Rot,Weiss und Blau: Technicolor Porsches and the return of a unique blue GT3RS 4.0…

Posted on November 24, 2012 by digitaldtour

Once again, while the rest of the country continued to experience the effects of a stormy winter, Saturday morning (November 10) in the early pre dawn hours here in Southern California dawned clear, but as I walked out my back door and headed towards my garage, I was greeted with a chilly embrace. Winter temperatures had finally arrived. So protected from the morning chill by my trusty jacket, I fired up the Carrera, and headed south to Cars&Coffee.

By the time I arrived in Irvine, the temperatures seemed even cooler than when I left my house. Pulling into the parking lot, I quickly looked around to see if my friends (Gene, Ryan, Dave or Jeff) had arrived, since we usually park as a group. No sign of them, so I decided to park with the regulars over on Porsche row. And that’s when I saw it; the blue, Porsche 911 GT3RS 4.0 had returned. So with camera in hand, I was off to take another look at this truly unique car.

As noted in one of my previous posts (see link), this particular RS 4.0 was a special order car, not only for its Dark blue paint, but the graphics delete / elimination of the traditional RS 4.0 exterior stripes and Porsche text usually found on the rear wing.

One exception made to the graphics delete option, and located out back, was the retention of the RS 4.0 badging found on the rear deck lid, just below the rear wing.

However, since the cars last appearance, there has been a subtle graphic added to the rear valence, placed just to the right of the rear bumperette (as seen above and below). The significance of this graphic affixed to this car makes perfect sense, given the owners record of multiple class wins at Pikes Peak behind the wheel of various Porsche 911s.

Parked immediately to the left of the dark blue GT3RS 4.0’s, was this beautiful 1971 Porsche 911E, painted in another of the rare Porsche blues.

Depending upon the lighting that morning, this cars color shifted from the bright blue as seen above, to the darker, blue – gray value as seen below.

This Porsche also happened to be another car that has been absent from this event for some time, but is always rewarding to see in person. A 911E that has been beautifully restored, both inside and out.

And for anyone interested in restoring an early 911, this is a car that needs to be seen in person, to fully appreciate the level and attention to detail employed on this restoration, and the results that can be achieved when done correctly.

Parked towards the opposite end of Porsche row was another unique example, this one a beautiful red1996 993 turbo, wearing a set of RUF wheels, RUF lower front spoiler/valence, and running a sport exhaust system. I learned that this car was the latest acquisition made by Truspeed Motorsports, to be added to their current “for sale” inventory.

Parked across the aisle from Porsche row, was another very cool 911; in this case a Grand Prix white, ’07/’08 vintage GT3, that has been configured for club racing.

The track set up goodies for this GT3 also included a set of the very cool, 19″ GMG WC-GT Monoblock wheels in Charcoal gray (above and below).

Following on the mornings apparent rot, weiss und blau Porsche theme but with a twist, was this pair of Arena Red metallic Porsches, ; a 993 turbo on the left, and to its right, a 986 Boxster.

After making the rounds on Porsche row, I headed off to explore the rest of the parking lot. Just two rows over, and parked on the outside end of the row, I encountered this modified 2011 911 GT3RS, with GMG license plate.

After taking a quick visual inventory, it became apparent that the most obvious changes made over a stock GT3RS, were to the wheels and rear wing.

Given the overall width and profile of the carbon fiber rear wing, as well as the taller, red support struts, it appeared these parts had been sourced from the Porsche Motorsports / GT3 Cup Car parts bin (above and below).

A quick inspection of the wheels revealed what appeared to be a set of the GMG, WC- GT Monoblock centerlocks, color matched to the cars red graphics and accents…

As the mornings participants began to thin, this beautiful red, Porsche type 997 GT3 was revealed, parked all by itself…

And what Porsche fan in his right mind would not stop to check out a pristine red, Porsche GT3?

Porsche’s GT3 rear wing, specific to the 2007/2008 models (below). I’ve also heard this rear wing referred to as the “taco wing”, due to the folded contours and profile of the wing, and its resemblance to a taco shell…

These wings also came equipped with a black “Gurney strip”, located immediately behind the dual air intake scoops, to enhance and balance the aerodynamic downforce (as seen below).

It wasn’t until I arrived back home and began looking through my photos, that I suddenly realized the mornings theme obviously had to relate to the range of Technicolor Porsches that I had been fortunate enough to photograph that morning.

(All photos by the author)

“When everything is art, you’ve gotta take it in”…

Posted on November 12, 2012 by digitaldtour

On Saturday November 3, those of us here in Southern California experienced another weekend of extended summer like weather. As a result, those in attendance at Cars&Coffee were treated to a truly eclectic gathering of automobiles.

With such a diverse cross-section of vehicles represented, I really felt as if I were walking through an outdoor art gallery, experiencing row after row of 4 wheeled art and sculpture. And with each new row, the experience resembled that of entering a new and different wing within a museum, and discovering the treasures within. And that was exactly the type of experience that would unfold before me that morning.

My first stop of the morning, with illumination courtesy of the rising sun, was with these two examples of classic, post WWII automotive art; in this case a pair of 1930’s vintage, American bred hot rods…

The 5 window coupe’s motor (as seen below).

The pickup truck even displayed what appeared to be a flying eyeball hood ornament, perhaps influenced by the famous flying eyeball logo /graphic created by California pin striping legend Von Dutch (below)…

Over at the featured lot, I encountered this beautiful British Racing Green Jaguar, with its sculpted curves being accentuated by some amazing reflections, courtesy of the early morning light.

There was no mistaking the origins of this particular model due to its unique design, and the badge on the front hood only reinforced the fact that parked before me was one of the very rare,1957 Jaguar D-type XKSS roadsters.

With the sunrise and reflections both working their magic, the shapes and contours of the front hood and fenders were beautifully displayed, and further illustrated the sculptural impact to the styling of this car.

Even when viewed from behind, the subtle contours of the body along with the angular, almost pinched profile of the side windows were further revealed and accentuated by the early morning sunrise.

Seeing this car in person brought to mind a magazine article I remembered reading years ago about Steve McQueen, in which the author described his ownership of a 1957 Jaguar XKSS. The article had mentioned several specific modifications that McQueen had made to his car. The first was to repaint the car a proper British Racing Green. The second was to add a locking door to the glove box cubby in the dashboard ( the cars were delivered without glove box doors). McQueen turned to one of his friends (Pin striper Von Dutch) for the fabrication of a locking glove box door, to correct the oversight by Jaguar. The third modification made was to have the original interior kept stock, but to have the upholstery redone in black leather, by none other than the Southern California-based drag racer turned custom car upholsterer Tony Nancy. This particular car parked in front of me possessed all of the aforementioned details, so the question remained; could this car be the ex-Steve McQueen Jaguar XKSS?

(Postscript: After publishing this post, I received an email from the owner of the XKSS one week later, wanting to clarify the origins of his car. I learned that it is in fact an XKSS re-creation, and not an original model. The amazing fiberglass body was created by Realm Engineering, located in the U.K., and is mounted to a Reynard Racing chassis, specified with Jaguar running gear. Power is produced by a 4.2 liter Jaguar motor, pumping out 300 horsepower, and is transferred to the rear wheels via a Tremec 5 speed transmission. Seeing this car in person puts the automotive re-creation industry in a whole new light).

My next stop would be to Porsche row, for my weekly visit.

A trio of early Porsche 911s, with the outer two displaying the optional Lietz roof racks…

Caught in the middle; the white, 1972 911 RGruppe GT 2.7 coupe, complete with its unique, rear quarter window graphic.

The early 911 triplets as seen below (foreground to background)- 1969 911E, 1972 911 GT, and 1973 911E.

Located several rows over to the East, and down the aisle from the weekly Mercedes-Benz 190SL enclave, I discovered this trio of classic Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The first example (as seen below), in red and black, turned out to be a pre-war 1936 Mercedes-Benz 230 W-143 Cabriolet B; a spectacular and beautifully restored, touring car.

Sandwiched in-between the other two Mercedes-Benz vehicles, was this Ivory colored, 1930s vintage two-seat roadster with red interior, also appearing to have been restored.

Parked immediately to the right was what appeared to be a model 260D, W-138 series sedan, also sporting a two toned paint finish, in green with black fenders.

What made the 260 D model unique was that the D designation represented a diesel engined vehicle, and made this particular model the first diesel engined, series produced passenger car. And according to the Mercedes-Benz records, only 2000 of these vehicles were built between 1936 and 1940, at which time their production was stopped due to the war. All three of these cars literally looked like they had just rolled off of a Mercedes-Benz showroom floor.

As I continued my trek through the “gallery”, a white, early model Porsche 911 caught my eye, so I walked over to get a closer look ( see below). I had seen this car arrive earlier that morning, and remembered a comment made by a friend standing over on Porsche Row regarding its exhaust note. He stated that this particular car sounded exactly how a Porsche 911 engine should sound; Tight and clear with a smooth idle, and without any extraneous noise or valve clatter. And anyone who has been around or is familiar with Porsche 911s, will know the specific sound I’ve described.

I soon realized that there was something familiar about this car; I had seen it before, but could not remember where. It was then that the owner came over and introduced himself, as I was photographing the motor. I quickly learned that this car had been previously owned by one of the two founding members of the Porsche car club “RGruppe”, and after being shown an article written years ago in Excellence magazine about this very car and two other 911s, it hit me. That was where I has seen this car before, having read the same article, and obviously it had made an impression.

As a result of this cars previous ownership, this car was equipted with many of the cool, go fast Motorsports purposed, Porsche factory parts. This car would become a visual blueprint used by many a Porsche owner who aspired to building their own unique version of an RGruppe inspired, pre 1974 Porsche 911.

Up front, an example of the custom finished, Porsche factory, 911R inspired “Deep 6” Fuchs alloy wheel.

Race inspired, door mounted Talbot mirror…

Shown below is the performance inspired interior; from the 911R styled, light weight door panels and pulls, to the Recaro sports seats for the driver and passenger, a Prototipo racing steering wheel (complete with the proper patina), and the removal of the radio, with a filler panel added and the void covered over. Even the speedometer and tachometer have been rotated to the left, to allow for the monitoring of critical vehicle speed and engine RPM at a glance; each gauge had been set in order to peg its orange needle at the twelve o’clock position).

A 1969 Porsche 911S, 2.2 liter motor with mechanical fuel injection (as seen below)…

Even the rear deck lid was given the RGruppe treatment. The stock, factory dimensional rear badging was removed, and replaced by adhesive backed vinyl graphics, once again taking inspiration from the early Porsche 911 race cars…

My last stop of the morning was to check out this stunning Orange, 2007 Porsche GT3RS. With the crowds and cars having thinned, I was able to move around and photograph the GT3RS without interference.

The lighting by mid morning created some incredible highlights, reflections and shadows, and created the visual impression of an airbrushed rendering.

A study of light; Ground plane shadows, highlights to define shape and contour, and an ultra reflective carbon fiber rear wing…

Form follows function; the GT3RS rear wing. Purpose built for speed, generating downforce and capturing hidden reflections (see below)…

My last shot of the morning and one of my favorite from the November 3rd event. The sunlight really brought this color to life, and showcased the collective styling cues unique to the GT3RS, re-stating the obvious: There is no substitute.

So should you find yourself in need of some artistic inspiration on a Saturday morning, come take a stroll through the automotive galley known locally as Cars&Coffee. You won’t be disappointed…

(All photos by the author)

Here comes the rain again…

Posted on October 26, 2012 by digitaldtour

Even as the light drizzle descended upon Saturday mornings Cars&Coffee gathering, the weak storm front was unable to dampen the spirits of the early morning, die-hard participants. What initially appeared as lighter than usual attendance at 6 AM, progressed into a steady stream of cars that continued arriving well past 8 AM.

Obviously, the drizzle had a major impact on the owners of convertibles, but for the most part, the majority had come equipped with tonneau covers and kept their interiors dry…

Even these classic Jaguar’s ( XK 140 roadster & XK 150 coupe) as seen below, came out and braved the less than sunny morning.

What was even more amazing (at least to me), was observing that the owners of these beautifully restored cars appeared unfazed by the drizzle falling onto their prized possessions.

One of a handful of gumball hued cars in attendance, and delivering an intense splash of color to an otherwise gray morning, was this sunflower yellow hued, Morgan Plus 4 roadster (below).

With the abbreviated racing windscreens as seen below, probably not much protection at speed from the rain.

Back over on Porsche row, the regulars were once again assembled; I’m not sure if this arrangement by color was staged or purely by accident.

The cumulative effect of the mornings drizzle as seen on the hood and driving light; Rolly’s red, white and black 1966 Porsche 911.

A dual set of color matched Porsche bookends.

And just across the aisle from Porsche row was this 550 Spyder recreation, fully exposed to the elements…

and literally dripping with badges.

Located several rows over towards the west, and shining like an orange beacon through the mist, was this beautiful, Lamborghini Gallardo.

And representing the die-hard hot rod contingency, was a very cool, gold customized roadster parked out towards the back row.

This particular car arrived at the event rather late, but made its presence known by virtue of its unrestricted headers, which delivered an amazing rumble as it rolled through the parking lot. And as this photograph illustrates, the drizzle had stopped by the time this hot rod arrived, sparing the driver, his passenger and the car.

Propulsion was provided by a massive Chrysler Fire-Power V8, sporting six individual carburetors and sparked by a magneto as seen below…

Ironically, just as the owner of the hot rod was getting ready to leave, his transmission got stuck in reverse. But since this was Cars&Coffee, two bystanders that had been talking with the owner, stepped up and helped trouble shoot the jammed transmission. As the photo below illustrates, after some discussion, adjustments were made to the shifter rod linkage, and the transmission was once again successful at engaging its forward gears. The owner then fired up his car, grabbed first gear, let out the clutch and rumbled off…

So should you ever experience an automotive breakdown as a participant at this event, rest assured that regardless of the make or model of your car, there will probably be someone close by with a working knowledge to assist you, and get you back on the road.

(All photos by the author)

Archaeological opportunities at Cars&Coffee/Irvine…

Posted on October 16, 2012 by digitaldtour

Webster’s dictionary defines Archaeology as “the scientific study of material remains, artifacts and monuments) of past human life and activities”. With each new sunrise illuminating Saturday mornings Cars&Coffee event, this study can be undertaken by anyone present. And as I have noted in previous posts, one never knows what treasures await discovery.

Last Saturday morning while still under the cover of darkness, my friend Jeff and I watched as a slate gray Detomaso circled the parking lot, apparently trying to decide where to park. As it circled, we tried to figure out whether it was a 1970’s vintage Pantera, or a mid sixties Lamborghini. As it approached where we were standing, it passed us and then circled back to stop right next to us. It was then that we realized it was a 1969 Detomaso Mangusta, predating Detomaso’s Pantera model.

Once the owner was out of the car, he walked to the back and opened up the rear deck, which on this particular model articulate like the wings on a butterfly (above and below)…

In my four years of attending this event, I think this is the first Detomaso Mangusta that I have seen participate.

In stark contrast to this european model, and parked on the opposite side of the lot, was my next find; an example of a classic american custom, as represented by this chopped top, lowered 1951″Purple” Mercury, built by RD Kustoms.

From here, I headed over to the featured lot, where I uncovered yet another classic; a silver Porsche 904 Carrera GTS, circa 1964 (as seen below).

Over on Porsche row, I encountered this beautifully restored, Irish Green 1965 Porsche 911.

Back in the engine compartment, one telltale clue as to the build date for this particular 911 (as seen below), are the dual Solex carbs as installed. These could also be found on the early 1966 911 models, only to be replaced by a pair dual Weber, 40IDA3C carbs when Porsche resumed their production on March 2, 1966.

Several rows over towards the west was another rare Porsche; in this case an Ivory colored,1955 Porsche Continental coupe (below).

As seen below, this designation as well as the fender badging displayed was unique to the 1955 model year only, as it was discontinued for the 1956 model year, due to a cease and desist letter from the Ford Motor Company, claiming the U.S. rights to the name Continental.

The 1500 cc motor (below), as used to power the 1955 Continental coupe.

And out back on display, a period correct California license plate, circa 1955.

The next treasure discovered was this beautifully restored classic; a red 1963 Plymouth Sport Fury, as seen below…

and residing under the hood, a surgically clean and massive 426 Hemi motor.

The interior had been treated with the same attention to detail as the rest of the car, and appeared showroom fresh.

While on my walk back towards Porsche row, I came across this unique example of a 1991 Porsche 964, in Grand Prix white. And upon closer inspection, I realized that this was in fact a 964 turbo.

It even wore a set of the always very cool, 3 piece modular BBS racing wheels.

Even though Porsche built the 964 from late 1989 through 1994 and the Turbo model from 19991 to 1994, it’s surprising how few of these turbo models one sees here in Southern California, when compared to the earlier 911 Carrera’s and the model 993 that immediately followed the 964.

Parked towards the middle of Porsche row, (next to a non-Porsche), was this red, white and black,1966 Porsche 911 race car. With all of its collective details ( 911R front fenders, rally lights, blacked out american racing wheels, racing hood hold downs, plexiglass louvered quarter windows and the center mounted, through the hood fuel filler) this car screamed early Porsche 911.

Even its license plate had a secret to reveal. Upon closer inspection, the yearly registration tags appeared like geological strata, with each colored layer revealing yet another years tag. According to the owner, this layered collection represents between 16 -18 years worth of registration.

The single vehicle at the event that morning that came the closest to relic status (as seen below), was this post WWII belly tank racer, appearing like something straight out of an Indiana Jones epic. These type of vehicles were purpose-built for top speed runs on the Bonneville salt flats, and designed using parts from numerous sources. The bodies were actually crafted from military surplus sourced, auxiliary belly fuel tanks carried by fighter jets. The running gear on this particular vehicle appeared to be vintage Ford.

With the upper body panels removed, this racer definitely took on the look of a relic. The vehicle had the feel of a barn find, with a frame draped in the patina of age, and included weight savings measures employed through the use of drilled out gussets and brackets. Even the seat belt was a military surplus sourced piece.

Located behind the seat was the radiator, positioned as a bookend to the centrally located, flathead V8 motor with its dual carbs and side exiting exhaust. The smaller tank located between the rear of the motor and the rear axle appeared to be the fuel tank. Obviously the builders challenge was to design and capture all of these component within the confines of the outer skin. The single exception to this design criteria is the exposure of the driver helmeted head, since visibility is a critical design element.

So for anyone interested in automotive archaeology, this event is truly worth experiencing, for one never knows what treasures await discovery…

(All photos by the author)

A decidedly 1960’s themed morning…

Posted on October 4, 2012 by digitaldtour

Saturday morning saw Porsche row at Cars&Coffee filled shortly after 6 AM. By the time I pulled in at around 6 AM, there were only a half-dozen spaces remaining, scattered throughout the row. And as I was making my way over to the catering table for my weekly donut and OJ, those remaining space were reduced down to just two. By 6:15, the entire row had been filled, but not entirely by Porsches. The last two cars were a Mini Cooper and a sunbeam tiger, both friends of the owner of the Mini that was already parked when I arrived. While finishing my donut and talking with several friends, we noticed a red sports prototype pass behind Porsche row and come to a halt on the outside end of our row. From what I could see of the car under the early morning darkness, it looked to be a mid 60’s vintage Ferrari race car (perhaps a P3 / P4 model), so the next question was what is it, and is it the real deal?

The middle of Porsche row was occupied by several very cool, mid sixties vintage Porsches; one a pristine red,1966 911, and immediately to its left, a white, 1966 Porsche 906 Carrera race car, both frequent visitors to this event.

And surrounding these cars on both side were a mix of early 1970s vintage 911s , Porsche 356 and one spectacular 1970 914-6.

Hidden away towards the west end of the row was yet another surprise; a blue, 1950’s vintage Porsche 550 Spyder, one of several late arrivals to Porsche row…

Another of the late arrivals, but relegated to parking out on the last row of the lot, was another rare, 1960’s vintage Porsche; the green 356 Carrera 2 as seen below…

And rounding out the assemblage of late arrivals, was this always impressive and historically significant, blue 1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS as seen below…

For those unfamiliar with this particular car, this is 904-002, a car not only designed by Ferdinand Alexander “Butzi” Porsche, but the one that served as his personal car, with many unique design features found only on this car.

Now back to the mystery Ferrari; while still under the cover of darkness, I made my way towards where it had been parked.

Walking around the car, it sure looked like the Ferrari Prototype race cars I had seen in magazines from back in the 1960’s.

It had the Ferrari badging, gold Campagnolo wheels, and a weber carburetted Ferrari motor with racing exhaust feeding into dual mufflers, all visible through the rear window.

Purpose built interior with a gated shifter (above and below)

Another somewhat deceptive clue was the license plate; 67 330 P4. So the question still remained: was it really a 1967 Ferrari 330 P4? So off I went in search of an answer. After talking with several people knowledgeable about Ferrari’s, I learned the following: No, it was not an actual Ferrari 330 P4 race car, but a really cool re-creation, apparently using all Ferrari parts from a donor street car. An ideal alternative to owning a six figure, Ferrari race car, but one with the ability to be driven on the street. Kind of like the ultimate Ferrari project car…

Seeing just one of these 1960’s classics is a treat, be it Porsche or Ferrari, but leave it to Cars&Coffee to deliver automotive diversity in quantity each and every Saturday morning, and for me that is what keeps me returning each week.

(All photos by the author)

Porsches, Poodles with attitude, an Ultima Can Am and a 1955 Ferrari 250 Europa GT…

Posted on September 2, 2012 by digitaldtour

Saturday morning, August the 25th dawned cool and clear as I set out from my house towards my final destination, Cars&Coffee / Irvine. These early morning conditions were a welcomed break from the heat wave conditions being experienced by Southern California. However, it was the low coastal cloud cover and light drizzle that I encountered as I neared Irvine. These conditions came as a surprise, and would wind up setting the tone for the rest of the mornings activities.

Regardless of these damp conditions, by 6:30 AM the parking lot at C&C was already filling up, with many of the participants eager to share their stories from the previous weeks Monterey Motorsports Reunion events.

Porsche row was once again well represented by a bevy of early 911s…

The morning’s dew cloaking Porsche row…

Parked amongst its Porsche siblings, was this 1973 911E in Gemini Blue (shown below), with only 52,000 miles showing on its odometer. This particular car turned out to be for sale, and represented by one of the local Orange County automotive brokers ; the firm autokennel. Even more surprising was the asking price -$99K. Its been amazing to see how much these early 911s are appreciating in value, in addition to the increasing difficulty in finding a clean example for sale…

As I’ve noted in previous posts, I began attending Cars&Coffee back in 2008, and have observed over time an increase in the number of participants bringing their pets (primarily dogs) to the show each week, thus my “poodles with attitude reference”. Unfortunately, not every pet is well-trained or behaved; the worst example I’ve seen was a dog that decided to relieve himself on a freshly polished custom chrome wheel, attached to a stunning hot rod. Unfortunately, the dogs owner appeared oblivious to the carnage that his dog had just rendered to the wheel finish, and the two of them simply walked away. The other down side with some of the untrained pets are the land mines they leave behind for the unwary pedestrian, both on the parking lot surface and planted medians that divide the parking lot rows. (This condition reminds me of navigating the sidewalks of Paris, France during the summer months, when they are visited by the owners and their pets out for their daily walk).

Another interesting observation I’ve made is recognizing distinct personalities exhibited by many of the dogs present each week. A classic example of this was the “Poodle with attitude” (as seen below)…

After walking through the event, the owner returned to his car, opened up the door for his dog to climb in. The dog jumped in, sat down on the front seat, leaned back and then proceeded to put its paw up on the owners arm just as they were leaving; quite the hilarious sight…

Parked right next to the “poodle with attitude” car, was my friend Matt’s Porsche; his incredible 2007 viper green GT3RS…

Another of the friends that I have made since attending Cars&Coffee is the owner of this British Racing Green Ultima Can Am, as seen below…

During a conversation that morning with my friend Eric, I happened to mention that the very first time I saw an Ultima Can Am was on the Cable TV Show “Supercars Exposed”, being driven by the host of the show, Tanner Foust. I told Eric that the car in the show sure looked allot like his car, to which he replied “it should, because that was my car featured on that episode”. Talk about a small world…

At this point of our conversation, several people approached Eric to ask about his car. Through Eric;s discussion, I learned more about the car, and that he had purchased this car in kit form, and proceeded to build it component by component from the ground up.

And because the car was classified as a” rolling chassis”, it did not come with a motor or transmission. So Eric had to source both; He had a friend build up the potent V8, which includes the unique Hilborn fuel injection system (seen above and below), and for a transmission, he ended up sourcing a transaxle from a Porsche 911.

Parked out on the very last row of the lot, was a Ferrari that I had seen drive into the event earlier that morning, but at the time did not have a clue as to its year or model designation. I had been looking for this particular Ferrari for the better part of the morning, and finally located it due to the large crowd of people gathered around it. Still not knowing the build date year or even the model designation, I decided to photograph the car in hope of finding some type of identification, or to overhear a conversation regarding details. One of the most striking visual features is its two-tone paint treatment; the basic body color in white, and on this particular car its painted, teal colored roof (as seen below)…

Regardless of this vehicles age, the chrome plated bumper, grill trim, driving lights and headlight bezels all appeared as if brand new…

Even the Borrani wire wheels appeared like fine Italian jewelry…

By the time I made my way around to the passenger side of the car, I began hearing conversations regarding some background details on this car. Several of the C&C regulars, obviously well versed in all things Ferrari, acknowledged that this particular car was in fact a 1955 250 Europa GT, and added that it had also been a participant in the 2011 Mille Miglia event (the participant decals were displayed on the windshield, placed low on the passenger side). Confirmation of these discussion was found within the interior, in the form of a commemorative placard from the 2011 Mille Miglia event, that was found resting on the passenger’s side, teal colored carpet (see below).

It was hard to believe that this car had in fact competed in the event, since it was in flawless, museum-like condition.

When I returned home later that morning, I decided to educate myself further regarding this particular Ferrari model, so imagine my surprise when I googled “1955 Ferrari 250 Europa GT”, and up popped an image of this very car! A classic example of the automotive depth of treasures that reside right here in Southern California, and why each weeks Cars&Coffee event holds the promise of another new discovery…

(All photos by the author)

On a clear day you can see…Stuttgart

Posted on July 28, 2012 by digitaldtour

Sunday morning, July 15, 2012 started off slightly overcast, as the Porsche 356 Registry began staging cars for their yearly Concours event, once again held at the Lantern Bay Marriott, overlooking the harbor in Dana Point, California.

By 8 AM, the full range of 356 models gathered had been assembled and aligned in rows on the lawn. After the last 356 had been staged, the remaining Porsches queued up awaiting entry onto the grounds (911s, 912s, 914s, etc.), were allowed onto the lawn and staged just to the west of the 356 Concours display…

Around 9 AM, the judges were called and assembled for their last-minute instructions, at which time they donned their event – issued green polo shirts. Armed with clipboards, scoring sheets and stop watches in hand, they all headed off in teams towards the gleaming rows of Porsche 356s, patiently awaiting their turn to be judged.

The first row of the event had been reserved as a showcase for the days most rare and unique examples of the 356 model. Situated within this row were examples of 4 cam Carrera 2s, in both Coupe and Cabriolet form, a sole example of the ultra-rare 1952 Glockler Porsche, and several amazing examples of highly modified 356 models, commonly referred to as “outlaws”.

The rare #44, 1952 Glockler-Porsche special; #3 of only three “Glockler special” cars produced as seen below…

Amidst the unaltered 356 model Porsches, were several examples of highly modified Porsche 356s, referred to as “Outlaws”. The title is due in part to the level of modifications / alterations made, and the cars departure from a “100% Stock” configuration.

Now it was time to check out the remaining rows of 356s…

An example of the 1955 Porsche 356 “Continental”coupe as seen below. The Ford Motor Company apparently took exception to Porsches use of the “Continental” name, and as a result, Porsche stopped using the name on its 1956 models.

After making my way through the multiple rows of Porsche 356s, it was time to check out the “other Porsches” that had shown up in support of their 356 siblings…

By 1:30 PM, the judging had been completed, scores tallied, and the awards presentation began. One by one, as each of the class winners was announced, the winning car and owner would drive up to the front of the show area, where they were presented with their trophies.

The silver 1957 “outlaw” speedster shown below won first place in the “outlaw class”; an even more impressive result given that this event was the cars debut, and very first concours competition…

The class winners from the event on display below, each representing a specific class and model year.

And after observing this impressive gathering of Porsche vehicles, both vintage and newer models, it’s easy to see why Southern California is often referred to as Stuttgart West, as witnessed by the incredible diversity of Porsches found at this event.

(All photos by the author)

From the outside looking in; Observations from the 2012 RGruppe Solvang Treffen

Posted on May 12, 2012 by digitaldtour

As noted in my last post, I had been invited by one of the members from the RGruppe (Porsche car club) to drive up to Solvang on Saturday May 5, spend the afternoon hanging out with the group, shoot some photos, and experience Porsche 911 overload as only the RGruppe can deliver.

The club’s home base for the weekend would be in Beulton California, specifically at the Santa Ynez Valley Marriott Hotel, located just off of the 101 freeway. The Marriott’s proximity to the 101 freeway as well as highways 246 and 154, afforded the members easy access to a wide variety of back roads to explore, and on which to gauge the latest modifications made to their 911s. The hotel also offered up a secluded, secure parking lot out back, and which was large enough to contain the 100+ Porsches that turned out for the event. And turn out they did, from club chapters across the United States and even Mexico.

So Saturday morning May 5 saw my wife and I pack up the Carrera, and head North on the 101 freeway to Solvang. When we arrived at the Marriott around noon, the parking lot was bare, with only a handful of Porsches present.

Apparently the majority of cars were still out on their morning tours, enjoying the warm, sunny spring weather, clear blue skies and twisty roads. Instead of waiting at the hotel for the cars to return, my wife suggested we drive into Solvang and grab some lunch. So we fired up the Carrera, and headed off to explore the town. After a short 3 mile run down highway 246, we found ourselves right in the middle of Solvang, and looking for a place to grab some lunch. After parking the car and a short walk, we found a restaurant (The Mustard Seed) situated right off of the town’s main street (highway 246). They even had a patio out front, so we took advantage of the weather and sat outside. Halfway through our lunch, I heard the unmistakable rasp of a Porsche sport exhaust, and looked up just in time to see a trio of Porsche 911s exploring the rpm range of second gear. Unfortunately, several of the patrons at the restaurant (obviously Solvang locals) took exception to the drivers exuberance, and began yelling and waving at the cars as they passed. We even heard the guy at the table next to ours tell his friends the joke about the difference between a Porsche owner and a porcupine. His friends thought it funny; I found it in poor taste and rather judgemental.

My eldest son and his girlfriend were supposed to have met us for lunch, but because they were running late, my wife decided she would stay behind in Solvang to wait for them. Their delay allowed me to head back to the hotel a bit sooner than planned, but with hopes of finding a good selection of RGruppe Porsches on site, ready to be photographed.

I knew as soon as I pulled into the parking lot that the afternoon was going to be amazing…

Just one of the several, real 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS models in attendance…

Parked amongst the other RGruppe 911s, was this beautiful silver 1968 911L coupe. I recognized this car immediately, having seen it in person at Porsches Rennsport Reunion IV in October 2011, and from photos posted on the owners blog -www.werkcrew.com

The owner (Bob Tilton) has written about a variety of his Porsche projects on his blog, and includes some very creative photographs to document his process and progress, most recently his extensive cockpit renovation efforts, in preparation for the RGruppe’s Solvang Treffen. Bob’s posts afford the reader an insight into the thought process and attention to detail that he applies to each and every one of his projects.

I have long admired Bob’s blog for its content and his photographic skills, and had the pleasure of meeting him in person on this particular Saturday afternoon. Ironically, my introduction occurred as a result of my friend Dave and I walking into a low perspective shot that Bob was composing from behind of one of the many 911s assembled. After apologizing for our misstep, and a formal introduction made by Dave, I spent the next 40 minutes talking with Bob about Porsches, graphic design, creative influences, writing a blog and photography. I was also able to share with him that my reading of his blog was what had inspired me to create a blog of my own. After thanking him for taking the time to talk with me, we both returned to our individual photographic explorations.

As the car below pulled into the parking lot, I watched as a crowd gathered, and immediately began looking at the back of this red 911. Out of curiosity, I went over to see what was happening. As I approached the back of the car, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Did this rear deck lid actually have dual grills? Was this a long-lost prototype deck lid developed by Porsche, as a variation on the dual grill deck lid theme as produced for the 1965 Porsche 356 C models, but adapted for an early Porsche 911?

It turns out that this dual grill rear deck had its origins from the parts inventory out of the Vasek Polak Porsche dealership some time ago, and had been in the possession of a gentleman who had been very active in the Porsche community back in the day. The current owner encountered the rear decklid and had the chance to purchase it, which obviously he did. And what better event to choose for showcasing a one of a kind, custom early 911 rear decklid…

Located on the opposite side of the parking lot was this Mexico blue, ultra rare European only model, 1996 Porsche 993 Carrera RS as seen below.

I had mentioned that there were even participants who had traveled from Mexico to participate in the weekends event. The four Porsches seen above (the red 911 in the foreground, the yellow Carrera RS, the black Carrera RSR clone and the Salmon colored Carrera RS) along with their owners had traveled all the way from Monterrey, Mexico to participate. And once again the event was a showcase for rare models; both of the Carrera RS models were the real thing and not clones…

Another of the rare Porsches in attendance was this yellow Porsche 356 super 90 as seen below. Rumor has it that this is one of only six built…

The last car shown is a 1970’s vintage, factory built rally /race car, complete with twin, triple throat weber carburetors and twin plug ignition…

I’d like to thank Dave Eck for the invitation to experience their event firsthand this past Saturday, along with the other members of the RGruppe for the opportunity to hang out with you, photograph your cars and experience your Treffen as a friend of the RGruppe.

(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)

Remembering Ferdinand Alexander (Butzi) Porsche…

Posted on April 6, 2012 by digitaldtour

It was with great sadness that I read the news today announcing the passing of Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. His passing is not only a terrible loss for the Porsche family, but a sad day for the global Automotive and Design community.

His automotive design and styling influences will be forever linked to the company founded by his grandfather and father, and by two of his penned automotive masterpieces; the iconic Porsche 911, and shortly after, the fiberglass bodied 904 Carrera GTS as seen below.

A beautifully restored example of a 1966 Porsche 911…

…And the historically significant 1964 Porsche 904 GTS (shown below), ironically with special ties to F.A. Porsche. This particular car is serial number 904-002, a pre production model possessing many one-off, custom features, and a car actually owned by its designer, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. Thus the “Butzi S” reference on its license plate…

Then in 1972, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche shifted his design focus, and created the product design firm that came to be known as Porsche Design. His innovative designs for the satin black, chronograph watch with a face inspired by the gauges found within the 911, and the satin black framed, aviator style sunglasses with interchangeable lenses, both went on to become instant classics, and established Porsche Design as a force to be reckoned with. As a testament to his sense of design and creative vision, the original Porsche Design chronograph has become a highly sought after collectible watch, and their aviator styled sunglasses are still being produced to this day.

So thank you Professor Porsche, for elevating the art of Automotive and Product Design, and for giving life to the Porsche 911 and 904. Godspeed…

digitaldtour

A photographic journey through the Southern California car culture

Category Archives: Early 911’s

Rot,Weiss und Blau: Technicolor Porsches and the return of a unique blue GT3RS 4.0…

“When everything is art, you’ve gotta take it in”…

Here comes the rain again…

Archaeological opportunities at Cars&Coffee/Irvine…

A decidedly 1960’s themed morning…

Porsches, Poodles with attitude, an Ultima Can Am and a 1955 Ferrari 250 Europa GT…

On a clear day you can see…Stuttgart

From the outside looking in; Observations from the 2012 RGruppe Solvang Treffen

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

Remembering Ferdinand Alexander (Butzi) Porsche…