Rock Chip Armor

Story and Photos by Gil Igleheart

On Saturday April 29th 11 die-hard California Central Coast PCA Porsche owners descended on Rock Chip Armor in Santa Maria. Tony Torres and his wife, Victoria, welcomed us as we all admired his over clean shop! Will speak more on this later.

Everyone arrived around 9AM to some pastries from Costco and donuts from Krispy Kreme! We also had coffee and water.

Tony started off by telling us that the car he was doing was our own club member, Guy Ober. Tony left one of his fenders with the old (10 year old) wrap still on. He showed us how to apply the new film and some mistakes that some shops make in trying to cut down on installation time. The machine that computer cuts the material (Xpel) and how to peel it off the backing.

He applied the front hood material and after he was 90% or more done, discovered a defect in the wrap material…he quickly peeled it off! He said, “I won’t allow anything like this to leave my shop.” Some of us couldn’t even see the problem. Tony is a perfectionist! He used a steam cleaning tool to remove the old wrap from Guy’s car.

Tony also told us of the need to keep the shop spotless, as the wind might pickup outside and foreign matter might get blown inside and on the car…and this is a no-no!

We spent about 3 and a half hours talking and watching his skills…he comes from a background in automotive painting and detailing. At one point in his career even worked for another one of our sponsors, Vintage Auto Body.

Story and Photos by Panorama

For 75 years, Porsche has been a leader in innovation, design, and engineering. Throughout that history, color has played a significant role and continues to have a profound impact on Porsche design. To celebrate 75 years of Porsche Sports Cars, we created a special limited-edition Porsche paint palette. This collection reflects our shared commitment to meticulous quality, an appreciation for color, and exceptional design. Porsche’s iconic car colors, now for your home for the first time in limited-edition premium paint

Porsche Irish Green

Dark Hunter Green

Irish Green, a color as timeless as the sports car itself, has been a part of Porsche’s legacy since the early 1960s. Irish Green also has the distinction of being Wolfgang Porsche’s favorite. First seen on the 356C in 1964, it quickly became a favorite among Porsche enthusiasts and adorned the original 911. Classic and elegant, Irish Green has remained a constant in the Porsche palette, even gracing the millionth 911 produced in 2017, further cementing its place in Porsche’s storied history. Now, this distinguished color is available to bring a touch of timeless elegance to any Porsche model or room.

Porsche Riviera Blue

Bright Electric Blue

Porsche Riviera Blue is an electric and audacious color developed in 1994, seen on the 911, 928, and 968 models. Its vibrant and head-turning appearance adds a modern touch to the classic Porsche design, capturing the essence of dynamic performance. With its boldness and uniqueness, Riviera Blue truly embodies Porsche's commitment to innovation.

Porsche Ruby Star

Deep Magenta Red

Ruby Star holds a significant place in Porsche’s history, dating back to 1991 when it appeared on models like the Porsche 911, 928, and 944. This rare and iconic color has become synonymous with Porsche, known for its distinct, bold, and joyous deep magenta red hue. Originally named Rubystone Red, it was later renamed Ruby Star, adding to its allure. Its vibrant and eye-catching appearance makes it a favorite among Porsche collectors and enthusiasts, further solidifying its iconic status.

Story

Photos by Alfred Abken

Saturday, May 13 was the date of the latest autocross held at Santa Maria Airport. Our intrepid Autocross Chair, Chuck Jennings, was not feeling up to snuff, and was not present. He missed what turned out to be a gorgeous day in Santa Maria.

Although the morning started out foggy, by the time the first run got underway shortly after 9AM, the fog was beginning to clear.

With only 36 drivers taking part, each driver got 6 runs in the morning sessions, and 7 in the afternoon sessions. The track was a straight forward design, heading east along the southern end of the area, and back west along the northern section of the layout.

I feel compelled to mention this. With this event taking place is such close proximity to an active airport, there is a remarkable variety of aircraft taking off and landing close by. In the past, I have seen anything from ultra-lights to military fighter jets taking off. Saturday, however, I did not see this take off or land, but I saw something pass overhead I had never seen before. After I got home, I discovered what I had seen was the Scaled Composites Model 351 Stratolaunch. This is a twin fuselage aircraft with the biggest wingspan of any aircraft created, so far, of 385 feet. It is powered by 6 Boeing 747 Pratt & Whitney PW4056 engines. Its first flight was in April 2019.

There were also a group of folks parachuting and landing just west of the Central Coast Jet Center. I tried watching their plane take off to see when folks jumped out, but after taking off to the N.W., the plane would disappear from view to the west, only to see about half a dozen folks floating to the ground shortly after that.

Back to the autocross. Our own Tom Dobyns ended up with Top Time of Day with a 35.049 second run. Things ran smoothly, and by 2:30, I was on my way back home.

Remarkably, the wind that usually blows was barely present. Nothing like Friday when we set the course up. Who could have asked for a better day?

Well, Chuck could have been present…