Bulvot

I'm hosting a get together at my place on July 26th. For planning purposes, it is near Leesburg, VA.

The garage doors will open at 9am, but you can come/leave whenever works best for you.

We'll be grilling and doing potluck for lunch. Let me know what you plan to bring for food/drinks, and I'll cover any gaps.

As for facilities, I don't have A/C, but I do have a large concrete slab that keeps things cool, and with all of the doors open I get a very nice breeze. So it should be comfortable.

There is a 4-post lift with dual bridge jacks. I have alignment equipment as well. The lift will be first come first serve, unless someone makes a special request.

There is a tire changer and balancer, if anyone needs new tires or balancing. I will have to charge for the actual weights (stick on and steel rim hammer-on types both available), but I'm happy to do the mounting/balancing for free.

Half-bath will be open, but no shower.

There is shop air and plenty of power outlets. So feel free to bring pneumatics and/or electric tools. The shop tools will be locked up for the most part (had too many walk away at a previous event), so plan to bring your tools.

If you will be changing fluids, be prepared to take your fluids with you when you leave. I do have a couple of catch pans that you can use when draining fluids, but it would be good to bring your own if you have it, just in case.

Any Porsche is welcome, and only Porsches will be allowed inside the garage.

There is ample room to park all of the cars inside.

The attached photos are from a 928 gathering that I hosted in 2011.

For the exact street address and directions, please PM me.

I created a poll so we can see how many people plan to show up.

V/r,
Chris

Attachment 842614

Attachment 842615

Bulvot

Looks like 5 on the poll so far. I think there may be others from the local email list. At least one person has requested use of the alignment equipment. So that might be a good learning opportunity for those who haven't done it before.

Should be a good time!

-Chris

fraggle

Wahoo! I'd love to use the lift - I need to rewrap my exhaust with some muffler tape, I have some leaks.

Shawn Stanford

Wish I could make it. I'll be in Michigan that weekend.

Captain_Slow

I'm also interested in alignment. The ride height of my S4 is at the minimum allowable for a "car with some miles on it" (worded something like that in the WSM). I'd like to increase the ride height a bit (actually seems lower in back than front), and would like to understand how this relates to alignment (I know changes in height effect alignment). I may even adjust the height to where I want it prior to the get together if I'll be able to redo the alignment (very short drive...I live near 10 minutes from Leesburg).

Bulvot

Fraggle: That should be a pretty quick job. No problem on using the lift!

Shawn: And here I was hoping for personal delivery of watches

Jon: You'll definitely want to do the ride height adjustment well before the alignment. It needs to be driven for awhile (I think they recommend 100 miles? the WSM gives the specifics) before doing the alignment to let everything settle in. I don't have a setup on the lift to compress the suspension, but I might be able to rig something up given enough time.

I'm waiting on a response from the other person about his alignment requirements. I am happy to be completely hands off, do it for you, assist, or guide. Depending on your comfort level doing it yourself and your faith in my abilities. No offense taken if you don't trust me

The setup I use is a string jig, digital camber/caster meter, and proper ball-bearing turn plates. I have a spreadsheet that I built that calculates everything for you, so all you have to do is take measurements with a ruler from the rim lip to the string, and it does the rest.

I also have the steering rack lock bolt.

If you have a laptop, please feel free to bring it and I will give you a copy of the spreadsheet so you can work it yourself.

If anyone else would like a copy of the spreadsheet, send me your email address and I will email it to you.

I have the WSM and the right tools for the alignment. I can do it in an hour if I'm alone and focused and the car is in good shape. But expect two to three hours in a group setting. The 928 is one of the easiest cars to allign that I've encountered.

V/r,
Chris

kombatrok

I'll plan to drive up from Portsmouth! Shouldn't need the lift since I have access to one down here just want to see the other cars and hang out.

Renn_Thrills

Would love to as long as im not out of the country for work, and if welcome considering currently no P-cars in the stable (i've had front and rear powered). But am an absolute 928 junkie and always lurking here... never met other renn listers in person, would be really nice. And i marinate a MEAN shish kabob...

Bulvot

I've been thinking about this. In another vehicle club that I am part of, the rule is that non-owners can attend events like this if they are the guest of an owner of a vehicle that is part of the club. They have to arrive and leave with the owner in the owner's vehicle. Being declared a "guest" doesn't work, they have to actually be personally known by the owner and they are the owner's responsibility when attending. But owners don't necessarily have to drive their club-related vehicle to the event, since we all understand varying states of repair and drivability. In some cases, previous owners have been granted defacto membership due to long standing group participation.

I'm not sure how well that translates to this situation. I don't really know anyone who's coming very well. I may have met a few of you three years ago when I hosted this before, and maybe at a couple of Porsche related events (autocross, Shark frenzy). At least one of you I met more than once a few years ago. So I really have no basis on which to say who should or shouldn't be coming.

I just know that what I don't want is people crawling all over my personal vehicles as though it's a car show with a "touching encouraged" policy. Or have them exploring parts of my house that are not part of the event. I've had those and other things happen before when I've hosted events and it makes me very uncomfortable, especially with people that I've never met before. And I wouldn't want any other participants to have a similar experience.

What I DO want is to host people who are Porsche enthusiasts that have work that needs to be done, or things that they would like to learn, or Porsche-centric socializing that they would like to do with other Porsche enthusiasts.

I don't want to be the bad guy here, but I do want to minimize my personal risk (loss of tools, damage to property, privacy violated, etc), and make sure that everyone who is coming has a positive experience.

How does everyone else feel about it?

V/r,
Chris

M. Requin

I think that is an excellent and clear statement about what you expect, and what we should expect from you, and I think all will appreciate it being made in this clear and up-front manner. I look forward to the meet even more.

Also, you do touch on a topic that has been a little lost since the start of this idea, namely, rather than just being a one-time event, this could be a part of a kick-off for a regional group (I like "group", but not necessarily "organization" - just me). I would like to participate in discussion of that idea.

Captain_Slow

Chris -
Your concerns and expectations are appropriate, well stated, and should be respected. I couldn't believe you've hosted events in the past during which your tools walked away! You are obviously passionate about 928s, a very generous person - and willing to share and teach (invaluable to us relative newbies). I'm looking forward to learning how to align my S4, meet and learn from other owners in the region, and see a bunch of other 928s.

Renn_Thrills

I think that should go without saying and understand your reticence if you've had experiences otherwise.

Check!
Nope, unfortunately don't have a p-car now

Absolutely

Yes
That's only reasonable.
I think its up to you to set the boundaries of the type event you'd like to hold, and who is welcome, and up to your guests to respect that. I spend a lot of time on these pages but have never really interacted because i don't own a 928. I do dream of a resto-modded shark and wonder if i can learn enough of the basics of wrenching and maintenance to be a worthy guardian of one.

Anyways i understand your position and respect whatever kind of boundaries you decide on.

regards,
Will

Bulvot

Thank you everyone for your kind support and considerate words.

Given that this is a private venue (my personal home), with an as yet unestablished "group" (at least for me), I think that I would be most comfortable if non-Porsche owners come as ride-a-long guests of Porsche owners.

As someone else mentioned to me off-line, events like the 928 Shark Frenzy are ideal venues to get more in person exposure to 928 ownership, where as something like this might be less than ideal.

So, if someone who owns a Porsche, ANY Porsche, is willing to meet-up with and give a ride to a non-Porsche owner, they are more than welcome to bring whatever guest(s) that they would like to.

I feel bad in that it might end up excluding some really great people who would be outstanding additions to the event. And I hope that no one takes offense.

Starting, or reinvigorating, a local 928 group would be awesome. Maybe we can setup a dinner or two out at a restaurant where we can be more inclusive of past/future owners who have a passion for these cars too.

Thank you again for your consideration and grace. I don't intend to offend in any way

V/r,
Chris

Renn_Thrills

I guess my avatar scared you! J/k... i can understand it, no hard feelings at all. Your loss on the shish kabobs though

Bulvot

Driveway paving is scheduled for July 7th and 8th. I'm not doing the entire length on the first shot. Just the steep part through the section that gets washed out. It's a little price prohibitive to do the entire thing on the first pass

This will definitely make it good for low vehicles. And you guys will be the first group that I host after it's done.

V/r,
Chris