by John Glynn | May 9, 2010 | Classic Porsche Blog, Road Trips
Just back from another Porsche features trip to Northern California, with ace photographer Jamie Lipman.
As ever, the visit was a blast. Flying in to San Francisco on Wednesday, we stayed with good friends that night, before heading to Monterey for RGruppe Treffen on the Thursday. Mrs Glynn reckons she was worried about us on the first night, as I texted this: “Arrived safe. Picked up hire car. Crashed at H’s place.”, which she took to mean we had wrecked the rental. Not so.
Thursday evening was fun, with dinner at the very cool Baja Cantina, where we hooked up with Porsche buddies for all the news on what they’d been up to since last year. Our first car park search found a very nice ST rep with an ex-Seinfeld engine in it, which we shot the following day: fabulous car.
Friday was all about making new friends. We met some great guys for lunch and then spent the afternoon waiting for our ST. When that arrived, we shot it right by the sea, in windy but wonderful conditions. Friday night was a hella overpriced meal at John Pisto’s Whaling Station: the ponciest restaurant I have ever been in. The calamari starter was excellent, and great value at $9, but was not worth the rest of the seahorse-shite sales pitch that was foisted upon us by an unbearably pompous waiter. I still cringe at the memory of it. Service was goddawful and I pitied the bus boy who was a nice guy, shouldering the weight of morons. Don’t bother with it if you are ever down in Monterey! $520 later, we had learned our lesson.
Saturday was good fun. We were out the door at 5am, to shoot Alex Motola’s brand new Fraise ST, built by TRE in Los Angeles. The shoot went well, with the dawn light really playing ball. Jamie and I followed our successful early start with breakfast and pancakes at a great nearby cafe before heading out to Laguna Seca, to recce locations for another shoot that afternoon.
The shoot was on Steve McQueen’s very own 1976 930, in special order Slate Grey. The SCCA guys running Laguna that weekend couldn’t have been nicer to us, and we found some great locations in and around the track. We’ll be back for sure.
On Sunday, we shot some tracking on another 911 before leaving the coast in a friend’s incredible 3.6-engined early car. This is quite probably the greatest all-rounder of its kind anywhere, and the miles north were a real delight. Jamie has some really great pictures ready to go to print.
Monday afternoon was spent scouting San Francisco for locations on a Bullitt-style shoot we had pencilled in for the following day. Good fun being tourists: packing in some ‘Cable Car’ pizza, hitting the visitor hotspots and ending up eating Ben and Jerry’s ice cream at Haight Ashbury. It was a great day in the city we had both seen so much of on screen. Calling a potential feature on the way home was entertaining – never been hung up on so quickly.
Tuesday we dropped in to see Chris at the Blackhawk Collection. Chris is a great guy working in a great place, but more of that later. We were there to make arrangements for a piece we were doing a few days after. All thumbs up so we headed off to do our ’67 S shoot in the hills of San Francisco. It was fantastic.
Wednesday was a trip to Emeryville to see a 914 for sale, then a ride through Oakland before lunch at a great little cafe in Albany – The Four Corners. We then headed up to Novato, and shot a turbocharged 1975 911 S. Sweet car.
On Thursday we did the wickedest classic Porsche at Blackhawk before heading out to see a plane for sale in Brentwood. Turned out the seller was a good friend of the Hemi Cuda owner we shot on our last trip in September 2009. The piece has just appeared in Classic Cars magazine and it looks very good.
Friday was our last day. We visited our friends at Canepa to shoot their original little 911 L rally car, then came back up to say goodbye to all at WEVO, before jumping on a plane and arriving back in the UK next day. In the rain.
The pics here are from Friday. The transporter was taking a wicked Cobra away. He’d come all the way from Toronto and was originally from Walthamstow!
There you have it: 9 days in the USA and every one a winner. Where to next?!
by John Glynn | Apr 15, 2010 | Classic Porsche Blog, Modified Porsche Hot Rods
This pretty little Porsche might look like a factory hot rod, but it hides a guilty secret. John Glynn went to California to find out more.
Engine transplants have been the backbone of hot rodding since Moses was a boy. Nothing is more renegade than running an excessive engine in a chassis that was never designed to handle tons of torque. Overdosing on power-to-weight, and then making that package work is what custom car construction is all about.
When Bob Marx took the temporary motor from his 454 Chevrolet Chevelle SS, to refit the rebuilt original powerplant, he was gifted a great-running V8 with nowhere to go. Later that week, while cruising a friend’s E36 BMW M3 Cabriolet down to a Silicon Valley car show, the thought occurred that building an open-topped European vehicle with all-American power might be kind of fun.
Spotting a Porsche 914 at the show, Marx took a closer look at the engine bay. He was convinced that the spare V8 would fit in the mid-engined location. The hunt began, almost immediately uncovering this car just a few miles from Bob’s home in Pleasant Hill, on the outskirts of San Francisco.
Marx’s machine began life as a 1700cc 1972 914.“A rust-free California car was what I was looking for,” recalls Bob, “and the owner assured me it was exactly that, so I went and had a quick look. I noticed a few things I didn’t like, but we agreed a deal and I brought it home to get to work. As I began stripping back to the bare tub, I uncovered more and more rust, along with some shocking hack jobs on things like the wiring. It was not the best of starts.”
Although classic Teener rot spots, such as the hell hole (the area under the battery tray), front floorpan and rear luggage space needed nothing bar a quick wire brushing, extensive corrosion was uncovered in the sills, floorpans and battery tray. Bob cut out the rust and welded in new repair panels, before taking the exterior down to bare metal and welding on the steel GT arch pack, key to the look of this car.
Sold new with mid-mounted 1.7 or 2.0 litre engines, cooking versions of the 914 were never intended to take the power of a small-block Chevy motor. Strengthening the chassis was essential to deliver a safe, confident drive. To achieve this, Bob welded in the longitudinal and rear arch stiffening kits, to minimise rear flex under power, which would ultimately have cracked the back end. He also ensured that the factory stiffening was still working as it should.
Porsche had only ever fitted air-cooled engines, so work was needed to house the water cooling required by the incoming Chevy. A custom rad was fitted in the nose, with homemade ducting to direct cold air through it. Lightweight Gates hoses carry coolant back and forth. The front valance was modified to let the air in and then painted satin black. At the back, a bi-folding engine grille was built, again for better airflow. Both look great. The reflection of the grille in the rear glass, set between the side buttresses, is a really sweet aspect.
With the chassis work now just about complete, Bob sent his wide-arched shell off to be blasted with baking soda. Once this was done, the attractive bare-metal bodywork was returned to Bob’s workshop, for final parts fit before the whole thing was painted in Porsche Guards Red. The colour looks perfect in this California light: not too brash and not too boring.
The engine is a 1968 327 cubic inch V8, built in Detroit and originally fitted to a Corvette. 327 cubic inches is 5.4 litres: over three times the size of the original. Prior to installation, Bob rebuilt the motor with some trick parts. The block received a light hone before Keith Black 10:1 pistons were slid into the bores. An Edelbrock intake manifold, topped with a 610 cfm carburettor from the same manufacturer was securely fastened to the top end. Stock Chevy headers flow into sexy, GT40-style exhaust pipes. Power is an (under)estimated 345 bhp.
The 901 gearbox is a Porsche classic. Though never built with 350 bhp in mind, it’s a strong, reliable unit which, driven considerately, is nicely suited to the lazy torque of a big V8. The 901 is often seen in historic 911 rally cars, and normally requires no more than a strengthened sideplate and new crown wheel and pinion to make it bulletproof. But that’s with a hundred fewer horses stampeding their way through the transmission. Though this application is more car show and less Tour de Corse, it’s still a big ask.
The 901’s weak point is the dog-leg first gear, located left and back on the shifter. Too much power can twist the separate first gear shaft away from the rest of the internals, so Bob uses the engine’s humungous torque to pull away in second. I do the same in my 911s – it’s no big deal. Thanks to a parts wait, the tail shift mechanism is still fitted to the transmission. Meanwhile, Bob has switched to the slicker side-shift setup, to get the best out of swapping ratios. Future plans feature a more robust 911 Turbo transmission install.
Stance is everything on a hot rod and this one hits the spot. Sports cars sold in the USA have long suffered from vertigo, induced by the towering statutory ride heights that resulted from Ralph Nader’s safety campaigns of the 1960s. Returning the car to European ride height is a popular mod amongst US Porschers.
Tuning the suspension of a chassis that’s had its power tripled overnight is a tricky business, but Bob reckons he’s got things under control. Considering the stock front anti roll bar is thinner than an anorexic stick insect, and there’s no bar fitted to the rear, this sounds hard to believe, but it all looks flat as we follow the car to our photo location. The front is held up by torsion bars and controlled by Bilstein Sport dampers, with Bilstein coilovers and 200 lb springs at the rear.
Hiding behind those 7 and 8” replica Fuchs rims, wrapped in 225 and 245 Fusion ZR1 rubber, are front brakes from a 911 SC, and stock rears. Doesn’t sound like much with the power that’s on tap, but then this car is light, and the brakes have been fully refurbished with a new master cylinder, flexible hoses, caliper seals and the rest. The suspension has also been overhauled, with new bushes and joints all round.
Inside, the classic Porsche-designed cockpit has been left alone, with a three-spoke steering wheel and supplementary gauges the only new additions. Sitting into the car for the first time, I strap the harness tight and brace myself for action; this could be quite a ride.
Turning the key is cause for celebration. The Chevy cranks quickly into life and settles into that classic V8 fast/slow/fast tickover rhythm, which adds a dash of urgency to the low-slung seats and go-faster view along the sleek bonnet. I’m properly excited and we haven’t moved yet. Slipping the lever forward into second, I add a drop of gas and let out the clutch. The car slips from the kerb in a civilised fashion, encouraging me to try another gear.
Rolling on an ocean of torque, the Teener pulls effortlessly; normal speeds in third are a whole heap of fun. As we hit a stretch of smooth dual carriageway, I throw open the throttle and let the V8 sing. The Fabulous Fourteen unleashes like a cartoon Roadrunner, pouring hyperspace between us and the cars behind. This thing is more addictive than chocolate-covered coffee beans.
The direct gearshift and dependable brakes work well together. Thanks to the wider track, the steering feels fantastic. Although the front end ride is perhaps a little stiffer than I would prefer over rough roads, it’s early days for this car’s development: Bob’s only recently got it fully on the road. At the minute, he is concentrating on maximising the miles and just driving. Can’t say I blame him; it’s a wicked little grin machine.
A few days after we arrive back in the UK, I get an email from Bob about the car’s first show appearance. It’s gone down well, with lots of positive comments and face-wide smiles from those who don’t initially spot the V8 in the back. It’s all the validation needed to justify the blood, sweat and tears that went into making it.
My hat comes off to guys like Bob, who can take a concept, add weeks of work and almost single-handedly see it through to completion. This sweet little missile strikes a direct hit for men in sheds everywhere.
by John Glynn | Apr 2, 2010 | Classic Porsche Blog, Project Cars
I picked up my orange 1976 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 Coupe from its latest visit to Tuthill Porsche today. The boys dropped the worn steering rack out and swapped my Turbo tie rods over to a good used rack I supplied, fitting their re-machined rack spacers/lock stops at the same time. These allow a decent sized spanner to be used on the tie rods, rather than the teaspoons the original pieces leave room for.
The front anti-roll bar bushes were perished, so those were changed for polyurethane ones. Then the rack assembly was refitted and the tracking was set. Total cost: 4 hours labour, plus parts, plus VAT: £275.
Tuthills couldn’t road test Orange, as the front tyres are below the legal tread depth (it’s on temporary Michelin Pilot Sport Cup track tyres and the fronts are almost slick). So I got to road test it first. The road was wet, and the worn Michies do pull down on the front a bit, but how nice to have a car that went where it was pointed! Baby’s-bum Michelin R-Compound rubber is not a huge problem in the wet: these are amazing tyres. I’ll put my road wheels on over the weekend – Kumho rubber on 8×16 and 9×16 inch Fuchs as in the pic below – and see what it feels like. Pretty sure it’s gonna be good.
It’s booked for an MOT on Tuesday. Hopefully we can pass that, ready for the annual trip to the Essen Techno Classica on Wednesday. I was going to take advantage of a free crossing with Norfolk Line Ferries, but the outbound weather looks a bit grim, so I’ve just booked the Chunnel instead. Cost was £104, which I didn’t think was bad for a short notice ticket over Easter.
An early start is required to get to Essen for the afternoon preview, meaning the 400 km drive on the other side should be pretty pacey. I can hear the engine’s characteristic 4500rpm buzz already.
by John Glynn | Sep 20, 2009 | Classic Porsche Blog, Project Cars
I collected my ‘new’ classic Porsche 911T project this weekend. Worked out quite well as the seller (good friend and superhero, Mr Bosman) was coming over for the Goodwood Revival, and offered to trailer it across on the ferry for me. Here was a kindness I could not refuse.
We met early today and I borrowed Bos’s trailer to bring the car to a buddy’s secret storage yard, where some nice project cars are stashed in sea containers. I wanted the T out of the way for a few months, while I get finished with the projects I have on the go, pay for this new one and get my garage building moving on apace. Once I have a better grip on my to do list, I’ll drag this out again and get properly stuck into it as a spare-time R Gruppe build.
The easiest thing for me to do (to get this back up to speed fast) would be to buy a bodily ruined SC, break it and put all the mechanical bits into this after a refurb, and I’m pretty sure that’s how I’m going to go. Rusty SCs are getting ever more common in the ‘States now, so it should be easy enough to find something mechanically sound that would otherwise be on its way to a breaker. I will put my hot rod 3 litre motor into this one – not the tired original from a scrapper.
This T is in good condition to look at, but it’s not perfect. It has serious paint issues in the luggage compartment for example, where the painter has simply painted the whole thing rather than taking stuff out. It’s not a big deal for me, as I am ripping out all this early stuff anyway (hate fiddly twin batteries and that messy-looking fusebox) and reworking the loom to run an in-dash fusebox. I will also bin the early dash column switches and run IB stuff. Same with engine bay wiring etc. Also same with suspension and brakes, though I will not run a servo. Oil system will be bespoke: a front nose cooler with a relocated tank – things like that. The oil tank that came with this is one step from scrap anyway so that has to go somewhere else.
None of this is said against my buddy, as it comes to me almost exactly as it arrived at Bos’s place from Canada. He started doing stuff, saw the work involved in getting it nice and it was just not a project he fancied finishing, so it has come to me instead. I have wanted to try early car ownership since driving one of Tuthills early rally cars many moons ago, so this should be fun to play with. I don’t want to build anything remotely factory original: it is hot rod all the way, with no “bolting back to standard” in this car’s future.
by John Glynn | Sep 17, 2009 | Classic Porsche Blog, Modified Porsche Hot Rods
Sheena Easton had the look back in the day, but this R Gruppe Hot Rod Porsche 911 T has it now. The owner has asked me to keep him out of the limelight, but I can’t resist sharing some pics. This car looks amazing: almost exactly how I want my own longhood, which arrives in the UK in just over 24 hours.
You just can’t beat the look of these custom Minilite equivalents – available through secret channels only heroes know about. I also love the centre filler, the track rubber, the wider front arches, the simple bumper etc. Race numbers are the icing on the cake, and are not for show: the car competes at the hands of both husband and wife.
The power in this one comes from a custom Euro-spec 2.7 built into a ’66 2.0 case. It runs 46mm PMOs, custom cams, a strengthened 901 transmission with 915 LSD and some sweet internals. The front end is Carrera (classic early-car mod) and the exhaust is SSIs with a Monty muffler. The owner did everything himself, including the 8″ flares and the paint. The inside is wicked also but I’ll save those pics for another day.
I’ve put a hat on now, just so I can take it off to the man who built this car. Thanks for the inspiration and for sharing some details. The car is perfect – hope to see it in the metal one day!
