Hidden in plain view: the small details overlooked…

Posted on May 16, 2013 by digitaldtour

Lately, I’ve found myself taking a slightly different approach in photographing the multitude of vehicles present at each weeks Cars&Coffee / Irvine event. With the clear, sunny springtime weather, there has been an abundance of interesting lighting conditions to work with, as well as some amazing, highly polished, curvaceous and reflective vehicle surfaces to study. I’m frequently stopped by vehicle owners or passerbys and asked “what are you looking at” or “what are you shooting”? When I show them my captured imagery, the common response is “how did you see that” or” I’ve never would have noticed that”. My response is that it’s just a function of how we look at objects in general, and that when you slow down and take your time to really study an object, the end result can often be very surprising and rewarding.

And now with summer rapidly approaching, there have been a number of winter automotive projects finally seeing the light of day, making their debut under warm, sunny skies.

So with the sun on the rise, I headed off in search of a new batch of photographic subjects. As I walked down Porsche row, the lighting across the hood of a 1967 911R tribute caught my eye. The combination of the highlights and shadows not only defined the shape and detail lines of the hood, but added further interest in the form of the shadow cast by the centrally located fuel filler cap, with its blood orange stripe providing just the right amount of accent color…

Even shooting a close – up of the amber-colored euro lens covering the Cibie biode headlight internals, revealed an unexpected surprise; the captured reflection of the owner and a fellow Porsche 911 owner discussing the merits of these new headlights.

The early morning light also created the perfect accent across the rear decklid, highlighting its stripe and 911R graphic, and offering a glimpse of the custom fiberglass intakes and water shields residing behind the grill…

One of my mornings reflective studies, using a black 2013 Porsche type 991, 911 Carrera S coupe as the subject, showcasing the latest in headlight technology and the by-product of a flawless paint finish.

Another graphic display of how shadow, light and foliage effects, when combined can visually enhance the profile and contours as those found on an early 70’s Porsche 911 front hood and fenders (as seen below).

Porsche 914-6 GT reflection captured in the front fender of a black Porsche 993 coupe…

A beautifully restored, vintage Chrysler Town & Country convertible, complete with wood cladding on its sides and trunk area as shown. Even the woodwork was finished and polished to a high level matching that of the paint job.

And looking closer, these reflective properties were carried over to the vehicles rear fender, which offered up a clue to its surroundings.

Up front was another surprise, hiding beneath the opened hood; an immaculate Dodge Viper V-10 motor, transplanted into the engine bay and appearing as if it had been original to this model, as delivered by Chrysler.

Over in the main parking area, I discovered another example of a beautifully restored engine compartment and motor, as found on this 1970’s vintage Chevrolet Camaro…

and a close – up shot, revealing some very cool reflections captured in the chrome valve cover and breather.

Nothing screams hot rod like highly polished chrome injectors and brightly colored accents, in this case the go fast accessories found within the engine compartment on this black 1962 Corvette (below).

A Mercedes – Benz Sedan and a side mirror with a secret…

A pristine chrome grill and hood emblem, as observed on a beautifully restored,1969 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL coupe…

including some equally impressive grill and trim reflections.

And a full shot of the beautifully restored 280SL, the source of hidden detail.

(Below), amazing detail awaiting discovery in this contemporary version of the Bentley hood ornament…

Rear window reflections, when viewed from the proper angle…

Reflecting on several early Porsche 911s…

and an upside reflection, as seen in the hood of a 1987 black Porsche 930 turbo.

A 1930’s vintage Ford Tudor coupe, capturing its surroundings, via its headlight, paint finish…

and its classic, chrome plated Ford radiator /grill surround.

The latest iteration of Jaguar badging…

as displayed on the back of this brand new, dark green metallic 2014 Jaguar F-type V8 S Roadster.

A trio of the brand new 2014 F-Type models on display, courtesy of Jaguar.

So the next time you find yourself looking at a car, take an extra moment to stop and look a little closer, as you may be surprised by the hidden details previously overlooked, but now revealed…

(All photos by the author)

Atlas staged, plus a colorful collection of eclectic cars…

Posted on May 5, 2013 by digitaldtour

Webster’s Dictionary defines the word eclectic as “selecting what appears to be the best in various doctrines, methods or styles”: “composed of elements drawn from various sources”. Both of these definitions were equally appropriate in describing the vehicles that turned out for the Saturday April 27th gathering of Cars & Coffee / Irvine.

On this particular morning, courtesy of the Ford Motor Company, participants were greeted by a concept vehicle on display, staged over in the featured lot. However, instead of a car, the vehicle in question was a concept truck. In this case, a silver Ford “Atlas Concept” crew cab pick up, with an abundance of custom features, including active wheel shutters (shown in their closed position), as visible on the driver’s side wheels…

Wheel shutters in their open position, as seen on the passenger side wheels (below).

Parked over at the opposite end of the featured lot, the Mercedes-Benz Classics Center was showing several rare, beautifully restored, vintage treasures from their museum…

I overheard (while shooting the red model below), that this particular vehicle is a one of one; the only example of this vintage beauty in existence.

Parked just to the right of these two Mercedes, was one very cool and beautifully restored two toned DKW (Auto Union) Schnellaster panel van (aka DKW F89 L), produced from 1949 to 1962 as seen below. These vehicles were initially powered by a 700 cc, two-cylinder, two-stroke motor. Then in 1955, the Schnellaster received an upgrade to three cylinders, increasing the displacement up to 900 cc, good for 32 horsepower!

Who copied who? This two toned color palette appeared very similar to color schemes observed on several early 1950’s Volkswagen Type II transporters.

Over on Porsche row, it was one of those rare mornings that saw 100% occupancy by Porsche models only. And due to the clear, sunny springtime weather, a truly colorful collection of eclectic Porsches turned out in force…

Situated just opposite of Porsche row, was this spectacular 1970s vintage Datsun 510…

with an equally impressive turbocharged motor lurking under the hood, ready to shame any unsuspecting rival.

As I continued on my trek through the parking lot, I came across several other Porsches that obviously arrived too late to park along Porsche row…

And just two rows over was a collection of Dodge Vipers, three in the blue with white stripe combination. A closer look revealed the center blue viper as one of the brand new 2013 SRT models.

Representing Ford’s endurance racing efforts from the 1960’s, were these two Ford GT 40 tributes…

Also encountered and scattered throughout the parking lot, were several beautiful examples representing another of the German marques, in this case BMW…

Representing the Italian manufacturers was a line up of jellybean colored Lamborghini, parked together out on the very back row.

So with summer just around the corner, one can only speculate regarding the possibility of a Stingray sighting, or when the next Saturday mornings colorful collection of eclectic cars will occur…

(All photos by the author)

California Festival of Speed 2013, Part 2; Club racing, vehicle encores and debuts…

Posted on April 24, 2013 by digitaldtour

Having spent the better part of the morning pouring over and photographing all of the participants and activities associated to the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Porsche 911, it was time for me to pursue another of my photographic passions; the purpose-built Porsche race cars of the Club racing program.

So as I made my way towards Garage 3, out of the corner of my eye I noticed a car up to that time that I had only seen in photos, but never in person until earlier that morning at check-in. Now I was face to face with the car, and ironically it was parked immediately across from the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the 911 display. The car in question belonged to none other than Magnus Walker, a high-profile member of the Southern California Porsche community, recognized collector of early 911s and creator of the Urban Outlaw brand. Now in front of me was the latest project come to life; his 1972 Porsche 911STR #002.

Magnus’s signature cross drilled and re-chromed door handles..

The spartan, 911ST inspired interior, enhanced by a vintage Racemark steering wheel…

The very cool, gold satin finished Group 4 PAG 15 wheels mounted up front -15″ x 8″ rims on Hoosier tires (as seen below)…

and out back – 15″ X 10″ Group 4 PAG 15 wheels, also on Hoosier rubber.

from the back, even more visible examples of Magnus Walker’s signature details; the Porsche side stripes, louvered rear deck lid, and the custom profiled fender flares (front and rear), complete with integrated 911R inspired tail lights…

The race inspired Porsche graphics installed on the louvered rear decklid, sourced from graphic designer, photographer, Porsche owner and blogger Bob Tilton of werkcrew.com.

Now it was time to visit Garage 3 to see what photographic opportunities awaited…

As I rounded the corner, I caught this silver Porsche GT3 below just as it was pulling back into the Garage area, and in time to watch one of the crew approach with one of the specially designed torque wrenches, specially created for tightening center lock hubs. What I found surprising was the amount of re-tightening that each wheel required. And as the morning wore on, this was a scene I saw repeated by the majority of teams running Porsche GT3 Cup cars. And if I recall, the center lock hubs need to be torqued to approximately 340 foot pounds, thus its overall size in order to generate sufficient leverage, and achieve the required torque setting.

The return and latest iteration of the DiscounTechnology Porsche GT3 Cup car below, which made a similar appearance at last years event…

And parked to its immediate left, was this pair of orange 2007 Porsche GT3 RS…

Keeping with the Porsche theme for the weekend, was this beautifully restored Porsche Junior Diesel tractor and trailer, parked outside of the 911 Design hospitality tent (which was located between Garage 3 and 2), which I had watched navigate throughout the parking lot.

Another beauty parked outside of the 911 design tent; a white 911 GT3RS…

And parked immediately to its left, was the centerpiece of the 911 design display: their Porsche 996 GT2 RSR. This is the same car that was featured on the cover of Excellence magazines May 2013 issue, and which was the subject of one of several featured articles.

A truly unique, highly modified custom one of a kind 996 GT2 from any angle…

As I continued through the parking lot, I came across a familiar looking GT3RS 4.0. and upon closer inspection, it turned out to be series # 239, making an encore appearance at this years event. I first encountered this very same car during last years event, and quickly added it to my growing list of GT3 RS4.0 sightings…

My next stop would be Garage 2… Once inside even more Porsche GT3 Cup cars to experience…

Venturing to the north end of the garage, I came across a bevy of GT3 Cup cars from the folks at TruSpeed…

Below, the tails of TruSpeed…

And for couple of little kids, there was even the opportunity for a thrill ride through the parking lot, courtesy of Continental tire (as seen below)…

My next destination would be to the east end of the covered seating area overlooking pit row. This additional elevation affords a great view of the cars flying by on the banking, as they approach turn one…

With the queuing up of the GT class cars in the grid area (below), this signaled the completion of the current on track session, and preparation for the next event…

The first lap formation at speed, accelerating from the start / finish line…

At the completion of the cup car event, and as I prepared to wrap up my shooting for the day, I came across this red 991 pictured below, which turned out to be the track escort for the weekends racing events.

So if this years event, and the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Porsche 911 utilized a 2013 991 Carrera S as the lead, escort car, what do you suppose the lead car for next year event will be? Perhaps one of the new 991 GT3’s, since 2014 will witness the return of a Porsche LMP-1 race car to the 24 Hours of Le Mans? I guess we’ll just have to wait until next year to find out…

(All photos by the author)

California Festival of Speed 2013; A 50th Anniversary celebration of the Porsche 911, Club racing, vehicle encores and debuts…

Posted on April 14, 2013 by digitaldtour

This years California Festival of Speed, held at the Autoclub Speedway in Fontana California, during the weekend of April 5 – 7, was once again advertised as the “Biggest Porsche Event in the Southwest”. Based upon my observations and the comments I overheard, this years event more than lived up to the claim. In addition to the regular activities listed for the weekend (Swap meet, Concours, Zone 8 Club Racing and Autocross, and Vendor row), Saturday had been selected for the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Porsche 911 event. Given the sheer number of people crowded around the 50th anniversary display, this focused event would prove to be a huge success (see photo below).

But even before entering the track’s infield area, there were plenty of Porsches to be found within the Porsche Corral (i.e. Porsche only parking lot). This area became its own mini car show, with a diverse cross-section of model years and body styles represented. I later came to find out that the trio of early model Porsche 911’s that I was parked next to, belonged to three generations all from one family; the grandfather and his white 1967 911S, his sons silver 1972 911S, and his grandson’s orange 911T.

Even more impressive was the fact that the grandson had just learned to drive a manual transmission vehicle three days earlier, behind the wheel of the very same orange Porsche 911 T that he drove to the show. Three generations all with a passion for Porsche, and just one of many examples reflective of the success of the Porsche brand.

Word had gone out to the Porsche community back in February, that the Porsche Club of America was looking for owners (from within the Zone 8, PCA regions), with Porsche 911s representing model years 1964 through 2013, to participate in a 50th anniversary celebration of the Porsche 911, to be held at the California Festival of Speed weekend in early April. Owners were requested to submit information about their car and also include a photo for review. Given the sheer number of Porsches that reside within Southern California, this challenge was quickly met, and on the morning of the event, every production year was represented. PCA had located models from the earliest example represented (an ultra-rare 1964 Porsche 901), to the present day model, a 2013 Porsche Type 991 911 Carrera S. The display was arranged by model year, beginning with the earliest model, starting at the left end of the row and then moving chronologically to the right. Each vehicle was also displayed with a printed biography, mounted behind each car on the chain link fence, and which served as the backdrop for the entire display.

For those unable to attend the event, the following photos represent each of the participants from the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Porsche 911; every car has been documented by a front view shot and is then followed by a close up photograph of its biography…

Several overview shots of the collective “50th anniversary of the Porsche 911” lineup below…

Around 11:30 AM, all of the participants and their cars were gathered up for a group photo, to be taken out on the race track at the start / finish line; queued up on pit lane, ready to head out onto the track (as seen below).

Once all of the cars had gathered on pit lane, they were then released out onto the track to begin their staging for the group shot (see below).

The early 911s beginning to be staged on the track at the start / finish line (below)…

Heading to the start / finish line to be staged for the group photo…

The first row of the early 911s being moved into position…

Cars and owners lined up and ready for their close-ups…

Fourth row of assembled Porsche 911s from the group photo (below).

Back row from the group photo…

With all of the cars aligned and the owners positioned outside of their cars, a series of photos were taken, and upon completion, the vehicles were quickly reorganized and then sent off to enjoy several parade laps around the race track.

Please stay tuned for my continued coverage from the California Festival of Speed / Part 2; featuring Club racing, vehicle encores and debuts.

(All photos by the author)

Under the influence…

Posted on April 2, 2013 by digitaldtour

What type of cars influence your automotive tastes? What current design or styling trends have made an impact on you recently? Do you prefer the classics over contemporary models? Regardless of your favorite make or model, design influences can be found everywhere, even in non automotive fields. Automotive designers have long been known to seek inspiration from the worlds of high fashion, jewelry, print. textile, sculpture, sports, military, aeronautical and Motorsports. And there is always the ability to draw inspiration from a manufacturers own design history and their brands genetic DNA.

A current trend making the rounds within the Porsche community is a renewed appreciation for the classics; be it the early 911’s (1964-1973)…

or a 1967 911R tribute…

or a celebration of Porsche’s 911ST models…

These latest trends have now overshadowed the previous craze of 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS recreations. And how appropriate that these newest trends are surfacing in 2013, a year in which Porsche celebrates their 50th anniversary of the iconic Porsche 911.

The focus and theme for this post came to me after a recent review of my slide archives, especially after coming across several images of an orange, 1967 Porsche 911 that I shot way back in May of 1974 at the Ontario Motor Speedway, two years after buying my very first Porsche 911 (a 1966 coupe).

This particular orange 911 ended up making a huge impression on me back in 1974, in part because of my growing interest in Porsche race cars (in particular the 1967 911R and the new for 1973 & 1974, Porsche 911RSR).

The modifications made to this car really spoke to me; from its Carrera RS front spoiler, to the full race, fiberglass whale tail out back, its lowered stance and the mini-lite racing wheels wrapped in Goodyear racing rubber. And with the removal of the bumper and rocker deco trim, it conveyed the purpose-built simplicity of a 911R. Ironically, several of these styling cues would find their way onto my 1966 911 over the next several years. It began with the addition of a 911S fiberglass front spoiler, and continued with the removal of the front, side and rear bumper deco trim, and in regards to my wheels, I decided to polish out my set of 4 -1/2″ X 15″ Fuchs 5 spoke alloy wheels, and concluded with the lowering of the suspension and adding a set of Koni shocks (see below)…

Which brings me back to the subject of influences. With this weekends upcoming “California Festival of Speed” event to be held at the AutoClub Speedway in Fontana on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (April 5, 6, 7), this is the perfect venue for being exposed to and learning about all thing Porsche, as well as witnessing firsthand some of the coolest trends being cultivated within the Southern California Porsche community. And with the 50th anniversary celebration of the Porsche 911 event being held on Saturday (April 6), what better way to view firsthand, examples of every production 911 model, culminating with the current 2013 type 991, 911 Carrera model. And who knows, you may even find yourself leaving the show under the influence…

(All photos by the author)

New track shoes, an Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, the return of a Porsche 911R tribute and some new fresh faces…

Posted on March 24, 2013 by digitaldtour

What Porsche 911 owner hasn’t dreamed of putting a set of BBS wheels on his or her car, given this brand of wheels presence on so many of Porsches championship winning race cars. And what better vehicle to have for running a set of centerlock, BBS GT3 cup wheels wrapped in Michelin race rubber, than a black Porsche GT3RS…

In talking with the owner, I learned that his GT3RS would be making a trip out to the Willow Springs Raceway on the following Monday for a track day, and would be wearing its new BBS “track shoes”…

And parked next to the GT3 RS was this brand new red, 2013 Porsche type 991, 911 Carrera S…

complete with the Aerokit cup option; a performance inspired front spoiler and fixed rear wing ( a smaller version of the rear wing found on the newly introduced Porsche GT3).

Rolling on 20 inch sport wheels…

Parked just across the aisle over on Porsche row, was this occasional visitor to Cars&Coffee; the highly modified, pastel blue 1971 Porsche 911T, equipped up front with enough added candle power to light up any road once the sun goes down…

Even the rear portion of the hood mounted, fog lights housings were painted to match the pastel blue body color. The stock appearing wheels were also modified; billet centers were created to mimic the look of the original, base level steel wheels Porsche offered during the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. However, these new wheels were designed with sufficient backspacing to not only accommodate the larger than stock brake calipers and wider tires, but eliminated the need for the owner to alter the stock fenders in order to run the new wider wheels and tires.

Located further up on Porsche row was this freshly restored, new fresh face in attendance; the beautiful, black 1973 Porsche 911E as seen below…

A beautiful car that could pass for brand new, and sporting a very unique interior; full leather in the two-tone combination of green and black. This color combination may appear odd at first, but was one that really impressed me the more I looked at it…

Even the 2.4 liter 911E spec motor out back was spotless and appeared showroom fresh, with the underside of the rear deck lid revealing the drive mechanism and housing with its mounting bracket for the rarely seen, factory optional rear window wiper.

Parked perpendicular to Porsche row, was another trio of fresh faces to cars&coffee; a viper green Audi R8, a silver Porsche 911 Carrera, and an orange Porsche 911 Carrera RS recreation.

And located just several cars away to the right of this trio, was this grand prix white with blood orange striped, 1967 Porsche 911R tribute, making its second appearance at cars&coffee (below)…

What’s so cool about this 911R tribute, is that the owner used one of Porsches original 911R’s as the blueprint for building and detailing this car. Even more impressive is that the owner produced all of the fiberglass parts himself; from the front fenders with their 911R specific flare (below), to the front hood, rear decklid, rear tail light lenses, and all of the fiberglass shrouding found on the motor. He even designed the water shields with integral carburetor venturi, lower heat shields, as well as the housing to protect the electronics within in the engine compartment.

The 911R treatment was also carried over to the wheels and hubs, with longer length wheel studs, and the cad plated steel, open-ended lug nuts, on what appeared to be a set of deep six , 5 spoke alloy wheels…

Even the front trunk received the R treatment, with a fiberglass lid created for the smugglers box, and the inclusion of a custom fabricated, steel 100 liter fuel tank, incorporating a center fuel filler with gasketed collar and drain, race inspired gas cap, and a period correct strut bar.

A detail of the underside of the fiberglass front hood, complete with the glassed in balsa wood battens for added strength just as the factory had done. The owner shared that he even went as far as sourcing the same type of fiberglass cloth (for weave and weight) as that used by Porsche on the original 911R’s. And just like the original factory cars, the underside of the hood and rear decklid were left unpainted…

More of the owners handiwork; the fiberglass motor / fan shroud, the carburetor venturi/water shields and lower heat shields, as well as the protective cover for the electronics; all eye candy for the 3.0 liter, high horsepower Porsche boxer six motor.

Even the rear license panel with integral bumpers and the under fender extensions were produced in fiberglass by the owner. And instead of simply purchasing a set of the 911R inspired rear tail light assemblies, he decided to create his own colored lenses. (For additional photos and information regarding this car, please use this link to access one of my recent posts).

By now the crowds had begun to thin, so as I was heading back to my car, I was intercepted by a friend who asked what I thought of the red Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione? I told him that I had not seen the car and asked where it was parked. It turned out the car had been hidden away, out on the very last row, in the back corner. So after thanking him for the information, I hurried off to see if the car was still there. Fortunately, as I approached the block wall that divides the rear parking area from the loading dock, I could see what appeared to be a lone, red Alfa Romeo still drawing interested parties.

As I began photographing the car, the owner who was standing off to the side, shared some of the back story of his car with those of us present.

We learned that the coupe version of the 8C was built between 2007 and 2009 for a global market, with the first american market vehicles being imported in 2008, carrying a sticker price of $259,000 for the coupe, and roughly $300,000 for the roadster version. During the 2 plus years of production, only 500 examples of the 8C were produced. We also learned that the body shell was made of carbon fiber, and then mated to a steel chassis, with final assembly taking place at the Maserati factory in Modena, Italy.

Power comes from a 444 horsepower, 4.7 liter V8, assembled by the folks at Ferrari, with the drive transferred to the rear wheels via a six speed transaxle gearbox , actuated by paddle shifters mounted behind the steering wheel. Also included within the drivetrain was a limited slip differential.

A detail of the 4 leaf clover logo inspired wheels, rolling on specially designed 20 inch tires…

A boomerang inspired, mesh side vent and turn signal, set into each front fender…

Now that spring has arrived, I would suspect that there will be an influx on new fresh faces making their debuts at cars&coffee. And if the past several weeks are any indication, spring and summer promise to reveal some amazing cars…

(All photos by the author)

If you host it, they will come…

Posted on March 13, 2013 by digitaldtour

On Sunday March 3, 2013 the Porsche community once again rallied at the Phoenix Club in Anaheim, California, for the 356 Club of Southern California’s, 4th Annual All Porsche Swap and Car Display.

And what a turnout; with models ranging from the Porsche 356, 912, early 911’s, 914’s & 914/6, and 911 turbos. There was also the debut of a recently completed 911ST recreation, and the showcasing of a lone Porsche 904 GTS, and one brand new Red Porsche 991 Carrera S coupe.

The following images represent but a small cross-section of the incredible Porsches that came out for this years event…

And under the tents, was just one of several fresh restorations from the folks at CPR Classics (California Porsche Restoration) below. Their website offers up an insiders look at the many phases of their meticulous 911 restorations, and is a great visual tool for learning about Porsche 911s from the inside out. So should you be in the market for an early 911, check out their website for some very cool 911s using this link…

Another of the amazing restorations (in Viper Green) from CPR Classics…

One very cool 1972 Porsche 911ST recreation making its debut (below)…

Another example of the current trend in lightweight fiberglass hoods; correct right down to the unpainted underside, revealing the glassed-in balsa wood battens to add rigidity…

The sole Porsche 904 Carrera GTS in attendance; Butzi’s original blue 904-002 prototype below. (For additional images of this 904, please refer to this link to one of my previous posts).

And representing Porsche race cars was the Texaco / Havoline 962C, courtesy of the folks at Pelican Parts (as seen below)…

And last but not least, was one of the hidden treasures found out in the vendor swap area; a two toned VW bus, wrapped in Porsche factory graphics, and showcasing a pair of Porsche 917 autographed drivers side doors. One representing the Gulf Blue John Wyer #20 917, and the second, the #3 Martini Racing 917…

Given the amazing collection of Porsches, parts, vendors and people who came together for this years show, the 356 Club of Southern California can rest assured that if they host it for 2014, we will return…

(All photos by the author)

A look inside O.C.T.O.’s Winter Swap and Display meet for 2013, or dreams of VW Type 2 Transporter ownership…

Posted on March 3, 2013 by digitaldtour

Like swallows returning to the Mission in San Juan Capistrano, Saturday, February 23 witnessed the return of the O.C.T.O. (Orange County Transporters Organization) Winter Meet, Swap and Display to Veteran’s Stadium in Long Beach California.

This year marks my second time attending this event, and I’m sure there were a lot of other people who like myself, came with aspirations of VW Type 2 ownership. And just like last years event, there was a parking lot filled with the prospect of amazing vehicles to suit just about any taste.

And there’s nothing quite like the sense of anticipation, as one approaches a parking lot filled with nothing but Type 2 Transporters as far as the eye can see..

Single cab and double cab row (below)…

A beautifully restored, Dove Blue single cab wearing DunnTech Motorsports graphics…

and its equally impressive engine compartment and detailed motor.

A pair of “his and hers” buses (below). His – a two-toned copper and white, 1964 deluxe, and Hers -a 1967, blue and white 21 split window…

Another two toned, safari windowed bus, representing the “Oil Drippers” car club.

Another of the current automotive trends is matte finish paint. Below are some of the Type 2’s in attendance wearing matte paint finishes, in both monochrome and two-toned schemes.

Parked amongst its normal proportioned peers, was this blue “Shorty” bus, a post 1955 vintage panel van; a very well executed modification, with one very short wheelbase…

Another beautifully restored, two toned Type 2 bus…

complete with safari front windows and side pop-outs (above & below).

Classic banjo styled steering wheel and custom upholstered interior.

And out back, an unexpected surprise: a custom turbocharged motor.

In stark contrast, and located several rows over, was this Dove Blue single cab with its OG finish, yet sporting a set of polished, Porsche Fuchs 5 spoke alloy wheels.

And no Type 2 show would be complete without at least one pre 1955 bus, in the classic two-toned color combination of Chestnut Brown over Sealing Wax Red.

An example of the rare, European fluted headlight lens (above & below)…

One of my personal favorites from the show was this amazing, 1958 Dove Blue single cab (as seen below).

Another example of the very cool European fluted headlight lens.

This particular single cab was fully equipped with safari front windows, a single driving light, wood slat roof rack and rear bed rack…

A beautifully restored interior, right down to its three spoke steering wheel…

And once again, another Type 2 wearing a set of polished Porsche Fuchs 5 spoke alloy wheels, but in this case running a wider wheel set up front, instead of the traditional (narrower) 4-1/2″ X 15″, 5 spoke wheels.

Period correct details, right down to the combined brake light / tail lights, and rear and side gates with the stamped panel reinforcement details…

Another of the beautifully restored, mid 1960’s vintage, two-toned buses, fitted with dual wooden slat roof racks and wrapped in a flawless, mirror like paint finish, perfect for reflecting its surroundings.

As the license plates notes (see below), this is another 1966 vintage, two toned bus (Velvet Green over Pearl White), fit with a pair of fully functioning Safari front windows and side pop outs. Equally impressive is knowing the amount of time needed to produce these type of visual results and flawless paint finishes as displayed.

The second of my favorite buses from the show was this spectacular 1966 model (as seen below), complete with front safari windows and its unique two toned paint. The owner when asked about the paint colors, shared with me that he had stayed brand loyal, and specified a 2004 VW color for the pale blue lower panels, and a 2009 VW color for the pale cream panels (nose, roof and dash).

Seeing this bus, and appreciating all of the hard work and efforts put into creating such stunning results, is what provides inspiration for those of us with dreams of Type 2 Transporter ownership.

This unique color palette even carried over into the interior, with the owner using a light tan upholstery, complemented by the light cream colored piping accents found on the seating.

Another perfect choice of wheels as seen below; Polished Porsche 5 spoke Fuchs alloys, mounted front and rear.

And for the finishing touch; a dash mounted hula girl, serenading and watching over the occupants…

On the way back to my car, I happened to pass by this pale gray colored single cab, and in the process, caught a glimpse of a silvery object resting in the rear bed.

As I approached, It quickly became apparent that the silver object in the rear bed was in fact a scaled down version of a Porsche 550 Spyder.

After talking with the owner, I learned that this single seat replica was in fact an electric-powered, and potentially a very cool ride for a small child.

And what an ironic way to wrap up my morning spent at the O.C.T.O. Winter meet; at the weekly car show that I usually attend, there is a high percentage of Porsches in attendance, with a handful of vintage VW’s present, and now here at an all VW Type 2 show, what should I encounter but a scaled down replica of a Porsche 550 Spyder. Go figure…

(All photos by the author)

Zagato’s, Spyder’s, Daytona’s, a Classic Alfa, one Porsche 911R Tribute and some 911 friends…

Posted on February 24, 2013 by digitaldtour

Saturday morning turned out to be one of those mornings destined for celebrating the classics. Scattered throughout the parking lot were a number of vintage, automotive treasures awaiting discovery by an unsuspecting visitor. In fact, we even had the first classic of the morning roll up and park right next to where we were standing, and stop just behind my friend Dave’s Porsche 930 turbo. The Ferrari 365 GTB/4 , also known as the Daytona coupe was produced from 1968 through 1973 in limited quantities (only 1284 Coupes were built). The Fly Yellow, Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona coupe (as seen below), equipped with pop up headlights, establishes its vintage as falling within the three-year period from 1971 thru 1973.

Ferrari introduced their pop up headlight detail on the 365 GTB/4 beginning with the 1971 model year, due to their previous design (headlights set behind a fixed glass lens, utilized from 1968 -1970) becoming illegal due to new safety regulations established within the United States for 1971.

A glimpse of 365 GTB/4’s 12 cylinder, 352 HP motor up front…

The Fly Yellow Ferrari and its opened hood reflected in Dave’s Porsche 930 turbo’s polished intercooler (above), and the parked 1984 930 turbo and Ferrari Daytona Coupe (below).

On this morning, Dave decided to shadow me as I explored and collected my weekly photos. Our first stop would be over at the featured lot, but on the way we came across one of the events hidden gems. And in this case, a truly rare find; a 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2600 race car (below).

One of the very unique aspects of this car; its supercharged, dual DOHC straight 8 motor, displacing 2.6 liters. This supercharged configured motor powered this race car back in the day, while being campaigned under the Scuderia Ferrari banner (thus the Ferrari badging displayed on the sides of the cowl).

So after checking out the Alfa Romeo, we continued our trek towards the featured lot, where we encountered a pair of classics parked side by side. First up was the charcoal gray and red striped, 1955 Zagato Fiat 8V “double bubble” coupe.

The Zagato bodied, Fiat 8V (which in Italian translates to “Otto Vu”), was created as a two-liter, V8 powered sports car, for the sole purpose of competing against Lancia, Maserati and Ferrari,who already had two liter race cars. Fiat needed to produce 200 examples of the 8V model in order to qualify for homologation, but unfortunately were faced with insufficient demand for their 8V. As a result, Fiat offered up chassis for these cars to the coach builders of the day. Due to their participation in a joint venture, Zagato ended up purchasing a total of 32 chassis. And of those 32 examples, four were delivered from Fiat with partial bodywork already installed. These four cars received further modifications by Zagato, creating what came to be known as the aluminum “double bubble” roof, including further modifications to the vehicles windows to integrate all of the elements together.

Fiat officially ended production of their 8V model in 1954, having begun building 8V’s in 1952, culminating in a total of 114 vehicles being produced. However, it took an additional two years to complete production on all of the remaining vehicles. But it was during 1955 that the 8V really made its mark. As raced by Elio Zagato (the Coach Builders son), he and the 8V became the winners of the 1955 Italian two-liter championship, and continued their winning ways together through 1959. (The 1955 Zagato 8V, Double Bubble Coupe shown here is chassis # 084).

Parked immediately to the left of the Zagato, was the 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder, painted in a brilliant blue, and complete with a hard tonneau cover (below)…

And yes, it’s the real deal; an honest, factory built Porsche 550 Spyder race car…

Heading back towards Porsche Row, I noticed an early white 911 with a single orange racing stripe and gathering a crowd, so off we went to check out the car.

As I walked around the car, I could hear the owner discussing some of the features found on his car. I learned that the car had been built using the 1967 Porsche 911R as a template, and that the owner actually fabricated the fiberglass front fenders, hood and rear decklid himself, maintaining the original visual aesthetic, as well as the lightweight performance theme of the original 911R.

The custom fabricated, 911R inspired, lightweight fiberglass rear deck lid with the underside left raw and unpainted, revealing the true nature of the substrate (above).

A glimpse of the high output, Weber carburetted boxer flat six residing out back, and according to the owner, a motor delivering approximately 300 HP; well in excess of the original 1991 cc, 210+HP produced by the original 911R back in 1967.

A collection of early 911’s on Porsche Row (above and below)…

A pair of Porsche 911S models reflecting on the morning…

Nick’s beautifully prepared silver European spec, 1970’s vintage 911S…

and its beautifully detailed and potent, 2.7 Carrera RS spec motor.

And parked over on the opposite side of the parking lot, was one of Porsches more recent classics; the 2011 911 GT3 RS in gray with red accents, graphics and wheels…

So regardless of your preferences for the Classics, rest assured that on any given Saturday morning, you too can come face to face with the rare and previously unseen examples of your favorite classic…

(All photos by the author)

Truspeed’s Timex inspired Porsche GT3 Cup car: “It took a licking and kept on ticking”…

Posted on February 10, 2013 by digitaldtour

For anyone who was part of the overflow crowd that descended upon Cars&Coffee/Irvine on Saturday morning February 2, most likely the first vehicle you viewed was a yellow and black Porsche GT3 Cup car positioned at the end of the entry driveway, courtesy of the Orange County, CA based Motorsports shop TruSpeed (www.truspeedmotorcars.com).

As I pulled into the driveway and approached the TruSpeed car, even under low light conditions, I could see what appeared to be battle scars acquired from competition. I then recalled seeing a shot of a similar car from the previous weekends race coverage of the 24 Hours of Daytona, on the Speed Channel. So after parking and grabbing a quick bite, I was off to check out the Porsche race car.

As I approached, I recognized several friends from TruSpeed’s staff: Terry Brewer from their Sales Department, and Dennis Aase. one of Southern California’s premier Porsche race car drivers, and currently Truspeed’s Racing Manager. ( I first met Dennis back in 1972, while purchasing parts for my 1966 Porsche 911, from his company ( Aase Brothers Dismantlers), that specialized in used Porsche parts. I also would run into Dennis throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s at the IMSA series races when they came to the west coast. Dennis campaigned a 2.5 liter Porsche 911 in IMSA’s GTU class ( which can be seen below): his Porsche 911 on pit lane, taken during practice and qualifying for the 1980 Los Angeles Times 6 – hour enduro held at Riverside Raceway.

Now back to the TruSpeed race car…Clearly this GT3 Cup Car had been through a battle, so my first question to Terry was to ask about this car. He verified that it was in fact the Porsche GT3 Cup car that just competed at the 24 Hours of Daytona, and that even with the extensive damage sustained, their car had finished the race in 29th place overall, and 19th in the GT class. While I was shooting the car and talking with Terry, Dennis walked over and joined in on the conversation.

The vantage point and office for each of the team’s four drivers, during their respective stints, shared over the duration of the 24 hour enduro (above).

Truspeed yellow & black # 80, Porsche GT3 Cup car_3/4 rear view w/missing taillight and heavy collision damage_Cars&Coffee/Irvine_February 2, 2013

Having observed the damage sustained to the entire car (front, sides and rear), I had to ask Dennis about the visible carnage. Dennis proceeded to tell me about the frustrations that the team had experienced and endured (the loss of one wheel at speed, as well as being hit multiple times by their fellow competitors, with one of the last impacts sustained to the rear, causing enough damage to crack one of the rear motor mounts and even bend the red, rear engine support cross-bar (as seen below).

While Dennis was sharing more details regarding their race weekend, one of the TruSpeed crew members present was briefing a future race driver (seated behind the wheel), on the details and features found within the cockpit of a current Porsche GT3 Cup car (above).

TruSpeed had even prepared a printed summary sheet, outlining the efforts required and milestones they achieved while competing in the 24 Hours of Daytona race, which was displayed on the windshield (above).

Damaged nose with front splitter bandaged using racers tape (above).

An example of the cars front wheel, complete with racing centerlock hub, Brembro brake caliper, race wheel and tire (below).

Dennis and I both agreed that even with the excessive amount of damage that had been inflicted on this GT3, it was an amazing testament to Porsches build quality, that the car was able to continue turning laps at racing speed and successfully finish the race. And just like the 1960’s commercial tagline for Timex watches: the TruSpeed Porsche GT3 Cup car “took a licking and kept on ticking”…

(All photos by the author)

digitaldtour

A photographic journey through the Southern California car culture

Tag Archives: Cars

Hidden in plain view: the small details overlooked…

Atlas staged, plus a colorful collection of eclectic cars…

California Festival of Speed 2013, Part 2; Club racing, vehicle encores and debuts…

California Festival of Speed 2013; A 50th Anniversary celebration of the Porsche 911, Club racing, vehicle encores and debuts…

Under the influence…

New track shoes, an Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, the return of a Porsche 911R tribute and some new fresh faces…

If you host it, they will come…

A look inside O.C.T.O.’s Winter Swap and Display meet for 2013, or dreams of VW Type 2 Transporter ownership…

Zagato’s, Spyder’s, Daytona’s, a Classic Alfa, one Porsche 911R Tribute and some 911 friends…

Truspeed’s Timex inspired Porsche GT3 Cup car: “It took a licking and kept on ticking”…