Horizontally Opposed (HO) is the official publication of First Settlers Region (FSR), Porsche Club of America (PCA). All opinions, views and information appearing in HO are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the PCA, FSR, its Officers or the Editor.
The HO Editor reserves the right to edit all material submitted for publication. Permission is granted to reprint any material provided that full credit is given to the author and to Horizontally Opposed.
This publication, and previous publications of Horizontally Opposed, are available to view on-line at www.fsrpca.org.
Advertising rates, schedules and commercial partner marketing support is available to all parties interested in engaging the members of the First Settlers Region of the Porsche Club of America. Please contact HO Editor, Brad Jublou, at editor@fsrpca.org for more information.
Presidential Musings, Erik Apotheker
Graduation season is an interesting time of year when students celebrate achievements, reflect on what could have been, and contemplate available journey pathways. For some, this is a daunting time, seemingly overloaded with choices. Decisions to be made. Each with implications. For others it is an invigorating season, unlocking doors along an adventure not yet written. It can also be a time of awakening, a chance to reinvent. To say the least, a complicated time, without a playbook that helps us define success, or to achieve our own version of it.
As I watch neighbors, fellow members and family celebrate graduations, I find an interesting parallel to our beloved car club. Be so kind as to indulge me for a few moments through continued readership as a few thoughts are shared on the topics of our club’s progression, a few concerns, and the opportunities that lay ahead, unlocked by our graduation.
Our club and region are strong. Nationally, the Porsche Club of America has now crossed the 158,000 primary member mark and sets its sights on continued growth. Member programs now include Juniors (17 and under), more family events at places like Parade (congrats again to the Cao family for a few Parade awards), and expanding virtual and physical events, webinars, eNewsletters, and so much more. This year, as we celebrate Porsche’s 75th Anniversary, as the Porsche 911 lineage nears its 60th year, and electric hybrid technology becomes ever more integrated into the new car lineup, even more events to enjoy our beloved marque are cropping up. Soon, the latest installment of Rennsport Reunion will have concluded on the Monterey Peninsula. The crisp fall air will surface many concours events on the east coast, and we will all ponder how many more perfect weather miles we can enjoy before the turn of year. Event diversity, cadence of the offerings, and the sheer size of the attendance is a reflection of member demand. FSR equally is progressing in size (now over 1,300 primary members), and in assortment of events – both tried and true and new ones (some more popular than others) designed to test new ideas, brought forth by fellow members.
Despite much to offer, FSR must continue to find ways to educate its members on our offerings, unlocking pathways or opportunities. So, at the risk of being somewhat controversial, here are a few of my observations you may wish to contemplate as you consider the pathways laid out before us.
1- High quality magazines, news, apps, and social media should energize you when your schedules are hectic and attendance at club events are just not practical, but they should not define your membership experience. Sideline participation will not give you the greatest value. Get out there and meet the people and see the cars.
2- It has become almost cliché to say, “It’s not just the cars, it’s the people,” but this is our club slogan for a reason. Passion for the cars may bring us together, but it’s the friendships that keep us coming back. Take the time to mingle, even challenge yourself to meet 2-3 new people at each event you attend. From art, to sports, to academics through to enterprise, we have some amazingly talented individuals in the First Settlers Region. Come meet, learn from them, and share your story. Moreover, make some new friends. Who couldn’t use a few more friends to enjoy life with? Build your social network.
3- FSR members (for the most part) fear judged car shows. This makes no sense to me as many folks I talk to who avoid these events are more than willing to cruise into a local cars and coffee event, where unbeknownst to them, the other attendees are judging your treasure. Perhaps an emotional scorecard, but a scorecard, nonetheless. If you are proud of it, show it off. Stop limiting yourself. Open yourself up to other venues and wonderful experiences.
4- FSR does not race cars. Yes, some FSR members do participate in PCA Club, SCCA or IMSA event racing, but FSR itself does not conduct races, which are competitive speed-oriented events. Sure, we host High Performance Drivers Education (HPDE) events which are conducted on closed courses, but the purpose is to learn more about your car ’s capabilities, and to stay well within your own while going beyond what the local constabulary finds acceptable on public road ways. Ultimate speed is not the focus and if you approach these events with the proper mindset, our talented volunteer instructors will help keep you safe while shepherding you through skills development. With a proper attitude and approach, the inherent risks of being “on course” can be mitigated quite effectively. Many experienced drivers are of the opinion that driving in an HPDE event is safer than taking a trip to the local market. At least everyone is driving the same direction. Consider participating in our fall event and enjoy a new driving experience. Also look for additional orientations this fall. Special thanks to Kira Mellups and the HPDE Committee for piloting our Q&A orientation a few weeks ago, at LMN.
5- Have an idea? Express it. It is your club! Club activities were all once ideas, nurtured with love and the best of intentions by individuals who at one time or another, said What if? How about? or What do you think about…? This continues to this very day. Whether via email, carrier pigeon, or face to face discussion, bring your ideas and be bold enough to express them. You would be surprised what can come of an idea.
To all those who recently celebrated a graduation, congratulations. We are all students in life, a life that is multifaceted and full of opportunities presented before us by those that went before us, and a few that we create ourselves. Let us all humbly unlock some doors, chart some new trails, and carry forth into the unknown, with positivity.
Keep the Porsche Spirit!
News from the Secretary, John Greene
Today is a spectacularly sunny day, much like the last five days we spent in New York City. Let’s hope that, by the time you read this, the weather cooperated similarly for the May Perimeter Fun Run!
This quarter’s HO will combine March and May Board of Directors (BOD) meeting minutes notes. As a reminder to all, the BOD meets bi-monthly in 2023; and anyone may attend a BOD meeting anytime. They’re all held on ZOOM, however, so if you’d like to sit in, just let any BOD member know and you can get the ZOOM link in advance.
Regarding both the March and May meetings, highlights follow:
• FSR’s checkbook balance continues to be healthy, with a balance of about $135,000 in the bank that will carry through to the fall, when the next Driver ’s Education (DE) bill will be due. For those who don’t know, FSR receives a variety of “stipends” throughout the year for events we host. We also receive a quarterly stipend for membership from PCA National that represents a sizeable portion of our income annually. The most recent totaled $3,595.80—the highest in memory.
• The most recent DE turned a profit (yay!), and the fall DE date is October 13-14, 2023. Be prepared for an increase in cost, however, due to increased track costs at Virginia International Raceway (VIR). And if you’d like to volunteer to help, feel free to contact Marco Estrada, Scott Hoffman or Kira Mellups; help is always needed and appreciated!
• Primary membership is down approximately 1% year- to-date, with new member growth slightly behind recent years, and non-renewals trending higher. Test Drive memberships are steady and PCA Juniors are up 20% this year, however.
• The Charity Committee recommended six charities for this coming year: Foodbank of SE VA and the Eastern Shore; Horizons Hampton Roads (these first two were last year’s as well); Vet Dogs, anon-profit in support of military dogs; Samaritan House, a non-profit providing emergency and permane support to victims of violence and homelessness; Feed More (also last year); and Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters (CHKD), which provides comprehensive medical and surgical care for children. And our Charity Chair, Ruth Apotheker, said the Committee proposed splitting the breakfast raffle monies (over $1100 to date this year) among the charities. There is also a tentative charity weekend 27-29 October in New Bern, so look for future details
• There is also no shortage of Fun Runs planned so find one that suits: July (which will be on the Eastern Shore), and others in August and September. There are also monthly “Cars and Coffee,” and other events planned, to include the Porsche 75th Anniversary celebration in June to and at Shirley Plantation.
That’s it and, as always, thanks to all those who volunteer for your Board!
Membership Anniversaries & Membership Report,
Ken Thomas
Congratulations to all our members who celebrate membership milestones in the second quarter of 2023. Thank you for your loyalty to the Porsche brand, Porsche Club of America and First Settlers Region. We hope you are enjoying your membership and all the benefits that are available to you. If you haven’t come out to an event lately, consider joining us for an event this year. First Settlers offers many popular events throughout the year with a focus on driving, socializing, and charitable activities. And our monthly breakfasts are very popular. Hope to see you soon!
45 Years
Dave Wallace Ed Strazzini
Curtis Hofstetter
40 Years T Jamison
25 Years
20 Years
15 Years
10 Years
5 Years
Harold Bernstein
Bill Lawrence
John Carroll
Jay McArdle
Billie Berry
Dominic Horner
Jeff Rooney
Everett Amos
Christian Shield
Joe Bivins
Jack Brannan
Monthly Membership Report First Settlers Region PCA, as of May 1, 2023
Dick Wilson
Rod Spratley
David Lillard
Troy Arnold
Bee Powell
Sam Fowler
Matt Doherty
John Stone
Andre Sutton
Bruce Plumley
Charity Committee Update, Ruth Apotheker
The Charity Committee consisting of Ruth Apotheker, Kathy Kent, Jenny Kay and Betty Kendall recommended, and the Board of Directors approved, the following charities for 2023.
Horizons Hampton Roads runs a summer enrichment program for impoverished children. At the May Chesapeake Breakfast, Brenda Garrett along with two students visited and provided testimonials about the importance of the Horizons summer program in their lives. Breakfast raffle money raised at the April, May, and June breakfasts are going to support this summer’s program. Additionally, we are planning a summer activity for a few Porches to visit Horizons to allow the children to see and learn about our great cars.
Samaritan House owns fourteen safe houses for victims fleeing violence and in threat of losing their homes. More than 50% of the shelters’ occupants are children. Tom Higgins from Samaritan House visited the Chesapeake Breakfast in May. In July, FSR members will collect highly needed items such as toiletries and food for the shelter. We will plan a similar drive in the fall.
Vet Dogs provides much needed service dogs to American military vets, active-duty military, and first responders who are disabled. In April at a Drivers Education event at Virginia International Raceway (VIR), we raised funds by offering charity laps. Vet Dogs is looking for Porsche club members who might be interested in foster caring for puppies. If you have an interest in participating, please contact the Charity Committee Chair
Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters (CHKD) is the leading children’s hospital in southeastern Virginia and the only freestanding pediatric hospital in the state of Virginia providing comprehensive services in more than forty locations. On August 12, members of FSR will have an opportunity to visit departments such as the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, and Child Life. This visit will be eye-opening and a great opportunity to learn more about the vital charity and pediatric healthcare system in our community
The Food Bank of Southeastern Virginia and Feed More will continue to be key charities for FSR support. More than ever, food banks are in demand due to growing inflation which continues to put pressure on food-insecure families.
The Charity Committee key events for 2023 will be:
• Breakfast Raffles in both Chesapeake and Williamsburg – monthly
• Charity Laps at VIR
• Visit to CHKD August 12th.
• Air & Auto Show October 7th
• Halloween Themed Charity Weekend Getaway planned for New Bern, North Carolina October 27-29th.
• Turkeys in The Trunk November
If you have suggestions or ideas for our planned events, please contact any of the members of the Charity Committee, we would love to hear from you. The breakfast raffles items have been mostly supported by donations from members; if you have something you’d like to donate, please reach out to Ken Thomas or any of the members of the Charity Committee.
On the cover:
The cover image was commissioned from Ed Caco, a graphic artist friend of FSR who was also responsible for previous images used for Turkeys in the Trunk. While Ed likes cars, he is a selfproclaimed military aviation aficionado, with an extreme passion for military oriented art and design.
If you wish to submit a photo or original piece of art to be considered for a future cover, please email editor@fsrpca.org.
Editor’s Corner Brad Jublou
2023 is Porsche’s 75th anniversary year. To mark this milestone, HO will be doing some special things in the summer, fall, and winter issues. This issue features interviews with some of our members with 45 or more years with PCA. They are more than a little inspiring in their devotion to all things Porsche, as you will doubtless discover when you read “Dedicated to the Marque.”
Readers of this magazine may have already figured out that First Settlers Region is pretty stoked about its High-Performance Drivers Education (HPDE) program. And with good reason: the program is executed on a world-class track at the Virginia International Raceway (VIR), it is taught by a superb cadre of instructors, and it’s administered by a dedicated team who love what they do in furtherance of driver education.
Members of the administrative body held an HPDE “Q & A” session on 1 April, hosted by LMN Motorsports in Virginia Beach. The event was aimed at answering questions and providing information about the HPDE program and what to expect as a potential participant. FSR’s HPDE power players were all there: Marco Estrada, Kira Mellups, Michael Shammas and Scott Hoffman, as well as FSR’s Safety Chair, Mark Hugel.
The Q & A session dispelled some rumors and demystified many of the aspects of HPDE that I personally saw as impediments to participation. A couple of examples: Do you need to have some kind of “super” brake fluid in your car when you’re first starting out? No. Need to have an expensive pre-participation mechanical inspection? Yes, you do need to have a pre-participation mechanical inspection done within 30 days of the event, but it’s not expensive: LMN charges $75.
If you want to learn how to take full advantage of the 75 years of sports car DNA ingrained in your Porsche, you may want to consider signing up for HPDE. Next one is October 13 - 14. If you’re not sure if it’s for you, sign up for the Intro to DE course. For $95 you get a classroom session and about 20 minutes of track time with an instructor that will give you a feel for the track and enable you to decide on whether you want to go further and learn more. Snell SA 2015 or later rated helmets are required to participate in DE events, but FSR has a limited number of loaner helmets that you may be able to use.
Many thanks to FSR’s HPDE team and the awesome folks at LMN for presenting an incredibly informative and fun event. If you’d like to host a session like this in a Porsche specialty garage or some other type of venue in the Williamsburg or Richmond areas, please contact Kira Mellups at deregistrar@fsrpca.org.
Hail & Farewell. At the end of March we bade farewell to our longtime magazine layout expert at Brothers Printing, Patty Shockley. For 16 years Patty has been the linchpin in HO’s production process, taking stories and pictures from the editors and fitting them efficiently and attractively into the magazine’s format. It’s much like completing a puzzle for FSR every quarter, and she excelled at it. On March 21st we said “so long” at a luncheon at the Imperial Palace restaurant in Virginia Beach. Patty was presented with a certificate that extolled her virtues as a layout artist, and paid tongue-in-cheek tribute to her ability to patiently tolerate numerous persnickety editors. Taking her place as HO’s new layout person is Jeana Shockley (no relation to Patty), and Jeana has already cut her figurative teeth on the spring issue. We look forward to working with her! Patty retired from the printing business and headed for Tennessee, where she and her husband are building a house. Good luck and Godspeed, Patty! Thanks for everything.
Did you know that Horizontally Opposed is on the FSR App? If you can’t wait for it to show up in your mailbox, you can see it earlier in the “News” section! Download it by scanning one of the QR codes. It’s super easy to download and use, and it puts all things FSR in your pocket!
Cheers,
Jerry Kent, Brad Jublou, Patty Shockley, Erik Apotheker and Phil Grandfield
Seventy five years of Porsche sports cars: Porsche celebrates a success story
26/01/2023 // In 1948, Ferry Porsche realised his dream of a sports car: with his team, he produced the Porsche 356 ‘No. 1’ Roadster. It marked the birth of a legendary brand and laid the foundation for an exemplary success story, for the Porsche legend.
“75 years of Porsche stand for pioneering spirit, passion and dreams. We are celebrating together with people who are inspired by dreams,” says Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG. The celebrations kick off with the special exhibition ‘Driven by Dreams. 75 years of Porsche sports cars’, which opens on 27 January in the ‘DRIVE. Volkswagen Group Forum’ in Berlin and will run until 10 September 2023. Visitors will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the visions and ventures of Porsche’s success story and to make a record of their own dreams and values using a digital module.
‘Driven by Dreams’ defines the essence of the brand. Furthermore, the slogan reflects the approach with which the people behind Porsche work every day to fulfil the dreams of customers around the globe. “We are proud of our heritage. It is the foundation for a successful future. We associate our heritage with innovation and progress – and continually add extraordinary new moments to the unique Porsche story,” explains Blume.
Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG, Michael Mauer, Vice President Style Porsche as well as brand ambassadors Aksel Lund and Timo Bernhard with the Porsche Vision 357. 2023, Porsche AG
A look back at the conceptual
journey to the future
The Porsche Vision 357 – a homage to the 356 – is a prime example of this and can be seen for the first time in Berlin. With it, the Style Porsche team brings monolithic design into the present and shows possible implementations of a future design philosophy: a striking example is the consistent enhancement of the light signature, which is both progressive and visionary in the way it points towards the future. The fundamental concept is reflective of the interplay between tradition and innovation: what might Ferry Porsche’s dream of a sports car look like today?
“With the Porsche Vision 357, we have created a very special birthday present. It underlines the importance of our design DNA based on the 356,” says Michael Mauer, Vice President Style Porsche. “The study is an attempt to coherently combine the past, present and future. The proportions are reminiscent of the historical model, while details visualise the view into the
future.” Built on the platform of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS with 368 kW (500 PS; Fuel consumption* combined (WLTP) 13.2 l/100 km, CO2 emissions* combined (WLTP) 299 g/km), the Porsche Vision 357 represents outstanding sports car performance.
Further highlights at the locations
Porsche continues its anniversary celebrations just outside Stuttgart at Retro Classics. The leading trade fair for classic car culture takes place from 23 to 26 February. On 9 June, the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen will then open an extensive special exhibition. On 10 and 11
“Driven by Dreams, 75 years of Porsche sports cars” - the new special exhibition in the “DRIVE. Volkswagen Group Forum” in Berlin. 2023, Porsche AG
Porsche Vision 357, Berlin. 2023, Porsche AG
June, Porsche Germany will highlight the anniversary at the ‘Festival of Dreams’ at the Hockenheimring. At the Porsche Experience Center there, the sports car manufacturer will exhibit the history, present and future of the brand.
There will be vehicle exhibitions, ‘Dream Talks’, live acts, various themed experiences and a plethora of further highlights and fascinating experiences for Porsche aficionados, Porsche club members, car communities, fans and customers of all ages. Younger visitors will have a blast in the ‘Kids World’ area. The ‘Festival of Dreams’ also offers overnight options, with a specially designated ‘van’ area. And motorsport will play a major role: in addition to a live broadcast of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux and the ADAC GT Masters will also be present.
Roadshow and exhibitions around the world
The success story of ‘75 Years of Porsche Sports Cars’ will also be celebrated at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, the highest-altitude automobile exhibition in the world on the Grossglockner, and the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne. Moreover, the exhibition materials from ‘Driven by Dreams’ will be taken to more than 60 destinations in Europe and the US in a ‘Heritage Truck’ specially designed for the anniversary year. The conclusion of the worldwide activities is the ‘Rennsport Reunion’ car festival in California from 28 September to 1 October.
Sixty years of the 911 and 100 years of Le Mans
There are also two other big anniversaries to celebrate in the ‘75 years of Porsche Sports Cars’ jubilee year: 60 years of the 911 and 100 years of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ever since its presentation at the International Motor Show (IAA) in September 1963, the 911 has dazzled, and with its iconic design and incomparable driving experience, it has embedded itself in the collective memory of sports car fans around the world. The organisers of the most renowned endurance race in the world also have reason to celebrate: on 10 and 11 June, they will mark the centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans on the Sarthe.
Every sports car manufacturer dreams of success at the Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans, and Porsche has a particularly close relationship with the French endurance classic: the brand is the most successful at Le Mans, as well as being the only participant to have been represented at the 24-hour race without interruption since 1951. During this time, the company has racked up 110 class and 19 overall victories.
Info
Further information is available online in our media kit on the ‘75 years of Porsche Sports Cars’. https://media.porsche. com/75-years-sportscars
Aksel Lund Svindal (left) and Timo Bernhard next to the Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo. 2023, Porsche AG
75 years of Porsche sports cars: Porsche 356 “No. 1” Roadster (1948) (left), Porsche 911 (901 No. 57) (1963) (in the back) with Porsche Vision 357 (2023) (front right). 2023, Porsche AG
Dedicated to the Marque
Profiles of some of our members with 45 (!) or more years with PCA
In honor of Porsche’s 75th anniversary, HO decided to interview some of FSR’s longest serving PCA members. It’s obvious upon reading these that these folks got a passion for the brand early, and it’s never diminished.
Tom Bobbitt, member since 1976. First Porsche? I became enamored with Porsches in 1970 when my neighbor started his 1965 356SC cab every morning to drive to work. It was such a distinctive looking, sounding, and reliable little car that after months of admiring it, I decided I had to have one. It took a few years before I found something I could afford: I purchased a used 1968 Irish Green 912. I loved and babied it, but as often happens, I decided I wanted (needed) a little more power. I found a lightly used 1973.2 CIS powered 911T in a rare color - Olive.
What made you decide to join PCA? That olive 911T brought me to PCA. The new-to-me six-cylinder car was more complex, especially with the new Porsche CIS fuel injection system. In searching for tech support, I found the local region, Lincoln Trails, a small region in central Illinois, with great helpful people which we joined in 1976. Activities were centered on tech sessions and a few social events.
That proved fortuitous as a year later I experienced the not uncommon occurrence of a blown airbox upon starting my precious Porsche in the garage. Not realizing what the “pop” was, I attempted to start it again and an engine fire resulted. An alert wife saved the car and garage! The engine was a mess, and thus began my mechanical work on Porsches which continues today.
Which of the Porsches that you’ve owned is your favorite? Eleanor and I have had the opportunity to own a number of Porsches and we have a few favorites: special to us is a ‘73 911 RSR replica I built, drove in DE’s, and raced for eight years. It’s special because of all the time I spend maintaining it, modifying it, building three race engines for it, and driving it. After building and driving a replica, we decided we wanted to experience a factory-built RS, so we searched far and wide (from LA to Switzerland and the UK) to find the right one. We found our ‘73 RS in New England; freshened an earlier restoration; and showed and toured the car for about five years. It was a most exhilarating car to drive with mechanical fuel injection, very little weight, and by today’s standards small, hard tires.
In Porsche’s water-cooled era, two cars stand out for us: the first is our 2006 997 Club Coupe in Azurro California Blue. Porsche made only 50 and they were only for PCA members to purchase. The car is special to us as I was instrumental in convincing Porsche to make this vehicle for PCA members to celebrate the Club’s 50th anniversary while I was National President. Porsche had never made such a car for any organization, and they had been asked many times. Subsequent to their building PCA a special car, Porsche found the effort worthwhile so they have repeated this approach, but there was great reluc-
tance for the first. The final Porsche special to us is our 2007 Porsche Cup Car. The car was the first to include a sequential transmission replacing the manual and improving gear changing speeds. My ownership of a Cup Car unexpectedly led to the opportunity to drive a Cup Car for Porsche China at Zhuhai International Circuit when the contracted driver became unavailable at the last moment. I drove his Cup Car and though I won nothing, I did not embarrass myself or Porsche China.
Which PCA event stands out as your favorite or most significant in your years with the club? Eleanor and I have been members of five different PCA regions-large and small-and visited many more during our time on the national staff. All have different personalities and support the comradery of PCA members with different emphasis in their activities. The Driver’s Ed program run by interested regions, including FSR, has been a long-time love. I have logged over 500 days on track with PCA either in Club Racing or DE, from Puerto Rico to Toronto and most tracks in between. We also enjoy traditional multi-event weekends run by interested regions, including FSR, in the past. These combine social activities with the Club’s traditional competitive events of concours, rally and autocross all packed into 2.5 days. And finally, we enjoy tech sessions/weekends to feed our appetite for understanding the inner workings of our favorite cars. (Eleanor has become an expert in the details of the iconic ’73 RS and is in the record books for winning the national parade tech quiz for the 928 model a few years ago. Full disclosure: Pam and George Michaels of FSR were not competing that year!)
Anything else you’d like to say about your time with PCA and/or FSR? Even with the diversity within PCA in activities and regions, we all share a bond for the love of the car-and that translates to lasting friendships we have made across North America. Wherever we moved in our careers, an early call was to the local region knowing we had new friends to make.
Alex Llorente, member since 1972.
First Porsche? A 1971 914, Silver with chrome bumpers, fog lights and a period correct VINYL covered roll bar!
Tom calling strategy for a Porsche being run at the 2011 Daytona 24 Hour race
What made you decide to join PCA? I wanted to join PCA so I could proudly display the PCA grill badge - as a German neighbor of mine proudly displayed his on his 1969 911 T.
Which of the Porsches that you’ve owned is your favorite? My favorite Porsche? It’s a close tie between my ‘71 914 and my first 911 - an early production 1974 G-Model (it had ZERO OPTIONS). Guards Red with a Navy Blue Leatherette interior. Not even a radio as it was all I could barely afford.
Which PCA event stands out as your favorite or most significant in your years with the club? Most significant PCA event also a tie. First, it’s placing 2nd in Class at the 1999 Parade in Mt Tremblant Canada with my early production 996. It’s a great memory as my then 16-year-old son and I worked nonstop for 36 hours to prep the car after the long drive from Yorktown, VA. The best part being when the award was called out, my son went to the podium to get “HIS AWARD” and then proceeded to have both Wolfgang and Hans Peter Porsche sign it for him...Priceless! Second, I must say that due to an insane work schedule I seldom attended FSR events, but my favorites were always Ed Merry’s Fun Runs; a great way to discover Virginia!
Anything else you’d like to say about your time with PCA and/or FSR? The answer to that one is simple: “ITS THE PEOPLE!”
Mark Leuzinger, member since 1970. First Porsche? I had a 1970 Datsun 240Z on order, but after 6 months I gave up waiting for it. The nearest Porsche dealer was 80 miles away and I went there and drove a 914 and 914-6. I couldn’t believe the handling and bought my first Porsche a few days later, a willow green 914. It was Christmas Eve, 1970 and I joined Porsche Club of America the same day. I have more or less continuously owned a Porsche ever since.
What made you decide to join PCA? I had friends in PCA when I bought my first Porsche in 1970 so it made sense to sign up.
Which of the Porsches that you’ve owned is your favorite? Past Porsches include: 914, 914-6, 1972 911S (had this one 20 years), 1998 993 C2S, 2006 Cayman S, 2016 Cayman GTS, 1964 356C, 1986 944 Turbo, 1997 911 Carrera, 1987 928 S4, 1965 901 (VIN 300004). The one in the Porsche Museum
is 300057. I also raced a 914 in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) E Production and had a Porsche Mooney aircraft for several years. You have to love the tail number: N911GT. My 14th Porsche was a 1987 928 S4. I was service manager at a Porsche Audi Mercedes dealership when rumors of the 928 started to circulate. Our Porsche factory rep called and told me he had a car he wanted me to drive. He came out the next day with a pre-production 928. It didn’t even have a VIN label. After driving it I promised myself that I would someday own one. It took 44 years but I did it. The styling still looks fresh, and did I mention the sound of that V8 engine?
I’ve since sold my 928 S4 and I bought back my 2016 Cayman GTS. That is the best handling car I have ever driven and is certainly one of my favorite Porsches. That makes it 16 Porsches total now.
Which PCA event stands out as your favorite or most significant in your years with the club? I learned to drive doing PCA track events and went on to be a PCA driving instructor as well as racing in SCCA and International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) events for 10 years. I have done PCA autocross, time trials, parades, concours, and rallying. I really suck at rallying.
Andrew Chisholm, member since 1969.
First Porsche? I purchased my 1969 Porsche 912 in May, 1969. My last duty station was in southern Arizona. I was driving a 1967 Austin Healey Sprite in local autocrosses and was impressed with the local Southern Arizona Region PCA people. (I was in the US Army, Fort Huachuca; most of them were from Tucson.)
Mt Tremblant 2nd Place 996
What made you decide to join PCA? The Southern Arizona Region, PCA. When I returned to Virginia Beach in 1969, I joined the PCA in Virginia Beach First Settlers Region. (FSR is my only region since I joined the PCA.)
Which of the Porsches that you’ve owned is your favorite? My current Porsche is a 1973 911E. It is a noisy, no option 911 with twin pipe sport muffler.
Which PCA event stands out as your favorite or most significant in your years with the club? I have attended 33 Porsche Parades over the years, but the standout was the 1971 Parade in Sun Valley, Idaho. I was hooked, would not trade that experience for anything.
Anything else you’d like to say about your time with PCA and/or FSR? I am so proud to be an FSR member, especially with the involvement of FSR in the charity world.
Weldon Scrogham, member since 1967. (Editor’s note: Weldon passed away in 2021, but his wife Phyllis has continued to maintain the membership in PCA. In this article featuring some of our longest serving members, who have contributed much to the club and have been inspirational in their dedication to the marque, it seemed that featuring Weldon was almost a necessity. He was a noted worldwide expert in the Porsche brand. He’s been referred to as “a Porsche legend,” “the Virginia Porsche Guru,” and “a giant in the world of Porsche.” Information for the article’s interview questions has been gathered from the Internet, and Weldon’s son Cole was interviewed to provide additional perspective.)
First Porsche? While serving in the US Army Corps of Engineers in Germany in the late 1950’s, Weldon saw his first Porsche and asked someone nearby, “What kind of car is that?” They responded, “a Porsche,” and he knew he would own one someday. This chance meeting of the little-known German sports car would shape the rest of his life. “He wasn’t able to buy one right away,” Cole said of his father. “People lose sight of how difficult it was to buy Porsches back then. There were very few dealerships – most of the ones that did exist were appended to VW dealerships. But he eventually bought a second-hand 356 B, and then later he made his way to New York City and bought a 356 from Max Hoffman.”
In September of 1965 a Signal Red 911 showed up at a dealership in Charlottesville. Weldon bought it. His father thought he was crazy to spend so much money on a car.
What made Weldon decide to join PCA? “I think back then it was an era in America when people liked to do that – join things, belong to something,” Cole speculated. “And it served to connect him to a lot of dear friends for many years. Membership in PCA was something that he really valued.”
Which of Weldon’s Porsches was his favorite? “That’s really hard to say; he had such a wide interest. Although he loved vintage Porsches, he was also always looking forward to whatever was coming next, you know, the next bit of exciting technology,” Cole said. “But his business, G&W Motorwerkes, Ltd, was the restoration and sale of vintage and historic automobiles.”
Weldon bought, expertly restored, and sold countless Porsches from his business in Staunton and later Waynesboro, specializing for many years in the Porsche Speedster. He likely owned more Speedsters than any other person in the world! But on the other hand, it’s possible his favorite was his 1965 911. He owned it for 50+ years and kept it in mint condition.
Which PCA event or events stand out as favorites or most significant during Weldon’s years with the club? “It’s hard to say,” Cole mused. “We went to a lot of different events, but it was probably the Parade. We went to A LOT of Parades! When we were growing up, it was a part of our life; and it was just a great family thing to do. I saw a lot of America by travelling to Parades. But we also went to a good number of Concours and, of course, numerous racing events.”
Weldon was a reliable fixture at Concours events. He won PCA’s top award for Concours restoration, the Manhattan Trophy, an unprecedented four times (1992-1995) and served as an honored judge at the Amelia Island and Pebble Beach Concours.
Anything else you’d like to say about Weldon’s time with PCA and/or FSR? “Just tell everyone how much he appreciated his friends at First Settlers,” Cole said. “It was a very good time in his life.”
Phyllis and Weldon at an IMSA event at Daytona ca 2001
Weldon and Cole Scrogham at a PCA event with a 1964 904
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WINNING QUALITY - 14 -
Looking for a Nugget?
by Brad Jublou
Many who live in the seven cities that comprise the Tidewater area of southeastern Virginia may have heard of a company called Eggleston Services. Eggleston Services is a 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit corporation whose mission is to create education, training, and employment opportunities to empower individuals, strengthen families, and uplift communities. For more than 65 years, Eggleston has created opportunities to empower adults with disabilities in their jobs, in their homes, and in the Hampton Roads community.
Eggleston delivers 15 different person-centered programs and services in the areas of employment, residential living, and community integration. Their Business Operation provides a range of diverse services, from commercial landscaping to paper shredding to a garden center that specializes in native and wetland plants, as well as a wide variety of annuals, shrubs, indoor plants and herbs. But the division of the Business Operation that might interest “Car Guys and Car Gals” the most is the Eggleston Automotive Center (EAC).
In 1999, Eggleston Services began a vehicle donation program to create additional employment opportunities and to support other Eggleston programs. Each month, the dedicated team at Eggleston Automotive repairs and details hundreds of donated vehicles in order to prepare them for auction. The auctions are open to the general public and occur every other Saturday morning, and they take place at 3525 N. Military Highway in Norfolk. On Thursday of each auction week, EAC posts and e-mails out a list of the vehicles to be auctioned on the upcoming Saturday. Vehicles can be previewed and inspected on the Thursday and Friday before the auction day, from 9 am to 4 pm.
Offerings on the list are diverse: featured recently were a 2008 Cadillac DTS with 140,855 miles on it; a 2015 Hyundai Accent with 123,151 miles; a 2006 Porsche Cayenne S with 198,323 miles (on consignment); a 2001 PT Cruiser with 59,585 miles; a 1998 Jaguar XJ with 149,346 miles (listed as “Non-Running”) and…a vending machine.
If you’re looking for a second or third car, something at the auction may appeal to you. And if you’re into car restoration, you may be lucky enough to find the occasional nugget. Case in point: one week last summer the auction featured a 1973 Triumph Stag, arguably one of the 70’s sexier-looking British sports cars. It had a 3 liter V-8 engine that made 145 BHP at 5500 RPMs. Top speed was 116 mph. It featured a removable roof that folded for storage, a T-shaped roll bar integral to the body, and a very cool back seat with upholstery that wrapped around the sides.
Time, unfortunately, had not been kind to this one.
Numerous sources indicate that the Stag had a reputation for mechanical unreliability, and many tinkerers replaced the V-8 engine with a variety of other powerplants. However, for someone with a penchant for Brit sportscars and the skill/time/tools/ money to restore it, this might have made for a pretty good addition to their garage.
There’s always an eclectic mix of potential bidders poking around the preview lot on the Thursday and Friday before auction day. On one day there was a “Car Guy” and his teenage son, looking at an old Toyota Supra (NOT one of the “good” versions, though); on another, a couple of retailers, looking for quality cars they could flip for a profit; and an older woman looking for a replacement for her daily driver. One of the previewers used a 12-volt battery on a hand truck (two of which are available from EAC), to start vehicles he was interested in. One of the preview lot monitors told me “A lot of the cars will start with the key, but some won’t. They sometimes sit around for a while, so we provide a couple of battery jump boxes for people to borrow to start the cars.” Another car retailer carried a large jump starter on a strap looped around his shoulder, and he used it to start numerous cars. “I’m not going to bid on it unless I know what it sounds like,” he said. All vehicles at the auction are sold “as is.” When previewing the cars, you can check out keys at the EAC building by temporarily exchanging your driver’s license for the key and a number, which identifies you as “legit” to the lot monitors. You’re allowed to start the car, and even put it into forward and reverse gears; but you can’t move the car so far that you take it out of its assigned parking space.
There’s a $200 registration fee that’s required to be paid before you can bid. If you win a bid for a car, that money is applied towards the cost of the car. If you don’t win a bid for a car, the $200 is refunded to you.
Auctioneering in progress. Eggleston Automotive Manager Paul Atkinson Jr. helps spot bidders for auctioneer Bill Peele
Admission for the Saturday auction starts at 8 am, and there’s a festive atmosphere as potential bidders mill around waiting for the auction to begin. People are chatty and many are obviously excited. It’s clear from seeing the knots of people talking that many here know each other, or at least have met before. Once the auction starts at 9, however, the crowd gets serious.
The auctions are held outside, in front of the main Eggleston building. The cars are driven from the fenced-in preview lot to the auction block, where the bidding occurs. And although the crowd is serious, the auctioneer obviously has a sense of humor. During one auction he actually said, “This car belonged to a little old lady who only drove it to church on Sunday!” And when a BMW 328xi with 41,321 miles on it came up, he said, “41,000 miles! On a BMW, that’s not even broken in yet!!”
The auction runs like a well-oiled machine. At the one I attended, 33 cars and trucks were auctioned off in 50 minutes. The crowd mostly breaks up afterward, but a portion moved inside to a large lunchroom where a handful of non-running vehicles were auctioned. A non-running ’02 Toyota Celica with 155,900 miles on it went for $900. Some vehicles listed as “non-running” might technically run, but they might have a mechanical or safety issue that prevents them from being driven from the preview lot to the auction block. For example, the engine might be good, but the transmission isn’t.
Whether or not you’re actively searching for another car or truck, it’s still fun to peruse EAC’s e-mailed list every other week to see what they’ve got up for auction. To sign up for Eggleston Automotive’s bi-weekly auction list e-mail, go to www.egglestonservices.org/business-services/eggleston-automotive/. Who knows? You might find a nugget!
There was a spirited bidding for this ‘08 BMW 328xi; it went for $8000
We all know that our beloved Porsche engines need air and gas to produce power, but how do the two come together since one comes from the outside and the other from the tank?
The first question is what year Porsche? And that’s because throughout the years there’s been continuous development in the way that gasoline is delivered to the engine and how it’s mixed with the incoming air.
The air delivery is pretty basic. Outside air is sucked into the intake box, passes through a filter to make sure that it’s clean, passes through the carburetor (early cars) or the throttle body (later cars) and then gets directed to the cylinders though the intake plenum manifolds. On naturally aspirated engines, the
engine itself sucks in the air. On forced induction engines, the air is compressed or charged before it gets to the cylinders. On the very first Porsches, 1948 – 1974*, air was pulled in, as described, and the carburetor would be responsible for providing the metered gas. Liquid gasoline does not ignite; only its vapors in the presence of oxygen, so carburetors use a set of jets to atomize the liquid gasoline in order for it to mix with the incoming air. These older engines used a completely mechanical system to try to obtain the optimal mix ratio (air - fuel) of 14.7:1 otherwise known as the stoichiometric point.
(*) Mechanical fuel injection was introduced for the first time in a Porsche in 1969, but it did not become standard until 1974, then evolving to digital management in 1984.
Carburetor
As more efficiency in the engines was required, mostly to make more HP for racecars, better ways of mixing air and gas were developed. The next step after the carburetor was fuel injection.
out the years and therefore has implemented most of their versions of fuel injection technologies, modified for the particular needs of the current Porsches at the time.
The earliest and most basic type of fuel injection is the single-point. It simply replaces the carburetor with a fuel injector nozzle in the throttle body which is where the air inlet (butterfly) valve is located. Though not as precise as the evolutions that followed, throttle body injection (TBI) meters fuel with much better control than the carburetor it replaced.
But in 1969 Porsche chose to use the newly developed Bosch Jetronic System, which injected fuel into a port just above each intake valve. This system was widely used until the mid 70s. The injectors were all interconnected by a pressurized fuel line known as the fuel rail and dispensed fuel by opening and closing at precise times throughout the engine’s cycle. Nominal fuel pressure in the rail is about 3.5 BAR or 50 psi. When more air was given by the driver when the accelerator was depressed, the Jetronic system answered by keeping the injectors open a bit longer by lengthening the pulse-width of the ground signal to the injector and thus obtaining the perfect mix (14.7:1). Typical fuel injector pulsewidths can be as little as 1.5 – 2.0 milliseconds (ms, or thousandths of a second) to over 20 ms at higher RPMs and loads. The positive terminals of the fuel injectors are always supplied with voltage, as long as the ignition is on. The switchable ground-path which completes the electrical circuit is controlled by a transistor in the electronic control unit (ECU).
Porsche has maintained their relationship with Bosch through-
D-Jetronic was introduced in the four cylinder 914 because it was more than adequate for low-revving engines such as the VW Type IV used in the 914s which used a single throttle body and individual fuel injectors for each of the four cylinders. This system proved to be prone to mechanical wear and therefore inaccuracy in the mix so it was not used in the 6-cylinder 914s.
The next version was the L-Jetronic which used a mechanical airflow meter for the first time to determine the amount of fuel metered into the cylinders. This version was applied to the 1.8L 914s (1974 – 1976 ).
Measuring the amount of air proved to be much more efficient that the previous arrangements and determined the direction of further development.
In 1983 Porsche used the Bosch Motronic System which integrated the electronic ignition timing control and the fuel control into a single control unit. From that point on, both Porsche and Bosch refer to this unit as the DME (digital motor electronics) instead of the ECU (engine control unit), although you may see it used indistinctly even today. The first offering of the DME came in the 944 with the 928 and 911 following closely behind in 1984. This system required very precise measurement of engine speed and position, so various engine component position sensors were introduced (crankshaft, camshaft and flywheel). On later versions, oxygen sensors were also integrated into Porsche’s Motronic Systems to obtain better catalytic converter function and to also correct excessive lean or rich conditions.
Many more developments were introduced into the Motronic Systems as time went by, such as onboard diagnostics (OBD), hot-wire mass airflow sensors (MAF) in the 32-valve 928, (*) VarioCam technology (1992 968 and forward), new onboard diagnostics (OBD-II) in model year 1996, additional oxygen sensors downstream of the cats, electronic throttle control (drive-by-wire in the 2000 Carrera and Boxster) but the fuel injectors remained basically unchanged for 40 years…
… until Direct Fuel Injection first appeared in a production Porsche with the introduction of the new 9A1 engine of the 997.2 in model year 2009. As the name implies, fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber, leaving just air being fed
Fuel Injectors
though the intake manifold. Injecting fuel directly into the cylinders (at pressures close to 2,000 psi) offers better homogeneity of the air-fuel mix.
Because DFI can inject the fuel closer to the source of ignition (spark plugs), it produces a more even explosion in the cylinders. The fuel mixture is therefore burnt more completely, increasing efficiency, reducing emissions and improving power.
But it’s not just benefits that DFI brings to modern cars. There have been a few issues. Because of the extremely high fuel pressure needed to operate, fuel pumps have been not-so-reliable although getting better. Another issue inherent to DFI is that because only air now flows through the intake valves, carbon deposits that were previously washed off by the gas-air mix now tend to create deposits on the valves.
It’s ironic that Porsche and other manufacturers introduced “new” DFI technology in 2009 when Mercedes Benz had used it and discontinued it in the 50s. My Dad’s 1957 300SL had DFI and he was always complaining about carbon deposits in the intake valves.
Like the old saying: Old is new again!
For more information on fuel injectors and more, please visit my website: www PedrosGarage.com.
Happy Porsche’ing, Pedro
(*) Corrected from the original article – April 2022
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Pets That DON’T Love Porsches
by Poppy Greene
Hi! My name’s Poppy, and my humans are John and Gayle Greene. You may know John because he’s something called a secretary; he even has a nametag he wears around the house; cracks me up. They are going to be really mad when they see this. I did it one time before and wrote something when we went on vacation; they couldn’t believe I hacked their Facebook to do it. All their friends seemed to like it though; I think there were 500 likes! But their password was Porsche911; duh! And they STILL haven’t changed it!
I overheard John talking about someone wanting an article for something called “H.O.” about pets who love their Porsches. I thought, “This is my chance…again.” I’ll be honest, though; I don’t. I mean, really. Look how small that thing is! John jokes about how he won a prize for the most stickers on his windows.
But I’m with Gayle—lose the stickers! Yeah, it’s got a LOUD engine; the air conditioning works—I’ll give him that; John likes to move some handle and use his left foot a lot; and it’s REALLY FAST. But the car I love most is this one, It’s big; it’s smooth; it’s quiet; I can take naps in it. I can’t get comfortable or snooze in his PORSCHE; sorry, everyone!
What I love most, though, isn’t really being in a car at all. It’s being in my bed at home, in the living room, chewing on my bone or going on walks with my best friend, Bruce. Or just sniffing everything in the
neighborhood. Pretty much anything but going for a ride in the Porsche. Again, sorry.
Well, I hope you enjoyed hearing about me, not so much John’s car. Maybe this will get John to change his password finally. ‘Til next time!
The Porsche Pet Picture Challenge!
Do you have a pet that likes to accompany you on your Porsche adventures? If so, we’d like to hear about it! Send us a picture or two of your pet on, in, or near your car and a short description (no more tha 200 words or so) of how you include your pet in the enjoyment of your Porsche, and we’ll feature it in an upcoming issue of HO! Format of the submission should be a Word document with full-size JPEG pictures sent along with it. Send your submissions to editor@fsrpca.org.
Vintage (Pre-1950) Classic (1950-1969) Mid-Year (1970-1985) Late Model (1986-2000) Modern (2001-Present) SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7, 202311AM – 4PM
New Members February, March, and April 2023
Welcome to all our new First Settlers Region members! We are happy to have you join us. Please come out to an event and enjoy the fun, meet other members, and see a lot of beautiful Porsches!
February 2023
Nick Pfab
Ronnie Depue
Shaun Squyres
Barrett Hardiman
James Kirby
Lionel Harris
Lee Tetreault
Tucker Percy
Vimal Amin
Maquesha Kelley
Richmond 2018 718 Cayman
Williamsburg 2023 718 Cayman
Norfolk 1997 Boxster
Richmond 2023 911 Carrera
Yorktown 2011 Panamera S
Chesapeake 2011 Panamera S
Suffolk 2008 911 Carrera 4 Cab
March 2023
Midlothian
2012 911 Black Edition
Virginia Beach 2023 718 Cayman GT4
Boydton 1966 912
Andrew Scarborough Richmond 2006 Boxster
Jonathan Moody
William Sorrentino
Royden Vonnerdeck
Antony Ho
Frank Parker
Christopher Forster
Curt Lutz
William Brown
Greg Watts
Stephen Elias
Anthony Gallo TI
Bob Jones
Giulio Novarese
Reginald Ralph
Robert Hudgens TI
Richmond PCA Test Drive
Virginia Beach 2022 911 Carrera
Glen Allen
2017 718 Boxster S
Midlothian 2013 Boxster S
Chesapeake 2015 Cayman S
Richmond PCA Test Drive
April 2023
Richmond PCA Test Drive
Yorktown 2018 718 Cayman GTS
Virginia Beach 2011 Cayman
Fredericksburg 2019 911 Targa 4 GTS
Virginia Beach 2016 Cayenne
Gloucester Point PCA Test Drive
Virginia Beach 2017 911 Carrera S
Chesapeake 2014 Cayman
Richmond 2021 718 Spyder
Darren Blackwell North Chesterfield 2017 911 Carrera S
