February 1998 Newsletter

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Swapmeet

Our areas biggest swap meet will be a joint 356RMPC and PCA event at Tom Conway’s Carquip in Boulder Saturday, February 28th. It starts early but Tom serves a great breakfast at 10:00. Now is the time to go out and look at your 356 and make a list of things you can upgrade. I’ll be there and my prices are half of retail. Plus Ron Appleton (yes, they are closing) will be selling stuff from his shop. Will those neat Carrerra PanAmerica banners be on sale?

Also I’m in charge of the swap meet at Steamboat. I’ll be there as will Doc and Cy’s and hopefully Conway and Redden. But it’s the little guy with a few 356 items that makes these events fun. So set aside a few parts and let me know you will participate.

Internet

As some of you know, when I retired from the computer industry I found no need to spend time at a computer. Barb has done these newsletters. Recently I signed on to the 356 Registry chat room (check the Registry for details). I find it informative with 10-30 messages a day. Many of the “experts” participate and there is information for novice to pro. It takes me 15-20 min. a day to read the messages; I’m sure a week’s vacation would yield hrs of on-line time. Since I plan to put my newsletter and parts list on the Internet I thought I would refresh my computer skills (having a son working on his Masters in Computer Science helps). I would recommend the 356 chat room.

Aloha

Barb and I had a great winter break in Maui, Hawaii. In Maui we saw a nice ’57 Speedster (restored) and a rusty ’64/’65 Coupe. We took a day trip to Kaui and saw a Karman Notchback Coupe. So we may have to set up a 356RESTORE Hawaii branch to extend our winter break.

Progress

Peter picked up his Notchback Coupe and drove it home. It sure looked nice in its fresh Ivory paint compared to its rusty Togo Brown. Peter was one of my best customers. He told me what he wanted, paid his bills when requested and did not expand the scope or critique the job. Thanks Peter!

Norm’s ’54 Coupe race car came back from the painter in beautiful Porsche racing Silver. We will have a lot of fabrication on this Pre-A to put the good stuff (i.e. suspension mods, disk brakes, etc) on it. Norm is designing the graphics to make this 356 look like a Carrerra PanAmerica racer. Norm is hoping to have his ’52 steel bodied race car accepted for Monterey (it was in 1982). If we get the ’54 done in time, he may take both. Speaking of Monterey:

Monterey

I hope you have accomodations as they are getting tight. Here is a tenative schedule:

  • Friday – August 7, 1998
  • The 356 Holiday opens with driving tours and tech sessions.
  • Saturday August 8, 1998
  • The Holiday has a winery tour, tech sessions and a literature meet. There may also be pre-historic racing at Laguna Seca.
  • Sunday August 9, 1998
  • This is the Holiday Concours, Pebble Beach Tour and Banquet. Also racing at Laguna Seca.
  • Monday August 10, 1998
  • The 356’s will lap at Laguna Seca and have dinner at the Aquarium.
  • Tuesday, August 11, 1998
  • 356 Holiday Swap Meet
  • Wednesday August 12, 1998
  • PCA Reception
  • Thursday, August 13, 1998
  • PCA Rally and Blackhawk Auction.
  • Friday, August 14, 1998
  • Vintage Racing practice plus the Carmel Car Show and PCA Dinner at Carmel Mission.
  • Saturday, August 15, 1998 Vintage Race (first half) and Porsche Corral (limited to 700 Porsches) at Laguna Seca. Also Rick Cole Auction
  • Sunday, August 16, 1998
  • Vintage Racing (second half), Christies Pebble Beach Auction, Pebble Beach Concour d’Elegance.

Many of these events require advance registration i.e. 356 Holiday, PCA events; I have registration forms. Some events are expensive i.e. to park in Porsche Corral during the races will be $50 for car and driver and $20 per passenger. Meals in the Corral are also available resonable (?) cost $15-$20.

The factory is bringing many museum and factory race cars. They will be at the East Coast Holiday PCA Parade at Steamboat, West Coast Holiday and at Watkins Glen. Watkins Glen will be celebrating its 50th anniversary along with Porsche. Brian Redman is organizing the event and details are not yet firm but is scheduled for August 28-30 and will primarily be racing.

Joke

A lady went to the doctor and was surprised and pleased when he told her she had the bust of a 20 yr old. She went home and was admiring herself in the mirror when her husband came in. He asked what she was doing and she repeated what the doctor had said. Husband said yeah, but did he say anything about your 50 year old ass. To which she replied, he did not ask about you!