mathfuzzy

Hi all.

Here's an adaptation of an introduction I posted on the 993 Forum last December, shortly after I bought my 993. (sorry in advance to the people active on the 993 forum who are also active on the 991 forum) The whole thing is a little long, so here a summary.

The summary:
I recently bought my 11th Porsche, and 4th 993, a Conda Green Carrera 4 Cab. This follows the purchase of my “other” Porsche, a PCA 60th anniversary GTS Club Coupe. Here's a rundown of the other 911's that I've owned:

911 #1 was a 1970 2.2 liter 911S coupe
911 #2 was a 1997 993 Targa (metallic black & cashmere)
911 #3 was a 1997 993 Targa (white & black)
911 #4 was a 996 4S coupe
911 #5 was a 997.2 Targa 4S
911 #6 was a 1997 993 coupe (Guards Red with ultra low miles)
911 #7 is my 991 GTS Club Coupe
911 #8 is my 993 Carrera 4 Cab in (get this) Conda Green PTS with blue leather sport seats

The 993 is likely to be my new daily, but it’s not like I have a regular commute.

I’ve been a member of PCA for nearly 30 years and have been active in the Zone 7 Concours Series for the last several years.

I'm glad to be here and to be part of the community.

If you're interested in (many) more details, please read on.

The (mostly) full story:
I’m a life-long car guy. I can’t ever remember a time when I wasn’t fascinated by cars, but I vividly remember the moment that I fell in love with cars; it was the first Ferrari Dino I’d ever seen in person – a brand new Silver example – on Balboa Island in 1972. I was 7.

My first car was a completely ragged out 1970 240Z with over 250k miles on it when I bought it.



It had what seemed like no heat insulation between the engine and passenger compartment, pulled to the left under braking, leaked exhaust into the passenger compartment, left me stranded a few times, and I loved it. But what I loved even more was my best friend’s light ivory 1969 911E coupe.

Several not particularly interesting cars came after the 240Z.

Then after several years of saving and scheming and studying and searching, I bought my first 911 in the early ‘90’s; a light ivory 1970 911S coupe.





It was $20k, and all the money in the world to my 20-something self. It wasn’t numbers matching, but had been nut and bolt restored and was beautiful and mine and had the same induction howl under WOT as the 917K in the movie, LeMans. Completely amazing. During the search for “my” 911 I met and made a new friend, who is still a great friend to this day. He had a 1970 911S that he bought new from Vasek Polak in Hermosa Beach – a ‘Conda Green coupe that had traveled less than 5k miles back in the early ‘90’s. He was willing to sell it to me, but wanted $30k, which was fair but an unreachable $10k over my already stretched budget. Through an introduction I made, he sold that beautiful car to a famous Porsche collector (who (I think) still owns it and, I gather, very much appreciates it…see the Mel Brooks / Carl Reiner CCC episode) to buy the Guards Red 993 that he sold to me.

More about this beautiful and much loved 993 later (or just skip to the bottom of this missive where you’ll find my driving impression of the 993 if you’re getting bored with my Porsche life story).

I worked my working-class butt off to then buy my second 911, a year-old 993 Targa in ’98, passing on a restored 356 B Super 90 Roadster that was my original target.





The 993, at the time, cost around $10k more than the 356, and was massively more fun to drive! Just a brief intermission here about value. If you’re keeping score at home, I could have had a very nice, numbers matching, B Roadster for around $50k, but passed. And you’re about to read about me selling the 2.2S – basically for the same amount it took to buy it. Oh, and anyone want to guess what that ‘Conda Green 2.2S is worth today? Over $300k? Oh well, I never intended them to be investments.

In moment that seems idiotic in hindsight but made perfect sense at the time, I realized that after buying the 993 Targa I wasn’t driving the early 911S. Although I still loved it, I felt guilty about taking up half the limited garage space we had and sold it. Hindsight is a bitch. That car was a complete revelation – very minimal and nervous in handling, but very exciting to drive. It wasn’t all that powerful, but it was adequate. The steering was absolutely fantastic, although it took almost no steering input to change direction and that took some getting used to. The mechanical fuel injection was kind of cantankerous, it hated to dawdle around town, it seriously needed to be warmed up before I could give it the beans, there was almost no power below 4,500 RPM, and the dogleg first gear in the early five speed 901 gearbox was seriously funky. But OMFG, once you got on the cam above 4,500 RPM, it was like unleashing the hounds of hell. The induction sound was amazing and I can only describe as like coming on boost in a turbo car. I lust after each and every early 911 I see, but, if I’m honest, probably wouldn’t want one in even a four car garage if given unlimited funds. And if you’re the current owner of 9110300036, you’re one fortunate individual.

Meanwhile, I put 80K daily driver miles on my first 993 Targa and loved them all – through replacing rear tires every 8k miles, dealing with the check-engine light for the then not widely understood SAI problem, smiling in the face of the leaking and squeaking and whistling Targa top, and cleaning the massively PITA Targa wheels with a toothbrush every Saturday morning. Then came kids and mounting repair bills, so the Targa had to go. In its place, I tried really hard to like a then new G35 coupe that was perfectly reliable and looked great on paper, but had no soul and sucked my car-loving soul with it.

So I stopped trying to like that soul-less Infinity and found and bought my third 911, a white ’97 993 Targa, and was happy and in love again, and realized that it was stupid to try to deny my love (need?) for the Porsche 911.





Backtracking a little bit, I really enjoyed both 993 Targas. Besides not using the 2.2 S much, I'm sure that the contrast of performance and civility and dramatically improved suspension geometry of the 993 conspired to make me sell the 911S. The 993 was just so superior in every way, I couldn’t imagine the early S being anything more than a very much loved but archaic use of limited space and funds.

And then a financially ruinous house remodel and the global financial crisis conspired to take my second Targa, and I was very sad. I then unsuccessfully tried to fill the void by getting an Audi S4 as a daily driver, which was a good and fun car, but not a 911. So time to reverse course and try a 911 as a daily driver. After a bit of pleasant research, I realized that 996 prices had plummeted (2008) and found and bought my fourth 911, a Polar Silver 996 C4S coupe and was happy again.





I liked the 996 and seriously appreciated having it in my life, but never loved it. At the time I lived in NY and used it as my daily driver / train car / winter car…basically everything car. The interior really deserves its reputation as not particularly good with liberal use of plastic. Being tall and with no steering wheel tilt, I never could find a driving position in which I could see the tops of the gauges; thankfully there’s a digital display for speed. FWIW, even though I didn’t love it, I think these cars are a great deal; particularly the 4S or even better, the Turbo with the Metzger engine and no IMS / RMS issues.

I found the 996 a good, not great car to drive. Most of the time I owned it I was living in Westchester County, New York, and had several fun drives in and around Westchester. I generally drive at no more than 7 to 8/10ths in the twisties and the 996 was a good companion. Perfectly acceptable road manners, reasonable power, non-intrusive electronic nannies, but overall heavy and not particularly invigorating. That having been said, I really enjoyed multiple drives to Lime Rock Park and romps on the Merritt Parkway, as well as a fantastic solo drive to the Skyland Resort on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. I have fond memories of the 996, but don’t regret selling it. Even when I bought it, what I REALLY wanted and couldn’t afford was a 997 Targa.

After some life changes and a move back home to California, I figured I could afford (not really, but what the hell) a 997 generation Targa and started a pre-owned search that took longer than expected (Targas made up only around 10% of 997 production), but in retrospect not THAT long. Three months in to a Nation-wide search I found and bought a year-old, CPO, black on black Targa 4S from a local dealer, Rector in Burlingame.




Pretty much instantly this car became my favorite car ever. It served daily driver duties for 3 years and was fantastic in that role. All mod cons, quick, beautiful, great manners, much room inside, convenience of that operable glass hatch, PASM, etc. To my eye, this is one of the greatest generation of the 911. Okay, sure, it’s even heavier than the 996, and I was relieved to find a 997.2 with DFI, as opposed to the first generation with its lingering engine issues, but the 4S on the longer wheelbase (relative to the 993) has pretty much perfect proportions.

This car was a great traveling companion for 4 years. I have fantastic road trip memories in the 997 Targa with my wife, mostly up and down California, as well as at least monthly romps throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains and a great many early breakfasts at Alice’s on Skyline. AND my first ever Porsche Parade Concours in Monterey over the summer; what a great experience that was! It was surprising to me how much more quiet the 997.2 was relative to the 996 – basically no intake sound and very little exhaust sound with the stock side cans and center muffler. And that won’t do. So I installed AWE side cans and crossover pipes to get rid of the center muffler, and it sounded great. Maybe a little loud, but great. In my opinion, with 19” wheels and PASM set to sport suspension, the ride is way too harsh for anything but perfect roads. On the track at Laguna Seca, however, PASM sport mode is just fantastic.

Yep, I loved the 997 Targa and thought I’d keep it for a very long time. So what happened? Well, early in 2014 I ordered my BMW 435 to replace my VW GTI as the daily driver. What’s that have to do with anything, you may well ask, and that would be a good question. Just before I took delivery of the BMW, my friend with the a 993 asked if I wanted to buy his car. At first I demurred; I was still head-over-heels in love with the 997 and I had a new BMW on the way. I couldn’t figure out how to make it all work, and it seemed stupid to trade a 997 for a 993, however great the 993 might be. And, although I work really hard and am in the 1%, a new (really nice) BMW and two 911’s seemed gluttonous and impractical, particularly given space limitations. My wife, recognizing the importance of the 993, basically put her foot down and told me I had to buy this car or I’d regret it for the rest of my life, God bless her.

So why not just sell the BMW and put the Targa back in to daily driver duties? I thought about that, but I didn’t want to take the drive-off depreciation, not to mention write off all of the sales tax I had just paid. Plus, it turns out that the 435 is a really nice car for commuting, and road trips. The kids preferred the back of the 435 to the GTI. And it’s damned nice looking!





Sparing you more details, I committed to buying the 993 and my friend committed to being patient while I figured out how to do it. Eventually I realized that the right path was to sell an ultimately replaceable and depreciating 997 for a literally irreplaceable and appreciating 993, which is what happened. The good news is that the 997 Targa went to a very deserving and appreciative owner, fulfilling a life-long wish of his. I’m very grateful to know that my much loved Targa has gone on to be the much loved fulfillment of another man’s dream. It’s both comforting and rewarding, and I’m sure there’s a life-lesson in there somewhere. Thankfully I had time to get used to the idea of letting my then favorite car ever in the whole wide world go.

So, what about the 1997 Guards Red narrow body 993 coupe?






I picked it up in November of 2014 with just over 4k miles on the odometer and had several irreplaceable hours with its original owner, who has become a very dear and close friend over the years. I bought a second set of 17” cup wheels earlier in the week and had a set of S-04’s mounted on them so that I could save the original tires and wheels for posterity; seemed like a relatively inexpensive move to preserve the originals and the tires seriously had to go since I'm going to drive this beautiful car (at least a little). In a great example of synchronicity, I drove it to my life-long best friend’s house in Santa Barbara late in the afternoon (he the instigator of this 911 love, the owner of the 911E) to spend the weekend before driving back to the Bay Area.

What a memorable drive that was; up PCH through Santa Monica and Malibu on a perfect day, getting acquainted with a car that had only ever been driven by my friend until last November.

So, what was it like? Much, much, much better than I expected, interestingly. First of all, rather than feeling as though I’d taken a giant step back, I found that the 993 coupe reminded me of driving my 1970 S. Please understand that I sold my 2.2 S in 1999, so I only have hazy physical memories of what it was like to drive that car. But the steering feel, general quality of being alive and agile, internal dimensions, seating position, view of the gauges, upright windshield…all of it…perfectly reminded me of my early S. That was one hell of a surprise. It didn’t remind me of either 993 Targa, which is what I’d expected. I guess it’s all of that weight up top on the 993 Targas, but my new coupe felt remarkably more alive and agile.

The second big surprise, relative to the 997, was that the 993 didn’t feel underpowered. Quite the opposite, actually. I found the power perfectly adequate and the torque to be really useful to pass slower cars on PCH in the twisties north of Malibu. The best way I can put it is that the power / drivetrain seemed exactly matched to the chassis, and that was a very pleasant surprise.

The third big surprise is that I didn’t touch the stereo. The car came equipped with the hi-fi package and the Becker tape deck head unit. I don’t believe that my buddy, the original owner, ever turned on the stereo. And after an hour or so of driving without it on, I figured I wouldn’t mess with that streak (to paraphrase the line from Bull Durham) and I left it off, enjoying the sound of the air cooled engine. I also left it off for the 5 hour drive home. And I didn’t miss it. Quite the opposite, actually.

The fourth and final very happy surprise is that the 993 didn’t miss a beat during the 500 miles I just put on her. Literally everything works and works well (can’t vouch for the stereo, and that’s just how it’s going to be). My friend did a fantastic job of enjoying, loving and preserving her for me to enjoy and love and preserve for years to come.

This is where I figured "my" Porsche story would at least pause for several years. After putting almost 1k miles on the 993 since November, I realize that I really enjoy the car but it doesn't scratch the same performance itch as the 997. In an attempt to fill that gap, I picked up a liter bike - a BMW S1000RR. It's shockingly fast, capable and fun. But not a modern 911. Very fun, but very different.





So then I get the email from PCA about being selected to purchase a Club Coupe. And yeah, I went for it. I realize that the color isn't to everybody's taste, but it certainly suits mine. Plus the chance to own the last and most powerful of the naturally aspirated 911 line WITH a manual transmission is a fantastic, albeit expensive, proposition. AND, on top of all of that, it is my first brand new 911, ordered to my specification. Which, after all these years, is awfully exciting! I can report that it is absolutely, positively a fantastic car. Relative to the 997.2, it's familiar, but more powerful and more capable. And it turns out that I really like the interior refresh (wasn't expecting that).

Our car, my wife and Christian Heck (the manager of the GTS Club Coupe project from Porsche Exclusive):


The five "special delivery" cars at Solitude:


Getting ready for the start of the International Porsche Days driving tour in Zell am See, Austria:


As I was revising my signature, to reflect the latest acquisition, I realized that it’s been some time since I posted and several vehicle changes have taken place. Here’s the executive summary:

- Sold the 993
- Bought an MV Augusta F4 1000
- Sold the BMW 435
- Bought the Cayman GT4
- Sold the MV
- Bought an Aprilia RSV4
- Sold the GT4
- Bought a Macan GTS
- Bought a 718 Boxster
- Bought a 993 Carrera 4 Cabriolet

The 993 was great and sentimentally very important to me, but I really struggled with destroying value by driving it, plus the Club Coupe really put the 993 in context. It’s a lovely car and deserving of its rise in value over the last several years as it was recognized as the last of the hand-built, pinnacle of the air/oil cooled 911’s. But I was never going to pick the keys to that car over the keys to the Club Coupe for a drive in the twisties. Just wasn’t going to happen. Given unlimited time, space and resources, I’d love to have kept it, but I don’t have unlimited any of those things.

The MV was kind of an impulse purchase. It’s achingly beautiful and (yes, my wife is saintly) is now part of the living room as functional art. If you like bikes, it’s a really nice ride. Great power and handling and a very different thing than the BMW RR, but similar in some ways. At 6’3”, I don’t fit on it nearly as well as on the BMW, but it’s worth the ergonomic pain and suffering in the riding experience.

The GT4 I had was fantastic, but dangerous. I sold it, got a Macan GTS for a DD and a 718 base Boxster for my wife. Long story, but since she annexed the Macan as hers, I’ve just added the 993 Cab as mine.



The RSV4

And the newest addition - Conda Green 993 Carrera 4 Cab


Thanks for reading. I hope it was entertaining.

All the best.

Targa Tim

Welcome JD.
Busy now, will read your entire story tonight.
I started my Porsche journey in 1996 when I bought my first Porsche, a 993 Targa (hence my handle now).
After that, I become heavy infected by the Porsche virus, and I keep spreading the germs to my friends and families. Good thing they do not hate me though.
Enjoy the unique club coupe. Hope I can join you...

Bigalfromfl

Thanks for posting...a good read indeed! Welcome!

eg991

Great post, awesome story, beautiful cars and pics! Congrats on becoming the lucky owner of a GTS Club Coupe!

Slantnose!

Hey there...congratulations!

quattro986

Congrats on the club coupe! great story & pics. Beat up but fun and appreciated 240z was one of my 1st car loves as a newly minted 16 yo driver. Always been keeping an eye out for a 1970(my birth year)911 & kicking myself for not buying a nice one offered up by a friendly neighbor in 90's. Thanks for sharing.

shaytun

More people should do posts like this. So fun to read how people get to where they are car-wise.

mathfuzzy

Thanks for the positive comments all - glad you enjoyed the story.

Quattro - in a sense, it's too bad that the value of the early 911s has risen so dramatically over the last few years. I think they were underappreciated for way too long, but now they've become kind of too precious. The 2.2 S or E is such a beautiful / pure car. And leaps and bounds more sophisticated than almost any other car from the same era. Like the 240Z! If you have the chance, I highly recommend driving one. They have zero torque, so you've really got to be in the right gear, but that's all part of the experience!

STG

Welcome!! Great story as well ...

Hurricane

Very cool!!! Thank you for sharing your story!

66mustang

Very cool, congrats on being selected

mathfuzzy

Thanks! I spent a couple of weeks being a little numb and overwhelmed. Now that I've have over a month to get used to the idea of buying a new $150k Porsche, I'm primarily excited and humbled about being selected and having this Club Coupe.

Madmac

That's a great story and post. Reassuring to know that I am not the only one out there who has been beaten hard by the Porsche bug. Your 993 looks stunning, love the rear grill which was a deciding factor in me not opting for a ducktail on my GTS.

Team Plutonium

Great story! Thanks for sharing!

dr.alexs

Awesome story. I am on my first 911 and hope to have many, many more with a great story like you one day. Enjoy in good health and happiness!

READ ON UF YOU WANT TO HEAR MY EXPERIENCE

I was always a car guy too, mostly my dads fault as he would bring me to car shows, etc. I fell in love with a neighbors 911 when I was 7.
I started out with a Honda Accord - nice car - good first car. I moved from there to a '91 BMW 3 series - loved that car! I had to get rid of it and got an Audi 90S - terrible car...torque steer. Soul-less compared to the 3 series. I moved back to a '99 323i, which I loved as well - and drive to 100,000 miles. I thought I'd be a lifetime BMW guy (even though I thought that 911 was the coolest car I'd ever seen)...then I got a brand new F10 ('11) 5 series. My wife told me it was a beautiful car (which it is) and great for our expanding family (which it was). For some reason I never liked it. It was exciting to build and watch it get shipped from Germany...but my first ride in that car I knew this was not the car of my dreams. I dealt with that for 3 years and then couldn't take it anymore. I was sitting with my dad (his fault again) and brother talking about cars and there was a car magazine out on the coffee table. We started to talk about the 911 - and it brought back my boyish love of that car I saw parked in the driveway when I was 7. The search was on, and I found a georgeous '13 991 C4S. I fell in love and bought it (much to my wife's dismay). Every day since then I have had a smile from ear to ear when I get in that car. It is, without a doubt, the best car I have ever owned and driven. I don't think there is any going back now...

Sorry to hijack the thread a little - but your story compelled me to share my story!