Irish

OK Dan, I had tried not to think about this too much since it was a deep down thing, but here goes. I drove three different Fiat 124 spyders through college and the first couple of work years of my life. '74-'80. The first one was a 1970 mustard yellow, 1438cc twin cam, weber carbs, was only slightly heavier than a go-cart and would scream to 8 grand. It was a very nice, balanced car and I fell in love with it (and euro cars in general). Each newer 124 was softer, heavier and had less power even though the engine kept getting bigger. I always considered the Porsche 911 Turbo to be the ultimate sportscar.

In 1978, my girl friend (now my wife) and I were out on a Sunday drive in my sky blue '74 Spyder. She had just got a job and was car shopping and I was nearing graduation and was thinking about it. The subject was, "If you could own any car, money was no object, what would it be?" My answer was, Porsche 911 Turbo. Then I said, wouldn't it be cool to drive around the next curve and find a 911 sitting on the side of the road with the key in the ignition and a message on the key ring that read "Drive Me Home" (Alice in Wonderland eat your heart out)? We laughed about it and went on down the road. It was one of those magic perfect spring days.

Now get this, less than three curves later, we came around a bend and there on the side of the road sat, a white Porsche 911 Turbo Carrera glistening in the late afternoon sunlight. We slowed, both did a double take, and slowly looked at one another and busted out laughing. I said, "no-way", she said, "Did you see that?" We rolled on by, and I said, I gotta go back and look at that closer. I turned around and came back to check out the car. Unfortunately the magic ended there cause there was no key, no message to drive it home. the owner was no where to be found. We motored away still feeling like we had experienced a magic moment.

Upon graduation, I almost bought a 1970 911S for $8000, doh. I also considered a Mazda RX7, but ended up buying another Spyder. Marriage, kids and a morgage later, I had buried the Porsche urge deep down and had traded the convertible Fiat for a pickup, then a mini-van (ugh), I did get a 626 Turbo in 1986 (Nice car), and a CX650TD Turbo Honda in 1985, the turbo influence was obviously not dead. I was racing mortorcycles all through this time and even up to today, so I was not lacking performance vehicles. In 1987 a work assignment had me in Dublin, Ohio and I stopped one evening and was stunned by a Gaurds Red Porsche 944S at the local dealership. I had never seen paint that pretty. But I had bills to pay...

Last year, my son got his drivers license and I bought him a Nissan 240SX. I drove it quite a bit and was reminded how much I missed driving a real car. We started competing in SCCA auto-x as a way to help Ben hone his driving skills. It was here that I decided to upgrade the familly fleet of wheels. The Mini-Van was already gone as we sold it to buy to 240, bought a new SUV for the wife, and sold my older Isuzu Trooper and started car shopping. A dealer friend who knew I was looking would call me when he got a interesting prospect. 300ZX twin turbo was close, but when he called me to come drive a 1987 red 944S, I was hooked. I took the car home for the weekened and ended up not bringing it back. The rest is history.

I took this shot two weeks ago. The pride of ownership from these cars is just the most bang for the buck that I have ever experienced. I'm hooked

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billybones

This is a great thread. Thanks to all, for the stories. Lust for quick agile cars. I guess started with my dad. when I was growing up we went to just about every car event available in the greater detroit area. Although I come from a long line of mechanical type people. My dad for some reason was a lab tech in a hospital and was pretty much mechanicaly inhibited. (reads much swearing durring a brake job. Hold the flash light and duck!). He did love cars though. growing up we had nothing but bugs and micro busses. I remember my dad always talking about putting a P-motor in one of the bugs.. Not even sure now if that can be done..LOL. My dad really liked the formula cars and was drug repeatedly to Grand Prix the movie.. I had multiple car posters on my wall but the only one I really remember was the McClaren (SP) bros poster.. they drove yellow cars..

I was a big time slot car person at a young age. had many sets and about 40 or so cars. still have most of them. still have the lemans P-cars.

but at this point I never really looked at P-cars as anything but expensive race cars that we could hope for. but could not afford.

fast forward to 1982 got my first car I wanted. 70 mach1. rebuilt it frame up. nice car. there is still something about lining up at a light and laying a ton of rubber. I like it. BUt like many here had a wife, a kid.. out goes the car..

So 2 years ago wife is long gone, I still have the kid. But he is now 15. Start looking for a new car in the 8000 dollar range.. but have a yearning for the mach1 but that is out of the price range. will own one again. so I am looking around at some T-birds sc. a ton of mustangs and camaros and was very unhappy with what I was finding. Started going thru auto trader online started looking at exotic cars.. for fun I came accross several 944's that fell into the price range!!! I figured what the hell they all had the same mileage as the other cars I had been looking at. But this car cost twice as much new and probably had decent owners...LOL. that is what I thought.. but once I test drove my first one. I was hooked. It handled and shifted like ah well you know what I mean.. so I think the seeds were sown as a youngster for a prefomance car. My dad never did get the car he dreamed of. but I think of him every time I drive mine.. I picture him laughing and smiling in those bugs accelerating and going thru the gears as fast as he could and saying nananananah and saying it in a higher pitch for each gear... goofy I know. but that is where my love is generated at... he died at 55. but loved to drive and that is what a porsche is for....It is my contact with him.... sorry for getting so sappy....

Finn

Dan,

it all started back in '69.My uncle worked for VW dealership.The new 914 has just arrived.One night he had opportunity to take me to testdrive.I was ten years old that time and it was first time i had a possibility to have a ride with Porsche.
Then i decided that one day i will have Porsche.Well, it took 30-years to fullfill this dream ! My first one was '87 944, now i have '88 951.I have always like 924/944 styling, perhaps my father has something to do with this, since he owned '78 924, which he bought brand new.
I have worked with Porsche's quite a lot during the years, mainly with 911 models.I must say i prefer 944 models, they are much more easier to repair.

Finn

chris924

I like my Porsche lust story, because it didn't have to be a Porsche, it could have been any kind of car... I was 20 was driving around a cool beater '69 Karmann Ghia (paid $300). Anyway, I was at the local Target with my brother, we were walking out of the store when I saw IT. IT was a red N/A 944 only I didn't know what a 944 was, I grew up loving Volkswagons and nothing but Volkwagons. I knew that Dr. Porsche had designed the Beetle, but never really knew anything about Porsches. I remember walking up to the red "944" and saying to myself "This a really cool looking car! I should find out more about it. Well, three months later I bought a red '80 924(not knowing much about the particulars of 924/944/968) for $800. I am positivly hooked on these cars; 3 years later the only cars I think about is 924/944/968, I even want to learn German/wrenching just so I can work on these cars! I love thinking back to that first encounter, not knowing that it was a Porsche, I was still was drawn to it, instantly wanted to know more about it, learning all I could about it, buying a "first step" car, and never wanting to think about another (possibly more functional) car! I have told every one who'll listen my "Target parking lot 944 love story" I have yet to grow weary of telling my story or these cars!

Chris
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