NewsLetter - Winter 2023

Winter 2023

IN THIS ISSUE

2023 Board Members

President Erik Apotheker

203.733.1470 president@fsrpca.org

Eastern Vice President

Keith Stone eastvp@fsrpca.org

Assistant Eastern Vice President Carlton Harris asstvp-eastern@fsrpca.org

Western Vice President

Mike Ball

804.240.9296 westvp@fsrpca.org

Assistant Western Vice President & Tourmeister

Dave Wallace asstvp-western@fsrpca.org

Secretary & Archivist

John Greene

757.663.8249 secretary@fsrpca.org

Treasurer Jerry Kent 757.971.7849 treasurer@fsrpca.org

Past President

Melinda Cagle pastpresident@fsrpca.org

HO Editor

Brad Jublou editor@fsrpca.org

Charity Chair

Ruth Apotheker charity@fsrpca.org

Membership Chair

Ken Thomas membership@fsrpca.org

High Performance Driver Education Chair

Marco Estrada dechair@fsrpca.org

Safety Chair

Mark Hugel mark.hugel@cox.net

Presidential Musings

Welcome New Members

Membership Anniversaries

News From the Secretary

Editor’s Corner

The Evolution of Luft

Rebuilding the Time Machine, Part 2

Scraps of Metal, Chunks of Wood and Cheap Champagne Air & Auto Classic 11 Car Show Results

Quotable Quotes

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

Porsche: More than cars, it’s about the experiences

Porsche has evolved from being solely a car manufacturer to creating holistic brand experiences that extend beyond high-performance automobiles and into various aspects of lifestyle and design. This transformation has allowed Porsche to connect with a broader range of customers and expand its brand influence. Simply put, Porsche has evolved into a lifestyle brand.

Here’s how this transformation has taken place and why you should care.

Porsche has a long history of designing and producing high-performance sports cars and is wellknown by even the unindoctrinated as having a strong Heritage and Excellence in Automobiles. Their engineering developments, iconic designs, and motorsport success have built a strong brand identity associated with luxury, precision, and speed. This reputation has served as the foundation for their brand expansion.

Diversification into SUVs and Electrification. Porsche expanded its product range by introducing SUVs like the Cayenne and Macan, which appealed to a wider audience. These vehicles combined Porsche’s performance DNA with practicality and comfort, broadening their customer base. Porsche embraced electrification with the introduction of the Taycan, its first all-electric sports car. This move not only aligns with the industry’s shift towards sustainable mobility, but also showcases Porsche’s commitment to innovation and reinforces its commitment to sustainability, aligning it with the evolving values of generational customers.

Porsche has ventured into various brand extensions including Porsche Design. The company’s design subsidiary offers a range of products, from fashion and accessories to electronics and home appliances, all featuring Porsche’s sleek and minimalist design principles. This subsidiary offers a range of luxury items that appeal to key Porsche target audiences.

Developing Partnerships and Collaborations with other brands and organizations to expand its reach and offer unique experiences, Porsche further diversified risks and enhanced its ecosystem. For example, it partnered with Boeing to explore urban air mobility concepts.

Porsche created a digital subsidiary, Porsche Digital GmbH, to develop new digital services which include apps, connectivity features, and digital platforms to enhance ownership experiences.

Porsche Experience Centers provide enthusiasts and customers with the opportunity to test drive Porsche models, hone their driving skills, and enjoy themselves within the Porsche brand. These value-added centers also offer fine dining, and event spaces further enhancing the aspirational images of living a Porsche-styled life.

Porsche has opened Porsche Studios in various cities, which serve as innovative showrooms to engage with customers and potential buyers. These spaces often go beyond showcasing cars to include cultural and lifestyle elements. From Aston Martin to Bentley to Porsche, a new class of branded condominiums and towns are emerging. This expansion into architecture and real estate is another strategic bet. Designing luxury residences and developments that reflect Porsche’s design philosophy and values may be a major game changer. Porsche Design Tower in Miami will feature a patented automobile elevator that allows residents to showcase their luxury cars in their apartments. In the UK, Porsche Studios will be creating a new town located along the Thames River consisting of residential housing, parks, hotels, restaurants, and retail. This project officially launches in December 2023 and should cement Porsche’s position as a lifestyle brand.

The Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur division allows customers to personalize their Porsche vehicles to an extreme degree, ensuring that each car is a unique expression of the owner’s taste. Models, such as the 911 S/T, 911 Carrera T and 911 GT3 Touring are Blue Chip Investments often produced in extremely limited numbers attracting collectors and investors where it is not just about having the car; it’s about unlocking access to track events and exclusive gatherings that enhance the overall brand experience, while creating semi-guaranteed market driving return on investment. In a new twist of exclusivity, Porsche is experimenting with a new requirement forcing collectors to lease a 911 S/T or any limited-edition vehicle before they can purchase it, a business strategy whose success will ultimately be determined by the perspectives of Porsche and investors, but clearly designed to reward investors who are more opted to engage other super-luxury investments.

Porsche Classic, a division focusing on the restoration and maintenance of vintage Porsche cars, preserving the brand’s heritage, and catering to collectors and enthusiasts.

Porsche Destination Management has introduced various curated travel experiences, allowing customers to explore scenic routes, cultural destinations, and culinary delights in line with the Porsche lifestyle.

By diversifying its product portfolio, embracing new technologies, and extending its brand into lifestyle experiences and living spaces,

Porsche has transformed from a car manufacturer into a holistic brand that offers an entire lifestyle package. This approach not only deepens customer loyalty, but also attracts new customers who appreciate the brand’s values, quality, and aesthetics in various aspects of their lives. But strategic prowess, technology and innovation alone will not build the kingdom Porsche aspires to. Collectors and investors alone cannot propel the brand to its aspirational destination. Clubs like PCA that foster a community of enthusiasts, where members can connect, share their passion, and enjoy exclusive events is a requisite, and Porsche continues to invest here, too.

Just as Porsche has evolved, in our own, albeit smaller scale, First Settlers Region Porsche Club has also been evolving. This has been a very rewarding year for us as we were able to shore up some operational practices as well as enhance our executional offerings. Here are just some of the achievements of our leadership team.

1. Templatized and proved out that no volunteer job is a full-time undertaking, thus clearing some concerns which have curtailed volunteerism. Leveraging our experiences with our High Performance Driver Education (HPDE) program, we have migrated towards a committee-like structure organized under our chairpeople. Greater involvement and valuable ideation have already shown improvements. We have filled long time open positions on the board, and we remain poised for even more success.

2. Defined and distributed annual operating budgets have brought greater focus on the yearlong activity plan rather than on the next handful of events. With the resulting improved fiscal responsibility and enhanced real-time decision-making capabilities, we have been able to readjust our spend plans to make opportunistic investments for the greater good of our members. Our monetary investments in our members continue to grow and drive greater “community.”

3. Our tech stack has taken leaps forward. The FSR app, investment in Ride with GPS, and other tools have created an al most immediate impact in a very positive way. So much so that gained efficiencies have allowed us to recruit and onboard a professional web master (many updates already made), to continually update content in our app and to bring forward some additional continuity. We are also maintaining our Horizontally Opposed magazine in print form as well as digital, at a time when most other regions have moved to exclusively digital.

4. Improved club visibility was a big priority for the year, and we have taken big steps in our journey by focusing across three sub-initiatives. 1- drive membership recruiting and retention. Having always done well in recruiting, we up leveled by getting more of our members to engage in supportive efforts. Enthusiastic support continues to drive our membership upwards to new heights. We are now over 1,300 members. 2- better integrate into our local communities through ad-hoc partnering. 2023 saw us fully integrate with local car club council members, a key component to achieving record participation in Air & Auto Classic 11 without sacrificing quality or participant enjoyment. We also now see our charity recipients involved with us, not just accepting our donations. Guest speakers, exhibit space, volunteerism at FSR events, and other engagements are bringing us even closer together

5. Our Porsche 75th anniversary celebration truly brought together members from across our geographically expansive region and reminded us that large, complex events can be successful without requiring an army of volunteers. Perhaps more importantly it sparked additional event demand and saw greater ideation for potential future activities. Some have already been executed and far more are to come. What will the 65th FSR anniversary bring?

I could go on, but one of the cats is meowing for her breakfast and I do not desire to challenge our HO editor’s planned page allocation further, so in the spirit of a quick wrap-up, here are a few thoughts regarding 2024.

Keith Stone’s migration from Eastern VP to Activities Officer will be transformative for FSR. Not that he wasn’t a great VP, but this position better aligns with his real passions and if we only transact a small portion of his ideas it’s gonna be a great year. With the VP position open, elections saw us vote in Scott Hoffman to the job, and I have zero doubt that Scott will bring his passion for track-related activities to the board, forming even deeper bonds to our largest annual financial undertaking, our HPDE program. Equally, Scott has a lot of great ideas for our future, and I am excited to see what comes. Maybe even a club race or Street Survival program? Carl Bess will round out our incoming elected board and will help keep us organized and on target while also sharing new ideas and perspectives from his position as Secretary. It is great to have so many diverse perspectives and ideas to discuss!

By mid-2024, I hope we will be able to better communicate with members by launching our own email system, allowing us to bypass the challenges we currently experience with the incumbent system. Our tech stack will rise to new heights to support our member expectations which continually grow in parallel with our membership growth.

Personally speaking, I’d also like to see us further embrace more family-oriented events and trial our first Ladies Only events. I would not be upset if we also hosted the first autocross and TSD rally in some time. The future will determine if our aspirations were grandiose or practical, but regardless, rest assured that your Board of Directors and I are committed to more fun, more activities, and more ways to enjoy the culture of a brand we love so dearly. And we won’t always do things the same way, we will continue to progress/evolve.

Thank you for all the ideas, the support (even when things didn’t go perfectly), the volunteerism, and the contributions that have made 2023 a successful year. Have a safe, happy, and healthy holiday season.

Keep the Porsche Spirit!

New Members August, September and October 2023

Welcome to all our new First Settlers Region Members! We are happy to have you join us. Please come to an event soon and meet some fellow members, have some fun, and see a lot of beautiful Porsches.

August 2023

Gerard Chiu Tabb 2016 Macan S

Chandler Pitcher

Virginia Beach PCA Test Drive

Michael Hughes Moseley PCA Test Drive

Jon Sym Norfolk 2004 911 Carrera

Ronald Mentzer

Chris Schenk

Jack Bissell

Alexander Hunter

Jesse Griffin

Lyndon Cooper TI Hurricane

Tim Hatch TI Florida

John Mahoney

Rod Goode

David Jackson TI Shenandoah

Rafy Garcia

James Turpin

Charles Glenn

Bernardo Villar

Thomas Robinson

James Border

Radlyn Mendoza

Robert Johnston

Harold Lloyd

Everett Taylor

Evan Van Leeuwen

Richmond 2019 718 Boxster

Hampton 2006 911 Carrera

Virginia Beach 2023 718 Cayman GTS

Williamsburg 2014 911 Turbo S

Virginia Beach 2016 Panamera Edition

Richmond 1967 912

Henrico 2007 911 Carrera 4

Williamsburg 2019 911 Targa 4S

Richmond 2013 911 Carrera S

Henrico 2012 Cayenne S

Glen Allen 2007 911 Turbo

Richmond 2006 Cayenne S

Irvington 1976 912E

September 2023

Henrico 2022 911 GT3

Richmond 2015 Macan S

Glen Allen 2019 911 Carrera

Virginia Beach 2005 911 Carrera

Williamsburg 2004 911 Carrera Cab

Virginia Beach 2021 911 Targa 4S

Kilmarnock 2013 Cayenne

Gloucester 1976 912E

Jason Lefton Henrico 1988 911 Carrera

Steven Irby

David Hansin

Scott Golightly

Clayton Phelps TI Roadrunner

William Bates

Paul Scallan

Randy Brown TI Sonnenschein

Kendall Fitzpatrick

John Murphy

Steve Brown TI Hurricane

Ryan Dacey

Hampton 2022 911 Carrera GTS

Suffolk PCA Test Drive

Richmond PCA Test Drive

Glen Allen 2005 911 Carrera

October 2023

Richmond 1996 911 Carrera

Chesterfield 2006 911 Carrera

Chesapeake 2023 911 Carrera T

New Kent 2024 Macan S

Virginia Beach 2001 911 Carrera 4

Knotts Island 2020 718 Cayman GT4

Portsmouth 1996 911 Carrera

Member Anniversary Milestones for the Fourth Quarter 2023

Ken Thomas, Membership Chair

Congratulations to all our members who celebrate membership milestones in the fourth 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, social, and charitable activities. Our monthly breakfasts are very popular also. Hope to see you at an event soon!

40 Years

25 Years

20 Years

15 Years

10 Years

5 Years

Robert Smith

Brent DiGeronimo

James Thomas

Richard Ackiss

Daniel Remington

Richard Yentes

Steven Adler

Charles Lucy

Scott Patton

Eric Jackel

Ryan McClurg

Benjamin Felton

Bridgette Schonbrun

Allen Miles

Greg Kahles

Holly-Faye Jenkins

Robert Taylor

John Pfeifer

Rob Bobbitt

John Chichester

Nathan Rider

Roy Carter

Kira Mellups

Aaron Aaron

David Jackson

Lisa Koperna

News from the Secretary, John Greene

This quarter’s HO consists solely of the September Board of Directors (BOD) meeting minutes notes. The notes from the annual Open Board meeting, 11 November, will appear in next quarter’s HO. As a reminder, all BOD meetings are held on ZOOM, and they’re open to all to attend so, if you’d like to sit in, just let any BOD member know and you can get the ZOOM link in advance.

Regarding the September meeting, highlights follow. You’ll also see throughout HO there are lots of other “things” going on besides just this meeting!

Our Membership Chair reported that Membership growth continues to be essentially flat for the year while new member enrollments and member renewal rates are consistent with yearly norms. Specific membership results include:

• 74 new members year to date

• 12 Test Drive members and 41 PCA Junior members in the membership pipeline

• 844 Primary Members and 1290 Affiliate Members; and that

• Transfers out continue to be problematic to growth, with 22 transfers out of the region y-t-d, 12 of which have been to Shenandoah Region. This number expands to 27 when we include 2021 and 2022 transfers to Shenandoah.

The President had provided a readahead for the meeting to discuss and vote on a measure for FSR (either alone or with [an]other region[s]) to host the Zone 2 Club Race; and, if not, what to do with the remaining Zone funds (approx. $50K) in its bank balance upon its “un-incorporation.” There were 3 options presented to choose from upon un-incorporation. After much discussion, the 8 voting Board members present voted 8-0 NOT to host the Club Race; and for the remaining $50K to be disbursed equally among the Zone’s 10 regions. Erik conveyed this vote to the Zone President (Note: Subsequent to this vote, there was discussion about FSR perhaps hosting the race but only under certain conditions, which will have been explained to members by the time you read this).

The only other business item discussed was approval for the Driving Chair to purchase additional two-way radios for Fun Run and other club use.

This is my last quarterly update (Okay, you can turn off the tears now!). I’ll be turning over the “reins” to Carl Bess, my successor as Secretary, assuming there were no cries of a stolen election or recount, on 1 January. It’s been a fun and rewarding experience, as are any of the volunteer activities the club offers. This one, in particular, has been enlightening in that you really get a chance to see and hear what is or may be happening before the rest of the club does…and then to communicate it to all of you!

That’s it; I’ll see many of you at breakfasts and Fun Runs and, as always, thanks to all those who volunteer for your Board!

On the cover:

Alex Llorente went to Luftgekühlt 9 back in April and took this great shot of a 1960 Abarth Carrera GTL, one of the many fantastic cars present. See Alex’s article “The Evolution of Luft” later in this issue.

If you wish to submit a photo or original piece of art to be considered for a future cover, please email editor@fsrpca.org.

Air & Auto 11. Held 13 October, FSR’s Air & Auto Classic 11 car show was, without hyperbole, spectacular! (If you have any doubt, check out the DOZENS of great pictures from the event posted on FSR’s Facebook page.) A bunch of amazing cars – and not just Porsches – showed up to show out at this charity event and compete in a variety of categories. The results are provided later in this issue. My favorite (non-Porsche) was the 1972 Javelin AMX. I don’t think I’ve seen one since the mid seventies. Big kudos to all who helped plan, organize, and execute this year’s show.

The Gestation Period for an HO Article. In this issue you’ll notice that we have one article that was “conceived” at the PCA Zone 2 Club Race way back in March, and we have another article about a Porsche event that occurred in April. Why does it take so long for some articles to see print? Well, it’s a quarterly magazine, folks. And sometimes there’s content that comes my way that is better if served up as timely as possible, and sometimes there are articles that can stand alone well, with no expiration date, that can be plugged into an issue in the future. And sometimes there are article ideas that jump onto my radar well after the fact, as was the case with the article on Luft that Alex Llorente did for this issue. If you’d like to submit an article to be considered for publication in HO, it’s easy: submit a Word document and some full-sized .jpg/.jpeg photos to me at editor@fsrpca.org.

More About the Shore. The Eastern Shore was touched on in the fall issue of HO, when the Editor’s Corner covered the Fun Run that was held there in July. The Eastern Shore makes for a great day trip for those of us in the eastern part of our region, while those in the west would probably have to schedule at least an overnight to take full advantage of what this historic and scenic area has to offer. Cape Charles and Onancock are two great spots to land to take in some of the local color. You might want to have lunch or dinner on the water at the Island House restaurant in Wachapreague (try the Smith Island Cake!). Or you might enjoy taking a ferry out to Tangier Island to see this unique and historic town with its waterman’s legacy while it’s still around (but sorry, if you go to Tangier Island, you’re going to have to leave your Porsche behind).

Whatever you choose to do, if you enjoy backroads touring, great scenery, seafood, and quaint historic towns, the Eastern Shore has a lot to offer. But it’s probably better experienced in the spring and summer!

Looking forward to a great 2024 and may you and yours have the happiest of holidays!

Editor’s Corner Brad Jublou Brad

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.

The Evolution of Luft

By Alex Llorente

What started in 2014 as a “Cars ‘n’ Coffee on steroids” has evolved into the ultimate showcase for air cooled cars – the Luft shows. “Luft” is short for “Luftgekühlt” – German for “air-cooled.” Started by Porsche racer Patrick Long and his business partner Howie Idelson, this annual car display has truly become one of the gems of the North American P-car world. The cars on display are curated by the organizers, and other entries are allowed – but carefully selected. The venues for the shows over the years have been eclectic, but they all have one feature in common: they provide an awesome background for the cars!

During my first visit to a Luft, which was Luft 5 in 2018, held at a lumber yard in Torrence, California, it was obvious that the chosen cars had been displayed with one purpose in mind: showing the cars’ photogenic sides. The magic behind the displays was the artistic talent of Jeff Zwart, world renowned film director, cinematographer, racer, and photographer. Jeff Zwart has continued his association with Luft over the years as its Creative Director, and in his words, “Executing Patrick Long’s vision.”

Luft 6, held May 2019 at the Universal Studios backlot in Hollywood, was the ultimate never-to- be-topped location exploding in size and attendance. “The Wow of Wows?” Imagine a simple blue 912 staged in front of the “Back to the Future” City Hall set (fake wall clock and all) surrounded by thousands of attendees.

Luft 7 was held September 2021 in the Indianapolis Bottleworks District. While no Universal Studios, it again presented a great stage for the Luft contingent.

Luft 8 held at the Port of Los Angeles shipyard in 2022 was a more drastic backdrop from previous locations that could ever have been imagined, yet once again: hundreds of Luft cars all displayed at their best, enjoyed by thousands.

Luft 9, held in April of this year at the decommissioned Mare Island Naval Shipyard in California, was more like an apocalyptic movie set, lending its doom, gloom, and rust look to enhance the Luft cars. Luft 9 was bigger and better than ever - so big that for the first time ever it was expanded to TWO DAYS...Sunday being billed as AIR & WATER; a day in which for the first time, water-cooled cars were displayed.

Following is a selection of the cars I saw at Luft 9. Enjoy!

BTW...in October a new version of Luft took place during The Chattanooga Motor Car Festival, where a curated display of air-cooled cars occurred from 13 to 15 October, along with an air-cooled car join-up on the 13th. Here are a couple of the many outstanding entries at that show.

As you can imagine, Luft X next year promises to be THE BIGGEST AND BEST EVER. I would really emphasize that the minute a date is announced for Luft X you must make nearby hotel arrangements. And then be on the lookout for a second announcement within 30 days for ticket sales. Luft sells out quickly, and the best ticket to purchase is early admission. Another suggestion: if you must have event souvenirs, order online. Don’t waste your time waiting in line at the event - you are there for the cars and the people!

Hopefully I will see a few of you at the next BIGGEST AND BEST LUFT!

Rebuilding the Time Machine, Part 2

By Walter Pristou

When we left off in the last issue of HO, it was the fall of 2021 and I had completed as much cosmetic work as time would allow. Lutzo at LMN Motorsports had been steadily working on the engine and it was coming back together.

I brought the chassis back to LMN as there was a lot of mechanical work to do before the engine went back in. I got a suspension kit from Elephant Racing (new Bilsteins, bushings, hardware, etc.). We replaced all the wheel bearings, and the fuel tank had to be reinstalled and plumbed in. The brake system was completely overhauled with new master cylinder, hard and flex lines, new rotors, and we had the calipers restored by PMB Performance (definitely worth the investment).

My original gameplan was to minimize cost as much as practicable (i.e., use as many of the original parts as possible). The original crank, cams, and rods were inspected and put back into service. It needed new cam chains and rails, but I decided to use the original chain tensioners and not switch to the oil fed ones. The way I looked at it, the car is a stock T, I don’t beat on it, and hydraulic tensioners create four more places where oil can leak; so Lutzo installed the safety stops instead. I also kept the stock exhaust valve covers. I’ll probably upgrade to the turbo covers someday, but the originals are not leaking now so motor on. I did break down and get a set of Mahle cylinders and pistons. The originals were pretty nasty.

I got new SSI heat exchangers and heater control boxes along with new hoses and cables. Up to this point we had not touched the transmission. And as it had been working 4.0 when I stopped driving it, I decided to leave it alone and cross my fingers. We had the original

engine tins powder coated but left the engine shroud as is. Top off the engine with the Mechanical Fuel Injection pump, throttle bodies, and stacks and it was just about ready to go back into the car.

It was a couple weeks before Christmas when Lutzo brought it back to life. I really wanted to be there, but I figured I would just be in the way and would cause more confusion than I was worth. Mark Cook called and let me know they got it running. I came to the shop the next nice day and Lutzo had me start it and let it run for a bit and get up to temperature. The original oil pressure and temperature sensors worked (yes!!) and their gauges were good, but the oil quantity gauge was pegged at the top. Lutzo filled me in that the oil quantity sender is located inside the oil tank and the tank has to be removed from the car to replace it. We figured that we might do more damage taking the tank out than it was worth, and I never trusted that gauge anyway, so we left it alone. If I ever decide to do anything with the gauges, I think I will get a new face plate for that gauge and change “OEL” to “FUN.”

Over the next week I drove the car around LMN several times and got a feel for it. The gear shifter was really sloppy but I could get all the gears. After driving it one day I let it idle for a bit to check and top-off the oil and noticed a little drip spot under the engine. We got the car on a lift and there was oil dripping from around the left cam chain cover. As a couple of us looked up at the engine, hypothesizing about where the oil was coming from, Lutzo walked up, said “Put it back down,” looked at me and said, “Oil doesn’t run up.” Troubleshooting the leak from the top down, it turned out to be from the cam oil line fitting where it bolts to the engine case (on top of the motor behind the distributor). With a new oil line installed and a few more laps around the block, the car was just about ready to go…but not quite.

The problem now was that the lights and turn signals were haunted; sometimes they sort of worked and other times nothing. I decided to try to troubleshoot the electrical problems myself. I am more of a plumber than an electrician, but 1972 automotive electrical systems are pretty basic and there is not a single computer chip in the car, so I dove into it. I started at square one and disassembled the fuse panel, cleaned all the wires and contacts, and installed all new fuses. That cured the headlight issues, but the turn signals were still not working properly. I updated Lutzo on the status and he handed me his Power Probe circuit tester (saved again!). With a proper tool in hand, it didn’t take me long to trace the problem to light bulb grounds in the turn signal housings. Full disclosure, when I refurbished the turn signal housings, I got paint overspray in the contact areas inside the light bulb sockets (oops).

With the contacts cleaned and the housings reinstalled, we got the car state inspected and voila!...a bona fide, certified, running car!

On the morning of April 8, 2022 I climbed into the cockpit and fired it up. I watched the oil pressure gauge follow the tach as I revved it a little while, and waited for the oil temperature to come off the peg. Although I had driven numerous laps around LMN, I was still getting the feel of it, and it was a little unnerving getting it up on I-264 and into traffic (and checking the oil pressure and temperature every 10 seconds).

After I got it home, I started the break-in / sorting out phase, venturing a little farther from home each time. At 50 miles I did the first oil change (Castrol GTX 20w50). In the sunlight the oil in the drip pan looked like brown, metallic paint! No chunks though. I changed the oil again at 100 miles and 500 miles. The 500-mile oil was much cleaner and there was very little “metal sludge” on the magnetic drain plugs. I also changed out the transaxle fluid (SWEPCO 201), and I

developed a unique method to fill the transmission without making too much of a drippy mess underneath (if anyone is interested let me know).

As the summer progressed and I logged some more miles, a few issues popped up. The right cam oil line started to leak but that was pretty easy to replace (yes, we used the original oil lines). The shifter bushings finally gave up when I was out one day, and I lost 1st and 2nd gear. I limped home using 3rd and 4th, and I got to learn all about the shifter mechanism! The little cup bushing for the shifter ball, and the coupler bushings were basically disintegrated. I was amazed that I was still able to shift at all!

In November 2022 the car made its first ever PCA event: breakfast at Pop’s Diner in Chesapeake. It was nice to finally go to a club event and drive up in a Porsche! I’ve got about 3500 miles on it since the overhaul, and so far this year we’ve made the West Point, 75th Anniversary, and Eastern Shore Fun Runs. I still have a long list of things to do to “finish” it, but right now I’m just driving it and enjoying the experience…the sound of that flat-6 accelerating, the feel of the road surface through the steering wheel into my fingertips, and the aroma of burnt oil and that “tink, tink, tink” after shut down. Sometimes cruising down a country road, I drift back in time to some country road, somewhere…40 years ago…and I realize how fortunate I am.

“Scraps of Metal, Chunks of Wood and Cheap Champagne” People who Race Porsches

By Brad Jublou

Back in March, my wife Kathy and I volunteered to help with the PCA Zone 2 Club Race at Virginia International Raceway (VIR). We had only recently gotten interested in watching racing; while visiting family in Millville, NJ last year, we saw a Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) club race at the New Jersey Motorsports Park. We discovered it was a BLAST to watch racing up close and in person! There were no Porsches there, however. So when we saw the club race coming up on the calendar we got in touch with Phil Grandfield, FSR’s Zone 2 rep, and volunteered so that we could experience it while helping out the club.

In between stints assisting with registration and handing out sweatshirts, we had time off to watch the racing. And it was as awesome as expected. It was, as the saying goes, a feast for the senses: beautiful cars, the smell of high-octane exhaust, and the incredible NOISE of the speeding Porsches all mixed together to create an incredible, totally immersive experience.

I wondered who these people were that did this. What kind of person spends the time, money, and effort necessary to race their Porsches, and why? I decided to interview a few and find out.

Mark Devlin, FSR

What first got you interested in racing? “I would not have been

doing this were it not for my good friends Rob McMahon and Bill Hatfield, Mark said.” “Bill raced with PCA some years ago and he was one of my early instructors when I started doing DE’s back in 2014. I met Rob a few years later and we both had 996 street cars and moved up through the run groups at around the same pace. Always a little fun competition between the two of us. Once we made it into the advanced run group, Rob and Bill encouraged me to go to competition school with Rob at PCA and the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) and invest in a fully prepped race car. We both stayed with the 996 platform so we could compete with each other.”

When did you start racing Porsches? “We did our first race with NASA and PCA in late spring - early summer of 2021. I remember being absolutely terrified and excited at the same time sitting on grid for the first time with the one minute countdown to a rolling 2x2 start in the back third of a pack of about 50-60 multi-class cars. It was knives out and I’m thinking…what the heck am I doing?! But after that first race without incident, I was hooked. HPDEs would still be fun but never be the same. That said, Rob and I both also wanted to give back, so we got our instructor certifications with PCA and NASA. It’s important to share the love. I spent so many years focused on work and family that I neglected my friend network, and PCA track events have allowed me to make many new friends over the years. Those include my first instructor Lutzo Kovacyk from LMN Motorsports, Glenn Spiegler, Jim Graham, Tim Gould and Brad Reaves, just to mention a few.”

How often do you race, and where? “For the past two seasons I’ve only been able to race early and late in the season due to engine troubles…long story. I’ve done thirteen sprint or enduro races at VIR and Sebring and I’ve driven Road Atlanta several times but have not been able to make a race there yet. Rob and I are planning to add Summit Point and Road America to next year’s schedule if possible. We invested in a ‘toter home’ and four car stacker trailer so that we could attend additional PCA events at other tracks. It’s been a fun adventure so far. I’m still very new to the sport and on the steep part of the learning curve for sure, but everyone in PCA is incredibly supportive and will share what they know if you’re open to coaching and feedback, which is essential - along with seat time - if you want to improve. I’m learning with every event which is what it’s all about for me.”

What car(s) are you racing with at present? “Rob and I are still campaigning our 996s and debating next steps.”

Mark’s wife is incredibly supportive of his racing activities. “She lets me leave for multiple long weekends at the track with my buddies. To be clear though, had I tried to do this when I was in my early 30’s with two young boys, two high energy dogs and a mortgage, I suspect she might have had a slightly different outlook on such an endeavor, and I respect her for that. We are empty nesters now, no pets and two successful, married sons and we just became grandparents to a healthy young boy named Van this summer. I’m hoping his parents and grandmother will let me underwrite his carting career when he’s a few years older.”

Mark and Rob placed first and second in German Touring Series (GTS)3 at a NASA Unkefer Dash in 2021 at VIR. Mark said, “It’s important that I note we were the only two cars running in that class that day and Rob’s throttle potentiometer was off so he was not getting full power!” Bill Hatfield came up on winner’s podium with them as their crew chief.

Asked why he races Porsches, Mark simply answered, “Fun, fellowship, challenge, and I just really like to go fast :-).”

Rob McMahon, FSR

From the first time he ever saw a 911 as a kid, Rob knew he wanted to drive one. “I got my first chance to drive a Porsche at 19, when my mother’s friend let me drive his new 928. I was hooked, but school, life, and kids got in the way,” Rob said. Then later, in his 40s, a friend told him he could actually drive on the same road courses as the pros. “I first did that in 2018, and within a month I owned a well prepared 911 track car,” Rob stated. “I joined PCA and First Settlers that same month.”

we’re at the track,” McLovin disclosed. “Everyone knows they can get good food and cold beverages there.”

This year, McLovin and Mark got a sponsorship from Wenzel’s Farms in Wisconsin and wrapped the cars with the logos of their main sponsor and other sponsors. “Mark has a corporate connection to Wenzel’s, and one day he mentioned the race cars to them, and they promptly offered a sponsorship! We promptly said ‘Yes.’ We even set up a tent at the track and hand out generous amounts of Wenzel’s meat snacks.”

McLovin’s whole family is very familiar with the track. In fact, last July they organized a private track day at VIR for family and friends. ”My Uncle John, who ran my Grandfather’s Shell station for years, got to drive a 918 on the track. And my youngest daughter, 18 at the time, got to drive my father’s Mustang.”

Why do they do it? “Mark and I do it because of the exhilaration and competition, but mostly for the camaraderie. It’s true what they say, you meet the best people at the racetrack.”

Brian Weathered, Chicago Region

Brian’s initiation into racing came early, racing go-karts as a kid. This developed into an interest in cars, and at 16 years old he was working as a porter at a Chevvy dealership in Hinsdale, Illinois – his first real job. The dealership’s owner was a racing enthusiast, and he partly sponsored several teams. One of these was the Carl Haas team, back before Paul Newman got into it. It was a Formula 5000 racing team, with Brian Redman’s car. One day that team was going from Watkins Glen to Road America, and they stopped off at the dealership to prep the car. “A couple of English guys asked me to help them out, and I did, and I was all over that car for three days. It was the coolest thing I’d ever seen,” Brian remembered. And then one of the team members asked him if he wanted to come along with them and crew. He was blown away. He got to experience crewing with a Formula 5000 racing team for a weekend and at that point he knew he was hooked! “It was an unbelievable, life-changing experience,” Brian said.

After a few years of instructed HPDEs, Rob, known on the track by his nickname McLovin, and his friends began to get faster. McLovin said, “Mark Devlin and I bought proper race cars in 2020 and got our competition licenses with PCA Club Racing. We also bought a ‘toter home’ and four car stacker in order to learn more tracks. We’ve been to Sebring and Road Atlanta. We’ve found the toter home to be a real ‘people magnet’ when

He started racing in 1992 and for the last 30 years he has only raced Porsches. “Porsche Club Racing is the greatest,” Brian stated. “That’s my focus.” At the Zone 2 Club Race he was racing #69, a 1976 914-6, a car very familiar to the Club Racing community. “That’s been a wonderful car,” Brian said. “Back in March it had a 3.8 liter flat six engine in it; now it has a 4.0. That car is like an experiment – it’s in a constant state of tinkering.” And Brian has had some success in it. For example, at the Club Race in March, racing in the Vintage Class, he took First Over-

all. And he just took it to Rennsport Reunion 7, where he won Second Overall!

Brian goes racing once a month, traveling all over the country to indulge his passion, and he’s surrounded by, in his words, “an amazing team that travels with me to twelve to fifteen races a year. They don’t just go to work; they love racing. It’s long hours and a lot of travel, but we’re all in to win.”

Brian and his older brother George both own Porsche specialty garages in Illinois: Midwest Eurosport in Bensenville and Eurosport Racing in Joliet. They offer just about everything – routine servicing, classic Porsche restoration, parts, custom welding and machining, racecar transport and support, race data analysis – the list goes on. They have 40 racers as customers. Check Brian’s website out at www.midwesteurosport.com.

route for me: I sold the E30 and bought a 2005 GT3 Cup – the last year of the stick shifts.”

Paul’s next-door neighbor and racing buddy Danny Marshall has a garage at VIR, where they share space and resources, and that’s where the Cup car went. Paul’s first session in the car broke a personal record! “I raced the Cup at any event that came to VIR - NASA, Club Race, whatever!” But Paul has also taken it to a Brian Redman event in Road America, an Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) event at Daytona, Road Atlanta, and to the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) Formula 1 track in Austin. “With NASA, there’s not really a lot of competition in my class,” Paul said. “But I don’t care; I just enjoy racing the car.”

Paul and his GT3 Cup won his class at COTA and VIR; he won his class at the Brian Redman event at Road America; he won Second in the Daytona HSR event, and his proudest achievement happened at a NASA event at Oktoberfest at VIR when he took First Overall.

When asked why he does this, Brian said, “When you’re out there, you don’t think about anything else. And when I’m not on the track, I think about it all the time. In fact, sitting here talking about it makes me want to go race right now!” Brian also indicated that age is a factor – but not in the way you might expect. “I’m 66 years old, and I want to do this for another 20 years. And I can do this for another 20 years. One of my customers is in his 80s and he still races. Racing is one of the very few things you can do after 60 that’s competitive. Of course you have to keep yourself in good shape, and you have to stay mentally sharp because man, I’ll tell you; it’s like a chess game out there! And it’s awesome. I don’t think I’d want to do anything else.”

“And there’s no money in this,” Brian said as the interview was wrapping up. “No one hands you a check when you get up on that podium. It’s just for fun. It’s something I do to challenge myself.”

Paul Bacon, Carolinas Region

A former FSR member and longtime club racer, Paul started his car passion as a teenager by doing Drivers Education at Charlotte Motor Speedway. All grown up, he continued doing DEs in a 911 Carrera then a 993, eventually becoming an instructor in 2005. In 2007 he bought a GT3, and was doing DEs in the Red group.

He didn’t start his racing career with a Porsche, but he was eventually nudged to get there. He was racing a BMW E30 in NASA races, and finishing mid-pack at best. “It was getting pretty frustrating,” Paul said. “I needed some instruction, so I hired David Murry for a day. And David said I needed to either change my driving style or go back to a 911! So I took the easy

I asked Paul how he liked racing with a stick shift against Porsches with PDKs. “I always used to think that having a PDK was sort of cheating,” Paul allowed, “but I’m driving a Macan S, and I started driving the PDK in Sport Mode, and it’s way faster! But I get it; no human can shift faster than a PDK. So I’m now thinking about buying a 991 with a PDK. They’re definitely cool and wicked fast.”

Paul’s family gets in on the racing action as well. His kids and brother-in-law were pit crew for him in an Enduro at Indianapolis. Also, he got some radios and his wife Betsy calls the flags for him from Turn 3 at VIR.

When asked why he races Porsches, Paul does what sounds like a verbal shrug over the phone and says, “It just seemed like a natural progression. I like competition, but I’m too old and don’t have the budget to go pro. It’s just a hobby. But I learned from Danny, protect the equipment. It’s not worth it to try and squeeze in at the last turn. You’re racing for scraps of metal, chunks of wood and cheap champagne; none of that is worth breaking a car over!”

Paul stated that another reason for why he does this is the friendships he has developed at the track. “It’s great just to go and have fun with friends; I really enjoy the camaraderie. I’m out there racing with my friends, and I love driving Porsches.”

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Domestic

1st Place 1941 Ford Super Deluxe

2nd Place 1957 Chevrolet Belair

3rd Place 1949 Chevrolet Fleetline DX

Honorable Mention 1960 Chevrolet Corvette

Import

1st Place

2019 Porsche 911 Turbo S

2nd Place 1997 Porsche 993

Max Wildermuth

James Bibb

James Camforth

Clifford Kumpf

Fred Donnell

Ken Thomas

3rd Place 2021 Toyota Supra 3.0 Premium Tim Fanugao

Honorable Mention 2016 Porsche Cayman

Modern

Carlton Harris

Judged Awards - Domestic

1st Place 2011 Corvette Z06 Carbon Edition Paul Smith

2nd Place 2022 Corvette CR8

3rd Place 2007 GT500

Late Model

1st Place 2004 Ford Mustang Mach 1

2nd Place 1988 Fiero V8

Joscelyn Smith

Mike Williams

Michael Marushia

Bob Carlson

3rd Place 1992 Corvette Rob Huffman

Mid-Year

1st Place 1973 Cuda

2nd Place 1972 Javlin AMX

Mark Hayes

Glenn Mieklos

3rd Place 1970 Nova SS Don Cook

Classic

1st Place 1961 T-Bird

2nd Place 1955 Plymouth

3rd Place 1963 Coupedeville

Vintage

1st Place 1941 Ford Super Deluxe

2nd Place 1940 Ford Coupe

3rd Place 1940 Packard

Judged Awards - Import

Modern

1st Place 2018 911 TurboS

2nd Place Ferrari 575

3rd Place 2018 718 Cayman

Late Model

1st Place 911 Turbo S2

2nd Place 1988 BMW E30 M3

Dickie Clifton

Joe Nichols

John Fudala

Max Wildermuth

Richard Watkins

Ed Murmillo

Marc Lisner

Trip Johnson

Darien Ruffin

Steven Dandalides

Anthony Bellacicco

3rd Place 1993 Corrado Pam Michaels

Mid-Year

1st Place 1985 Ferrari 308

2nd Place 1979 Porsche 928

Classic

1st Place 1968 Porsche 911

2nd Place Triumph TR250

3rd Place 1958 VW Beetle

Special Awards

Replica/Kit Car

1st Place TR550 Rennsport 1500

2nd Place 33 Favtory Five

Best Detailed 2019 Z06 Corvette

Organizer's Choice - Domestic 1968 Camaro

Bob Trzeciak

Andrew McCulley

Shawn Cline

Martin Rutkowitz

Brian Gravely

Edward Ericson

Ronald Domingue

John Davis

Chris Strang

Organizer's Choice - Import 1967 1/2 Datsun 2000 Rob Cully Best in Show

Porsche 911T Kevin Pirkle

Quotable Quotes

by Pedro P. Bonilla

(Gold Coast Region PCA) © 2017 Technolab / PedrosGarage.com. Reprinted with permission.

(Editor’s note: As Horizontally Opposed’s final nod to the celebration of Porsche’s 75th anniversary this year, we offer this selection of quotes about Porsches collected by our pal Pedro Bonilla.)

Recently, while doing research for another article, I came across a couple of interesting quotes regarding Porsche and thought it might be fun to compile a few more and share them here. Some are from people whose last name is Porsche, mostly are from people who admire Porsches, others not so much. Enjoy.

Ferdinand Porsche:

Founder Dr. Ing. H.c. F. Porsche GmbH (1931) (Austrian)

I couldn’t find the sports car of my dreams, so I built it myself.

If one does not fail at times, then one has not challenged himself at times.

Change is easy. Improvement is far more difficult.

Porsche ... there is no substitute.

Luft natürlich, weil es weder kocht oder friert. (Air, of course, because it doesn’t boil or freeze) - when asked what was best to cool a car engine.

Ferninand (Ferry) Anton Ernst Porsche Son of ferdinand Porsche GmbH CEO (1948-1989) (Austrian)

If you can create something time cannot erode, something which ignores the eccentricities of particular eras or moments, something truly timeless … this is the “ultimate victory”.

Now, to put a water-cooled engine in the rear and to have a radiator in the front, that’s not very intelligent. (PANORAMA, Oct. ‘73)

Ferdinand (Butzi) Alexander Porsche: Son of Ferry. Designer of the Porsche 911 & 904. Porsche Design CEO (German)

A Porsche will always look like a Porsche.

Good design only exists in concert with engineering. Designers need to be part engineer.

Ferdinand Piëch: Grandson of Ferdinand. Porsche Engineer. Volkswagen AG CEO (Austrian)

The lighter you make the car, the less weight there is to brake for a corner, to take around the corner and to accelerate from the corner.

Jerry Seinfeld: Comedian - Porsche collector (American)

I have this old ‘57 Porsche Speedster, and the way the door closes, I’ll just sit there and listen to the sound of the latch going, ‘cluh-CLICK-click.’ That door! I live for that door.

Robert

Redford: Actor – Director. Environmentalist (American)

I’ve always liked speed. I own a car that I shouldn’t be talking about because I’m an environmentalist, but the 1955 Porsche Spyder 550 RS is the finest sports car ever made.

Kevin O’Leary: Entrepreneur. TV Personality (Canadian / Irish)

There are a lot of impractical things about owning a Porsche. But they’re all offset by the driving experience. It really is unique. Lamborghinis and Ferraris come close. And they are more powerful, but they don’t handle like a Porsche.

Mark Donohue: Racer (American)

“Remove the reverse gear please.”

“But what if you spin and are facing the guardrail”?

“Porsche doesn’t pay me to drive in reverse...” (speaking to a race engineer during testing for the Can Am 917-30).

Carroll Shelby: Racer - Car builder (American)

Porsche and BMW drivers are arrogant.

Thank God there’s no 48-hour race anywhere in the world, because chances are nobody could beat Porsche in a 48 hour race. They’re probably the only cars in the world that would stand up for something like that.

Peter Schutz: Porsche AG CEO (1982 – 1987) (American)

While the car could be temperamental at times, at least it had character. That’s what people loved most about it. (referring to the 911 of the 80s)

Helmuth Bott: Porsche AG Chief engineer (German)

Hardly any other vehicle concept has proven itself so thoroughly in so many different combinations over the years [as the 911].

Hans Mezger: Porsche’s most distinguished engine designer (German)

When I graduated from Stuttgart University in 1956 I was offered many employment opportunities, including the large automobile manufacturers. Despite all these attractive options it was Porsche – a little company then – that caught my imagination. The appeal was their 356 sports car which for me was a most beautiful and interesting automobile.

Alois Ruf: Car builder (German)

With a Porsche you get more performance with less of everything.

Elon Musk Businessman - Car builder (Canadian / American)

Yeah, well I think that anyone who likes fast cars will love the Tesla. And it has fantastic handling by the way. I mean this car will crush a Porsche on the track, just crush it. So, if you like fast cars, you’ll love this car. And then oh, by the way, it happens to be electric and it’s got twice the efficiency of a Prius.

It was a 1963 356. It was on the street in Santa Monica with a ‘For Sale’ sign. I’d just finished a movie called “Can’t Buy Me Love,” and I spent my entire paycheck on that car.

Bobby Allison: Racer (American)

911s are expensive imported Corvairs.

I own a bunch of classics, including a blue 1954 356 Cabriolet. It’s so dinky and intimate, you sit so close to your passenger and there’s no power steering. Sixty miles-per-hour feels like 120. At the other end of the scale I have a 918 Spyder, which is the most advanced Porsche ever built and an absolute beast to drive. So I have bookended the Porsche range quite nicely I think.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Racer (American)

Once I let someone talk me into driving a slow as hell Corvette in a GP race and I spent all day getting passed by Porsches in this slow ass Vette. I was sitting in this thing thinking can I get a Porsche please. I mean I am a competitor and it just really stung getting passed lap after lap. I could not wait to get out of that damn car. I sure knew what the backside of a Porsche looked like after that day. About a week later I bought a Turbo 911.

Derek Bell Racer (British)

Back then (1980s) the philosophy was that it’s an honour to drive for Porsche, the money is irrelevant. The head of engineering (Helmuth Bott) made it clear to me that I shouldn’t earn more money than he did. A different world indeed.

Steve McQueen Racer/Actor – Actor/Racer (American)

Playing the role of Michael Delaney in “Le Mans”