Hello Cayman Lovers
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Jackson, MI
Hello Cayman Lovers
Hello Cayman lovers. This being my first post I thought I would provide a little background. I apologize for being a little windy 
but I am a sports car romantic. Also, I appologize for members of both this forum and the Caymanclub forum for repeating myself since I recently posted my intro there as well.
I have loved sports cars since I saw my first one, a Cadillac Allard, a long time ago. After seeing the Allard American cars would seem forever mundane to me. The foreign-car invasion never really reached my small corner of the world in northwest PeeAh when I was growing up but car magazines did. I feed my hunger by burying myself in Sports Cars Illustrated, Car Life, and Road & Track. Within a year after high school I was off to Europe thanks to my rich uncle - Uncle Sam. There I the opportunity to attend my very first sports car race; a rather long one of 24 hours. I watched transfixed as my heroes, now legends, raced by: drivers like Jimmy Clark, Gurney, MacLaren, Phil Hill, Graham Hill, Moss, Cunningham, VonTrips, etc. Seeing the unique "LeMans Start" will forever be fixed in my memories. In today’s safety conscious world it is hard to imagine anyone in international racing competition wearing short sleeve shirts!
It was during this time I bought my first sports car - a new ‘63 Triumph Spitfire. It served me well and after college I climbed up the sports car ladder to a ‘63 Corvette Sting Ray. Stingray was two words in those days. I sold the car after my new family started to grow but it did not take long for the itch to start again. Tight money and fate would put me in a ‘60 MGA that became my companion for 32 years. With an upgraded MkII engine, bored 40 over with a rally cam, it carried my wife and I to numerous events in many states. However, it was no match for the young driver that pulled directly into my path near Buffalo two years ago after a good friend and I had been crewing at Vintage races at the Glen. The car was totaled but we lived.
Over the years I had owned other MGAs, including a national award winning ‘59 MGA that I currently own but the ‘60 which never won any awards on looks is still the one which won my heart and I still miss it. My current modern ride is a ‘01 Honda S2000. I love its pure sports car feel and the 9000 rpm engine is a song that never grows old. I’ve installed a Elda roll-bar and we’ve had a few grins at tracks like Gingerman and BeaveRun.
I am proud to have served in the sports car revolution of the 1960s and its rebirth forty years later. I sometimes marvel at the energy and passion I have poured into this hobby. Small, snarling, irresistible machines have been a part of my basic fiber ever since Norm stopped by in the Allard over fifty years ago.
I now have my sights set on a Porsche Cayman. I simply love the looks, handling, and cockpit. It excites me like the Abarth Porches I watched race at LeMans or the Porsche RSRs I watched at the first IROC race. Early this year I tested a Cayman S with tiptronic at Brumos in Jacksonville and most recently a standard Cayman with a 6-speed in Michigan.
This will be my first "tin top" sports car (not counting the Triumph Stag I owned once that had a removable top). I am looking forward to meeting fellow enthusiasts and learning more about this special car which would replace my S2000.
but I am a sports car romantic. Also, I appologize for members of both this forum and the Caymanclub forum for repeating myself since I recently posted my intro there as well. I have loved sports cars since I saw my first one, a Cadillac Allard, a long time ago. After seeing the Allard American cars would seem forever mundane to me. The foreign-car invasion never really reached my small corner of the world in northwest PeeAh when I was growing up but car magazines did. I feed my hunger by burying myself in Sports Cars Illustrated, Car Life, and Road & Track. Within a year after high school I was off to Europe thanks to my rich uncle - Uncle Sam. There I the opportunity to attend my very first sports car race; a rather long one of 24 hours. I watched transfixed as my heroes, now legends, raced by: drivers like Jimmy Clark, Gurney, MacLaren, Phil Hill, Graham Hill, Moss, Cunningham, VonTrips, etc. Seeing the unique "LeMans Start" will forever be fixed in my memories. In today’s safety conscious world it is hard to imagine anyone in international racing competition wearing short sleeve shirts!
It was during this time I bought my first sports car - a new ‘63 Triumph Spitfire. It served me well and after college I climbed up the sports car ladder to a ‘63 Corvette Sting Ray. Stingray was two words in those days. I sold the car after my new family started to grow but it did not take long for the itch to start again. Tight money and fate would put me in a ‘60 MGA that became my companion for 32 years. With an upgraded MkII engine, bored 40 over with a rally cam, it carried my wife and I to numerous events in many states. However, it was no match for the young driver that pulled directly into my path near Buffalo two years ago after a good friend and I had been crewing at Vintage races at the Glen. The car was totaled but we lived.
Over the years I had owned other MGAs, including a national award winning ‘59 MGA that I currently own but the ‘60 which never won any awards on looks is still the one which won my heart and I still miss it. My current modern ride is a ‘01 Honda S2000. I love its pure sports car feel and the 9000 rpm engine is a song that never grows old. I’ve installed a Elda roll-bar and we’ve had a few grins at tracks like Gingerman and BeaveRun.
I am proud to have served in the sports car revolution of the 1960s and its rebirth forty years later. I sometimes marvel at the energy and passion I have poured into this hobby. Small, snarling, irresistible machines have been a part of my basic fiber ever since Norm stopped by in the Allard over fifty years ago.
I now have my sights set on a Porsche Cayman. I simply love the looks, handling, and cockpit. It excites me like the Abarth Porches I watched race at LeMans or the Porsche RSRs I watched at the first IROC race. Early this year I tested a Cayman S with tiptronic at Brumos in Jacksonville and most recently a standard Cayman with a 6-speed in Michigan.
This will be my first "tin top" sports car (not counting the Triumph Stag I owned once that had a removable top). I am looking forward to meeting fellow enthusiasts and learning more about this special car which would replace my S2000.
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 5,871
Likes: 11
From: The Beave, OR
Now here's a man who deserves a Porsche! 
Great history, thanks for the write-up. There are some great deals out there on new Caymans, so be sure to shop around! When you do get that great new car, be sure to come back and tell us all about it!
Great history, thanks for the write-up. There are some great deals out there on new Caymans, so be sure to shop around! When you do get that great new car, be sure to come back and tell us all about it!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 908
Likes: 10
From: Maryland, USA
Welcome Qman, very interesting history profile that leave few things for imagination I grew up in Europe as well, so I am not having trouble filling in between the lines 
I hope you to get the CS soon and enjoy it both on the road and track and may be we'll get to see one another at one those tracks.
Cheers,
FT
I grew up in Europe as well, so I am not having trouble filling in between the lines I hope you to get the CS soon and enjoy it both on the road and track and may be we'll get to see one another at one those tracks.
Cheers,
FT
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 908
Likes: 10
From: Maryland, USA
rgr that; I meant I spent quite a bit of time in EU, not that you necessarily grew up there
I supposed you do not visit Summit Point or VIR much, but may be Mid-Ohio, Watkins Glen, Beaverun, etc.?
I supposed you do not visit Summit Point or VIR much, but may be Mid-Ohio, Watkins Glen, Beaverun, etc.?
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Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Jackson, MI
I have not been to SP or VIR although I have friends who have and speak highly of both. I plan to take the S2000 to a local MI track, Grattan, in a couple weeks with an Alfa club outing (unless it's sold - the car that is). As for visiting tracks - yes, I've been to those you listed several times plus Road America (best track food in the country). One recent nice memory was I had the thrill of riding shot-gun in an MGA doing parade laps at a high speed just prior to the start of the Sebring 12 hour race in '05. On a historic track in an MG with the stands full - it was fun to just be hanging on the roll bar!
