Johnny G Pipe

There is a great trend of sharing picsand stories of great drives in 964's lately - so here's mine!

Me and two freinds driving Audi S4 chipped to 330bhp, RS4 suspension plus Mitsubishi Evo IV similarly boosted to over 300, with lots of other mods.

We drove from Zebrugge to Rotterdam via:
French alps
Monte Carlo
..some Alpine Roads..
Maranello
Lake Garda
..some more Alpine Roads..
The greatest pass of all, the Stelvio..
St Gilgen near Salzburg
Porscheplatz, Zuffenhausen
..and finally the Nurburgring.
(Amsterdam was cancelled because of a technical hitch or two..)

Here's the gang:

Johnny G Pipe

Good fortune seemed to follow us all the way - great roads, no interest from the law despite, well, driving as fast as we could most of the time - so we took every opportunity to restore Karma - like helping out an old couple whose campervan (the curse of the Autobahn!) had broken..

Johnny G Pipe

Weather was good, apart from some brooding clouds heading towards the French Alps. Here's me attempting no to get Auditaken:

Johnny G Pipe

..but these high strung Turbocharged cars, y'know?

A pain in the bum looking for 98 octane fuel for 'em all the time..

And I'm sure my boys won't mind me bragging, but the Mitsi blew a boost hose, and destroyed a wheel bearing and later (at the ring ) probably the gearbox output shaft bearing.

The Audi got by with a split boost hose, which the owner luckily had a spare ...

Johnny G Pipe

So did I mention the only car that behaved all the way was the 14 year old round-the-clocker from Stuttgart...

I admit I spent alot of time fretting about my oil temp. - I've never seen it over 9 O'clock, and assumed something was wrong. But she never passed 10 O'clock even in San Remo gridlock..so something is working right.

And altho she was 50 horses down on the others, the Audi and Porsche both saw the good side of 170mph in Germany, and the Mitsi never really got away, differences in cahones notwithstanding..

Johnny G Pipe

..stock Porsche stoppers never faded, pads survived countless 1st and 2nd gear hairpins, and prevented us falling foul of the odd gap in the Armco..

Johnny G Pipe

..leading to an overly rapid descent of this...

Johnny G Pipe

So we stopped to smell the Alpine flowers>>

Johnny G Pipe

..and generally pose about the place..

Johnny G Pipe

Hanging around in Maranello was eye-popping, including a Maserati MC12 drifting about with a bra on..

The Ferrari museum was tacky, expensive and underwhelming ( a good analagy?) - full of scruffy cars, and obscure parts on plinths. I'm not a big F1 fan, maybe that's my problem. Sure there was an Enzo, but we saw one of those in Monte Carlo, big deal

Anyway, for old time's sake..

Johnny G Pipe

Now this is the place.

More of our good fortune - there was a local owners club open day at the Stuttgart Porsche centre..including a Carrera GT in the flesh..
The Porsche museum is the epitome of quality and cool..and was free. Lots of 997's and GT3RS's in holding pens. Nurse!

The most beautiful car there? Not the 997, not the C-GT (both left me kind of cold, actually) - the gorgeous heron grey early 911 in the museum. Purity.

So, again - I was here:

Kahdmus

Johnny...MORE PLEASE!!!

Johnny G Pipe

So I'm out of here before John D charges me for webspace.

See recent posts for pictures of 964's on the Nurburgring..and yes it lived up to expectations (rare in this life), and is a great place to see great cars, especially when there is an oldtimer grand prix at the new 'ring that weekend.

Summary - the 964 is indeed a superlative GT, reliable and a joy to drive at 10 tenths every day. I didn't do anything to prepare it other than fit new Toyos. Stuttgart horses are unusually strong, and keep up with more powerful cars somehow. The car feels just the same as it did before we went, except now my heel and toe technique is better..

I have attacked peage, autostrada, autobahn. I have chased a screaming Evo and Audi up endless twisting hairpins, tires screaming, G pipe bellowing off the mountain walls. I have taken the car to the factory she came from, and the track she was developed on. I am one happy camper

So, here's to you all, from the top of the Stelvio pass:

Greg_L

Thanks for posting the pics Johnny. Looks like you had a fantastic time. Its a trip i've wanted to do for a long time, the stelvio and all.
Glad the 964 was the most reliable of the 3. I'm also certain its the most rewarding to drive.

schlicht911

great trip, story and pics.. thx !!!!