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Featured
Video
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A
look back at one of the most popular events of
2011
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Porsches & Police at History
San
Jose | |
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LPR Grill Badges |
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The
perfect accessory for any
Porsche!
$20 each. For details
email us at
| | |
Dear
Porsche Friend,
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Pam
Ryder & Laurie Delimon
Prieta Post
Co-Editors |
My love affair
with Porsche began 31 years ago in the summer of
1981 when I met a dashing young man who drove
around town in a Signal Orange, 1971 914-4. That
town was sunny St. Petersburg, FL close to warm
waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the perfect place
for a convertible!
Two years later I married
that young man and shortly thereafter we moved
lock, stock and barrel to the harsher climes of
North Texas where you can experience all four
seasons in the blink of an eye. The winter of 1983
was one of the coldest on record with ice and snow
closing down DFW airport on Christmas eve. These
conditions were very inhospitable to our cars,
which at that time, consisted of the 914 and a
1970 VW Beetle. The 914's heat exchangers didn't
work, it had no A/C for the brutal Texas summers
and it was in need of restoration, which was not
in our budget. Hard decisions had to be made. In
1984, the 914 got traded in on a brand spanking
new VW Jetta GLI with a sunroof! Although we loved
our reliable new car, we mourned the loss of the
914 for many years afterwards.
Fast forward
23 years through a blur of typical 1990's Yuppie
and 2000's automotive acquisitions ranging from
sedans to performance cars and trucks (no SUVs or
MiniVans). Our cars were from Acura, BMW, Nissan,
Honda and Ford with the Germans marques claiming
favor in our garage.
In 2001, after 18
years of enduring the heat of Dallas, we got a
reprieve moved to sunny San Jose. The weather here
was superb and the wealth of great driving roads
even better. The itch to get a convertible began
to set in. Alas, it was not to be. The economic
downturn and the need to buy a home here took
priority.
By 2007 we were both gainfully
employed, we had a home and the mortgage was being
paid every month. I renewed my campaign for a
convertible. After much "you'll never drive with
the top down"
discussion I finally got my wish. We began
researching and shopping.
I drove a Honda
S2000. It was very cool but too fast! I drove a
Mercedes CLK. Nice, but too cushy! I drove an SLK,
very pretty but not my style. I didn't drive a
BMW; been there, done that or the Audi TT. I just
didn't like the TT body style. Drove a 986 Boxster
and it was just right! This was definitely my cup
of tea. Now the hunt for the "perfect" pre-owned
Boxster began. The question was Boxster or Boxster
S, 986 or 987 body style? Hmm...
By now it
was Christmas time. Kurt was monitoring all the
car sites and Craig's List. Lo and behold, a 2006
987 Boxster with very low miles pops up at Porsche of Fremont. The mileage
was so low we thought it was typo! Needless to
say, we wasted no time and skeedaddled up to the
dealer to meet our salesman and new BFF, John
Hutchinson.
It's a few days before New
Years and it's cold,wet and dreary. The perfect
time to be out car shopping! I fell in love with
the car at first sight.  You see, she's Atlas Grey
Metallic with a Stone Grey Top and a very
tastefully upgraded grey interior. The minute I
got behind the wheel, I knew it was mine. We left
that day with keys and paperwork in hand. Porsche
of Fremont was keeping the car to detail it for
delivery. Never mind that we didn't have a
checkbook or a trade in with us. Like I said, it
was love at first sight!
And to prove that
I was truly a convertible convert, I drove that
car with the top down nearly all winter. Windows
up, heat blasting and seat heaters on I would call
my hubby every day from the road just to let him
know I was driving with the top down!
~ Laurie Delimon
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The
Inside Track |
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Doug
Ryder
LPR
President
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Buying
a "new" car - remotely.
Out
of the seven Porsches I have bought over the years, two
of them were at quite a distance--the first in Las
Vegas, the second in Alexandria, VA. I did some things
right and made some mistakes. Hopefully this column will
help you avoid some of the pitfalls I
encountered.
The
first obvious question is why would anyone buy a car so
far away, especially when there are so many cars for
sale locally. In 2000, I had spent months looking in the
Bay Area for a 993, but to no avail. Then I found a '96
C4S with only 8,000 miles on it in Las Vegas. It was
Polar Silver with a black interior and exactly what I
was looking for. After examining tons of photos and
having many conversations with the owner, I flew to Las
Vegas and bought the car after a quick stop at the
dealership to check out a noise. The noise turned out to
be rock-hard tires from baking in the Vegas heat for 4
years. In retrospect I'd say this was a bit of a lucky
buy, since I felt I should have been more thorough when
spending that kind of cash.
In
May of 2009 we decided to go looking for another 993,
but a cabriolet. This time I was determined to be very
thorough. Again, I had very specific wants--Guards Red
with a tan interior and a black soft top. I found an
exact fit to my requirements, a '96 with only 38,000
miles and in exceptional condition. The owner was a PCA
member lending a certain credibility to the seller. As
the car was not completely stock, numerous phone calls
assured me that the work had been done properly.
Bilstein PSS 9 coil-overs had been installed, Fab Speed
mufflers and tips were added, 18" Turbo Twist wheels and
tires were also included.
Within
days we flew to Virginia and met the seller and his wife
for dinner; great folks who had to sell their prized
possession but were glad it would be going to an
enthusiast. The next morning the seller picked me from
the hotel in the car. It was immaculate and I was
impressed.  We drove out of the city to his home in one
of Alexandria's suburbs to go over the car in detail.
The car checked out as well as it drove until we tried
to get the top to go up. The cables were not working so
we put the top up manually and he offered to pay for the
repair I would need once we got home. The last thing I
asked about was the tire condition. The seller took one
last look and proclaimed all was well. In my excitement
I took his word anxious to hit the road in my new
wheels.
The
seven-day cross-country drive was magnificent (one of
Pam's favorite trips) and the car ran beautifully. With
my navigator's permission, somewhere out in the middle
of Wyoming, I ran it up well into the "Go immediately to
jail" speed, "do not pass go, do not collect $200". But
shortly thereafter, as we were entering Utah, I heard a
"thwap, thwap, thwap" sound that could only be one
thing. As suspected, the cord in the right rear tire was
not only exposed, but a piece about a foot long was
flailing around.
It
wasn't surprising that the local truck stop couldn't
understand what kind of truck used a 285/35 ZR 18 tire!
So, we inflated the spare and drove into Salt Lake,
which was only about an hour away. Pam had a less than
comfortable hour as she shared her seat with the bad
tire. Her brother, who had lived in Salt Lake, hooked us
up with a local tire shop and by the next morning a full
set of new skins was waiting to be installed for the
rest of the drive home. My biggest mistake was not
checking those tires myself or having a pro go over the
car before I booked my flight. It could have been
disastrous if the tire had blown at the wrong time.
We
did, however, end up with a great car that I love
driving. And because we bought from a fellow PCA member,
and a good guy, he made good on his promise to fix the
roof mechanism and also was willing to cover the cost of
a new set of tires. Once again, the saying rang true,
"It's not just the destination, it's the journey!"
~
Doug Ryder
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It's the
People -- April 2012 Membership Report |
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Tom
Provasi
Membership Director |
Welcome
to our new members this month, Warren Barber from
Germany, Aaron & Rebecca Jordon from Marina and
Kwangsee Woo from Scotts Valley. Transfers in Derek Au
(from Golden Gate), Gary Hombaker (from CA Central
Coast) and Matthew Valente & Emily Soverel (from
Suncoast Florida). I hope to welcome you all soon at an
upcoming event.
It's
not often that we have an anniversary of 40 year member.
Congratulations to Ken Mason for his 40 years in PCA.
Sandy and I met Ken back in the 80's when we started
Time Trialing with GGR and became good friends. PCA is a
great place to meet new friends and develop long lasting
friendships.
Don't
miss out. Get involved with the many activities the club
offers, make new friends and enjoy the cars we all
love.
New
members from PCA: 3
Transfers
in: 3
Transfers
out: 3
Memberships
that expired March 2012: 3
Total
renewals March 2012: 13
LPR
Membership as of 04/01/12
Total
= 525 (Primary = 297, Affiliates = 228)
Respectfully Submitted,
Tom Provasi
Membership
Director
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to download
a PDF of the Porscheplatz
flier
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The
Off-Camber Report |
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Anne Roth
Autocross Co-Chair |
LPR's
Autocross season officially began on March 31 and what
an Autocross it was! The intrepid guys and gals that
made up the 40+ participants at AX #1 were blasted by
high winds and rain that few, if any of us, have ever
seen in Marina.
These
are the type of autocrosses that become urban legend as
time goes by. All of us that were a part of AX #1 have a
story to tell! Thanks to all of you that participated --
it was one helluva morning!
Next
time you see any of the Ryder bunch, give 'em hug. They
spent all of Sunday drying out the trailer and every
item in it. I just wonder what their neighbors
thought?
See ya in Marina,
Anne
________________________________________________________
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Larry
Sharp
Autocross Co-Chair |
I knew
Anne and I had some decisions to make when over the
loudspeakers I heard, "Next up is Noah in car 2 by 2."
The first Loma Prieta Region AX of 2012 was a great
adventure in every way. The forecast for the day called
for clear skies until the end of the day. But what do
weathermen know? The AX setup crew arrived on time and
we had the site ready to run by 9 am.
Anne, our
leader, went through her safety lecture as normal. Then
43 drivers went to work or got to their cars to drive.
Kevin Laird had come up with the idea of a course layout
that resembled the nearby Laguna Seca raceway. I had
been asked to be in the first run-group so Anne could
watch over the running of the event with her trained
eyes.
After the
first round of runs, Top Time of Day was being held by
that pesky Subaru of Bill St Clair. I knew that there
were some faster cars in the second group but I would
hate to have a PCA AX not won by a Porsche. So during
the next few rounds Bill and I traded TTOD until my last
run of the morning. I was staged at the start by Pete
Von Behrens when he gave me the stink eye and told me it
was my last shot to get ahead of the Subi. With my game
face firmly planted, I was given the green flag for my
last run of the morning. I made a good start and after
the first corner, low and behold, I see a down cone! I
stopped and made sure the course workers came over and
put it back up. If you didn't know it, when you see a
cone out of place or knocked over during your run that
you didn't hit, you are granted a rerun. As I was coming
through the grid area to see Pete again for my rerun,
there were just a few raindrops on my windshield. I
thought to myself, no big deal, I can get out to the
course before it cools too much and still get a better
time. I go about another 100 feet and the rain is
getting pretty heavy on my windshield. As I pull up to
Pete for my rerun he is just smiling at me when Steve
Lau in the trailer yells to me, "too late" and the
clouds open up in the biggest downpour most likely ever
seen at Marina. It was so bad that every piece of paper
in the timing trailer got wet in just a few seconds.
Thanks to
all the people who grabbed onto the easy-up tent and
saved it from flying away to who knows where. Anne and I
had to shut the course down for the safety of the
workers and everyone headed into whatever shelter we
could find. Luckily for us the rain did calm down in
just a few minutes. Everyone was pretty wet right down
to their panties. But the spirit to race was still
pretty warm so we all gathered up and tried to at least
give the rest of the drivers a chance to get their runs
in as well.
It was
fun to watch Janet Au-Krug do her first AX in such
conditions. She showed good spirit and made it thru her
DNF's and got a good time. Let's hope she knows it
doesn't rain that much at every AX we put on. Dave
Dunwoodie was having a good time learning to drive brand
new Hoosiers in the rain. Though he wasn't the fastest
guy this day Dave still showed great skill and car
control. He was fun to watch. Steve Lau and Pete Von
Behrens were also in the second group and had to settle
with letting me beat them in this event. It is only fair
since they got ahead of me in the last GGR event that
also had rain.
I just
want to thank all the people who attended this event and
helped pull it off. Especially Cliff Braun, who kept
helping out even though he was soaked to the bone. We'll
see if my predictions for the season come true. Stay
tuned for the next LPR Post and we will have loads of
stories from our Zone 7 AX weekend at the end of
April.
Larry
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Bunnies & Bonnets: A
Longstanding LPR Tradition |
Contributed
by Rudi Hertz
To those of us
living in Campbell, the "Bunnies and Bonnets" parade is
must-see event that is always on the Saturday preceding
Easter Sunday. Loma Prieta Region participated in the
very first parade held 14 years ago and has continued to
do so each year since, making it one of our longest
running traditions. 
We gathered before the parade to
decorate our cars,
and as always, the passing parade crowd
as well as many fellow participants stopped to admire
them. LPR member Gary Lieber was there with the Leaf
Club, but we'll forgive him just this once! Participants
from LPR included John and Angie Reed; Rudi and
Joanna Herz; Dick and Mary Wallace; Ron and Bea
Reak, their daughter Teresa her husband Roy
and their daughter Anna and the Reak's three
grandkids, Liam, Emily and Erin; Johnny and Kathy
Musser; Herb Radding and his granddaughter;
Emily and Bill Highley; Kevin and Tracie Paskett
and their kids, Greata, Ryan and Aidan.
Our contingent made a wonderful showing
but one was so outstanding that many passersby stopped
to comment and take pictures before the parade had even
started! Just imagine a 356 Cabriolet, top down, with a
giant handle attached to make the interior of the
Cabriolet look like an Easter basket. To add the final
touch, the car was loaded with very small children with
their heads popping out through holes in a green fuzzy
blanket. The visual impression was that each little head
looked like an Easter egg! As you might expect, this
car, beautifully decorated by Theresa Tuason, won the
prize for best-decorated car!
The parade, with 5,000 participants and
spectators was the largest in the Parade's history.
Personally, I found it a great pleasure to see the
excitement in the eyes of all the children. After the
parade most of us went to the Blue Sky Restaurant for
lunch where we awarded the First Place prize of a German
teddy bear to Theresa for her beautiful Champaign
colored 356 "Easter Basket".
To see the event photo album,
click on the flickr icon below.
Photos courtesy of Johnny
Musser III and John Reed
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Don't
Miss These Upcoming May
Events! |
May
1 LPR Board Meeting
more info
May
5 It's All Happening at the Zoo
Rallye more infoMay
12 GGR East Bay Drive: Mines Road
more info
May
13 Mother's Day Tour & Brunch at
Bargetto Winery more info
May
19 Big Sur Fun Run to Rocky Point
more info
May
27 Indy 500 at Moffett Field more info May
27 AX #3 in Marina more info
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to download
a PDF of the Concours & Swap Meet
flier
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2012 Tour
Season
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Sponsored
by Porsche of Fremont
REGISTER
NOW
Fifth Annual Mother's Day
Brunch at Bargetto Winery
May 13, 2012
Join
us for a pleasant drive through the lush spring South
Bay back roads as we celebrate motherhood with brunch
and wine. $57 per person includes: tour fee, brunch
buffet, selection of sparkling, red and white wines,
live music, tax and gratuity. RSVP no later than May 7
to Les Schreiber at mailto:les996@me.com?subject=RSVP%20for%20Mother%27s%20Day%20Brunch
or 408-316-8654.
Big Sur Fun Run to Rocky
Point
May 19, 2012
Get
ready for fantastic scenery as we take back roads to
Elkhorn Slough Visitor Center, then Hwy 1 to Rocky Point for a great no-host
lunch! The tour will meet in Los Gatos at 8:00 am and
depart at 8:30. For more information, contact Kevin and
Dede Seward at 415-601-9737. Space is limited. RSVP by
May 5 to mailto:rockypttour@gmail.com?subject=RSVP%20for%20Rocky%20Point%20Tour
LPR/BMW Vintage
Train Tour at Niles
Canyon
June
17, 2012
Lost Coast
Tour
August 10-12,
2012
Join
us for a fabulous weekend tour to the Lost Coast and
through the forests of Northern California. Friday's
drive up will include a winery stop and lunch in
Geyserville followed by dinner at the Scotia Inn, our hotel for the
tour. A complimentary continental breakfast will be served on Saturday morning before we tour
the Humboldt Redwoods State Park, Lost Coast and the
Avenue of the Giants; 31 beautiful miles of two-lane
road lined with giant redwood trees on each side. Dinner
will be at a Ferndale Restaurant. Sunday you'll be free
to explore or head back down the coast home. With only
22 rooms available in the Scotia Inn, this tour is sure
to be sold-out quickly! Make your reservations now by
calling the hotel directly at 707-764-5338 and mention
the Porsche Club tour for a 20% discount. Reservations
and discounts are not available through the website.
Questions? Contact Justin Gross at 408-848-0072 or mailto:jjgross007@verizon.net?subject=RSVP%20for%20Lost%20Coast%20Tour
COMING
SOON
Blue
Lakes
Tour
Oct
6 - 7, 2012
 Can you
say...Porsche and Pontoons? Mark your calendars
now for the exciting Blue Lakes Tour on October 6-7. We
have acquired 20 rooms, most with lake views.
The cost will include your room, dinner and
breakfast. Enjoy a leisurely drive through the
Napa-Sonoma wine country back roads. We will lunch in
historic Calistoga before heading out for more back
roads adventures to the Lodge at Blue Lakes in the Upper
Clear Lake area. Your tour guides for this weekend
outing will be the Reeds and Bennetts. Sign ups will
begin in a few months. Details will be available in an
upcoming Prieta Post. Please visit the
Lodge at Blue Lakes website at http://www.thelodgeatbluelakes.com/?utm_source=May+2012+Prieta+Post+-+Final&utm_campaign=May+2012+Post&utm_medium=socialshare
 http://www.donsautowerks.com/?utm_source=May+2012+Prieta+Post+-+Final&utm_campaign=May+2012+Post&utm_medium=socialshare
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The Vanacore's Satori
Cellars - Trail Dust Tour |
Contributed
by Don Orlando
Although
last year's tour had hell-a-shiss weather making
all-terrain tires optional, this year's tour brought us
a day worth smiling about -- a BIG sunny day. I'm
calling it the beginning of summer.  Yeah, it may still be spring,
but what a glorious "summer" day it was.
For those with a cabriolet, this is
what it's all about!
We
met at the Country Inn, signed in, and received goody
bags that included beef jerky (perfect on-the-road
snack), Smarty's (we're all kids at heart) and oddly,
Peace symbol necklaces - hmmm. After we all had a chance
to catch up with friends, Tony started the driver's
meeting. After greeting all, he introduced their friend
Paula Golus, a 912 owner from the Santa Barbara Region
and their friends Jeff and Susie Potter driving their
late model GTO. He then gave us a quick review of our
tour/directions and we were ready to roll.
 With a sparkling array of 18 Porsches and a
GTO in attendance, the tour headed for the hills and
some spirited driving. As we cruised the hills, Leslie
held up my iPhone to take a brief voice memo for this
story. When I played it back, I had to chuckle, 'cause
it went something like this "... ahh, the roar of a 911
engine on a cool country road as we attack the lush,
rolling hills of Morgan Hill...." that's the kind of day
it was. Can you say Canada Rd.? Don't tell your
teenagers about it. If you do, don't let the Porsche
keys out of your sight!
After
a brief stop at the Harvey Bear Ranch Park to stretch
our legs and enjoy the views, we headed off for our
visit to Satori Cellars. Being my first visit to the
winery, I was pleasantly surprised by the funky,
colorful and fun facility - no wonder Tony and Kris had
given us peace symbol necklaces - it fit perfectly. The
open-air seating was perfect for the group and the day.
However, the best surprise was the wine. It isn't often
that the entire selection of wines are so good, you have
a difficult time choosing which to buy. From
Chardonnays, Syrahs, Zins to Cabs, all were
delightful.
 Soon it was time to head off for lunch at the
Trail Dust in Morgan Hill, but not before a
demonstration of Porsche's famous Launch Control in an
'09 Carrera S equipped PDK w/Sport Chrono. Yes, I had
convinced my brother Dick to (finally) demonstrate just
how incredibly fast these things are. Well, our first
launch didn't go quite as planned -- you must remember
first to turn off the PMS. Late for the lunch, the group
missed the subsequent launch, and I do mean launch! If
you can imagine dumping the clutch in a 911 with the
tach pinned at 6,500 r.p.m.'s, you got it! Only there is
no wheel spin, no wheel hop, no smoking clutch or tires
-- just launch followed by blistering shifts and a blur
of speed! Wow! Even manual-shift diehards (like me),
would have serious fun with this car. Thanks
bro.
We
caught up with the group at the Trail Dust and
discovered the restaurant had opened on Sunday just for
us. Whether you ordered their famous tri-tip or pulled
pork sandwiches, or just about anything on the menu, it
was all delicious. The nice bottle of wine that Tony and
Kris gave each of us was a special treat and a great
send off. It's safe to say the Vanacore's annual tour
was once again a huge success! If you missed this one,
don't miss next year's!
To see the event photo
album,
click on the flickr icon
below.
Photos courtesy of John Reed and
Pam Ryder
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LPR
Pasta Night for Charity
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Saturday June 23 Join Kevin & Debbie Bennett as they dust
off the old pasta maker and once again host an LPR Pasta
Night. Tried and true gourmet recipes will once again
roll out of Debbie's kitchen for your gustatory delight.
Debbie, with a small assist from Kevin, will be cooking
up the entire meal; appetizers, salads, entrées and
desserts. All you need to do is bring your appetite and
your checkbook for the minimum $25 donation to an LPR
designated charity. The food and wine are all being
provided at no cost so your entire donation will go to
our charity.
This event
is new to the calendar, so be sure to set aside the
date.
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Porsche
Personen
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by Don
Orlando
Curious to
know more about your fellow LPR members? Haven't
heard a good car story in awhile? Maybe
you need a new cool driving road or are
just curious to
know who's driving what. We'll answer
these questions and more each month as we feature a
different member of LPR. Remember, it's not
just the cars, but the people too.
In
this edition of Porsche Personen we feature a member
that has participated and contributed much to our club.
Perhaps not so much recently, as his health has been a
challenge, but certainly over the past 25 years. He's
held various positions, from Tech Chair to running the
swap meet; he's the man that took care of club's vendor
boards for 15+ years and was THE man -- LPR's Man of the
Year (at least twice). Those of you who saw him cruising
in one of his Porsches know he loves the marque, but
more specifically, his 356's!
Porsche Personen presents Ralph
Maines
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|
Ralph Maines (l) with John Reed
(r) |
Porsche
Ownership History
Three (3) 1964 356's -- two white and
one red
LPR & Family History
Joined LPR in 1987
Favorite Driving Roads
Too many to remember -- all were
good.
A Driving Story
I don't recall any suitable
"happenings" - I just remember that I always had a
great time at any LPR event - no matter - what - always
a Good Time event - swap - tour - tech - rally -
whatever.
Note from Don:
I have a Ralph story I'd like to share,
I hope you all (and Ralph too) enjoy it.
Over the past few years, I've had a few
occasions to be on a tour with Ralph. I was always
impressed, and occasionally a bit surprised, to see
Ralph climbing into one of his little 356's for a tour
to a winery, the Marin Headlands,... Readers should
realize, at 80+, Ralph isn't exactly a young
man.
A few months ago, my daughter sent me a
text message with a photo she had snapped at a stop
light. It read -- in her words -- "... you should see
this old guy driving an old Porsche..." She went on to
say "... some day she knew that would be me..." I didn't
even have to look at the photo (see the
actual picture at left) to know it was Ralph.
She told me it put a big
smile on her face, just as it does mine now.
I can only hope that someday that will
be me -- cruising in my Porsche -- when I'm "... an old
guy..." Any of you feel the same way?
Favorite Club Activities
Tours and GTGs. While poor health has
curtailed Ralph's touring/club activities, I'm told by
his good friends, Kevin & Debbie Bennett, that he
was always doing something for or with the club. When he
wasn't, he was either helping friends or you'd find him
in his garage rebuilding a 356 motor -- most likely with
friends.
A good ticket story
I never received a ticket - for
"traveling too fast." However, John Reed always
would call me his "tail-end Charlie" on any of his
tours (long ago).The old citizen- band radios -
days.
To see more
photos of Ralph,
click on the flickr icon
below.
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The Ladies Great
Escape |
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While
Porsches brought us together, it was really life, love,
family, health and a dash of politics that filled our
conversations on the Second Annual Ladies' Tour. This
year's great escape was expertly planned by Kris
Vanacore, Kathy Musser and Rena Schaut and included
directions that even the navigationally challenged could
follow, the perfect location for lunch, fun goodie bags,
and perfect weather. Five Porsches and eight "chickies"
took off from Willow Glen and headed to Moss Landing for
a fabulous waterfront lunch at The Sea Harvest Market
& Restaurant.
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| Lunch at the Sea Harvest
Market |
This is
THE place to go, not only for the freshest seafood
around, but also for the fantastic view. Our next stop
was Monterey for some and Carmel for others, all of us
enjoying shopping, wine tasting and people watching in
the warm weather and fresh salty ocean air. Our final
rendezvous point was the lovely Hotel Clement on Cannery
Row. With plenty of wine and a spread of wonderful
appetizers, Happy Hour lasted the entire evening! And in
keeping with tradition, we'll just say, "What happens in
Monterey, stays in Monterey!" Many thanks to all the
ladies who added their own special touches to the
planning and organization of this wonderful escape!
To see the event photo album,
click on the flickr icon below.
Photos
courtesy of Jennifer Bryant and Leslie
Orlando
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A Wet & Wild Intro for
an AX Newbie |
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Contributed
by Kristen Ryder
Word
to the wise- autocross is not for wussies. So was proven
to me at my very first experience with the fast and
furious sport in Marina on Saturday March 31. Juiced
with excitement, and a much-needed early morning
Starbucks, I joined Annie and her crew for what I hoped
would be an impressive beginning to my autocrossing
career. After all, following in the footsteps of
my brother, the reining Cone Killer, and being the
daughter of the fearless leader of LPR is no easy feat!
Determined to smoke the boys and make my Porsche ladies
proud, I got down to business, walking the course,
studying maps, and picking the brain of resident expert
Bill Charron.
As
part of the first run group, I bravely squeezed on my
spanx-like helmet and headed for the '87. I was
terrified, trying to gain confidence by singing "Danger
Zone" over and over in my head and picturing Bill as
Goose, my faithful copilot. As we took off into a sea of
cones, I realized that this drive would be no Sunday
tool around Los Gatos. Hairpin turns, slaloms, and men
with red flags stood unwaveringly between me and any
hope of sparing the Ryder name. As my father says,
"don't ever embarrass the marque". With a first run DNF,
or more like WTH, I was bound and determined to fight my
way back from my underdog position. Three more runs and
I was finally getting the hang of it, but could this
really be a story of the comeback kid?
Queue
the angry storm clouds and hurricane winds. Men, women,
and one small dog clinging to broken umbrellas and
seeking refuge inside hardtops and zipped-up
convertibles. Casual conversation at the
registration table quickly turned to holding on to the
canopy for dear life, looking like an odd mix of a
subway train gone wrong and Mary Poppins.  After endless screaming to halt the racing
and a vicious fight to get the canopy closed and out of
the treacherous wind, the course went cold. It was at
this moment that I appreciated our 6 a.m. drive to
Marina, as towing the trailer also meant having the big
Denali to snuggle up in to keep warm and maybe even dry
off
Soaking
wet, I watched as the second run group splished and
splashed through the course like rebellious kids at
rainy day recess. Though their feet were damp, their
spirits were not as they stuck it out in the gloomy
weather, determined to get their driving in for the day.
Even more devoted were the few, the proud, the crew that
continued to rock their lime green vests in the
blustering winds until the very last car drifted through
the finish line and, once the group decided to call the
course cold, until every last cone was picked up. Bravo
to these brave boys (and girls) and their toys who stuck
it out until the end.
As
the trailer pulled away from the newly empty tarmac and
the last of the Porsches, and Annie's Mazda, rolled out
of sight, I realized two things: it's going to be a long
climb to the top of this pack of diehard drivers...and
autocross is not for wussies.
To see the event photo album,
click on the flickr icon below.
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Tech
Session Report from Les
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Les Schreiber
LPR Technical
Chair |
Another
great tech session was held on Saturday April 14th at Bascom Trim and Upholstery hosted by
John Wardell and with about 20 loyal LPR members in
attendance. Aptly assisted by Perry Bascom, audio
manager Darryl Smith and detail expert Greg MacDonald,
the Bascom crew explained what services they provide, as
well as taking us through the shop explaining what was
being done to the cars he had on the floor.
 
John
then had each of his team members talk about their area
of expertise including re-upholstery, high-end stereo
systems and car detailing. As we toured the shop we saw
a number of cars in various stages of convertible top
repair. Their shop does regular work for car dealerships
as well as insurance companies so you can be sure you're
getting expert service.
After
the session was over, each member received a bottle of
their amazing Malco Leather & Plastic Cleaner and
raffled off a few other great detailing items as well as
some very nice car audio speakers. 
Bascom
Trim & Upholstery really is
your one stop shop for complete interior restoration or
repairs including vehicle upholstery, convertible tops,
airbags, stereos, alarms, headliners, door panels,
dashboards,
carpets, and all types of glass work. They are also
water and fire damage specialists, and work with all of
the major insurance carriers, as well as offering
complete vandalism repairs, often with same day service!
As
you can see from the list, Bascom Trim & Upholstery
can do just about anything you need to have done on your
vehicle. And if John can't do it, he will tell you who
can.
So,
the next time you need some work done on your car, give
John Wardell at Bascom Trim and Upholstery a call at
408-727-2292, or just stop by and say hello. As they
say, the coffee is
always
on!
To see the event photo album,
click on the flickr icon below.
Photos
courtesy of John Reed and Pam Ryder
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to download
a PDF of the Legends of the Autobahn flier
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Unclassified Ads |
Want
to Sell
Parade-Ready
2002 Carrera C2!
This car
will be available by July 3, 2012 for the 2012 Porsche
Parade in Salt Lake City.
2002
Carrera C2 Seal Gray, 6 Speed Manual W/Sunroof
(2006 Porsche Parade concourse winner in Touring
class) with the following modifications:
Brembo Brakes, Carbon Fiber Interior Trim, Carrera Power
Kit (X-51 Chip, which includes new intake manifold
with cross-section, new intake pipe support, new exhaust
manifolds with larger cross section, new cylinder heads,
new camshaft with larger valve stroke, modified
partition box in the oil pan, modified maps for the DME
control module) which increases horsepower to 345hp.
(This also includes the switchable exhaust switch for
the sport exhaust system), 6 disk CD changer, GPS
system, Auto Speaker Upgrade kit, Turbo bumper, GT3
Cup Side Skirts & Aerokit 11side. Car has the Clear
Bra installed by the dealer. Also available 4 extra 18"
rims.
103,000
miles, $25,000
Contact Les
Schreiber @ 408-316-8654 or les996@me.com
1983
911 SC Targa
Original
Ruby Red metallic, full black leather interior, clean,
76k miles, power windows, mirrors & antenna, A/C,
cruise control, FM/AM/CD 4 speaker Alpine, hydraulic
chain tensioners, Carbrella Sport Top and car cover.
Asking Kelley Blue Book. Contact Tom Walker @ 925-426-
7008 or tom.walker3400@sbcglobal.net
Boxster
/ Cayman (987 Gen II)
Mufflers
Standard mufflers that come on the Gen 2 Boxsters
and Caymans (2009 - 2012). These are NOT the
Porsche Sport Exhaust (PSE) mufflers.
Part Numbers:
98711311732
(Left)
These stock mufflers were removed from the car at
2,328 miles.
Price new from Porsche: $932 EACH. My price
for the muffler pair: $700.
Want to
Buy
Early
911 transmission mount to replace '68 912 mount.
Contact
Brad Boardman @ (408) 431-0305 or brad@morgancenter.org
Pair of Weber
IDF 40 carburetors.
Unclassified ads are
available at no charge to PCA members. For inclusion in
the next month's issue, ad copy must be submitted to mailto:prietapost@gmail.com?subject=Unclassified%20Ad no
later than the 25th of the month. Ads will run for 3
months on a space available basis. Please notify the
editor when your item is sold, or if you wish to run
your ad again. Non-member fee is $10.00 per month per ad
and is due in advance. Checks should be made out to
LPR/PCA and sent to Loma Prieta Region PCA, PO Box 0705,
Santa Clara, CA
95052. |
| |
© 2012 Prieta Post. All rights reserved. The Prieta Post
is the offi cial publication of the Porsche Club
of America, Loma Prieta Region and is published monthly.
Written contributions and photographs are welcomed and can
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