The Fixer

The idea that interesting content is hard to find in the 928 world is so incorrect i don't know where to begin.

The problem is the lack of interest all these years in the content that is all over this forum and others. The fact that even without being built up in mag articles there is such a following in these cars speaks volumes about them. That could be your story Pete.

You've got the racers, like Kilbort and many others. The tech gurus; Greg, Carl, Ken, and many others making great products without much market or budget.

There is a forum member here with a 928 Turbo automatic running 1/4 mile times faster than a Bugatti Veyron!

Then you have the guys with show cars that are all original and immaculate. And guys like me that have modded and restored their 928s.

Just the other day i was looking through Carl's (928 Motorsports) video collection.

Carl was invited to run his race car at Pike's Peak and ran in the unlimited class.

He came in 3rd place !! Not bad for his first time at Pike's Peak !

He also runs his Salt Flats racer at Bonneville and there is a scale model of his racecar.

This is very interesting stuff happening now. The lack of content i keep hearing about is perplexing??

As someone that used to be a 911 snob, the 928 is just not regarded
as a real Porsche by many imo.

I didn't have any interest (i didn't hate them but wasn't interested) as i thought they wouldn't do what the 911 and 914 did for me.

What i've found is the 928 is a GREAT Porsche. In it's day it was Indomitable And it still pushes all the right car guy buttons the 911 did for me.

Most just simply do not realize this because they haven't spent any quality time behind the wheel of one as i hadn't.

hb253

Matt,

I believe Pete means nobody is submitting content, not that there isn't interest or material worth writing about. I could be wrong, but I don't think Panorama has writers on staff to research and write monthly articles to cover the wide range of Porsche-related subjects the readers want or expect.

Hugo

Ninjaxz750

It's a 700 lb diff, not 1800. 911's are nice, but I personally never liked the driving dynamics, the ergonomics and NVH. Look at it like this: It's the difference between a sports car and a supercar.

hwyengr

70 hp and handle on the hood, I think they're talking 356'es.

The Fixer

Well said,

But 911s became pretty heavy early on.
My '86 weighed 2880, an '86 930 weighs 3000 lbs easy.
I did get my 911 down to 2550 lbs with full interior though.

My RS was weighed track side at Summit Point with 5/8 tank of fuel
and was weighed down w/ my Son's and my stuff: weighed 2735 lbs.

This was achievable by me only because Porsche went to great lengths
to keep the 928 light in many areas like all Porsches.

stout

Sorry, let me rephrase: Interesting and fresh content on 928s is hard to find and bring to fruition. I assigned articles on both Mark and Carl while Excellence. While I won't rule those stories out of Panorama, fresh, new ideas and leads are preferable. Some of your other ideas are very interesting (!), but they don't provide enough info to follow up on.

There's a difference between a great story idea and a great story that's ready to publish. It's hardly rocket science, but Raj can speak to what it really takes to assemble and publish an feature article properly, having seen behind the curtain a bit. There are also things outside of a magazine's control when working with freelance contributors, which can delay and/or affect things in a number of ways. One is getting a very good photographer and/or writer team to some locations while minding the budget. This has been a sticking point with a 928 piece we are interested in down in a southern state, for instance.

pete

stout

Sorry, story of my life of late. Will PM you! Thanks!!!

stout

Ha. I do my best...

stout

A whole lotta correct here. And very few leads on 928 stories or interest in 928 content expressed on the part of members.

pete

The Fixer

I can only imagine how much work and pressure there is to put and keep a magazine together.

But..
It really wouldn't take much to throw the (old) water cooled car members a bone in each issue.

Even a few stock photos in each issue with an interesting fact or
member car pics shown on a page.

If you get your team together there would have to be a way to find relationships that are interesting between the old water
and air cooled cars.

When you own both, one makes you appreciate the other. A Porsche magazine needs to cover all Porsches. But in proportion to who is reading it
and which model they own. A page dedicated to old water cooled cars wouldn't be much effort.

My point is old water cooled owners that subscribe could feel included without expensive time consuming articles.

If your readers are mainly 911 owners, you have to realize that this is why there is little demand for old water cooled content.

I would be interested to find out if adding more about the old water cooled cars would bring in more people like me from around the GLOBE.

JWise

Pete,

I don't know about everyone else, but the thought of penning an article for a periodical of the quality that is Panorama is intimidating to me. Are there editors to whom we could submit rough drafts for "polishing"?

Also - do you have any contacts within Porsche AG that can help with research? I'm trying to further document my car, which I believe is quite possibly a former PCNA executive car. All I have is circumstantial evidence pointing in that direction but nothing official. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Shawn Stanford

I did writing and editing for a website for a few years (nothing on the scale of Panorama) and even that was hard. It's super tough to come up with an interesting angle and a fresh voice. This isn't news, it's features, and features have to catch the reader's attention. Tough biz to be in.

I like receiving Panorama, and I at least look through it, but I doubt I read 50% of the articles. I'm generally not captured by the story of the P-Car that's been in the family for 60 years. I'm more interested in the story of the P-Car that was found in a swamp after 60 years.

Or the story of some mook from Philly who chopped the ****e out of his 928 and painted it blue and orange.



^This. As I said: I've done some writing and editing, and I've been published, but nothing at the Panorama level. Plus: I can't think of anything really interesting to write about. I have my P-Cars, I drive them, I do what wrenching I can. That's about it...

stout

Hey Jarrod, please don't let intimidation stand in the way of sharing your story! That said, I think I printed out the first article I ever sent something like 30 times in the college computer lab and obsessed over it before sending it in. I was terrified. But it was published. And if a guy who got bounced out of high-school AP English ("You're going nowhere in English," said the teacher of the year) can get published, I suspect anyone can. Some of the best content I've received over the years has come from owners with a story to tell. Some of the worst has, as well. The difference seemed to be in two things: 1) The great stories were the result of hard work yet felt effortless and "right," and 2) the owner/writers all shared a similar attitude: "I'd like to take a shot at it, but if you don't like it, no problem—and I'll help whichever pro writer you want to assign as a backup plan."

With regards to info about your car, the sad thing is the PCNA records most likely to be of use were lost in the move from Reno to Atlanta. I've been told they were simply thrown out, despite protests. People in Germany who might have the information you're after can get prickly about individual cars, and especially in a case where the car was once a Porsche executive's vehicle. That's not to say there isn't someone, somewhere. It took some cajoling, but we finally learned the real story behind a 1997 986 with a factory prototype 2.7-liter engine that somehow got out the back door and is now happily driving around the Bay Area with experimental parts in the engine. That was a big payoff, and worth pressing contacts for.

I'll say one thing, though: If that's your GT in your avatar, it's plain gorgeous. Cool color, great wheels, sits nice.

Sounds like you get it, and sounds like I'd like your stuff...

Shawn Stanford

Here's you chance to find out, Pete: http://www.flussigmagazine.com/11/po...the-woods.html

Ninjaxz750

Nice read Shawn!