![Singer Porsche 911 on Pacific Coast Highway]()
by John Glynn | May 24, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Modified Porsche Hot Rods, Road Trips
Tripped over these pictures from our shoot of the original Singer Porsche 911 on Pacific Coast Highway. I remember it as a very good day, but was amazed to find it was almost five years since I did this job with my partner in Porsche, James Lipman.
Back then, I was still working for motor trade publishers, Glass’s Guide, and Jamie had yet to fully establish himself amongst the favourite photographers of Rolls Royce, Bentley and the other top brands he now shoots for. I was just out there on a busman’s holiday, having fun in a twice-yearly visit with friends on the west coast, enjoying the Porsche scene and blogging it on the Internet.
This trip in November 2009 was a bit special. Singer’s Rob Dickinson had pinged me a few weeks previously, asking if we wanted to be first to shoot the Singer before it went out to a wider audience. Of course I was up for that and booked the cover of 911 & Porsche World. We did a few day’s work up in San Francisco before driving to Ventura for the Porsche show there, and dropping down to LA’s Mulholland Drive for the Singer shoot one Saturday afternoon.
Suffice to say, it did not run quite to plan. Mulholland was a challenge as the car was not a happy bunny. The famous road is a rat run in rush hour (which it was when we started) and there were few obvious spots for us to shoot it on the move. In the end, the light passed and we still hadn’t managed a cover shot.
We stayed late in the car park at the Bel Air Presbyterian Church on Mulholland, where Jamie shot some of the most shared Singer pictures on the Internet with just one light (above), but we were missing the drama of the car in motion. Not much chance to do it like this – find the car in this pic:
Next day, were were back down near LA to meet Bata Mataja at his house in Malibu and shoot his 356 Speedster. There might be a chance to shoot the Singer in Malibu on Pacific Coast Highway – also known as Highway 1 – at the end of the day. We all really wanted that shot, so Rob would try to get the car out to Malibu and we could have a go at doing it.
Even before meeting Bata, I knew the 356 would be a long day. After we started talking, it was almost the whole day: we had a fantastic time with an amazing character. This left precious little time to do the Singer.
After meeting at the famous Neptune’s Net (stunning seafood shack), we had a quick coffee, wiped the dust off the car and got going, driving down the legendary Highway 1 out of Malibu. As the sun began to set on the Pacific, Jamie hung out the window of my Craigslist-purchased 911 to grab some of my favourite Porsche pictures ever.
When you’re in the middle of a job, it’s tough to stand back and enjoy the moment as the focus is just on doing the work. Now I can enjoy the pictures, I remember the sun on my face, the wonderful golden light, the noise of two flat sixes and that feeling of driving my own 911 in such a fantastic part of the world.
People often ask how Jamie did this in Photoshop, but this is how it just about looked on camera. Rollin’ with the pros!
![Singer Porsche 911 on Pacific Coast Highway]()
by John Glynn | May 1, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Modified Porsche Hot Rods, Project Cars, Race and Rally
Our fourth post from EB Motorsport this week features these brand new Porsche 911R rear quarter panels, tooled up and ready for delivery from the Doncaster-based historic Porsche superstars.
A direct replacement for original steel panels, the lightweight rear wings bond to your steel shell. It goes without saying just how much weight these lighter composite panels save over solid sheet steel, plus of course you can save the steel rear quarters you take off and refit if the fancy takes you in the future.
Anyone fitting these panels will be aiming at an authentic recreation of the super-lightweight SWB Porsche 911R race car, and already have a full multi-point FIA or similar level roll cage fitted.
Full Range of Porsche 911R Conversion Parts
The 911R rear quarter panels are part of a complete range of 911 R replica conversion parts now offered by EB Motorsport: everything from lightweight Porsche 911R front wings with built-in sidelights and indicators, to deep 6 and 7R Fuchs wheels and all parts in between.
The boys have just taken delivery of another ’68 911 shell and are going for the ultimate lightweight 911R build. I am totally into this plan! Will share build pics along the way.
by John Glynn | Mar 5, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Modified Porsche Hot Rods
Unless I’m much mistaken, this video shows two R Gruppe friends of mine weaving Cult of Porsche through the California pines. Sums up what happens on a lot of the R Gruppe Porsche hot rod drives I’ve taken part in.
Check out the comments: there’s always someone who wants to rain on a parade. Whatever way you turn the wheel and whoever makes a comment, fun is fun. Critics can only take the fun away when you give them the power.
by John Glynn | Feb 10, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Modified Porsche Hot Rods, Project Cars
Jan sent me some pics of the Turbo Look Porsche 911 Carrera he’s building as an RSR-style hot rod out in Hamburg. We’ve been chatting about using a Twinspark WEVO Porsche shifter to sharpen up the gearshift of his 911, and interesting ideas to tidy the inside.
This is my favourite kind of project: a constantly evolving development. Just as every 911 owner is always changing and picking up new inspirations, so those inspirations must find their way onto classic Porsche canvas.
It’s as yet decided what route Jan will take on gearshift. So far he’s got SSI heat exchangers and a two-out muffler, an upgraded chip, 9-and 10-inch Fuchs, Bilsteins and new bumpers. There might be a paint to do, or not. Looks cool as it is, though the sharkfins have to go.
Hamburg is a very cool place to build cars. Going out there soon to see the Prototype Museum. More news on that coming up.
Got a 911 hot rod build in progress? Send your pics to me as they are always up my street. Ferdinand is the home of hot rod Porsches. Email mail@ferdinandmagazine.com.
![Singer Porsche 911 on Pacific Coast Highway]()
by John Glynn | Dec 22, 2013 | Classic Porsche Blog, Modified Porsche Hot Rods, Project Cars
Too many pictures being shared by down-under Porsche friends on Facebook, as they enjoy their summertime with long, sunny days and warm, bright nights. The bad news for them is we’ve just had the Winter Equinox, so the solar pendulum is swinging back towards the Northern Hemisphere.
The sunshine reminded me of this shot from Porsche buddy Thorsten earlier in the year, as he toured Sicily in a rented Fiat 500: there to see Stuttgart’s planned RSR re-run at the Targa Florio. “The faded sign looks incredibly cool!” said T. “I can’t believe nobody took that over the years. Maybe it’s protected by La Familia!”
Porsche 911 Carrera RS Replica
This picture recently arrived from New Zealand might ring a few bells, as it shows a 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS replica that I inspected in Frankfurt for a NZ Porscher before the 2013 Nurburgring 24-Hour. The deal went ahead, and the RS has since arrived down in Wellington. New owner Graeme has been enjoying RS competition and some Porsche social, too.
“My car arrived in NZ mid-August but I was away until late September, so couldn’t get it registered. Final compliance took about two weeks and, once the 911 was legal, I drove it the 600km from Auckland to Wellington.
“Had a 5-day tarmac rally at the end of October, so prep and event took precedence over leisure time. Work has ruled the calendar since, but I’m looking forward to a few drives during the holiday summer break down here in NZ. The pic shows a Porsche Club NZ evening at the Bose Store in Wellington.”
Ah, Summer. We’ll have our revenge on NZ next year with the 2014 Le Mans, Le Mans Classic and all the glorious motoring that goes on here in the sunshine. Can’t wait for it.
by John Glynn | Jul 19, 2013 | Classic Porsche Blog, Modified Porsche Hot Rods
The wonderful Porsche Museum is currently running a special exhibition celebrating 50 years of the 911.
More than forty exhibits chart the progression of Porsche’s most famous progeny from 1963 to date, including a 911R, 3.0 RSR, a 934 from the 1976 Le Mans race, the first 964 Cup car and a GT3 RS 4.0.
Friends of Ferdinand have been visiting the museum and sharing their pictures through Ferdinand Magazine’s Facebook page, which is now followed by more than 110,000 Porsche fans. Latest to share was Isle of Man resident Karl-Heinz, who recently took his 1981 911 SC to Sicily and Malta via Austria, with a stop-over in Stuttgart to catch the show.
“A classic 911SC is the perfect touring car for two adults, plus a 6 year-old, with luggage! We visited the “50 Jahre 911″ at Stuttgart on the second day after opening with our own 911. A priceless experience!” Good work, Karl!
The 50-Year exhibition began on June 4, so has only been going for the last six weeks, but those lovely people at the Porsche museum are delighted by the response to their one-off event. “Since the opening of the most 911-centric 911 exhibition in the history of the Porsche Museum, we have welcomed more than 35,000 visitors,” says Astrid in Stuttgart. “This is more than we expected! All appreciate that we honour the 911 in such a huge environment.
“Looking at the first six months of 2013, we have seen more than 182,000 visitors from all over the world. In comparison to the first six months of 2012, that’s an increase of 6,000 visitors. This is amazing!”
I agree it’s amazing, and richly deserved. Even better is the social nature of the show. At least one of the cars on show is privately owned by a bona fide Porsche enthusiast friend, so its great to see these cars being shared. The ImpactBumpers.com crew recently stopped at the museum on their Slovenia road trip and one of the tour’s 964 interlopers made a memorable impression out front. Forget aesthetic barriers to 911 passion!
My own visit to the museum (in my own 911) for this unmissable show will correspond with the date the 911 was first unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show, on September 12, 1963. The plan is to take the Carrera to this year’s Frankfurt Show on the 12th and then drive back to Stuttgart, to see the 50-Jahre spread before returning home that weekend. Awesome road trip ahead! Anyone interested in coming along, just drop me an email.
The exhibition closes on September 29. All 911 drivers get free entry to the exhibition, obtained by presenting their registration papers at the museum ticket office. If you don’t have a 911 but were born in 1963, then it’s free in also! You can’t say fairer than that.
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