by John Glynn | Feb 19, 2013 | Classic Porsche Blog, Race and Rally
WEVO Hayden has just finished Day Three of the 2013 Great South American Challenge with Steven Harris in Lola, the 1964 Porsche 356C. This is the fifth event of Hayden’s marathon rally career that I’ve covered as official WEVO blogjacker and it’s bound to be another good story.
Last used in anger on the 2010 Peking to Paris Rally, Lola has undergone a programme of evolutionary improvements on its P2P spec. Steven has a bit more experience under his belt and Hayden has done a few rallies with the competitive, experienced and thoroughly hilarious Alastair Caldwell, so is now a surgically precise co-driver navigator. I’m expecting cool runnings from Lola and her crew this year.
Team WEVO’s hard-earned expertise broke cover for the first time yesterday, when Steven and Hayden took first place on the day’s sole special stage of 19 kilometres: the only car to clean the run. Lola took the complete day’s drive of 693 kilometres from Curitiba to the wonderful Foz de Iguacu waterfall on the Brazil/Argentina/Paraguay border in her stride, a minor misfire at the end of the day due to suspected dirt in a fuel jet.
Today is the first rest day of the event, so time to visit the falls, clean the car and the carburettors. The team can catch their breath after a rushed start to the event, when Lola was delayed through customs: arriving at the start point (above) well after other competitors had finished packing their cars and stickering up.
So it was that Lola ran naked through the initial 488km transport stage from Rio to Campinas, skirting the edge of Sao Paolo in an enjoyable first day’s driving. Day 2 was another sub-500km run from Campinas to Curitiba, through the open plains of Brazil’s wheat bowl region, before climbing into the Apial Hills.
Parking alongside this magnificent straight-eight Buick shows her size in relation to most other competitors but they don’t spare the old stuff on these rallies: everything gets a proper thrashing. Car budgets include the build cost and the repair cost afterwards!
Today’s rest day will be mostly about settling into the marathon rally rhythm. Extended rallies are not just driving: there are rest/tourist days and fixit days, days to catch up with overseas news but any real downtime is about soaking up the unique pace of life: a pace that will dominate until March 24th, when the rally finishes in Tierra del Fuego: South America’s southernmost point.
Thirty-nine days rallying in a Porsche 356. I think we could all go for that, right!?
by John Glynn | Feb 13, 2013 | Classic Porsche Blog, Porsche People
Another bereavement in the Porsche community this week, when the respected technical writer, Bruce Anderson, passed away at the age of 75. Bruce’s wife, Stephanie, sent me the following story of how Bruce got into Porsche cars and built a career from his passion:
“Bruce was head of publications for Hewlett Packard’s Santa Clara Division in California. He was a tech writer first at HP. At the same time, he was a Porsche guy. Can’t tell you how many he owned back in the day but his love was the air cooled 911 etc. He and his friend, Bob Garretson, would tinker on the cars on the weekend. Thus they began “Garretson Enterprises”, which in fact was primarily owned by Bruce and his brother, Clark. Then in 1974 Bruce decided to quit HP and open a real shop.
“When that relationship fell apart in 1986, Bruce decided to write the “911 Performance Handbook”. He was Tech Chair for the Porsche Club of America and did that for 21 years, helping guys work on their cars in the garage. He also became a great photographer: most of the photos in his books are his. He also served as the Technical Editor of Excellence Magazine from its inception until he passed.”
I never met Bruce, but his writing was a favourite source when I first came to Porsche. My first-edition copy of his Porsche 911 Performance Handbook is on the desk as I type, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to know air-cooled.
Never wishy-washy in opinion, Bruce did his research and was ready to stand by his point of view. His attention and forthright delivery set a proper example: this loss leaves a hole that will prove tricky to fill. There’s no doubting his place as a much-loved member of the tight Porsche community and Bruce will certainly be missed.
Friends of the man speak warmly of days spent at Monterey listening to jazz – a great love of Bruce’s – and long nights at Daytona and Le Mans. With a taste for red meat and fine wine, Bruce was all about living his passions, and his writing is rich with the same. Few authors share as much detail on the technical aspects of engines and performance as Bruce: visit the Bruce Anderson blog to read some for yourself.
Former Porsche CEO, Peter Schutz wrote the foreword to Bruce’s performance book. Peter is sincere in his appreciation for the man’s driving force.
“Bruce is one of those people who never does anything half way. His knowledge of Mexican food and jazz is exceeded only by his knowledge of Porsche, and particularly the 911 in all its variations. It is thus in the true Bruce Anderson style that he has decided to share his love and knowledge with the rest of us, in this book. Beyond all else, Bruce is a sharing person.”
Bruce had been in and out of hospital for months: purgatory for one who so enjoyed being out and about in the company of Porsche heads. With his passing comes peace in the sound of air-cooled flat six engines in Porsche heaven. Best wishes to his family and friends, surely blessed to have known him. The rest of us will continue to enjoy Bruce’s work through his legacy of words and ideas.
RIP Bruce Anderson: May 27, 1938 – Feb 9, 2013.
by John Glynn | Feb 6, 2013 | Classic Porsche Blog
UPS just arrived with a parcel to be proud of: the Porsche – Die Marke. Die Werbung. book I ordered from the Porsche Museum Shop last week.
Having a copy to leaf through at the Silverstone Porsche Experience Centre is one thing, but having your own copy in your kitchen is something else. I had almost forgotten how nice this book was. I heartily recommend that you all get one, too!
The huge number of pictures alone are worth it for me, but it reminds me that I really should start learning German. My eldest studies German in school, so I’ve got someone to speak it with at home.
Thanks to author and walking Porsche encyclopedia, Herr Landenberger, for signing this wonderful work of art especially for me! Something to treasure, for sure.
by John Glynn | Feb 5, 2013 | Art and Books, Classic Porsche Blog
It’s about six weeks since I spent a day with Porsche Cars GB at the Silverstone Experience Centre. If you’ve never been there, the upstairs overlooking Silverstone’s Hangar Straight and the Porsche handling circuit is a great place to while away a few hours.
As soon as I got to Silverstone, I sailed upstairs and grabbed a coffee, then sat on the sofas to wait for the rest. On the table in front of me was a giant book I had never seen before. It was Porsche: Die Marke. Die Werbung. by company archivist, Dieter Landenberger.
Dieter had mentioned this book at our last meeting during Nurburgring 24, 2011. Standing at the top of the TUV Tower at 2am, eating ice cream and watching racing, Herr Landenberger told how his latest book examined all of Porsche’s advertising from the earliest days right to the present. Here was that book, and it was pretty special.
The whole thing is in German, which won’t upset the ardent Porsche fan. I’ve seen a lot of Porsche ads and images over my years as a fan, but there were loads in this book I had never seen before. I sat engrossed in it for almost an hour until someone pointed out it was time to get driving.
After the day, I searched the Internet for the book, finding only one copy online through an eBay store in America, but the postage was huge and the guy would not return my emails. I added the book to my Amazon wish list and set up a Google Alert but, five weeks later, there was still no sign. I decided to email the shop at the Porsche Museum.
It took a day to get a reply from Porsche but, yes, they had it in stock, and what was my address for postage? UPS came to €12, so with €50 for the book, it was worth getting sorted. The coolest thing was, I emailed the author (below) and asked him to sign it before despatch, which he was happy to do. Waiting for it to arrive now!
The Porsche Museum Shop couldn’t have been more helpful on email and over the phone. If you’re chasing something interesting, give them a shout and tell them I sent you!
by John Glynn | Feb 1, 2013 | Classic Porsche Blog, Race and Rally
Lot of Porsche buzz online about the upcoming ALMS winter test at Sebring. Nick Tandy has already been confirmed to drive the Falken Tires Porsche GT3 RSR, and Jeroen Bleekemolen has also just tweeted confirmation of a drive with Alex Job Racing in their ALMS GT3 this year.
In the midst of the excitement around their upcoming event, Sebring tweeted this great Porsche 906 pic with the text: “I would say this photographer got pretty close to the action at Sebring ’67.” I loved it: the sliding Carrera 6 must have clipped that tyre by microns. Clearly whoever was driving knew their Porsche well! I set out to find the driver.
First place to look was an entry list for Sebring 1967 and the drivers of car 49. Car 48 was the MG of Timo Mäkinen and 50 was another MG. All the 906s were up in the 30s, including one with Hans Hermann and Jo Siffert, but there was nothing for car 49.
A quick look on the Sebring Facebook page showed the same pic, but a few people dating it to 1966, when Siffert and Charles Vogele drove Charles’ 906 with number 49 to sixth overall. But that car was red. I dug around a bit more and found a few pics of the Sebring 1967 4-Hour, but this was another dead end.
Weighing just 600 kilos and with perfect balance, the 906 Carrera 6 with eventual fuel injection was successful into the 1970s as the 906E, so I looked at later years. Google didn’t help much, so I switched to the next most powerful search engine: eBay.
A quick search on ebay for 906 Sebring threw up this pic from 1969. Checking an entry list from 1969 confirmed a Porsche 906 raced as number 49, driven by Dr. Merwin (Merv) Rosen and Dave Morrell.
A quick google for Merv found a hardcore Illinois racer and an SCCA legend in his Porsche 906, with great results all across America. I also found an email address and have sent him a message: would be cool to hear more about his career. Merv if you’re out there, please say hello!
by John Glynn | Jan 29, 2013 | Classic Porsche Blog, Modified Porsche Hot Rods, Project Cars
The Porsche 912 Speedster from a few days ago went down a storm on Ferdinand Magazine’s Facebook page, which is heading towards 50,000 likes. I’ve got some more details to share on the custom 912, which previous owner Ryan tells me now lives with another friend of mine in Belgium. Small world!
The builder of this 912 Speedster had previously developed some successful race cars. He chose the 912 as it was lighter than a 911, it was a four-cylinder like the 356 Speedster, and the shorter four-cylinder engine mounted close to the firewall gave a lower ultimate height across the engine, which would help it achieve a lower rear deck line.
No computers were used to shape the body: just very careful measuring. After the roof was cut off, Wilbur Brothers bodyshop in Stockwell, Indiana removed the bodywork above the rear wing tops and replaced with a cowling constructed from two Karmann Ghia panels, which gave a lower rear end and less rake.
Like the 356 Speedster’s engine cover, this 912’s rear lid is a hatch that does not extend to the lower rear panel. It was made by welding the 912’s engine cover in place, mating two Ghia engine covers together, then cutting a hole for the 912 grill: an interesting solution.
Modified Speedster windscreen posts hold the shortened 912 windshield. The glass-free doors have custom door caps and plexiglass side windows.
To strengthen the chassis, metal plates were welded to the A-posts. Steel box section was welded into the sill sections, from front to rear wheel housings. The car went through a complete restoration and then had a fresh coat of red. Can’t wait to see this in the metal one day.
