DAS FLORIDA KRONE ZEITSCHRIFT
Contents
Articles
Das Florida Krone Zeitschrift
Newsletter of the Florida Crown Region
Contents
From the Editor Wayne Kunkel 2
Here is What I Am Thinking Chris Pownall 4
The FCR Welcome Wagen 5-8
2024 Holiday Party Ken Perry 9-12
Brake Bleeding 102 Chris Tchorznicki 14
HPDE UPDATES 15
FCR PCA EVENT CALENDAR 16-17
SOCIAL EVENTS Janet and P.O’Donnell18-19
Danielle Badler Column 21
Images of the ROAR Chris Tchorznicki 22
Zuffenhausen Museum Sara Jakobuss 24-27
FCR Historian Debbie Cooper 28
It’s never been tracked Pedro Bonilla 30-35
The RedLine Market Place. 36
Tech Chair – Steve Palmer
Social Media Chair –Jesus Caracoza
Zone 12 Representative – Leslie Sikorski
https://www.pcafcr.org/contact/
Contributors
Ken Perry , Wayne Kunkel, Chris Pownall, Jeff Jones, Sara Jakobuss, Chris Hoyt , Janet O’Donnell, Patrick O’Donnell, Pedro Bonilla, Debbie Cooper, Chris Tchorznicki, Danielle Bader, Rob Sewell, Henry Becker
Cover photo by Wayne Kunkel
Board of Directors
President: Chris Pownall
Vice President Chris Tchorznicki
Activities Director: Janet & Patrick O’Donnell
Membership: Rob Sewell/OPEN
Secretary: Jeff Jones
Treasurer: James Gilman
Past President – Bob Barren
Autocross Chair:Mel Ward/OPEN
Club Historian: Debbie Cooper
Concours Chair: Open
High Performance Drivers Education Chair – Marty Flack
High Performance Drivers Education Chief Driving Instructor – Jim Burnett
High Performance Drivers Education Registrar –John Pellerin
Webmaster: Ken Perry
Porsche Jacksonville and Brumos Collection Liaison – Hans Mandt
Committee Chairs
Advertising Chair: Help needed !!
Newsletter Editor: Wayne Kunkel
The Das Florida Krone Zeitschrift is published four times a year by the Florida Crown Region, Porsche Club of America. Permission is granted to reproduce original materials published herein, provided full credit is given the author and Das Florida Krone Zeitschrift No material may be reproduced unless Das Florida Krone Zeitschriftwas given the right to publish another publication’s material. They reserve all rights to that material. Furthermore, the Editor reserves the right to edit all material. All material herein reflects solely the opinion of the authors and NOT the PCA, the FCR Region or its officers. The FCR Region is not responsible for any services or merchandis+e advertised herein. c2024 Florida Crown Region, Porsche Club of America, all rights reserved. Das Florida Krone Zeitschrift is distributed to 1570 N.E. Florida Porschephiles.
From the Editor
Wayne Kunkel
The new year has begun, and your hardworking editor was caught up in planning PCA events with various members and waiting for contributions from members like you! Part of the issue is having enough content to produce a newsletter that draws the members to read it, so please submit an article of interest for your fellow members to enjoy.
FCR sent out a member survey in October, and you, the members clearly want more driving events. Members also want some basic handling skills training so that they are comfortable pushing down the go pedal, as well as knowing what to do when we need to maneuver if an unexpected situation might occur. The more comfortable we are with our great automobiles, the safer we will be. Here are the top 5 activities FCR members want to do.
Top Interest Areas include:
Organized Destination Drive and Lunch (Full Day): 85%
Driver Skill Training: 70%
High Performance Driver Education (Track Event): 64%
Rally: 56% 3 successful Rallies in 2024
Autocross: 47%
As a result of your recommendations, FCR has scheduled 2 days of driver skill training, with an option for a third, at the FIRM facility located near Keystone Heights, FL (near Starke). The first date is March 16. The second driver skill training will be June 15. If the attendance is strong enough, we will add more dates. We will limit the training portion to 60 cars. One section of that 60 will be reserved for ladies only, with female instructors.
The first drive for 2025 will be on Feb. 22. The northern departure will be from Green Cove Junior High School in Green Cove Springs. The school is right on Rte 16 and will
eliminate the group from getting separated as we depart. The southern departure will be from Bob Evans in Palm Coast. The back roads drive will end at the Castaways in Astor, Florida as our luncheon spot. Please sign up and details will follow on departure times from the northern and southern locations. On FEB 23rd after this we will host cars and coffee on Fleming Island. After the IMSA 24 hours of Daytona, FCR will host an event at Jim Faulkner’s shop near NAS JAX, Classic Nine Motorwerks on Feb 8th. This was probably the event I enjoyed the most last year. March always starts off with the Amelia Island Motorwerks event. FCR is blessed to have an event of this magnitude in our region. The PCA WERKS concours is Friday March 7 and volunteers are needed to help out.
As our new President writes in his column, the region has spoken. The FCR Board and committee chairs have increased the number and types of events we are planning. We are serving up lots of cool things for 2025. Come and join us.
Add your CO-PILOT as a CO-MEMBER!
Co-members are free and get a PCA membership card as well!
Co-members are welcome to share in your PCA experience at no additional cost; they are invited to PCA events, receive their own user account on www.PCA.org, and have digital access to Porsche Panorama magazine. Co-members must be at least 18 years of age.
If you’d like to add a co-member, send an email with their full name, relation to you (i.e. Spouse, child, friend, etc.) and their email address to membership@pca.org
From the Prez
Chris Pownall FCR PCA President
Happy New Year to all of you in Florida Crown. I’m honored to be taking the lead of such a storied region of PCA, and I believe it’ll be yet another great one.
While I may not be familiar to some of you, I’ll shed more light on my background with PCA and Porsches in general.
I’ve been a member of Florida Crown (and PCA) for over 14 years now, having held the position of Secretary from 2020 through 2024. My fascination of Porsches goes back to about 1989 or 1990 when my dad bought me a 930 Cabriolet model kit to assemble (it ended up being black over saddle). Throughout the 1990s I was enamored with 928s, 944s, and 993s, daydreaming about them from DuPont Registry listings or from the rare occasion I spotted one in the wild. During a trip in 1997 I was a bit starstruck– I spotted a new Boxster with the roof down while at a marina. Arena Red over Savannah Beige, I couldn’t stop staring.
What finally put me in the driver’s seat of a Porsche was the epiphany that I could own a used Porsche for less than what I had been spending on new Volkswagens. Thanks to help from an enthusiastic Boxster owner on The Car Lounge, I made my way through listings to find a sweet 2004 Boxster 2.7 in Daytona Beach in the fall of 2010. Keys now in hand, I signed up with PCA (and attended a Board of Directors meeting soon after).
For Father’s Day 2011, my mom and I brought my dad into the fold with a 1991 Carrera 2 Targa. What a surprise gift! Mom followed the trend a year later with a 2006 Boxster 2.7. Dad and I did many club activities together until his passing in 2016. His 964 has been in my ownership since then, currently awaiting the engine to be reassembled (that’s a whole story in itself), and my 986 was replaced with a 2004 Carrera 4S Cabriolet in October after it was obliterated by a distracted driver the month prior.
I’ve said before that organization taglines are often cheesy and kind of a stretched truth. For PCA, it’s spot-on as it’s truly the people who make the regions what they are. I’ve been fortunate to meet many of you, especially in the past few years, grateful that being in this unique car club has given me such an opportunity.
The Board was blown away by the results from the recent members survey, and I want to relay that your voices are being heard. For 2025, we’re planning to offer new and exciting activities, functions, and opportunities for you all to enjoy. I’m thrilled that more members are stepping up to offer fresh ideas and perspectives to the region for the coming years.
I look forward to meeting more of you in the year ahead! Stay safe out there.
The FCR Welcome Wagen
ROB SEWELL FCR PCA Membership Chair
FLORIDA CROWN REGION MEMBERSHIP REPORT
JANUARY, 2025
REGION SUMMARY
New Members 16
Transfer In 2
Transfer Out 6
Lapsed - 34
Life Members
Total Primary Members 1049
Affiliate Members 579
Total Region Membership 1628
Test Drive Participants 22
NEW MEMBERS Dec and Nov 2024
NAME CITY, STATE VEHICLE YEAR & MODEL
Guido Balocco Tyler House
Ray Cornelio
Patricia Bulko
Saint Augustine, Florida 2024 911 Carrera
Newberry, Florida 2025 911 Carrera
Martin Dennett Jacksonville, Florida 2016 Boxster
Conrad H. Gray Gainesville, Florida 1999 Race Car
Russell L. Hughes Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida 2023 911 Turbo S Cabriolet
James R Liner Jacksonville, Florida 2008 Boxster RS 60 Spyder
Michael K Patton Palm Coast, Florida 2015 Cayenne
Louis D Raimondi
Louis Raimondi - Son St. Augustine, Florida 2024 718 Cayman GTS 4.0
Daniel Carlisle Fernandina Beach, Florida 2006 Boxster S
The FCR Welcome Wagen
ROB SEWELL FCR PCA Membership Chair
Paul Green Jacksonville, Florida 2024 911 Carrera 4S
Craig Jeup Jacksonville Beach, Florida 1982 911 SC
Scott Liner Saint Johns, Florida 2008 Boxster
Michael J Phillips Jacksonville, Florida 1999 911 Carrera
Marcus K. Richeson Alachua, Florida 2015 Cayenne Turbo
James Q. Roberts Palm Coast, Florida 2005 Boxster
Sara M. Samuels Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida 2025 718 Cayman S
Transfer in Members
NAME CITY, STATE
Dominique Comeau
Transfer in from Gold Coast (GCT) Palm Coast, Florida 2021 718 Cayman S
Eric D. Murphy
Kay Murphy
Transfer in from Peachstate (PST) Jacksonville Beach, Florida 2006 911 Carrera 2008 Cayenne 1996 911 Carrera 2025 FCR ANNIVERSARIES 1ST QUARTER
50 YEARS William Warner
45 YEARS Hal Hart
40 YEARS
Helen Balz
35 YEARS
Jim & Jody Cummings
30 YEARS
Robert and Cora Barren
Cathy and Jame Voss
Bryan Barker
25 YEARS
Linda and Steve Variamog
Joseph and Rose Gass
John and Pattie Pitts
Robert and Johanna Rahal
Robert and Sebastian Sicari
Kenneth and Lisa Dakdduck
David and Linda Seaman
20 YEARS
Robert and Marjie Reimer
Brian and Todd Stein
Charles and Bobbi Morrison
Evan and Jule Silvi
15 YEARS
John and Beth Maddox
Tony Sullivan
John Mickler and Christian Long
Fred and Sean Lewis
Jan Mattson
Bill Bianco
10 YEARS
Raymond and Carol Smith
Ron and San Traupane
Carl Brigandi
Michael and Heather Jakubisze
Deborah Oliviera
Connie and William Rodgers
Taygun Tyler and Tolga Tari
Frederick and Susan Denker
Per Olof Ezelius
Bert Harris
Dennis Gilligan
Danny Neil
Brad Wessler
Doug and Barbara O’ Connor
5 YEARS
Bill Eagan
Michael Pentaleri
Gary Jeffers
Jeffrey Collins
Joseph Best
Keith Moore
Bimal Doolabh
Michael Radzinski
Ashok and Dorothy Roychoudhury
Robert Byington Jr
Keith Stein
Mike Buie
Donald David Moore
Jack Stoorza
Earl Mauldin
Kenneth Staton
FLORIDA CROWN 2024 HOLIDAY PARTY
Ken Perry
Florida Crown ended the year with our annual Christmas Party at the Marsh Landing Country Club on the first second Sunday of December. Since it was a school night, we got the festivities started a little bit early and we had the usual sell out, every seat was filled with Florida Crown members and honored guests. The parking lot sparkled with Porsches with 2 and 4 doors. Not to be outdone everyone took our request heard and arrived decked out in their best Holiday Cocktail attire. We looked good upon arrival!
Once inside, the club prepared the most awesome buffet for us to enjoy and after dinner outgoing president Bob Barren had some kind words to say about our club and we applauded his hard work for the past 4 years as president. Not to be outdone, his better half arrived and added the right decorations to the tables elevating everyone’s first impressions plus discussed the Women of PCA plans for 2025. Our HPDE team was also represented with John Pellerin available to answer any questions about our upcoming event at Roebling Road.
We heard from our incoming president, Chris Pownall hot off his long and much appreciated tenure as club secretary. We look forward to his leadership and his usual dedication to the club. Also in attendance was Jeff Jones and his lovely wife, Jennifer. Jeff has been contributing pictures to the editors of Panorama for the “From the Regions” section. His efforts have made sure that our region is represented at every issue with the exception of when the editors requested that we are asked to give someone else a chance!
One of the highlights was Vito Vacca from Hagerty’s discussing trends for us Porsche owners and brought along some nifty door prizes. Thank you, sir!
We had a great night, spending with old friends, new friends taking part of the best car club on the planet celebrating our love for Porsches and demonstrating the club motto, “It’s not cars, it’s the people.” See you out there!
2024 FLORIDA CROWN HOLIDAY PARTY
Bob and Dora Barren (president 2024)
Chris Pownall (president 2025)
Aaron and Alexsis Fonseca-Mong
Porsche Jacksonville
Joe Grant
Chris Peneguy
Toni Boudreaux and Dave Godwin Brumos Collection
Dan Tapper Brumos Collection
Vito and Diana Vacca – Hagerty’s
Bill and Jill Bianco Porsche Jacksonville
Joey Capranica and Brenda Chamberlain Porsche Jacksonville
Chris Tchorznicki
Further to Pedro’s article on brake bleeding I would suggest a way for one person to achieve this.
Firstly, I am not a fan of pressure bleeding through the master cylinder. It is fraught with issues and you are introducing air into the system.
I would suggest the following method that requires; A turkey baster, buy your own, do not use your wife’s as that will create other issues. 2 Bleed bottles, Amazon, etc.
Your choice of brake fluid, as long as nowhere on the can is the word synthetic mentioned.
A piece of wood, 2”x 4” x 3’. This length may vary, due to how far inside the car your brake pedal located.
Obviously you will remove your wheels. Go to the rear of your car, to the caliper furthest from the master cylinder, attached your bleeder bottle and open the brake bleeder. Go to the front caliper which is diagonally opposite to the rear one. If you have 2 bleed nipples, open the inner one, attaching the bleeder bottle.
Use the turkey baster to suck out the old fluid, but do not empty the reservoir. Fill with new fluid and use the wood to push the brake pedal all the way to the floor. As you are bleeding both front and rear brakes at the same time you can push the pedal all the way to the floor, with no resistance. Once you have bled the calipers, you can close the inner front nipple and bleed the outer nipple. 1 stroke here is usually sufficient. Close the nipples and repeat for the other side. The other thing that I always, when I finish bleeding the brakes, is to ensure that the bleed nipple interior is dry. Roll the edge of a paper towel and insert into the bleeder hole. New edge for each nipple. Removes all the residual fluid.
Those of you with hydraulic clutches, good time to bleed that as well.
One thing in the videos I have seen, on brake pad replacement, is they omit to push the piston back into the caliper, when removing the pads, without first bleeding the old fluid out. What you are now doing is pushing old fluid back up in the braking system. Not a good idea. Bleed first, then push the pistons back into the caliper.
Voila, you have now bled the brakes without requiring the assistance of another person. Always beneficial.
HPDE AND DRIVING UPDATES
Snell Safety certified SA2015 Helmet Extension
Because the Snell SA2025 helmet certification labels will not be released until April 2025, manufacturers will not be able to sell SA2025 helmets until October 1, 2025. To accommodate this timeline, Porsche Club of America’s HPDE program will allow the use of SA2015 helmets through February 28, 2026. This extension provides sufficient time for the supply chain to procure and stock inventory and for drivers to order and receive the updated helmets.
Effective March 1, 2026, Snell SA2015 helmets will no longer
2026 PCA National Instructor Training Schools
Effective January 1, 2026, Regions which are not following the new PCA National Instructor Training School curriculum and processes, including coordination with the PCA National HPDE Chair and National PCA National Trainers as appropriate, along with properly vetting instructor candidates and obtaining approval from out-ofregion instructor candidates, will not have the benefit of awarding PCA National Instructor Numbers. Regions may continue to hold their own Instructor Training program, but those candidates will not be added to the National PCA Instructor list.
For regions who haven’t hosted an official PCA National Instructor school, there’s no time like the present to begin planning one! We have been able to work the schools in conjunction with existing HPDE days, requiring only a total of 80 minutes of on-track time for our candidates and mentors.
If you would like to learn more about the new National Instructor Training Program, please contact Mia Walsh at hpdechair@pca.org.
PCA HPDE YouTube Channel and Social Media
If you missed any of our live virtual presentations, you may find the recordings on the PCA HPDE YouTube channel:
3Q24 Minimum Standards Webinar: https://youtu.be/IQj5RckRs5o 2024 Continuing Professional Education: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/
FCR CALENDAR AT A GLANCE
- Porsches & Coffee at Classic 9 Motorworks – NAS Jax
Golden Wings Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32244
–
- Fionn MacCools (St. Augustine)
Editors note: Always check the FCR website for changes in event times ansd days. https://www.pcafcr.org/
FCR CALENDAR AT A GLANCE
SOCIAL EVENTS
Patrick and Janet O’Donnell
We have some exciting and fun activities planned to this year and hope you can join us!
Beginning this February, here are a few things that are already planned.
Also make sure that you go to our Florida Crown PCA website for more details on these events and to make your reservations https://www.pcafcr.org/club-events
February 8th 9:00 am to 11:00 am its Porsches and Coffee at Classic 9 Motorworks. If you appreciate a first-class restoration shop. Located across from Naval Air Station Jacksonville, this is a must Go to Event! https://classic9motorwerks.com/reimagined-porsche-911
February 8th is also Caffeine and Octane at the Avenues Mall. This time of the year with our cooler weather is a perfect time to show your car and meet the other Porsche owners. Porsche Jacksonville sponsors the Porsche Corner where you will park. If you enjoy all types of cars including classic Volkswagens hot rods, rat rods in you name it you’re going to enjoy this event
February 11TH 6 PM to 8 PM is our Social held at Finn McCool’s Irish Pub and Restaurant. We have our own private room in the atmosphere in this pub is very enjoyable in the food is great! The menu includes some very unique and amazing choices for dining. Some of our favorites are the Fish and Chips, the Dubliner sandwich (a Reuben) in the Guinness barbecue meatloaf is absolutely incredible! Here’s a link if you’d like to check the menu www.fionnmacs.com.
February 22nd is a Drive and Dine to the Castaways Restaurant in Astor Florida. We will be meeting in Green Cove Springs and then driving through beautiful country roads together. Our own “drive team”, Wayne Kunkel, James Coleman and Bruce McDougall that did last year’s very successful Farmland and St. John’s River tour, did a great job planning this one! Like last year it will have mileages, visual waypoints to keep it fun in a rally like format however it will not have the stress of needing to be at any particular location at a particular time!
March 7th is WERK’s reunion at Amelia River Golf Club
March 11th 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm is our social at Julington Creek Fish and Oyster House
March 16th, we have a Driver Skills Training located at the FIRM (Florida International Rally Motorsports Park in Starke FL. This event is a “first” for us of Florida Crown and was established based on a survey of our members wishing to learn how to better handle their cars. It’s also an event for experienced autocross drivers.
We are currently planning other activities such as a Drive and Picnic lunch at the Okefenokee Swamp (May 18th), a Drive and Dine “Onion run to Vidalia Georgia (approximate 3 hour drive one way) with an option for those that wish to spend the night.
NEW Monthly Event! A soon to be launched Porsche’s & Pancakes will be announced for our members that live near Palm Coast (Bob Evans Restaurant), Fleming Island (Cracker Barrel), Baymeadows area (Cracker Barrel) and are requesting any members in the Gainesville with suggestions for a location to PLEASE send us an email.
Lastly, we are REALLY trying to improve a more timely posting (& hopefully immediate posts) on our Facebook page, while adhering to PCA National Guidelines. We encourage those of you on Facebook to join our Florida Crown page and share your Porsche experiences with others communicate with others.
Thank you for your participation!
your Porsche or Porsche parts or accessories?
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It’s a free benefit of membership — there is no charge to place an ad in The Mart!
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January 2025
Danielle Badler
What Is It About Greatness?
So, I just watched the final F1 race of the season, from Abu Dhabi. Lewis came from 16th place on the grid to fourth, passing teammate George Russell near the end of the last lap. On the cool-down lap, he did doughnuts and parked his Mercedes on the track, a short way behind the top three finishers, who were in their traditional celebratory spots. I’d never seen that before.
Lewis got out of his car, tapped the bodywork, knelt and … who knows what he said … a muttered thank you to the multitudes who brought him six of seven world championships, to date? An “I’ll be seeing you” to Toto? An “I see red” to his future at Ferrari? We couldn’t lip-read, he still had his helmet on.
And we never got a post-race interview with him. Because he made a beeline for the team garage, I assume to thank those multitudes. It was somehow very poignant.
I’m a big fan. Of his talent. Of how he overcame the doubters and the prejudice. Of the support he got from his family to come up from … not much … in, let’s face it, a rich man’s sport. Of his humanism. Of his respect for tradition. Especially the tradition of the sport.
A note on that. Did you see him go berserk after winning his home British Grand Prix at Silverstone this year? Did you see him lap Interlagos this year in Senna’s McLaren? Magic. It’s all magic. Like Tiger’s “better than most” putt. Like Jordan taunting his defender and then shooting a jumper over his head. Like Ali doing his shuffle.
That’s what the great ones do. And it makes them iconic.
How? Part of the answer is in an interview I saw with James Vowles, now Team Principal at Williams and formerly the motorsport strategy director at Mercedes. He said that what made Lewis really stand out, particularly in qualifying,
was his ability to get the most out of his car. But that statement gives him short shrift. What he actually did was to, first, learn a track much faster than most. And then he would fiddle with all those controls on the steering wheel, to see what edge they would give him – searching for the limit with this setting, with that setting, by constantly experimenting.
According to Vowles, who should know, Lewis drove the team crazy. There was never a baseline. Never a simple, stepped, direct link to what x did to the car, or y. To Lewis, telemetry be damned. Because he was constantly fiddling, fiddling, fiddling. To get the most out of the machine. And nobody else did that.
The following comment put him over the top in my mind. A few years ago, in this space, I covered an interview he did. And the thing that stood out the most was that he wished race cars still had manual gearboxes. I mean, right? There’s a good chance that some of the younger drivers on the F1 grid today have never driven a race car with a stick shift. Not Lewis. And that’s not lost on him.
But time marches on, inexorably. Are you familiar with the “Master Class” series? A friend sent me a link to one on Lewis. The title is “Lewis Hamilton – Teaches a Winning Mindset.” It’s a couple years old now, but the content … well, the content just elaborates on the theme of what it takes to achieve greatness.
The first chapter, titled “Meet Your Instructor,” has a subhead that reads “From child prodigy to racing legend to social justice leader, the British driver’s journey has always been about more than just speed.”
There’s even a two-page spread called “Total Control” that lays out an F1 steering wheel, circa 2018, and explains what all the buttons and controls do.
But the heart of the piece, all 36 pages, is found deep inside, in a chapter titled “Establishing a Winning Mindset.” To quote, “Lewis is adamant about what it takes to be the best, and he doesn’t mince words: ‘Mental preparation is absolutely everything.’”
IMAGES OF THE ROAR at DAYTONA
Chris Tchorznicki
Chris Tchorznicki
A
Journey to Porsche Heaven: My incredible Visit to the Porsche Museum
by SARA JAKOBUSS
My love for cars began when I was just 16, standing beside my father as he worked tirelessly on our family vehicles. The hum of the engine, the smell of motor oil, and the intricate use of tools fascinated me. It wasn’t just the mechanics that intrigued me; it was the way my father approached his work—with precision, care, and pride. That fascination deepened when, at 18, I worked in a General Motors factory the summer before college. Watching the production process unfold— machines and people working in perfect harmony—was like witnessing an elaborate symphony.
My father, a tool and die maker for General Motors, spent his career developing patents and solving complex manufacturing challenges. His dedication inspired me to pursue a degree in operations management, with the hope of one day working in the automotive industry. Though life eventually took me on a different path, my passion for cars remained steadfast, growing stronger over the years.
A love affair with German Engineering
After college, I moved to Italy, where I learned to drive a manual BMW. The thrill of shifting gears and the connection with the car was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. It was then that I fell in love with German engineering—its precision, performance, and unrelenting pursuit of excellence. While I dreamed of one day owning a Porsche, it always felt out of reach, an aspiration for another lifetime.
Twenty years later, that dream came true when we purchased a 1983 Porsche 911 Targa. It was then that I realized driving could be truly magical. The 911 became a source of endless joy, especially during our weekend rides with the top down, the wind in our hair, and our little pup in the passenger seat.
I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have married someone who shares and enhances my passion for cars. My husband, a brilliant mechanical engineer, has an uncanny ability to fix anything, especially cars. His skills are nothing short of impressive—his precision, patience, and problem-solving are a testament to his engineering mind. Whether he’s meticulously tuning an engine or resolving a mechanical issue with our
vehicles, his expertise leaves me in awe. Having someone like him by my side not only deepens my appreciation for the craftsmanship of automobiles but also ensures our beloved 911 Targa always stays in top shape.
This summer, I was fortunate enough to acquire my own Porsche—a Macan. Sleek, powerful, and practical, it’s the perfect daily driver that carries the same Porsche DNA I’ve come to adore. Together, our shared love for Porsche naturally led us to Stuttgart, the home of the Porsche Museum. It was a journey to the heart of Porsche’s legacy—a chance to explore the history and heritage of a brand that has defined automotive excellence for decades.
Heaven on Earth: The Porsche Museum
As I stepped off the train in Stuttgart, my heart raced with anticipation. My eyes were immediately drawn to the Porsches suspended in the sky—three iconic models mounted on towering white pillars, seemingly floating against the backdrop of a brilliant blue sky. It was the perfect introduction to what lay ahead, and I couldn’t help but squeal in delight.
The Porsche Museum in Stuttgart is more than just a showcase of quintessential cars; it’s a tribute to the vision, innovation, and passion that have shaped, in my opinion, the world’s most celebrated automotive brands. From the moment we entered, I felt a sense of awe. The building itself, with its futuristic design and sleek lines, mirrors the spirit of Porsche—bold, elegant, and forward-thinking.
The museum takes visitors on a journey through the history of Porsche, starting with its founder, Ferdinand Porsche. Ferdinand’s story is one of ingenuity and perseverance. In the early 20th century, he dreamed of creating a car that combined performance, reliability, and affordability—a vision that ultimately gave birth to the Volkswagen Beetle, one of the most iconic cars in history.
After World War II, Ferdinand’s son, Ferry Porsche, carried the family legacy forward. Dissatisfied with the cars available at the time, Ferry set out to create his own. The result was the Porsche 356, the first car to bear the Porsche name. With its lightweight design and
rear-engine layout, the 356 set the standard for what a Porsche should be: a driver’s car that balances power and precision.
A Tribute to Innovation
Walking through the museum, I was struck by the sheer diversity of cars on display. From early prototypes to modern masterpieces, each vehicle tells a story of innovation and evolution. The legendary Porsche 917, which dominated Le Mans in the 1970s, stood as a testament to Porsche’s commitment to motorsport. Its bold design and groundbreaking engineering not only earned it a place in racing history but also solidified Porsche’s reputation as a leader in automotive innovation.
Another highlight was the iconic Porsche 911, a car that has defined the brand for over six decades. Seeing the evolution of the 911— from the original 1964 model to the latest iteration—was like tracing the DNA of a legend. Each generation builds on the strengths of its predecessor while introducing new technologies and refinements.
The museum also celebrates Porsche’s ventures beyond sports cars. The Porsche Cayenne, Panamera, and Taycan represent the brand’s ability to adapt to changing markets and customer demands while staying true to its core values. The Taycan, Porsche’s first fully electric sports car, is a shining example of how the brand is embracing sustainability without compromising performance.
Beyond the Cars
What makes the Porsche Museum truly special is its ability to connect visitors with the people behind the brand. The exhibits highlight the designers, engineers, and drivers who have shaped Porsche’s history. From the Le Mans victories to groundbreaking technological innovations, it’s clear that Porsche’s success is the result of teamwork and a shared passion for excellence.
I also loved the interactive displays and multimedia presentations, which brought the history of Porsche to life. One exhibit allowed us to explore the inner workings of a Porsche
engine, while another showcased the brand’s contributions to motorsport through immersive video footage.
A Dream Fulfilled
As I walked through the museum, I couldn’t help but reflect on how far I’ve come since those days of watching my father work in the garage. My journey—from learning to drive a manual BMW in Italy to owning my dream car—has been deeply influenced by the values of craftsmanship, innovation, and passion that Porsche embodies.
Visiting the Porsche Museum was more than just a celebration of cars; it was a celebration of dreams. Ferdinand ‘Ferry’ Porsche once said, “In the beginning, I looked around and could not find the car I dreamed of. So I decided to build it myself.” That spirit of determination and creativity is what makes Porsche more than a car—it’s an experience, a lifestyle, and a legacy.
As we left the museum, I couldn’t help but think about my next trip to Stuttgart, which will hopefully include a factory tour. Seeing the production process up close—much like I did during my summer at General Motors—would be the ultimate way to connect with the brand I’ve come to love.
For now, I’ll cherish the memories of my visit to the Porsche Museum and continue to enjoy the magic of driving my Macan and our beloved 911 Targa. I know the road ahead will be filled with many more joyful adventures and remarkable drives.
https://photos.google.com/share/ AF1QipMDp5TGRtXoLSmnk9fKgD9psL4RZtaXBoYAsFpUoLSPh94e6cfO14dSHiPrwNGnyg?key=aVlpeXpnZkFoamZGWWl1Y3F1V0U4VkpBcDFFdU5B
The above link goes to the authors many images she took at the Porsche Museum. photos by Henry Becker.
Florida Crown Region History
Happy New Year and wishing all members a healthy and fun-filled 2025!!
Back in October, I raised my hand to be the Florida Crown Region (FCR) region historian having been a previous PCA region historian with Riesentöter (RTR) from 1987 until 2022. RTR was chartered in 1957 and one of the founding fathers, Charlie Beidler, later was elected President of PCA.
My husband Bill was a RTR member and in 1981 introduced me to all the fun and activities associated with Porsches, fellow PCA members and Porsche enthusiasts all over the world!. RTR historical information filled two 4-drawer file cabinets at our home in PA and the RTR board appreciated the importance of capturing the rich history of the club. They provided support and excellent technical expertise to upload decades of our newsletters and other historical information to the RTR website.
With this as background, I am collating FCR historical information, which includes a large box of “goodies” from Bob Barren that I am reviewing and organizing. Hopefully as members, you have historical items and can assist FCR to achieve two important goals:
1) receive important historical memorabilia, with a description of what it is and why it is significant to the region’s history
2) receive assistance from members with a “techie” background to help me develop a process to upload the information to the FCR WordPress website platform.
In the next issue of the newsletter, it would be wonderful to share how together we are working toward achieving these 2 goals for FCR, so please contact me!
Thanks so much!
Debbie Cooper
It’s never been tracked!
by Pedro P. Bonilla, Suncoast FL PCA
If you’ve ever purchased a used Porsche or if you have perused the classifieds for a used Porsche, I’m sure you’ve seen how many of the sellers state, with pride, and generally in bold letters, that: “this Porsche has never been tracked!”
Every time I read that or hear it from a potential buyer of a car that I’ll be doing a Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI) on, it saddens me. The way I see it, why buy a Porsche if you will never drive it the way the good Doctor Porsche intended it to be driven?
If you’re purchasing a very valuable and collectible example of the marque, as an investment, only to be admired and one day sold for multiple times of what you bought it for, I understand. But to buy it and be afraid to drive it hard is absurd!
Porsches are just one of a handful of cars that are meant for street and track use. I don’t mean that you have to be at every track day from every PCA Region and become a track junkie, but one of the greatest feelings in Porsche ownership is driving your car on the track and discovering its and your limits. It’s also good for them! We’ve come to realize that Porsches that are driven hard (not abused) tend to work better and have less issues ‘down the road’.
Some people are concerned about getting a stone chip and cover the front end in blue tape, but it’s not that bad! The track is usually fairly clean. Many of the most used tracks around the country are well maintained and kept by a professional crew which does a great job. Furthermore, you can control who’s in front of you and how close. If you feel that you’re too close just let them get away and you’ll have plenty of clean, fresh air in front of you.
Driving on the track is also quite safe!
PCA does everything in its power to make it so.
From the organization of the DE to the safety requirements which must be adhered to. Within 30 days before you get to the track you need to take your Porsche to an authorized shop for a (complimentary) tech inspection to make sure that the tires, brakes, suspension and all safety equipment such as seat belts, windshield, etc. are in place and operational.
Racetracks are designed for cars to travel at high speed. The surface is generally better than most roads, cars run in the same direction (most of the time), and there are no speeding tickets issued. At all PCA DE events there are professional corner workers present to warn you of any potential dangers ahead through the use of colored flags. And if you want to feel better protected, you can also purchase track insurance for your track day.
When you go to the track for the first time (and for a few more times after that) you are considered a novice driver and will have an assigned instructor riding in the car with you. The instructor is there to guide you by offering information and first-hand knowledge to make your track day safe and fun.
First you start at the classroom where the Chief Instructor will cover the bases and explain how the track day will go. After that, you go on-track!
By attending a few Driver Education (DE) events you eventually can advance to a stage where you no longer need an in-car instructor, although you still keep learning. If you want to pursue it, eventually, you can also become an instructor yourself! I’ve been an HPDE instructor for many years and every time I do another track day I learn something new about me and/or my car.
If your Porsche has lived its life strictly on the roads, it really hasn’t lived at all. So, what are you waiting for?
Contact your local PCA Region and sign up for the next DE event. There’s nothing more enjoyable you can do with your Porsche.
Having said all that, I always recommend to anyone wanting to start doing track days, that they should first participate in several autocrosses (AX). They are also a lot of fun!
An AX is a timed event, in a closed-access track, usually on a large, not used parking lot, at an unused airport, or other tarmac where a short course is laid out using bright colored cones. One lap at the AX is generally around 60 seconds and it’s just one car at-a-time, on track.
The advantage of first running AX courses is that it helps you learn many of the basics that you will need at the track. You will learn exactly where your tires are because you need to come very close to the cones without touching them. This will help you to perfectly make your apexes at the track.
The AX is generally run in second gear, so speed is manageable, but it tests the limits of your brakes and tire adhesion. You will learn to listen to your tires, which will tell you when they are reaching their limit. The same is true for your brakes. You will engage them and will quickly learn when the ABS is just about to kick in.
By knowing these basics when you do your first DE you won’t be overwhelmed with too much information from your instructor which will make your track day a lot more fun and safe.
Not sure if these cars can really take the hard driving?
I’ll just use my car as an example. It’s a 1998 2.5L Boxster. I started doing DE events as soon as the car finished the break in-period by the Summer of ’98 in St. Louis where I was living at the time.
Since then, to date it has now passed 300,000 miles on the odometer and of those, close to 15,000 miles are on the track.
I’ve tracked it at Gateway International, Road America, Bristol Motor Speedway, HomesteadMiami Speedway, Palm Beach International (Moroso), Daytona International Speedway, Roebling Road, Road Atlanta, and at my home track and favorite of all, Sebring International Speedway.
Hope to see you at the AX and track soon!
For more information on HPDE and more, please visit my website: www PedrosGarage. com.
Happy Porsche’ing, Pedro
Technolab / PedrosGarage.com
REDLINE MARKET PLACE
FABSPEED MUFFLERS for 993 model
Robert D Sewell
robertsewell1954@gmail.com
Supercup Mufflers $750.00 (new)
MaxFlow $950.00 (used)
GET MORE INFORMATION
Robert D Sewell
robertsewell1954@gmail.com
COLLECTORS AND MAN CAVE DECORATORS
I lived just over an hour from Watkins Glen for many years as a member of Central New Year Region PCA. My collection of Watkins Glen Formula One ORIGINAL POSTERS has 8 posters from the 1972- 1980.
I also have some Porsche Posters from various races. These are unframed original posters with no holes or tears.
Framing available
991.2 GT3 RIM AND TIRE SET (NEW)
2018 Porsche 911 GT3 Rims and Tires (I recently sold the car).
Rims are flat black, used, excellent condition
Tires are brand new, never used
Set is track ready, balanced with metal stems and TPMS
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2
Front: 245/35ZR20 (95Y) XL
Rear: 305/30ZR20 (103Y) XL
$4,250
Charles Ferry chuckferry19@gmail.com (813) 614-3573
Prices comminsurate with condition and rarity. Wayne Kunkel Lotusrpv@aol.com
OEM/ORIGINAL 20″ PORSCHE 982 BOXSTER CAYMAN S 718 WHEELS/RIMS BRILLIANT FINISH OEM/Original 20″ Porsche 982 Boxster Cayman S 718 Wheels/Rims Brilliant finish
hoistBazar hoistBazar@mail.com (173) 268-4222
