Story: Words Wayne Taylor (edited by edward roose)
How I started to enjoy driving my 911 Sounds obvious really, driving a 911 should be enjoyable, but when I first drove my 911, there was no wow factor, here is a brief history of how I finally started to get the most out of my 911. I started driving in a “FX” Holden paddock car, in 1973, once licensed there followed, a range of Holdens, Falcons, Valiants and Fiats, all being conventional front engine rear drive. These were followed by Renaults, then Daihatsus and a number of Japanese cars, all being front engine, front wheel drive. In 2002 I bought a rough 1978 924 and fell in love with it and then decided to join the PCWA. Finally in 2010 my hankering for the King, the Daddy, helped me in the decision to purchase a 1979 SC Targa. The looks of a 911 makes my heart flutter each time I look at “her”, and the 911 is certainly quicker than the 924, but something was lacking. I kind of was not really enjoy the new ride as much as I would have liked. So one day I decided to stop trying to drive and instead to started to “listen” to her. I allowed her to drive me and all of a sudden everything started to click.
14
PORSCHE
WEST
I realised that this 911 was telling me what was happening . When to start changing direction, and how much of a wimp I had been with the accelerator. I also stopped trying to force gear changes and rather work with the car and change gear when “told to”. Once I relaxed with the car I found the gear changes easy and more fluid, the way the engineers intended it to be!
I now enjoy every drive and realise it is the most engaging and rewarding car I have driven. Finally a question, when driving on your favourite piece of road, what part of a corner do you remember? For me, with a regular car it was the apex, with the 924 it was always the exit, but with the 911, I can honestly say, the entire corner!