FALL 2020
- CANNONBALL! - 1973 911T RESTORATION PART IV - 992 7-SPEED MANUAL!
PRESIDENTIAL MUSINGS Welcome First Settlers Region members to a new day for our club newsletter. To the best of our knowledge, Horizontally Opposed (HO) was first published shortly after the founding of our region 61 years ago (!) in 1959. I would ask you to remember that in those days, HO was every bit a newsletter informing members of upcoming events, past event results and membership lists as this was the best path to communicate with you, the membership. With the advent of the internet, the emergence of our website, Facebook page and my eNews Blasts, HO's role as a newsletter has been pushed aside as the source of FSR information. The Executive Team has decided it was time to allow HO to evolve into a full-fledged magazine, regional in focus, as another benefit of membership in the FSR region of the PCA.. You hold in your hands the transitional product compiled by our new Editor, Bob Weber. Bob lives in Williamsburg and is a 20 year veteran in the automotive enthusiast magazine industry, having been on the staff of Road&Track, Automobile, and founding publisher of the 1st digital enthusiast magazine, WindingRoad with his friend and mentor, David E. Davis, Jr. Upon your review of this 1st issue, we absolutely welcome your comments at bobweber @cox.net . Going forward, you will find Porsche tech and care articles, feature stories, and even a road test of a current Porsche offering. provided by contributing editor Larry Printz (who many will recall as the Virginian Pilot 's automotive editor). We will highlight major regional events that you'll need to add to your calendar; we'll showcase FSR merchandise , and even feature a classified section where you might find that next Porsche or rare part to complete your restoration. I hope you enjoy the re-imagined Horizontally Opposed, and I look forward to seeing you at an FSR event!
Melinda Cagle
HO Edit or / Adver t isin g Bob Weber 113 W Landiing Williamsburg,, Va 23185 757.880.3396 bobweber@cox.net
2020 Boar d M em ber s President M elin da Cagle 757.272.9096 m.f.cagle@cox.net Eastern Vice President Ph il Gr an df ield 757.635.0892 filthyf14@yahoo.com Western Vice President M ik e Ball 804.240.9296 mjohnball@comcast.net Activities Con tenOfficer ts Er ik Apot h ek er 203.733.1470 eapotheker@comcast.net Secretary & Archivist Joh n Gr een e 757.663.8249 greenie4720@yahoo.com Treasurer Joh n Sch w aebler 757.679.2626 fsrtreasurer@gmail.com
Horizontally Opposed (HO) is the official publication of First Settlers Region (FSR), Porsche Club of America (PCA). All opinions, views and information appearing in the 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 all previous publications of Horizontally Opposed, is 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 the Editor, Bob Weber at bobweber@cox.net or call 757.880.3396 for more information. FSR members may place free classified advertising in HO. Classified advertising is subject to review by the Editor prior to placement. Contact the Editor for more information.
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CLEAR YOUR CALENDAR! PEOPLE'S CHOI CE CAR SHOW - Oct ober 3 As matters slowly inch their way back to some sense of normalcy, who amongst us wouldn't want to attend a good old CAR SHOW! Well, get out your microfiber towels and clay bars (see page 14!) and get your Porsche ready as FSR will be part of the People's Choice car show at the WilliamsburgJamesown Airport on Saturday, October 3rd. The club is also planning a Junior People's Choice Award to stimulate interest and enthusiasm amongst our next generation of Porsche Pushers. Make it on your calendar and see you there!
NEW MEMBER FUN RUN - Oct ober 17 Western Sector members...are you ready for a Fun Run? Of course you are, and everyone else looking for a reason to exercise your Porsche is invited to come join the fun as our route will take us from our Dealer Partner, Eur oclassics and carving our way to to the Middle Peninsula on some amazing roads. The series of Fun Runs in 2020 have proven to be a wonderful panacea for the 'Covid Blues' and we expect this run will not be the exception. Get yourself signed-up, and come spend time with fellow FSR members on Saturday, October 17th.
TECH SESSI ON - Decem ber 5 Dorn's Body and Paint in Mechanicsville will host our first (and only...) 2020 Tech Session at their shop on Saturday, December 5th. Dorn's is a Porsche factory certified collision repair center so as you can imagine, the discussion will be extremely informative as Barry Dorn and his team of specialists will pull back the curtain on the latest body repair and paint tech....as strides in these areas have significantly changed the industry. Get on the inside and join fellow FSR members at Dorn's.
YOU NEED TO MEET... ERI C CRUZ Eric was born in Guam, just months before Typhoon Karen devastated 90% of the island, sending his family to the United States and Williamsburg. After graduating high school, Eric began working as an Engineering Student Trainee at Langley. Graduating Virginia Tech with a Mechanical Engineering degree, he worked as a Civil Servant engineer for the Naval Mine Warfare Engineering Activity. He launched Pyrodyne in '95, and subsequently came into the family business, Cruz Associates in '96 where he now serves as President. A lifelong Porsche enthusiast, Eric also races in the Formula Enterprise class in the SCCA, calling VIR his home track where he and Jill own a condominium on the uphill esses. Their current Porsche is a 2007 997 Turbo.
Pier r e Hilair e Pierre served our Nation for 27 years in the Navy, prior to coming aboard Booz Allen Hamilton as a consultant supporting DOD clients. The seeds of Porsche enthusiasm were sown duting his service tenure via a fellow sailor 's 924 Turbo. Enthusiast magazines continued to fuel the flame for Pierre, and in 2011, a 2008 911 found its way to his garage. Today, a 2006 Cayman S and a 2016 Macan S are stablemates in the garage. His Cayman has enabled Pierre to sample HPDDE events at VIR while still providing the kind of daily transportation that makes the morning drive something special. You might have seen Pierre and his Macan in the PCA Video: 'Learning Curves High Performance Drivers Education,' or perhaps at the Porsche Parade in Boca Raton, or maybe one of our Fun Runs. As much fun as all that might be, Pierre cites being with the people of the FSR as his greatest pleasure.
JOE FI NKLE Joe sits on the FSR Board of Directors, where we ar privileged to have Joe serve as our Tech Chair. Joe's automotive journey began with an automotive technical program that landed him as a mechanic at the Skip Barber Racing School. A 6-year stint as a BMW Technician led to a Certified Porsche Technician within the Penske Auto Group in Fairfield, Connecticut before finding his way to Checkered Flag Porsche. Joe now serves as the dealership's Shop Foreman, is a Certified Porsche Technician Gold Meister, and importantly to many in the club, he is also a Porsche Classic Technician. Look forward to his tech features in upcoming issues of Horizontally Opposed.
Cruz Motorsport "If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough..." Mario Andretti
TECH By Joe Fin k le Cer t if ied Por sch e Tech n ician Gold M eist er
THE OIL MANDATE! HO Editor Bob Weber told me of his days in NYC, where his company had access to car service transportation around the city. Invariably, the vehicles were Lincoln Town Cars powered by venerable Ford pushrod 5.0 small blocks. Making conversation with the driver, he would always ask "how many miles do you have on this car?". Without fail, the answer was always in excess of 300,000 miles...prompting his next question; "is it the original engine?". Without fail, the answer was always 'yes'! It proved the essential 'goodness' of the small block Ford, but when asked about the frequency of oil changes on vehicles that literally ran 24/7, the answer was "every 2 weeks". Let that sink-in for a moment among us Porsche owners who might effect an oil change annually, or perhaps every 6 months. Every two weeks...speaking to absolute critical importance of ensuring that your vehicle's
crankcase is always filled with the appropriate grade of fresh synthetic motor oil...the lifeblood of your engine Equally interesting is that as automotive technology soldiers forward with ever more digital integration and control over systems in your Porsche, there remains one, critically important mechanical element that will never be supplanted in its role in the operation of your car: motor oil and filter systems. So, whether you undertake your motor oil change yourself or have it serviced at one of FSR's tech partners, you are not making a mistake by exceeding the factory specifications on oil service frequency. As he lifeblood of your engine, especially so on those with an air-cooled engine it serves not only for lubrication of rotating/reciprocating masses, but cooling too. Oil change kits are readily available and will include the correct amount of motor oil (Mobil 1 is
the factory recommended product from Porshce) the correct oil filter or cartridge, O-rings and drain plug crush washers. When ordering, make sure that you have your vehicle's VIN readily available to ensure correct part numbers. Porsche has historically recognized the importance of the role of motor oil in their operation, as whether your engine features a sump (oil pan) or a remote oil supply tank, there is copious amounts of oil in play....generally 8 to 10 quarts...to contend with acceleration/cornering forces Porsches can generate and in doing so, risk losing oil pressure. A few tips and reminders should you elect to do your own change begins with ensuring you have a large enough catch container to capture as much as 10-11 quarts of oil. Your drain plug should be firmly tightened, but not overly so as to avoid over tightening the alloy crush washer
When removing the oil filter, make sure you remove and replace the sealing o-ring. Wipe the mating surface on the filter mount to ensure there is no dirt to compromise the seal. When draining your oil, leave the fill cap opened to allow air in to displace the oil you are draining. Again, do not over-tighten the drain plugs/washers. Seated, with another 'tug' to slightly crush the washer will do it. The same applies to the filter. Ensure that they O-ring seal is lubricated with fresh ooil, seat the filter and give it another 'tug' with the correcdt filter wrench to ensure it's fully seated. Over-tightening makes subsequent changes a bear as you contend with a drain plug or filter that will not come loose. Once filled, start your engine, check for oil pressure on your dash gauge and immediately check under the car for leaks. You're now good to go. This writer still adheres to the old 3,000 mile change frequency, with that being only a personal suggestion.
FIRST SETTLER'S SERVICE PARTNERS Let 's be h on est w it h each ot h er h er e; u s Por sch e en t h u siast s ar e obsessive abou t ou r car s, r igh t ? Th e n ot ion of h avin g a vet er an IM SA-ser ies, class w in n in g cr ew ch ief at t en din g t o ou r car s is in t oxicat in g. Righ t again ? Th at level of ser vice f or you r Por sch e is, in f act , available t o you at LM N M ot or spor t s in Vir gin ia Beach . Lu t zo open ed h is sh op in 2006 w it h a $200 (!!) per son al in vest m en t an d a h ope t h at h e cou ld sevice 1 or 2 car s per w eek . He vast ly u n der est im at ed t h e vir al n at u r e of sat isf ied Por sch e ow n er s, an d t h e bu sin ess blossom ed. Wit h son M ar c aboar d r u n n in g oper at ion s, LM N con t in u es t o expan d, bu t im por t an t ly k eepin g t h e cor e bu sin ess valu es f ir m ly in place. A qu ick r ead t h r ou gh t h e r eview s on PCARsh ops.com t ells you all you n eed t o k n ow : h on est y, in t egr it y, an d a desir e t o cor r ect issu es w it h cu st om er veh icles on ly w it h t h e w or k t h at is n eeded. Du r in g ou r visit t o t h e sh op, Lu t zo w as in t h e m idst of a f u ll r ebu ild of a an ear ly 70's M et zger en gin e, an d a 944 S cylin der h ead r ebu ild...t h e u n f or t u n at e ou t com e of valves an d pist on s com in g t oget h er in t h is in t er f er en ce en gin e. You see, at LM N, t h ey ar e f u lly an d u n iqu ely equ ipped t o r ebu ild bot h en gin e an d gear boxes, pr ovidin g cu st om er s a con sider able savin gs over bu yin g a sh or t or lon g block elsew h er e. Cou ple t h at com pet en cy t o elect r on ic diagn osis w it h PST-2 an d Au t ologic syst em s , an d LM N is you r on e-st op sh op in Tidew at er .
Th e Por sch e you 've alw ays w an t ed is w ait in g f or you . From sales to service to parts, discover what makes your Porsche dealer a destination for everything Porsche. Shop our collection of hand-picked Porsche Approved Certified Pre-Owned cars on our web site.
Test dr ive you r f avor it e Por sch e.
Wh en you w alk in t o RaceWer k s an d see a 572 ci big-block pow er ed dr agst er sit t in g t h er e, you ju st k n ow t h at you ar e am on gst som e ver y ser iou s car gu ys!w it h a w ide-appr eciat ion f or t h in gs au t om ot ive! Joh n Kopp an d Dan Tiedem an n ow n t h is im m acu lat e r ace-pr ep an d au t om ot ive ser vice f acilit y in Vir gin ia Beach , an d t h eir r ecipe f or su ccess is bu ilt ar ou n d cu st om er ser vice. No cu st om er leaves u n h appy an d t h ey w ill go beyon d all r eason able levels t o en su r e t h at is accom plish ed . Dan is Racew er k s m ast er t ech n ician , an d du r in g ou r visit t o t h e sh op, h e w as f u lly im m er sed in t h e diagn osis of a t r ack pr epped E36 M 3's ABS syst em s w oes. M ak in g m at t er s w or se, an en gin e t r an splan t r elegat ed par t s of t h e h ar n ess r edu n dan t an d discon n ect ed, n ot t o m en t ion a sever e VIR excu r sion in t o t h e bar r ier s f ou n d t h e car w it h m ajor dam age n ow all cor r ect ed...excpet f or t h e r elu ct an t ABS. Dan m et h odically w as dissect in g elect r ical h ar n ess in sear ch of a f au lt . Th is level of pain st ak in g, pr ecise w or k ch ar act er izes t h e sh op an d t h e r esu lt is a par ade of sat isf ied cu st om er s w h o on ly h ave t h eir car s ser viced or bu ilt at Racew er k s. Joh n , a lon g-t im e FSR m em ber , n ot es t h at as t h e bu sin ess h as gr ow n , BM W's r epr esen t abou t 50% of t h e car s ser viced an d 25% ar e Por sch es w it h bot h m ar qu es am ply r epr esen t ed in sh op du r in g ou r visit . Joh n an d Dan sh ar ed t h at n o t ask is beyon d t h e t ech n ical scope of t h e Racew er k s t eam ...in clu din g, I su spect , you r 7-secon d big-block dr agst er ! St op by an d t ell t h em t h at HO sen t you !
DETAILING 101 BROUGHT TO FSR BY
CLAY YOUR PORSCHE So maybe you heard your friend talking about how he or she clayed their car this weekend. To those who aren?t familiar with claying, it may sound like some sort of art piece. In reality, of course, claying your car is a very useful (and specific) detailing procedure. Unlike waxing or protecting your finish, clay is used to ?fix? a contaminated surface. Often times you?ll feel tiny bumps in your paint or notice that the smoothness just isn?t there ? this is, for the most part, a sign that you may need to clay your car. When you do eventually clay, the embedded debris causing the small imperfections in your finish are picked up by the clay bar and removed forever. Unlike polishing or a simple car wash, the naked eye can?t really tell when a car needs to be clayed. When to clay is an often debated topic with no one specific answer, but there are plenty of things to consider. First off, if you?re going to polish, you should always clay first. If clay is not
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used before polishing, those embedded contaminants I mentioned can (and will) be dragged across the surface by a buffer or polishing pad ? leaving you with swirl marks and holograms. Secondly, if your paint looks dull, you can do a simple test to see if you need to clay, then polish, then wax. Note that though claying will make the surface more smooth by removing contaminants, the entire process is not done until you?ve finished with a protective sealant.
The f ir st t hing you want t o m ake sur e is t hat you?ve washed your car . Then you?ll need the proper car care products: a medium grade clay bar, a lubricant so the clay doesn?t stick to the surface, and a microfiber towel.
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1. Knead your clay bar . To make sure your clay is pliable, knead it in your hands for a good five minutes. The heat and constant motion will soften the clay so you can manipulate it and fold it after one side is contaminated. 2. Spray clay lubr icant . Sure this may sound a bit funny at first, but it ?s actually a very important step in the clay bar process. You see, the claying process is actually somewhat abrasive ? after all, you?re rubbing a not-so-soft substance across your car ?s finish. The clay lubricant makes it safe and helps the clay pick up contaminants with ease. Without it, the process would fall apart. 3. Glide clay bar on t he paint in st raight lines, avoiding heavy pr essur e. For best results, I recommend sticking to one section at a time. Give yourself about three square feet to play with (a quarter panel or something) to be sure you?ve removed all contaminants from the area. You should clay in straight lines without too much pressure for best results.TI P:As a matter of safety, it ?s always a good idea to flip and fold the clay as you go to keep it fresh. Also, if you drop the clay, throw it away. 4. Wipe up excess lubr icant wit h a m icr of iber t owel. This one should be self explanatory. If you?re continuing on to polish or wax, which you should, you want to remove excess lubricant from the surface. If you do this section by section as you clay around the car, you?ll find it ?s much easier.
Again, you?ll want to repeat that process for each section of the car until there?s nothing left to cover. Once you?re done you must remember,n o clay pr ocedu r e is don e on it s ow n .There
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should always be a polish and/or wax involved to make sure the surface isn?t nakedly exposed to the very contaminants that were removed with the clay bar.
Ref l ecti ons... Wh ere Detai l s M atter Whet her your needs call for a t hor ough r efr esh of your dail y driver , or a full -on cosm et i c r est or at i on , REFLECTIONS Det ailing i s your choi ce for pr ofessi onal m anagem ent of your vehi cl e. Owned by act ive FSR m ember , Eri c Jack el , REFLECTIONS has been t he go-t o shop in Hampt on Roads for : -
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FORGET THE FIGURES The m anual 911 pr oves num ber s ar en't ever ything. WORDS: TRAVIS OKULSKI - EDITOR-IN-CHIEF - ROAD & TRACK PHOTOS: PCNA
LOVING PORSCHE'S 911 is cliche. For near ly 60 year s it has been the m ost identifiable spor tscar. It's w on countless m agazine com par ison tests and is consistently lauded for how it dr ives. In fact, the 911 has been featur ed on R&T pages near ly ever y m onth since is debut. It enjoys Cam r y levels of pr evalence in cer tain cities.Som ehow , the 911 has becom e the de facto choice, cr eating a cult of people w ho know and w ant the bestdr iving vehicle ar ound, as w ell as those w ho m er ely w ant a status sym bol. x t
The latest 992-gener ation 911 illustr ates the appeal. The inter ior feels super b, Br aun's Seventies r azor aesthetic br ought into the 21st centur y. Textur ed buttons click fir m ly. An ar tful analog tach sits betw een lar ge LCD scr eens w ith clean gr aphics. The exter ior continues its slow evolution, the headlights, hood, and over all silhouette near ly the sam e as befor e the Beatles br oke up. But as a package, and in the r ight color s, the 911 is painfully pr etty. It ear ns instant adm ission into a m em ber 'sonly club.
This new Car r er a S, like the pr evious gener ation, is tur bochar ged. A 3.0-liter flat-six w ith tw o snails w or king to- gether put out 443 hp and 390 lb-ft of tor que, getting it to 60 in 3.0 seconds in our testing w ith the eight-speed PDK tr ansm ission, a tr uly br illiant gear box. But if you'r e buying a 911, you w ant the seven-speed m anual. An option that, accor ding to Por sche, slow s the tim e to 60 by near ly a second. That is one second you'll never m iss. Longtim e R&T r eader s w ill r em em ber that the M cLar en F1 dom inated our testing in near ly ever y m etr ic in the Nineties, its entr y in our Road Test Sum m ar y a m onum ent in boldface type. And for good r eason: The M cLar en w as a super car w ithout com pr om ise., a clean-sheet design using on the best m ater ials, cost be dam ned. It becam e the w or ld's fastest r oad car alm ost incidentally, an inevit- able bypr oduct of tr anscendent engineer ing. It stood atop R&T's r anking until the m id-2000's, finally dethr oned by the Bugatti Veyr on. That m om ent w as notable not just because the M cLar en had finally been beaten. It m ar ked the ar r ival of
been beaten. It m ar ked the ar r ival of a new er a of per for m ance car s, one in w hich softw ar e w ould play an ever lar ger r ole. The M cLar en r equir es its dr iver to conquer a challenge. The Veyr on is as m uch com puter as car , incor por ating a dual-clutch gear box, all-w heel- dr ive, and launch contr ol. This phenom enon cascaded. Super car s becam e quicker and easier to thr ash. M or e accessible car s becam e faster than they had any r ight to be. W hen 5-second 0-60 r uns becam e leisur ely, and tim es under 3-seconds gr ew com m on, stats becam e less im pr essive. After all, sm aller num ber s ar e har der for hum ans to per ceive and ar e ther e- for e less intuitive. And as car s r ely m or e on com puter s to hit baffling figur es, involvem ent and engagem ent ar e sacr ificed. Instead of m anaging the car , dr iver s m anage law s: the law s of society on the r oad and the law s of physics on the tr ack .
r ivalr ies- w ill never get old. But it tells less than half the stor y.
That's not to say num ber s ar e useless; they r em ain the only objective m easur e of a vehicle. People w ho have never dr iven a par ticular car can still get som e idea of w hat it's like. The tr ading-car d elem ent- com par ing stats, cr eating
That's w hy the Hyundai Veloster N, R&T's 2020 Per for m ance Car of the Year , ear ns near -univer sal acclaim . M eanw hile, the high-dollar BM W M 2 Com petition didn't m ake the final r ound of PCOTY. And it's w hy w e ador e the m anual Por sche 911.
Instr um ented r oad testing can't decide if a car is special. It's far sim pler than that. We have totally unscien- tific m etr ic that lacks any defined r ules but tells us m or e about a car than you m ight think . Just 50 feet w ill im m ediately show the tactility of a car that spends its tim e ar ound tow n. In that distance, you can dis- cover how a m achine w or ks, how it's intended to cooper ate w ith you, how m uch of a r ole you play in the dr iving pr ocess. The r ule doesn't dis- cr im inate: M etr ics like pr ice, test num ber s, cylinder count, body style, even the type of tr ansm ission ar e not factor s. It's teh w ay the w hole package w or ks. CAr s w ith str aightsixes and m anal gear boxes can look gr eat on paper but let you dow n behind the w heel. Ther e ar e hatchbacks w ith aver age-at-best specs that, once dr iven, w or m into your br ain and never leave.
This feature was shared with Horizontally Opposed by Travis Okulski, Editor-InChief of R&T. You can subscribe at www.roadandtrack.com
The PDK-equipped 911 is br illiant. But how often w ill you hit 60 in thr ee seconds? Tw o dozen tim es the w eek your buy it; after that, appr oxim ately never. The seven-speed m anual is the w ise option. The 991.1 gener ation's m anual gear box w as a fr ustr ating, r ubber y disaster of m issed shifts. But Por sche has alw ays r esponded to its r ar e catastr ophes w ith phenom enal per for m ances. A near ly per fect gear box, a six-speed m anual m ade solely w ith dr iver exper ience in m ind, w ent into the 911 R and 991.2 GT3. The lear nings fr om that box w er e tr ansfer r ed to the 992 and its r ew or ked seven-speed m anual. It's only available on the Car r er a S and Tar ga S m odels, and it's a r evelation. GT3 levels of good. That im m ediacy, that m echanical connecdtion, changes ever ything. It got m e w ith the fir st r elease of the clutch, a fir m pedal that feels attached to histor y. It inspir es the ultim ate in dr iver appr eciation. The lever 's snick-snick into each gear w as so dir ect and satisfying that I shifted
far m or e than I had to, snagging r andom dow nshifts ar ound tow n just to r ev-m atch, r elishing even im per fect shifts. Rem em ber er r or s? So m any m oder n gear boxes, even m anuals w ith auto r ev-m atching and anti-stall tech (featur es also pr esent on this 911), m ask clum sy footw or k or m ake it ir r elevant altogether. Lur ching and stutter ing r em inds you that you ar en't per fect. Adding incr eased involvem ent changes the r est of the car. And it changes you. The steer ing jitter s and m oves w ith the r oad, talkative and alive, a 911 tr adem ar k . The engine is obviously out back, the r ear tir es planting s the car pivots ar ound it. Bakes im m ediately bite w ith a fir m pedal that's easy to m odulate. But this is all per ception. A m anual 911 is not differ ent in tuning than the PDK m odel. he differ ence is that the car needs a little bit m or e out of the dr iver. You pay close attention. You lear n a little bit m or e. That's how the chanse of num ber s can get in the w ay. M anufactur er s
w ant to br ag; having a quicker acceler ation tim e or a higher top speed is far easier than telling a buyer how involved they'll be. Num ber s ar e easy, satisfying, im m ediate gr atification that don't have to be qualified. We've been taught num ber don't lie, and w e've confused that w ith num ber s being the w hole tr uth. The num ber have alw ays been a big par t of the spotlight, and they'r e not going anyw her e. Nor should they. We need them , if only as a star ting point. But w e should question w hat par t they play in our exper ience. Do you need to get to 60 in thr ee-seconds? W ill you ever go 250 m ph? Rem em ber , br agging is r eser ved for som ething you've done, not som ething the spec sheet says you could do. You'll find that ther e's m or e enjoym ent to be had in a car that involves you at any speed. One that feels as special pulling up to the coffee shop as it does ar ound Road Am er ica. That's this 911, m anual and all. YOu m ight lose a second getting to 60, but just look at w hat you'll gain.
-Quote Author
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A Couple of Tidewat er Ent husiast s & Their Por sche 911 in t he Inaugur al 'Cannonball Baker Sea t o Shining Sea Tr ophy Run' HO Feature Story By LARRY PRINTZ
CANNONBALL RUN!
C
Vir gin ia Beach's Jim At w ell an d Ch ick St t on at Ch eck er ed Flag Por sch e
annonball Run.
For most, it?s just a classic 1981 movie starring Burt Reynolds and Farrah Fawcett. In fact, it was a real road race, held four times in the '70s. Created 40 years ago by Car and Driver magazine columnist Brock Yates, "The Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash" was honored at the 2011 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. Named in honor of Erwin G. "Cannon Ball"
Baker, who set point-to-point speed records in the early part of the 20th century, Yates created the event to prove that good cars and good drivers could cruise America's interstates in total safety. The premise of the race was simple. Participants would start at the Red Ball Garage at 31st Street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan and drive to the Portofino Inn in Redondo Beach, Calif. Cars had to be driven the entire distance, over any route. First car to reach the Portofino wins. There were no prizes, no trophies.
Oh, and one more thing: It's illegal. But once the first one was run, enthusiasts wanted in. That included a retired U.S. Army colonel, Jim Atwell, and Checkered Flag Porsche salesman Chick Stanton, both of Virginia Beach. In 1973, Yates had put the race on hold ? first due to the Arab Oil Embargo, and then because of the enactment of the 55 mph speed limit. Atwell and Stanton ran it anyway, taking Jim's 1973 Porsche 911E. The pair made it in 36 hours and 6 minutes, 12 minutes short of the record. That earned the two a spot in the next race. Planned for 1975, the pair would pilot a new Porsche, a red 1975 911 Carrera. They recorded their adventure on a Craig cassette tape recorder, and we recently got a listen. After spending the night at his parents' home on Long Island, Atwell and Stanton drive to Captree State Park before heading into the City. "We thought it would be symbolic to come down here and look at the Atlantic Ocean," Atwell says on the tape. "Chick, if everything goes well, we'll be standing on the balcony at the Portofino Inn looking at the Pacific." As daylight fades, Atwell and Stanton join their fellow drivers at the Red Ball Garage.
"Chick, if ever ything goes well, we'll be sta nding on the ba lcony at the Por tofino I nn looking at the Pa cific." - Jim Atwell
As they wait for their start time, Atwell ponders what lies ahead. "We're gonna catch Yates between here and Columbus," he says. Stanton agrees, unconvinced.
sounding
Yates is gone, having left at 7:30. It is now 3 minutes until 8. The Porsche's engine is revving. Their pulses racing. Seconds passing. "Alright, the stamp is being affixed," Stanton says from the passenger seat as an attendant puts a Cannonball sticker to the windshield. "There it is Jim, let's go." They made the first traffic light. Getting accepted to run the Cannonball was not easy. Terry Baker, who ran the last Cannonball in 1979, and worked with Stanton and Atwell, knows what it took. "This was Brock's thing," Baker said. "People tried to buy their way in and they couldn't do it. It was up to his sole discretion who got in." Baker wasn't looking to run it. "It's not something I always Dan Gu r n ey , Br ock Yat es an d t h eir wanted to do, but it was something where the opportunity came up." As the deadline to be considered drew closer, he told his friend, Chris Romine of Los Angeles, about the race. Romine agreed to enter. He also agreed to use his car: a new Ferrari 308 GTS. Baker put together a package, telling Yates about their driving
experience and the car. "If I told him I had a Camaro Z-28, we wouldn't have gotten in," Baker said, adding he didn't think they would get accepted, due to their lack of racing experience. "The problem was we did get accepted. It was like, now what do you do?" What they did was map out their route and hone their driving skills.
month, of his 1979 run. "Never, never, under any circumstances. If we had to scoot by somebody, if they were blocked, and it was clear, we'd go on the shoulder. We'd get by. Those are rules of engagement with us." Baker and Romine carried $3,000 in a cigar box under the seat to pay tickets along the way. "We had multiple drivers licenses. We knew who took your license and who gave it back to you."
"We heard stories of what had to be done, and I mean, it's a shocker. You have to go out and practice, if you want to call it practice. We knew that we had to do mostly over 100 mph driving, which is just total insanity." Baker said. "And when it rains, you just have to go." Rain had slowed Atwell and Stanton's progress in Pennsylvania during the 1975 Cannonball; It persisted through the Midwest. "The weather's been rough as hell," Atwell says. "A lot of rain, scud, ground fog; and the fields are flooded on both sides of the highway." The slower added tension Fer r ar i Dayt on apace in 1975 to the trip, as they tried everything to match the speed of their practice run. "Although the CB radio is a great warning device, it's a pain in the ass to have to listen to it constantly," Atwell states. "We're both going to be deaf by the time we get to Los Angeles." "The rule was the car would never drop below 80 mph," Baker recalled in an interview this
Dan Gurney, Brock Yates and the Ferra In the 1979 race, speeding tickets averaged three per car. "If you saw someone pulled over, you might slow down. We can't do that," he said. "As soon as you know you're out of the zone, you're on it." Baker and Romine were one of two teams that year that never got pulled over.
"Twenty-two hours and 30 minutes into the ballgame and we're coming up on the Oklahoma-Texas border, and we've been freighting along here at about 90," Atwell says excitedly. "Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a dome light on a PD. I yelled at Chick just in time for him to back off enough so that we slid on by him."Two other racers had been nabbed.
detectors ? one in front, one in back ? and a CB radio. Add the constant drone of engine and road noise, and you have some idea of its ambience. "Things were getting bad," Baker recalled. "We had scheduled where the gas stops were to be and I blew by it at 12 o'clock when nothing else is open, only because a state trooper is on me."
Ash Fork turnoff. It's all 25 mph switchbacks;1,000-foot dropoffs. It's pretty scary stuff and we were running it at 70, 80 mph." "We've come across all the states without a bit of difficulty," Atwell tells the tape recorder with pride. "We haven't had to step on the brakes sharply, or slow the car sharply, or swerve to avoid anyone; we haven't even had a near miss with any kind. It's been a very smooth and uneventful trip." Stanton had little to say; he was tired. The constant concentration, looking out for speed traps, worrying about the route, the weather and the delays; it had gotten to him. "Still," Stanton concedes, "it was fun." Stanton and Atwell had made it to California. They would head to the Portofino, finishing 7th out of 18, in 38 hours and 58 minutes, averaging 74.5 mph.
Th e At w ell/ St an t on 1973 911E t oday
ari Daytona they drove in the '75 Cannonball "And now, we're tiptoeing like hell out of Oklahoma," Stanton grumbles, slowing down to 75 mph.
Fatigue was setting in.
"We're trying to behave ourselves long enough to get out this state," Atwell says.
"I had been driving already for 10, 11 hours. The problem is you forget to eat, you forget to drink water; all of a sudden it hits you. We really didn't get any sleep; the noise level is so loud."
The cockpit of the Ferrari 308 is far from spacious, less so when equipped with two radar
"We knew that the worst was to come, the most difficult, the most treacherous stretch: the
Atwell and Stanton raced the same 911 agin in 1979, placing 29th out of 42 participants. That year would be the final Cannonball, the race replaced by an endurance rally dubbed One Lap of America. Atwell, with a different co-driver, went on to win the One Lap in 1988. Atwell and Stanton's place in the Cannonball Run , and that of our own Hampton Roads, is immortalized in the August 1975 cover of Car & Driver, as they posed atop the Red Ball Garage with fellow racers.
A M ATTER OF COLOR! Kevin Pir k le's 1973 911T Rest or at ion : 4t h In st allm en t
R
egr et t ably, I st ill h ave a day job, t h ou gh I?m h ar dly com plain in g. Becau se t h e com pan y I w or k f or is f or t u n at e en ou gh t o be con sider ed essen t ial t o US Navy Sh ipbu ildin g, w or k h as been m u ch lik e an all you can eat bu f f et t h r ou gh t h e en t ir e 2020 COVID-19 pan dem ic. Wh ile som e of m y f r ien ds h ave com plain ed of cabin f ever , lear n in g h ow t o w or k f r om h om e f or t h e f ir st t im e ever , I?ve been t r avelin g n on -st op t h r ou gh ou t t h e en t ir e cou r se of t h is h ist or ic even t . As f or t h e 911, it en ded u p slow in g dow n ju st af t er m y last ar t icle, so alt h ou gh I h ave plen t y t o sh ar e, t h e car is st ill in pr ogr ess. I w ou ld est im at e t h at I?m abou t 150 h ou r s or so t o com plet ion , bu t t h at m ay t ak e m e w ell in t o Oct ober . Regar dless, it w ill be f in ish ed in 2020, m y 50t h year on ear t h ! In t h e m ean t im e, I?ll sh ar e a bit m or e abou t w h at goes in t o a r est or at ion . In m y last segm en t , I sh ar ed m y decision t o pain t t h is car Gold M et allic w h ile I w as at t en din g Ren n spor t Reu n ion V in 2015. As it t u r n ed ou t , t h is w as ju st a lit t le m or e dif f icu lt t h an expect ed. Wh ile Rick Bou ch er at Excellen ce w as f ever ish ly w or k in g on t h e m et alw or k , an d I w as con sist en t ly sen din g ou t t h e ou t sou r ced w or k (M FI pu m p, t r an sm ission , br ak es & t r an s- m ission , br ak es & w h eels) f or r est or at ion , Rick advised m e it w as n ear in g t im e t o f in alize t h e color . Sin ce I?d r ecen t ly lear n ed t h er e w er e t w o color s of Gold M et allic u sed in t h e ear ly 1970s, I?d n eed t o det er m in e t h e cor r ect on e f or m y 1973 (bu ilt Novem ber , 1972).
Un t il I?d lear n ed t h er e w er e t w o dif f er en t gold color codes u sed by Por sch e, 133 an d 140, I?d sim ply assu m ed t h at I w an t ed Code 133, as it w as list ed in a n u m ber of color ch ar t s on lin e. Th er e w as n o in dicat ion of a code ch an ge? ever yt h in g sim ply r ef er r ed t o Gold M et allic or Code 133. I?d even been sayin g as m u ch f or over 2 year s. Fu r t h er m or e, t h er e didn?t seem t o be m u ch in f or m at ion available abou t t h ese codes, an d it w as su r pr isin gly f ar back in som e r eally old f or u m t h r eads bef or e I w as able t o locat e a discu ssion t h at con t ain ed en ou gh pict u r es of pain t code plat es f r om t h e in side jam bs of dr iver door s. I t h en sear ch ed cou n t less ph ot os of gold car s an d even called som e ow n er s t o con f ir m t h eir pain t codes u sin g con t act in f or m at ion pr ovided t o m e by on e of t h e on lin e r egist r ies.As it t u r n ed ou t , t h e ch an ge-over f r om Code 133 t o Code 140 occu r r ed on Sept em ber 2n d, 1971 f or 1972 m odel year car s. Ar m ed w it h t h is n ew ly con f ir m ed in f or m at ion , I advised Rick t h at I ju st n eeded t o con f ir m w h ich br an d of pain t . M ost ever yon e I k n ow assu m es t h at Glasu r it pain t w as u sed on t h e m ajor it y of ear ly 911s. Wh ile it ?s a f an t ast ic bet if on e h ad t o gu ess, st am ped Pain t Code plat es t ell t h e t r u t h of t h e m at t er . M ost of t h e Code 140 Car s h ad a plat e in t h e dr iver door jam b t h at w as st am ped 140-9-3. Th e 140 code design at ed t h e color , Gold M et allic. Th e 9 design at ed t h e m ak er , Por sch e. Th e 3 par t of t h e pain t code w as t h e k ey,
h ow ever , as it design at ed t h e br an d of pain t . Sin ce 2 w as t h e design at ion f or Glasu r it , I h ad t o det er m in e w h at t h e 3 den ot ed...Again , m or e diggin g r evealed a pain t com pan y called Her ber t s. Con t in u ed r eear ch , h ow ever , also t old m e t h at Her ber t 's w as even t u ally absor bed by Du pon t an d t h en again by Axalt a (n eit h er
h ave t h e t in t s n eeded t o cr eat e t h e f or m u la. So, I t u r n ed t o CPR in Calif or n ia f or advice, sin ce as a r epu t able r est or er , I k n ew t h ey w ou ld be able t o pr ovide t h is color . Th ey im m ediat ely st at ed t h ey cou ld spr ay ou t on m y old f en der s t h at w ou ld n ot be r e-u sed du e t o r u st in t h e h eadligh t bu ck et s. Rick qu ick ly called t h e sam e
of w h ich seem ed t o h ave pr eser ved an y su ch f or m u la f or Por sch e pain t code 140). At t h is poin t , I w as f ar m or e con f iden t t h at t h e or igin al 140 code w ou ld st ill be pr eser ved by Glasu r it . So, I w as t h r illed t o lear n t h at Glasu r it did, in f act , st ill h ave t h e f or m u la in t h e or igin al solven t -based f or m u lat ion .
af t er n oon t h at t h e CPR sam ples w er e r eceived an d advised t h at CPR h ad sen t w at er -based pain t ? t h at h is addin g r edu cer t u r n ed t h e sam ples in t o gelat in . I pr obably sh ou ld h ave expect ed t h is, sin ce t h e st at e of Calif or n ia ban s t h e solven t based ver sion I n eeded. Th u s, t h e sear ch began f or a Glasu r it dealer w h o cou ld su pply t h e n eeded solven t based sam ples. On ce again ou r clu b w as ju st aw esom e!
It w as t h en t h at Rick advised m e t h at t h e Vir gin ia Glasu r it dist r ibu t or s did n ot
Ch r is Kim m elsh u e pu t u s in t ou ch w it h Jesse Gr een in g at Gr een in g Au t o Com pan y, n ow locat ed in Alabam a, an d w e w er e f in ally in bu sin ess! All of t h is ju st f or pain t !?! You bet .It ?s t h e color f or m e, an d I cou ldn?t be h appier . Th e r eason I sh ar ed t h e pain t st or y is becau se it ?s f am iliar . It r epeat s? over an d over . Th er e ar e so m an y t h in gs t h at h ave t o be over com e in a com plet e r ot isser ie r est or at ion of an ear ly 911 t h at I cou ld t ell st or y af t er st or y abou t NLA (n o lon ger available) par t s an d h ou r s of r esear ch on h ow t o r epair , r ef u r bish or r eplace t h em . Som et h in g as sim ple as h avin g t o locat e a beain g f or t h e st eer in g r ack pin ion w h er e it goes t h r ou gh t h e r ack h ou sin g can t ak e h ou r s. Wh y n ot sim ply r eplace t h e r ack ? Th at ?s act u ally t h e Por sch e an sw er t h ese days, sin ce t h e bear in gs ar en?t list ed, on ly t h e com plet e st eer in g r ack assem bly (Pelican Par t s h as it f or $1764.25). Th is m ay m ak e sen se f or a ser vice f acilit y, sin ce disassem blin g an d r ebu ildin g t h e st eer in g r ack t ak es appr oxi- m at ely 8 h ou r s. For m e, h ow ever , som e disassem bly an d clean in g w ill r eveal t h e or igin al FY-1712
bear in g in side, a par t n u m ber w h ich is NLA. Bu t , ot h er t h an n ot h avin g loose r oller s lik e t h e or igin al, SKF sells a equ ivalen t , caged n eedle, dir ect m at ch bear in g design at ed as par t n u m ber HK1712. In addit ion , t h e SKF ver sion h as cr azy loadin g lim it s, f ar gr eat er t h an t h e or igin al, w h ich w as alr eady over k ill f or t h e applicat ion of pin ion ?place-k eepin g? in t h e h ou sin g.
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Basic dyn am ic load r at in g = 7.65 k N = 1,719 pou n ds Basic st at ic load r at in g = 10.6 k N = 2,382 pou n ds
Best of all, I w as able t o locat e t h is on Am azon f or $8.19 w it h f r ee sh ippin g.
Af t er r eplacin g t h e w or n bear in g w it h t h e n ew SKF r eplacem en t , t h e st eer in g r ack is lik e n ew !
t h e leaves f all.Next t im e I w r it e, I?ll sh ar e a f ew m or e exper ien ces f r om t h e r eassem bly pr ocess.
Th ese an d cou n t less ot h er st or ies cou ld be t old of m y lear n in gs in r est or in g t h is car .An d I w ou ldn?t t ak e an yt h in g f or t h e exper ien ce.Bu t I pr om ise t h e n ext t im e som eon e t ells m e t h at $150,000 is t oo m u ch t o pay f or a pain st ak in gly r est or ed, ear ly 911, I?ll sim ply h ave t o r espect f u lly agr ee t o disagr ee!
Next t im e I w r it e, I?ll sh ar e a f ew m or e exper ien ces f r om t h e r eassem bly pr ocess. I k eep t ellin g m yself t h at I can?t r u sh t h e last 150 h ou r s of r eassem bly? w h at ever it t ak es t o k eep m yself f r om goin g m ad t h at I?m n ot dr ivin g it yet !
Over t h e n ext f ew w eek s, I?ll be at t em pt in g t o w r ap u p t h e in t er ior , bolt on t h e bu m per s, h ood an d en gin e lid, r e-ver if y gaps an d in st all t h e glass & seals. Wit h m y pr oject s at w or k f in ally com in g som ew h at u n der con t r ol, I h ope t o h ave t h e car on t h e r oad again bef or e
Kevin Pirkle
Th an k s f or r eadin g alon g!
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