares, GT3 RS4.0 fender flares up front, and a GT2 RS inspired front hood.

And parked several rows over, back on Porsche Row, was this beautifully restored, green 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS (as seen below). And yes, it is a REAL 911 Carrera RS (# 280), and not a clone.

After shooting the Carrera RS, I moved down the row and noticed some of the reflections being cast onto the cars by their neighbors…

It was while I was walking back to have another look at the red Speedster, that I saw this white 2011 GT3 RS4.0 parked at the end of the aisle. After noticing the red-painted headlight washers, I realized this was a car new to Cars&Coffee, and one that I had not seen before. A BRAND NEW SIGHTING, making this the 9th car to be added to my GT3 RS4.0 sighting list…!

Knowing that the dash mounted plaque would reveal this cars series number, I walked over to the passenger side, and peering through the open window, saw that this car was # 222 of 600.

I suddenly realized that this was A BRAND NEW SIGHTING, making this the 9th car to be added to my GT3 RS4.0 sightings list !

And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, as I walked back to my car I spotted a second white GT3 RS4.0 parked right behind my car! Not recognizing any of the people standing nearby, I walked over to get a look at the cars series number dash tag. I immediately recognized the number (#490) as being my 7th RS4.0 sighting, made several weeks earlier at Cars&Coffee. And with different lighting conditions this morning, it was time to capture a few more shots to add to my ever-increasing archive…

(I received an email from a friend this afternoon, letting me know of a special tribute being planned for tomorrow morning (April 7) at Cars &Coffee, in remembrance of Ferdinand Alexander (Butzi) Porsche who passed away on Thursday. Please stay tuned for my coverage from Saturdays event…

(All photos by the author)

A Porsche dream fulfilled…

Posted on March 30, 2012 by digitaldtour

The fascination and aspirations with all things Porsche seems to affect each person differently. Some recount an event in their childhood that created a vivid memory involving a Porsche, while others developed their appreciation for the brand later in life. In my case, it was seeing my first Porsche 911 back in 1966 at the age of 11. However for my friend Gene, it was dreams and aspirations of Porsche ownership that were developed over time, and fortunately one dream that recently became a reality…

I first met Gene back in 2008, when I began attending the weekly automotive gathering in Irvine California known as Cars&Coffee. By virtue of the parking space I selected that first morning, I found myself in proximity to a red Porsche speedster and a dark green metallic Isuzu Vehicross. Within several events, formal introductions were made and I got to know the owners of the two cars; Jeff, the owner of the red speedster, and Gene, the owner of the Vehicross. And within a couple more weeks, a fourth member joined our newly assembled group; Dave and his slate gray, 1984 Porsche 930 Turbo. Since those initial meetings, the four of us have become good friends, and can usually be found parked as a group at each weeks event. Over time, we learned of Gene’s dream to one day own a Porsche 911. But his dream didn’t stop there; within the past 6 months, his focus shifted to mid to late 1980’s vintage 930 turbos. And as far as color was concerned, India Red quickly rose to the top of his list. And what better place than Cars&Coffee, to check out the weeks assortment of Porsche turbos, in a variety of colors, model years and options.

And so the search began. Gene would share his latest leads each week, and ask for our collective opinions on his latest finds. We watched him experience the frustrations we had all experienced firsthand; of locating a car only to learn that it had just been sold. And then there were the dry spells, where no new 930 Turbos were to be found. Gene then expanded his search to beyond California, where he soon found several more Porsche 930 turbos of interest. However, it was a one owner, very low mileage (25K), black on black 1987 Porsche 930 Turbo located up in Washington State that got his full attention. After multiple conversations with the owner and some negotiating, a purchase strategy was put in place contingent upon the outcome of a PPI (pre-purchase inspection). Gene had arranged for the PPI to be performed by a local Porsche mechanic up in Washington State. Upon completion, the mechanic’s report would be sent to Gene for review. Fortunately the car had been very well maintained and cared for, so it passed the inspection with flying colors. The negotiations with the owner were finalized, and back in early February, I received an email one evening from Gene, sharing with me that he was now the owner of the black on black, 1987 Porsche 930 turbo. His next challenge would be to arrange for the shipping of his new purchase down to Southern California.

After researching the options available for transport companies who offer enclosed trailers with lift gates and GPS tracking, he made several calls to different firms requesting a quote. After comparing numbers, he decided to get on the waiting list with one of the high-profile vehicle transport companies. Unfortunately, after waiting for 2 weeks, he received notification from the company that they would be unable to accommodate his request for vehicle transport. By now, it was the end of February and Gene was still without his car. So he contacted another of the major automotive transport firms (Passport Transport), and luck was on his side. They had a truck that was scheduled to make a run up to the Seattle area, and yes, they would in fact be able to transport his car. Four days later, he received confirmation, along with several photos of his car being loaded onto their transport, and prepared for its journey to Southern California. And on March 11, the transporter pulled up to Gene’s home, to deliver his long-awaited Porsche 930 Turbo.

Now came the challenge of out-of-state vehicle registration and the nefarious California smog test. But first there was the matter of correcting the one single item from the PPI list; the replacement of the motors catalytic converter. Wanting to use only factory replacement parts, Gene went on a search only to learn that the local stock of factory 930 turbo catalytic converters was entirely depleted. Fortunately within Southern California, there is a wealth of Porsche resources only a phone call away. After following up on a couple leads, he contacted Hergesheimer Motorsports. After explaining his situation, Gene was told that they could get him the new factory part within a week, and then install it so he could continue with his registration process. After the cat was installed, it was time for the smog test. Once again, good fortune was on Gene’s side, and the car passed without a hitch. So armed with his smog certificate and car sales documentation, it was off to the DMV to finally register his car, and get his new California plates.

Cars& Coffee / Irvine on Saturday morning, March 24 witnessed the formal debut of Gene’s new Porsche 930 turbo. And what an amazing and beautiful car it is; even more impressive considering it’s 25 years old. The following photos are just a few of the images taken that morning…

And throughout the process of realizing his dream of Porsche ownership, Gene was able to share the experience with his son Ryan. And that’s what the car hobby and the Porsche community is all about; the shared passion for the automobile regardless of your vehicular preferences. And as witnessed from the first portrait taken of Gene, Ryan and their new Porsche (seen below), with each displaying broad smiles, it just shows that it’s hard to beat a pristine black 930 Turbo. So guys, welcome to the Porsche Family…

(All photos by the author)

Of Ford GT’s and the “Gumball Rally” 427 Shelby Cobra…

Posted on March 20, 2012 by digitaldtour

While still under the cover of darkness, I made my way south on the 5 freeway towards Cars&Coffee / Irvine on Saturday morning March 3. As I neared Irvine, I noticed in my rear view mirror a pair of headlights closing quickly. And in a matter of seconds, a low slung, black Ford GT with white stripes and large white meatball with a black number 2 centered on its door was right next to me. As we continued south, the driver accelerated and pulled ahead by about 3 car lengths. Then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, a California Highway Patrol cruiser with yellow lights flashing passed me and took up a position right behind the black Ford GT. And instead of pulling over, the Ford GT continued southbound with the CHP right on its bumper. While watching this event unfold in front of me, I heard a loud rumble, and looked over to see a bright yellow Ford GT pull up beside me, also watching the events ahead. We continued south, running side by side, and watching the CHP and Black Ford GT running nose to tail for about a mile. And then the strangest thing happened. The CHP cruiser pulled out, passing the black Ford GT, and sped away with its lights still flashing ( guess it was the Ford GT owners lucky day). The yellow Ford GT then picked up his pace, and with a single upshift, spit a pair of blue fireballs out of it dual exhaust, and began accelerating away from me. But I had already dropped down a gear, and accelerated to match his pace. I tucked in behind him and we ran like this all the way to the freeway off-ramp, where I was once again treated to a light show of blue colored fireballs erupting from the exhaust with each downshift. By the time we arrived at the parking lot entrance to Cars&Coffee, I immediately knew what the featured make of car would be for the day. Both the black and yellow Ford GT’s were soon waived into the reserved parking lot, to join the cars already on display. After finding a parking space, and having consumed my breakfast, with camera in hand, it was time to head out and see what amazing cars Saturday morning had in store…

Walking through the Ford display area, I encountered the Black Ford GT with white stripes and racing number that I had watched being stalked on the freeway earlier that morning by the CHP…

The yellow fender showing in this image above, belongs to the fire-ball spitting GT 40 that I shadowed on my way to the show that morning…

Intermingled with the Ford GT’s were other Ford powered vehicles, ranging from Shelby Cobras, Sunbeam Tigers and an assortment of Pantera’s.

One of the standouts from the Shelby Cobra’s gathered that morning was this Guardsman Blue, 1966 427 Shelby Cobra seen below. What made this car even more unique, was the role it played in the 1976 movie “The Gumball Rally”. For those of you that remember the film, yes, this is the actual Guardsman Blue, 427 Shelby Cobra featured throughout the movie.

The current owner had even included a biography on the car as shown above, highlighting its history and involvement in “The Gumball Rally”…

Even the Cobra’s license plate was a clue to this cars identity for those in the know. Now all that was missing was a red Ferrari 365 Daytona Spyder and “Franco”…

(All photos by the author)

Reflections on a summery Saturday morning, and two new Porsche GT3 RS4.0 sightings…

Posted on March 14, 2012 by digitaldtour

For the second weekend in a row, Southern California was once again blessed with summer like weather, complete with warm breezes and sunny, cloudless crystal blue skies. This past Saturday was another stunning example, and what better time to undertake another study of reflections, and explore the contrast of shadow and light and their collective impact on the automotive form.

The following photos represent my latest study, with lighting effects provided courtesy of Mother Nature, and additional fill provided by my Nikon SB600 Speedlight…

After shooting the Ferrari Daytona coupe seen above, I ran into a friend who asked if I had seen the Ferrari Enzo and Bugatti Veyron parked by the catering tables. I told him no, and then asked if the Bugatti was the blue-tinted carbon fiber model that had been at the event 2 weeks earlier. He said no, that this one was a two-tone, red on black, and that the Enzo parked just in front was a blood orange color. So off I went in search of these two cars, which can be seen below. I was definitely surprised to see each car displaying a KONY 2012 placard, an apparent effort by each owner to draw attention to the atrocities committed by African warlord Joseph Kony, against the children of his country…

I then noticed that another crowd was gathered towards the middle of the parking lot and decided to find out what was drawings the crowd. There parked at the end of the row, was a spectacular looking hot rod, and then it hit me. This was a Chip Foose creation, and walking towards the back confirmed it. This was the Foose HemiSFear…

And with the rear deck opened, even the valve covers confirmed that this was in fact the HemiSFear.

My next stop was on Mercedes row, to check out a beautifully restored Triumph motorcycle parked next to an amazing black Mercedes-Benz 190 SL roadster, both the source of some amazing shadows and reflections…

And now an update on my two latest Porsche GT3 RS4.0 sightings…

On Saturday March 3, I added another GT3 RS4.0 sighting (#7) to my list of cars encountered since October 2011 at Porsches Rennsport Reunion IV. This car was another example of the white exterior with the RS4.0 exterior graphics package, with the white wheel configuration.

After talking with the owner, I learned that he’s had the car for only three months, but from the smile on his face it was obvious he thoroughly enjoys ownership. It was then time to ask him my standard GT3 RS4.0 question – What series number is your car out of the total 600 built? Fortunately, every RS4.0 owner faced with my question has been gracious enough to share their cars series number. And keeping the trend alive, this owner shared with me that his car was #490 out of 600.

Sighting #8, and my second sighting for March, occurred this past Saturday, and was once again at Cars&Coffee /Irvine. This particular car appeared to be brand new; also white and wearing the traditional RS4.0 exterior graphics package, but in this case its wheels were black.

Realizing that this was a brand new car, and not one that I had seen before, I immediately looked around for the owner in hopes of asking him about his car, and adding its series number to my GT3 RS4.0 sighting list. No owner was to be found, so I circled that car a few more times, adding more images to my collection and studying the various reflective surfaces found on the car.

I returned to the car a little later and was lucky enough to catch the owner, just as he was getting ready to leave. I quickly introduced myself, and explained my interest in the Porsche GT3 RS4.0, along with my quest to document each of my RS4.0 sightings since seeing my first at Porsches Rennsport Reunion IV. I learned that the owner had also attended Rennsport Reunion IV, and had even participated in the weekends racing. It was then time for me to ask my question, and this owner kept the tradition alive by sharing with me that his car was series #491. I then shared with him that I had encountered another white GT3 RS4.0 one week earlier, which was series # 490. We both agreed on the rarity of finding two cars with sequential series numbers, from such a limited worldwide production.

Now only 592 GT3 RS4.0’s remaining…

(All photos by the author)

digitaldtour

A photographic journey through the Southern California car culture

Category Archives: Cars&Coffee / Irvine

Something Wicked This Way Comes …

“I Keep Holdin’ on to Yesterday”…

“Badges? We don’t need no stinkin’ badges!”

A stranger in a strange land…

Three to get ready and Porsches to show…

A tribute to Ferdinand Alexander Porsche at Cars&Coffee/Irvine…

Of Speedsters, Spyders, Porsche GT3 RS4.0’s, and more…

A Porsche dream fulfilled…

Of Ford GT’s and the “Gumball Rally” 427 Shelby Cobra…

Reflections on a summery Saturday morning, and two new Porsche GT3 RS4.0 sightings…