Macca

Walt. My experience on the 5 day Targa Tour indicates the 991 GT3 would be a bit frustrating. The 993 was in the (back end of) front group in 2012 and is a much quicker car now than then. The 991 GT3 would be nagging Greg & co in the lead car and I cant see the fun in that personally. On the track its a whole different matter but for the Targa Tour the GT3 would be overkill IMO.

Love the bike. Had a Duke 996 until a couple of years ago. Never got a chance to ride it and never on the track. Dean at CCS rode it for a few years for me. He liked it.

Yes. I do use the air con on Targa but never the track. Thing is it cant keep up the pace with two adrenaline filled folk in a small space. Its a bit old tech. Being upgraded this week to a more modern/efficient solution.

Doug. Great to hear we have another convert! yes 100m is a good rule and will save your paint and window screen. being a passenger must be scary aye! Say hi to Ron. He chose the 991S as the Turbo is starting to get a bit older (its had a hard life) and I think he felt its reliability was starting to wane recently...

Sleep well and get into it again tomorrow.

Macca

I just love the '79 928. Such purity of shape. No door rubbing strips or bulky spoilers. Pretty hard to find one these days. My Projekt 928 book is still one of my all time fav P-car books. Ive never owned a 928 but Ive lusted after them....

John McM

I thought you would enjoy the run between Coromandel and Whangapoua. You have a flat version of that to come on the way to Waihi.

While I fitted both struts to Helga (not easy single handed - that assembly is heavy) I forgot to buy anti seize grease so haven't put her wheels on yet. She's not going anywhere far tomorrow. Keep the pics and doco up.

Macca

John. Struts look good. Calipers need a repaint.

John McM

Yep. Getting the sills redone as well. Then need to do the rear shocks. Decided to tackle that myself as well. All of the bushes etc look good. When it's finished it should ride nicely again as new tyres, struts and control arm bushes don't leave many 21 year old parts in there. Just in time to do some weekend road trips.

Macca

Perfect plan!

Obsessed

Doug, loving the updates and sounds like you're having a blast. Can't wait to hear Paul's side of the story!

996tnz

Me too, the early and the late 928 (with body coloured spoiler like the GTS) do it for me as I'm not a bib fan. One of my all time favourite drives with it was the over the Coro (309 I think or maybe Kopu-Coroglen if that's not the same one). Had to consider not just the curves but also the clearance on the metal. It hit the western end covered in dust and with the speedo broken but was so worth it. Don't miss the CIS fuel injection, though she sure sounded awesome.

I too have a soft spot for them (hard not to with my handle) but for now it's just limited to a model 996 I have at work, with Carl Fogarty aboard. The Hayabusa holds a particular attraction as well, looks notwithstanding.

I am a pretty strange motorcyclist really - less than 100kms on road bikes but all at Hampton Downs, and split across about $200,000 worth of the things.
The first time I got on I asked whether the front and back brake were on the two handlebar levers and they said "you really haven't ridden a road bike before have you".

Best moment was accidentally popping a powerstand on the Street Triple 1050 pictured earlier, coming out of the T9 hairpin. I thought 'hey I'm not good enough to be doing this yet' so rolled gently of the throttle and blipped it as it landed for a smooth touchdown about a quarter to a third of the way down the straight...and backed off the throttle slightly next time. The worst were two at low speed in that same corner - one almost a stoppie at the turn-in point, the other a detour around over the gravel and back.

Lucky with the mix of bikes though - from the first, an SV650s (race prepped), through a GSR750, a Harley Sportster 1200XL, a couple of CanAm Spiders (not strictly bikes but hard case and will do a 1:40 with their PSM intruding all the time), a Bonneville T100, the Speed Triple 1050, a Daytona 675 (so responsive - its twitchy but awesome), a Fat Boy, a V-Rod (Night Rod Special) and maybe one or two others. Still hoping to try a motard some time.

In an effort to keep body and soul connected, I've bought my own gear and keep it to about 180 max before turn 1.

I prefer the sports bikes and street fighters, but here's the Night Rod, which is quite a looker at least - and features a Porsche designed engine:


OK, back to the real Porsches...

O2GO

Macca, talk to Ron and Chris at the end of this Targa before you decide. Seems a shame not to use the GT3. You'll probably have Richard in his too.

kiwi 911

Dougie is doing all the talking for me. He is having a great time.

Me on the other hand - I was almost replaced as co-driver for some hot blond bird who's a professional co-driver, and have had two belts of car queezyness. Going up and down the hill leading into Whitianga was scary - Dougie is getting a handle on hanging the **** of his car out and we were both suffering from motion sickness a bit on than run...........

Otherwise all good.

Walter - liking the photos of your bike above mate.
.

John McM

Make sure Doug gets his morning coffee. It could turn ugly otherwise

Keep the pics and documentary coming.

O2GO

The first stage this morni g was short with a twisty hill climb and decent made for mid-engined fun. Cold clear day. Now a 40k drive to the next stage.

O2GO

"I could own one of these"

John McM

A lot more reasonable to own than this at $380,000 http://www.jzmporsche.com/porsche-fo...8-for-sale-541

Macca

Yes that's a famous Paul saying. But when you have driven as many "other peoples cars" as Paul has I suspect its his typical road reviewers response to a car he quite likes. Actually he missed his calling in life - he should have been a reviewer for EVO magazine. Pay would have been crap but who needs money when your job is driving group test performance cars on European roads all year!