tribaltech

A few weeks ago, I lost the car at the track (Palmer, MA) under heavy rain, there was standing water in turn 3 and the car snapped oversteered very suddenly and slid right into the concrete wall that was lining the track. It happened very quickly, I didn’t have a chance to catch it, and the hit was hard, first the front of the car, then the car spun and hit the wall with the right rear quarter. The car is a total loss. I am, of course devastated. I really thought this was the car I would spend the rest of my life with.

A few years ago I finally realized my dream of owning a 911. Not just any 911, but a 1995 C2 coupe, black on black. For background, here was my first intro/post anniversary retrospective I posted on this forum.

https://rennlist.com/forums/993-foru...th-photos.html

Luckily, I had track insurance, but unfortunately I didn’t cover the car for the replacement value in today’s market, which means I might not be able to buy another one.

Oh, yeah, also, I’m fine physically, thanks. Morally, not so much.
I have been going over different scenarios to replace the car, but I keep getting back to wanting a 993. I want my car back!!!

I can get a Cayman S under 30K, or a Boxster S. Not air cooled though.
A 996 turbo… meh.

A 964 with high mileage… I’ll always be missing the 993.

Or maybe I get a track/street 944 turbo for track and autocross and take my time to find THE 993 again (and never put it back on the track, especially in down pouring rain). Although if I wait, the prices could keep rising pushing it way out of touch.

As I try to move my way through the stages of grief (I’m still stuck at step 1…), here’s a quick eulogy in pictures. Please join me in respecting a minute of silence.

BTW, if you know someone selling a 993 C2 black or slate grey on black, sunroof coupe at a very reasonable price, let me know.

So for those who are willing to follow, this picks up at year 2, assuming you’ve read the first year retrospective from the link above. 2013 started with a trip to Lime Rock Park. I was eager to drive that historic track and add another track sticker to my rear window. This was my first time driving on track in the rain, and I managed to spin as I was getting a little too comfortable sliding the car in the turns. Luckily I stayed on track and there wasn’t anyone around.





I had been looking for nice door sills to replace the plastic ones, but they seemed to all vanish, until I found these in England.



First autocross of the season in May, and I convinced my son to come try it out. I think video games must help because by the end of the day, he was just 1 sec. off my time.




Another plus of coming with my son, I get photos of me driving


In August, my wife and I drove to the Berkshires, there’s some really nice windy roads on Rte 2 and up Mount Greylock.


Also in August, it’s the yearly pilgrimage to Watkins Glen.


I posted this one before… this was sunrise from the motel before heading to the track. The 911 on the right my friend Tom’s. This is when I met Jim Graham who was next door with his 993.


Ready for autocross, awaiting tech inspection. Not a real 904 in front of me of course, but nice nonetheless.


It was still nice in November, so I decided to take a little road trip to make up for the upcoming storage withdrawal.


The right of passage for every 993. Luckily it happened exactly as I pulled into my driveway.


For xmas, Santa brought me a set of Rennline pedals, so I was eager to get the car out of storage and install these babies. You gotta love Santa.


In April, I took a drive to check out the new track being paved in Thompson CT. Turns out it was only 45 minutes from my house. I made a note of how convenient that would be when the track opens.


More autocross with my son Julian, by then he was pretty much hooked.


In August, I convinced my wife we should take a road trip to Canada, and stop at Mont Tremblant for a couple track days while we’re there.


So that’s what we did. Funny coincidence, my assigned car number was also our room number at the inn.



And of course, it wouldn’t be August without the Glen, so I did that too



Back from the Glen, I am reminded of the old Porsche commercial: “Kills bugs fast”


In September, the PCA had a concours at the Elms mansion in Newport RI. I wasn’t showing my car but since I was there to take photos, I shot one of my baby before the other cars arrived.


I also got to drive Thompson.


By now, there was no room left for track stickers


And that concluded 2014 with the storage ritual known to us New Englanders as I needed to make room for the DD in the garage.


With the car in storage all winter, I was getting cabin fever, so I was glad to attend the first cars & coffe of the year in Tiverton RI. Met with our friend Chris who was driving her husband’s 2S, and our other friend Chris who was driving his arena red 993.



A local Porsche dealer organized a little cocktail. It was a beautiful June evening. Perfect excuse to take the car for a drive.


In August, we have a couple really wet autocrosses.



First time at Palmer with the BMW club. The track had just opened that year, and things were still a little rough, but what a great track.


In November, I finally found the courage to do something I had meant to do since the very first day I bought the car, and that was fixing that damn clutch pedal that would not return fully all the time. By now I had such a habit of lifting the clutch pedal with my left foot that I was also doing it in my daily driver. It took me all day, but it worked out great.


On June 11 2016, after two great sessions at Palmer Motorsports Park, I hydroplaned at turn three and the car went straight for the concrete wall.
It doesn’t look so bad in the pictures, but the frame is bent and most panels our completely out of whack. The engine is no longer centered in the engine bay. Total loss.



So next time you’re driving your 993 on the track, and it’s pouring rain, and there’s standing water here and there on the track, and you have this stupid grin on your face because you’re passing GT3s and GT4s, please do me a favor and slow WAY down or sit the session. I wish I did.

Basal Skull

Sorry for your loss... glad you are ok, looks like the car gave you lots of joy and also protected you in the end. You used it like it was meant to. Beautiful pics - the last two are a shocker.
Yes, gotta watch the rain on a track, have had a few butt clinchers but have been lucky.

tcsracing1

sorry for your loss. Hard car to replace.

Actually the damage is not thst bad.
Fix it and keep tracking it.

Dont sweat it. It happens

budge96

Glad your ok seems like the car gave you a lot of joy , I imagine this isn't much solice since
I imagine you've forfeited the car but , that was fixable !
I know they totaled it but mostly because of the cost of parts these days , with the values escalating the way the are it should have been worth looking at long and hard depending upon mileage.
I'll tell you this I had a car hit in my opinion very similar , no rear damage and it's been repaired and I luckily still have it ten years later!
Oh well you'll figure some way to get back in a 993 for sure good luck !
Bert

vincer77

Sorry for your loss. Glad you are fine.

M. Schneider

"A mere flesh wound" . . . . . - Monty Python

Oh,, .. I'd have expert eyes take a look at your damaged track coupe .... All the best.

TheBen

Doesn't look that bad IMO

ppashley

Did you get a second opinion by a shop that has experience in using a celette jig ( a shop that restores and services racing Porsches and in normal course of business is familiar with repairing unplanned track excursions).

True that sometimes exterior photos don't show the true extent of damage but I'm pretty sure if you sell that car someone else will end up putting it back on the road.

I don't believe it's just a parts car quite yet.

I'm not an expert. But that's my hunch.

Also did the shop that said its a 'total loss' offer you anything for the car?.

Good luck. Hope you get back in the seat soon.

ppashley

Not an recommendation of a shop more of the process.
People with more experience on this please chime in if you think I'm off base.

Jlaa

Dude, that is a big bummer. I am empathetic to your loss.

I tell you what --- these cars --- there were tens of thousands of these produced for the USA market. You'll find another one soon enough. Don't fret. These are lovely machines, but there are many of them out there.

orangecurry

Agreed 100% - glad you are ok and used it properly.

Get it off the insurers and get it fixed!

Agreed 100%

NP993

Why is the car a total loss? Cosmetic damage isn't bad. Remove engine, transmission, and some of suspension, place on Celette bench, straighten the unibody, fix cosmetics, reinstall eng/trans/suspension, enjoy car. Won't be cheap -- but cheaper than buying another good 993.

YellowDieselGolf

Sorry for your loss. Hopefully someone will restore it or turn it into a dedicated track car.

NC TRACKRAT

Glad you're ok. Sorry about the hit. It takes time to get over it mentally but, rest assured you will. There's an old saying amonst us old track junkies: "Keep doing this often enough and, sooner or later, it will bite you". Many of us have already been bitten at least once. As for the car, I concur with those who suggest that you contact a highly experienced Porsche race shop for an analysis and quote to bring it back. Determine from the insurance company the salvage value and if they will allow you to buy it. Add to that the estimate from the shop and compare that to current, real world values for similar vehicles. Keep in mind, though, it will have a salvage title which will eventually have an effect.

tribaltech

Thanks everyone, I knew I could count on this support group for words of encouragement. I have gotten the opinion of a very trusted Porsche shop here in MA and his advice was not to fix it. I also talked to several people who went that route and told me they ended up way over budget.

I did try to buy the car from the insurance but they didn't take my offer. It's going to LA Dismantlers. Not sure how much they paid for it, but I think it made more sense financially to take the insurance check and buy something else than to try to fix it. Believe me, I wanted to.