The Christmas Porsches of 2012…
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours from digitaldtour…
(All photos by the Author)
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year…
8
A Potpourri of Porsche GT3…
With winter weather having blanketed Southern California over the past several weeks, washing out each weekends planned car shows, I figured this was as good a time as any to revisit my photographic archive, for inspiration and as potential imagery to use in my next blog post.
One of my favorite cars, and a fixture within many of my previous posts has been the Porsche GT3, along with its performance enhanced brethren, the GT3RS and GT3 RS4.0. However, due to the lack of recent cars shows to attend, now seemed like an ideal time to select some of my favorite GT3 images, as source material for use in my next blog post, showcasing this amazing car. And in regards to my ongoing interest in the Porsche GT3 RS4.0, I’m still pursuing my quest to photograph as many GT3 RS4.0 models as possible, in addition to recording each cars unique serial / build number. And even though my RS4.0 sightings have slowed, I’m still determined to try to capture as many of the 600 total that Porsche produced (my current tally stands at 10 cars). I was even fortunate enough during 2012 to have experienced some seat time behind the wheel of a friends 2007 GT3RS (thanks Matt), which was an eye-opening experience to say the least, especially when compared to my 1986 Carrera coupe.
The following GT3 images were shot at a variety of automotive events, and were all sourced from the digitaldtour archives…
And last but not least: Santa’s sleigh of choice for 2012, staged and awaiting Christmas Eve…
(All photos by the Author)
The ultimate Christmas stocking stuffer…
With only 15 shopping days left until Christmas, if you are still looking for that amazing gift for your Porsche fanatic family member or friend, here is the ultimate stocking stuffer. Give the gift that can be enjoyed the entire year, and check out one of the coolest, custom designed 2013 Porsche themed calendars, available from the website werkcrew.com, from its creator, designer/photographer Bob Tilton.
For anyone interested in Porsches, graphic design and photography, Bob’s calendars are beautiful and a monthly celebration of creativity, typography and composition, showcasing a unique collection of Porsche 911s. And who knows, you might even recognize some of the cars and the events where they were captured.
Happy Holidays and Happy shopping…
(2013 calendar imagery courtesy of Bob Tilton/werkcrew.com)
The 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show: Porsche returns to Petree Hall, and the World Debut of the redesigned Cayman…
With the opening of this years 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, and Porsches return once again to Petree Hall, I was once again faced with the anticipation of the design layout created for the exhibit space, as well as the content to be found within.
In the weeks leading up to the November 30 opening date, word was out that Porsche had selected the LA Auto Show as the venue for the World debut of their newly redesigned Cayman coupe. There were also speculation regarding whether Porsche would recognize the passing (earlier this year) of Ferdinand Alexander (Butzi) Porsche, and acknowledge his most identifiable automotive designs, in particular the 904 Carrera GTS and the original 911.
Approaching the entrance to Petree Hall, there was no question as to the design and theming for this years show. Visible through the entry row of glass double doors, was the first glimpse of things to come (see below).
A beautifully restored silver Porsche 904 Carrera GTS, with its photographic background, that appeared to have been taken from the start of the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans race…
Centrally located along the entry corridor, leading into the main exhibit area, were two examples of the recently redesigned Porsche Boxster; the lead car a base model Boxster, while the second was a Boxster S. Both cars were dressed in Platinum silver metallic (silver being the predominant vehicle color for the exhibit). The base model Boxster was even unlocked and available to try on for size…
This lead car also served duty as one of several photo opportunities for aspiring dreamers of all ages…
The new, wider width rear spoiler that integrates into the dimensional detail found on each rear tail light as seen on the Boxster S (below).
And positioned directly behind the Boxster S, sat the first example of the featured model for this years show; just one of the multiple, redesigned Porsche Cayman making their world debut…
And sharing center stage were a pair of Cayman coupes…
One dressed in Racing Yellow,
and the other in Agate Gray Metallic.
Panoramic view, with a trio of Pamamera centrally located, just to the left of the Cayman display (below)…
Located directly across the exhibit from the Cayman display, were a trio of Porsche type 991, 911 Carreras; the model shown below being the new 911 Carrera 4S, with two type 991, Platinum Silver Metallic Cabriolets just off to its right.
The backside of the new type 991, 911 Carrera 4S, complete with a retro design touch unique to both the Carrera 4 and the 4S models: the addition of a red horizontal reflector, bridging the void between the rear tail lights.
And situated over to the far left of the exhibit, were a trio of Porsches latest Cayenne SUV’s.
Leading the trio was the new Cayenne GTS; visually distinct due to its lowered stance and 20″ wheels. Immediately to its right, was an example of the new Cayenne Diesel, powered by a 3.0 liter, 24 valve turbo diesel V6. And off to its right an example of the new Cayenne hybrid.
Given all of the design activity and model updates that have occurred at Porsche this past year, along with their very cool styling study; the Panamera Sport Turismo (a plug-in hybrid wagon) debuted at the recent Paris motor show, not to mention the amazing Porsche 918 Spyder lurking in the shadows awaiting final production, 2013 promises to be an amazing year for Porsche. They even announced the return of a factory backed Works racing team, fielding two brand new type 991 GT3RSR’s. And who knows what Santa has up his sleeve this year for Christmas; perhaps you’ll wake up Christmas morning and find yourself staring at a crest similar to the one above, but one adorning the hood of your favorite Porsche…
Happy Holidays.
(All photos by the Author)
Rot,Weiss und Blau: Technicolor Porsches and the return of a unique blue GT3RS 4.0…
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”…
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)
Like a deer in the headlights…
In sharp contrast to last weeks cool, gray and wet Saturday morning, this past Saturday morning dawned clear and crisp. And with the improvement in the weather came an abundance of amazing cars.
Driving through Porsche row I was greeted by a diverse collection of models already assembled and in place. As my headlights swept over the cars, I caught a flash of color, graphics and a collection of driving lights to my right. As I passed, I realized that parked side by side were a pair of Porsche 914-6; one a Tangerine colored street car, while the other in Signal Orange, was a purpose-built, Porsche Factory 914-6 GT race car, complete with hood and bumper mounted driving lights, Motorsports inspired graphics, and an ultra – trick motor. After parking and quickly consuming my breakfast, I grabbed my camera and headed to Porsche row to check out the pair of 914-6 I had seen earlier.
With the sun yet to reveal itself, and with one single pop of my camera flash, these car lit up like glowing embers in the darkness (as seen above).
Further down the row and illuminated by the early morning light, was this beautiful 1970 Lime green Porsche 911E complete with vintage roof rack…
One of my friends happened to walk by while I was looking at this Porsche, and asked if I had seen the white, right hand drive, Shelby 427 Cobra parked over in the Featured lot. I replied that I had not, so off I went in search of the mystery Cobra, especially since I had never seen one configured for right hand drive. As I approached, I could make out a Wimbledon white car gathering a crowd, and sure enough, here was the Cobra. As I moved closer, the owner and his son opened up the cars gloss black hood, to reveal an immaculate, big block Ford 427.
Obviously, with the car being configured for right hand drive, and based upon the graphic on the nose (LOV I), as well as the pair of amber-colored headlight lenses, my assumption was that this must be an English model. This seemed like a correct assumption, given that the nose graphic seen on this car is the English equivalent of a U.S. license plate. As I rounded the back of the car and approached the driver’s side, I noticed a magazine opened and resting on the rear fender. There on the pages, were photos of this very car (with the same LOV I ID), being driven in competition.
As my friend Dave and I stood looking at the car, we overheard a discussion regarding the car’s history, and learned that it had been successfully raced by the team of Bob Bondurant and David Piper in England back in 1966 at Brands Hatch, where the pair finished in first place.
As the morning progressed, the Cobra drew not only people but a trio of 1950’s and 1960’s vintage Porsches, as witnessed by the photos below.
To the Cobra’s left, a blue 1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS, and to its right, a blue 1957 Porsche 356A coupe, and just out of frame, a departing Red 1957 356A Speedster with a rare black, hard top option.
After leaving the Featured lot, I headed back to the main lot to look for new photographic subjects…
One of the hidden treasures relegated to the overflow lot, due to Saturday mornings overflow crowd, was this beautiful two toned, red & white 1958 corvette convertible…
Since the event was now bathed in full sunlight, I decided to return to Porsche row and take a second look at the pair of Porsche 914-6 that I had seen under darkness several hours earlier.
From all outward appearances, the black colored headlight bezel would lead one to believe that this race car could be a 1973 model, since Porsche installed white bezels on the 914 models from 1970 -1972. However, because this is actually a 1971 914-6 GT factory race car, maybe they used the black bezel for the sake of aesthetics (to match the black trim of the driving lights and front bumper)? For a brief back story on Porsche 914 headlights, please use this link, for details from one of my previous posts.
Looking back on the mornings encounters, I realized that an underlying theme to this post and to a majority of my photos had been car headlights. And all it took was this signal orange Porsche 914-6, and its abundance of illumination to set the stage…
(All photos by the author)
Here comes the rain again…
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…
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…
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)
digitaldtour 