Oktoberfest, Porsche Factory Tour & Museum - You Wanted Photos.... You Got 'em
10-03-2011, 09:25 AM
#31
So, for my story: My friend who I go see in Stuttgart every year used to work for Porsche in the 90s. His father had also worked with Porsche for many years. We finally went to the museum this year and I figured his audio tour would be better than, or as good as, the one they offered. A couple of the cars Chuck posted had a story with them.
My friend has a wrecked 550 that he plans to rebuild one day. He was over looking at the 550 that Chuck posted, so I asked him if he was getting ideas for his car. He said, no I actually know this car quite well. Apparently it is still, or at least was until recently, raced in vintage event. He pointed out several things on the car that they had upgraded back when he worked there and told me several stories about it. Apparently it is also almost painfully loud when running inside a shop
Also, the 959. His Dad had an aftermarket Porsche VW tuning company in STR (which Bernd now runs) that had always worked closely with Porsche. He used to do a lot of electronics installs into the cars. When the 959 came out, it has some type of polymer roof structure and the way it was, it interfered with cell phone reception at the time. His father was apprenetly on the team that came up with the idea to put some sort of metal mesh inside the roof, which I think was used as an antenna of sorts.
He had several other srories about some of the cars there, like the Boxster and Panamerica prototypes, the 356 police car, etc. I had a great time there!
My friend has a wrecked 550 that he plans to rebuild one day. He was over looking at the 550 that Chuck posted, so I asked him if he was getting ideas for his car. He said, no I actually know this car quite well. Apparently it is still, or at least was until recently, raced in vintage event. He pointed out several things on the car that they had upgraded back when he worked there and told me several stories about it. Apparently it is also almost painfully loud when running inside a shop
Also, the 959. His Dad had an aftermarket Porsche VW tuning company in STR (which Bernd now runs) that had always worked closely with Porsche. He used to do a lot of electronics installs into the cars. When the 959 came out, it has some type of polymer roof structure and the way it was, it interfered with cell phone reception at the time. His father was apprenetly on the team that came up with the idea to put some sort of metal mesh inside the roof, which I think was used as an antenna of sorts.
He had several other srories about some of the cars there, like the Boxster and Panamerica prototypes, the 356 police car, etc. I had a great time there!
10-03-2011, 12:43 PM
#33
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Thanks for the kind comments. It was truly a great trip. Three weeks flew by. I could not believe some of the places I went and the things I saw. In addition to small trips around the USA we are already planning a trip to Africa for next year.
Yeah, my son is something special. He is 32 and a pleasure in my life. The three daughters aren’t bad either! Two of them and given me grandkids!
Haaaaaaaaaaaa……. Nice to see you picked up on that. Did you know that the coffee house sell pot but the bars don’t. Now, you can buy the pot in the coffee house and take it to the bar to smoke it. The red light district was wild.
I think I smiled the whole trip. Those beers in Munich just made it easier!
Yeah, starting when I was 21 years old helped. Thirty six years in one carrer was enough. I have to agree, I am blessed to retire at 57 years old.
Sorry, that is all I have. You’ll have to go take some of your own.
Thanks. That was one pretty car. The 550 and blue Speedster had me.
Haaaaa…… there is a reason I have been married for nearly 35 years. I know when the right time to look and take photos of pretty girls is. And there were some cute ones there. Those outfits … well you know.
Great story. I like things like that that have personal history.
Hey buddy, welcome back! Looks like a good time was had by all, eh. That's the good news. The bad news is now that you have the 'bug' you'll be figuring out all kinds of creative ways to go to all the places you see on 'Rick Steve's' Travel shows ... it's VERY addictive :-)
This is my favorite shot of yours from the Museum. I fell in love with this little Terra Cotta Gmund beauty the last time I was there .... When Porsche introduced the Speedster at the Paris motorshow in 1954, they showed a Terra Cotta Speedster with dark blue interior .. I know it sounds odd, but it's really stunning.
This is my favorite shot of yours from the Museum. I fell in love with this little Terra Cotta Gmund beauty the last time I was there .... When Porsche introduced the Speedster at the Paris motorshow in 1954, they showed a Terra Cotta Speedster with dark blue interior .. I know it sounds odd, but it's really stunning.
Great story. I like things like that that have personal history.
10-03-2011, 10:42 PM
#34
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Chuck-- As always: you deliver the goods! Danke.
Two things I learned: I need to...
1. retire NOW.
2. get adopted by your son
Recently, I saw the below shot of the same 964 Speedster on the webz.
If you took a close-up photo of the museum's info plate, I'm exactly certain a Facebooker could use it:
I can say for certain exactly what it is. It's a rebodied '95 wide-body 993 Speedster built for Jerry Sinefeld, 1 of 1.
Started life as either a Targa or a Cabriolet, was sent back to the factory in '98 to be rebodied as a Speedster. Apparently when he sold it it returned to factory ownership.
Two things I learned: I need to...
1. retire NOW.
2. get adopted by your son
Recently, I saw the below shot of the same 964 Speedster on the webz.
If you took a close-up photo of the museum's info plate, I'm exactly certain a Facebooker could use it:
Originally Posted by TWM Performance
Originally Posted by Doug Mare
I can say for certain exactly what it is. It's a rebodied '95 wide-body 993 Speedster built for Jerry Sinefeld, 1 of 1.
Started life as either a Targa or a Cabriolet, was sent back to the factory in '98 to be rebodied as a Speedster. Apparently when he sold it it returned to factory ownership.
10-04-2011, 04:37 AM
#35
Drifting
Chuck,
Darn, I missed you by 2 days. I hit the museum on Saturday the 24th with my German cousins. I missed Octoberfest, but made it to several nights of the local Winedorf fest instead!
So, more museum pics coming sometime when I get a chance to sort through them....(I know, tease...) I think I took 350 pictures! I've got plenty of the 917 engine display with 1/2 of engine fully disassembled to show all the innards (one of my fav things in the museum).
Keith
Darn, I missed you by 2 days. I hit the museum on Saturday the 24th with my German cousins. I missed Octoberfest, but made it to several nights of the local Winedorf fest instead!
So, more museum pics coming sometime when I get a chance to sort through them....(I know, tease...) I think I took 350 pictures! I've got plenty of the 917 engine display with 1/2 of engine fully disassembled to show all the innards (one of my fav things in the museum).
Keith
10-04-2011, 01:57 PM
#37
Drifting
Great shots and perfect way to celebrate retiring. Did the factory tour a few years back but could only go through the old museum which was tiny with just a few cars. Ah, next time.
