Lone Star Magazine - Issue No 4

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THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF LONE STAR REGION : PORSCHE CLUB OF AMERICA

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E ]

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E ]

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CONTENTS

PHOTO: OPULENT PHOTOGRAPHY

FAMILY BONDS

02 : FROM THE PRESIDENT

14 : DAILY DRIVE OR NOT

Onwards and Upwards!

The Experience of a Cayman S Owner

03 : CHANGES AT THE TOP

16 : IN REMEMBRANCE

2019 LSRPCA Board and Sponsors

Carter Franklin II

04 : RACING TOWARD SERENITY

18 : MEMOIRS

Zen and The Art of HPDE

Of A Sportomatic Conversion

06 : A BLAST FROM THE PAST

22 : WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE?

At The Goodwood Revival

Air Cooled 911

10 : A SYMBOL OF FAMILY

23 : LSRPCA CALENDAR

The Bond Over a 1978 Porsche 911 Turbo

Upcoming Events & Tours

12 : 2019 LSR Autocross Championship

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[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E ]

FAREWELL FROM THE PRESIDENT OF 2019 Please join me in welcoming our newest Club President, Doug Carroll!

Doug has been an active Member in the Lone Star Region for many years and is our outgoing Treasurer. He is well-poised to hold the reins of our fantastic organization and enthusiastic Board of Directors and lead us the next few years.

It has been a truly humbling experience for me to have your support these past three years, and I am honored to have served all of you and the Board.

These few years have brought us membership growth, a new logo, 2 web site generations, more structured finances, and the long-awaited relaunch of the “Lone Star” magazine. As you can imagine, these successes are a result of a strong team at the helm of our organization. These 20 Members commit tremendous amounts of time and effort to make our programs and organization world class. What’s even more amazing is they are still working to make them better yet!

Ahh, but fear not….I am not fading off into the sunset! I am fortunate to have an encore role on the Board as “Past President.” Like Mike Globe before me, and many before him, I still have the privilege to serve and assure a level of continuity. Further, I will continue to be very engaged in many club activities, and I look forward to seeing and chatting with all of you.

See you at the next Lone Star Region event!

LONE STAR:

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF LSRPCA MEMBERS lsrpca.com Facebook.com/groups/lsrpca Instagram @lsr.pca Publisher/Editor VIK DAY editor@lsrpca.com Art Director/Designer REBECCA CASHWELL Production Coordinator TARA DOTSON Copy Editor KEELEY RUBAL Sponsorships / Advertising VIK DAY HECTOR MARTINEZ editor@lsrpca.com Front Cover Photography BOB CRAIG

Steven Bukoski, LSRPCA Past President

INTRODUCING THE NEW PRESIDENT OF 2020 First, I would like to thank Steven Bukoski for three very successful years of leadership to LSRPCA. We’ve made some great strides under Steven’s leadership, the most important of which may be the relaunch of this magazine and our re-engagement with sponsors in the Porsche community in the Houston area.

As we begin the decade of the 2020’s we are planning to continue our great programs and add some new events we have never held before. Everything we do takes a tremendous amount of planning and effort to execute. It’s a testament to our club that our volunteers pull off like professionals again and again. They say many hands make for light work, so if you are interested in getting involved please let us know how you would like to help. While we do have limitations on what we can do, the most important ingredients are the passionate Porsche lovers that are willing to put in the time and effort to make it happen. I look forward to meeting you at our next event.

Cheers to a great 2020!

Doug Carroll, LSRPCA President

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Contributing Photographers ALEX PARAMETER BOB CRAIG CARL FEHRES COLIN WONG DOUG CARROLL KISHAN DWARAKANATH OPULENT PHOTOGRAPHY SAMEER RAO Contributing Writers ALEX PARAMETER CARTER FRANKLIN II CHRIS D’AGNOLO DOUG CARROLL JIM HEDDRICK KISHAN DWARAKANATH We want your submissions!

Send articles, event coverage and photos: editor@lsrpca.com

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E ]

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PHOTO: BIG C PHOTOS

URBAN CITY LIFE

DIRECTORY

DOUG CARROLL PRESIDENT

THOMAS ROY CONCOURS d’ELEGANCE

EDWIN GOLDMAN TOURING

president@lsrpca.com

concours@lsrpca.com

touring@lsrpca.com

ALASTAIR DONALD VICE PRESIDENT

TRA TOWNSEND DRIVERS EDUCATION [DE]

STEVEN BUKOSKI PAST PRESIDENT

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de@lsrpca.com

KATHY KENDALL SECRETARY

PHILIPPE OBERTI DE-CHIEF INSTRUCTOR

secretary@lsrpca.com

cdi@lsrpca.com

ROB VAN LANDINGHAM TREASURER

REYNALDO PAGAN DE-REGISTRAR

pastpres@lsrpca.com

2020 LONE STAR MAGAZINE SPONSORS

treasurer@lsrpca.com

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XPEL

IFC

HECTOR MARTINEZ MEMBER AT LARGE

STAN TRIPP GET TOGETHERS

EINAR’S GARAGE

P. 05

memberatlarge@lsrpca.com

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JIM HEDDERICK AUTOCROSS

LYNN FRIEDMAN HISTORIAN

HECTOR MARTINEZ PCA CLUB RACING

STAN TRIPP MEMBERSHIP

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VICTORY MOTORCARS

P. 17

TRACE ENGLAND COMMUNICATIONS

PAM FITZGERALD SOCIAL EVENTS

PERFORMANCE STOP

P. 20

DE BOULLE JEWELRY

IBC

EUROCAR WERK

OBC

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MOMENTUM PORSCHE

P. 13

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VIK DAY EDITOR

NICOLE GOLDMAN STORE

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RIVER OAKS ROYAL CIGARS P. 07

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GULF COAST AUTO SHIELD P. 17

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : H P D E ]

A High Performance Driving Event (HPDE) must leave me surrounded by something akin to a visible aura. Or it could be that I’m cutting people off as I apex every corner in the hallways. Either way, after a weekend at the track, people who know what I do as a hobby inevitably ask two questions: “Did you go racing this weekend?” And, “How fast did you go?” Most are being politely inquisitive in the way one is to friends who look happy. But, every once in a while, someone finds me who genuinely wants to talk.

Typically, that conversation starts, “I heard that you race Porsches…”. To be clear, I know that I don’t “race” Porsches. But, to someone who has never been taught to drive a car on track, how could they possibly know the difference, or why I’m in such a good mood?

We exist in a new “golden age” of automotive engineering; Horsepower and handling are so easily accessible. My introduction to true high-performance driving was through a complimentary session of the AMG Academy after my purchase of an AMG C63S. I spent a beautiful April day in 2016 at Circuit of the Americas doing instructed laps and practicing car control on a wet skidpad. A funny thing then happened to me. In

Mindfulness is a buzzword which has gotten tossed around a lot...I’ve used HPDE as one way to achieve those moments of serenity.

HP DE

the weeks that followed, rather than being satisfied hooning the tailhappy Benz around town, all I could think about was getting back onto a racetrack chasing after the elusive perfect apex, or perfect lap. I had been introduced to something I didn’t even know I needed.

Once I joined the Lone Star chapter of the Porsche Club of America, I was off and running with my HPDE hobby. The in-car instruction I received in the beginner and novice levels was all designed to teach car control, predictability, and safety. For a person like me who enjoys the acquisition of new skills, starting high performance driving offered an avenue for learning. I developed camaraderie with a cadre of students with whom I started and with whom I generally advanced in lock-step. I tend to see many of the same people at these events and some of the friendliness in the paddock and classroom translates into on-track playfulness, and real-world relationships. I look forward to seeing these people and spending the weekend with them. Mindfulness is a buzzword which has gotten tossed around a lot. When stripped of its neo-spiritualism, it is nothing more than a meditative process in which one brings their full attention to events

happening in the current moment, without judgement, and to the exclusion of all else.

Some choose yoga, or exercise, or prayer, or any other number of practices in order to achieve it. Once I made solo, I’ve used HPDE as one way to achieve those moments of serenity. Serene might seem a weird way to describe how I feel when hurtling down a straight with a Mezger engine screaming towards its 8500 RPM redline, but don’t dismiss it until you try it. You’ll know if you know… you know?

For the Houston-based, we are blessed to have a very active local chapter with a wealth of experience and enthusiasm. We are lucky to have a racetrack in nearby Angleton which is fast when driven well, technical enough to teach all the basic skills, and almost always fun (I’ve never enjoyed tracking there in the rain). I can’t tell you if you will stick with the hobby as I have. You may or may not for reasons that will be your own. But, I do hope that my story will encourage you to join us at the racetrack and find out for yourself. Your Porsche is ready, I promise you. And, you never know, you might find yourself walking into your workplace apexing corners in the hallway and smiling when your friends ask: “Did you go racing this weekend?”J W R I T E R & P H O T O S : K I S H A N D W A R A K A N A T H

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[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : T H E G O O D W 0 O D R E V I VA L ]

THE GOODWOOD

REVIVAL WRITER & PHOTOS: ALEX PARMENTER

Once a year, in mid-September a strange phenomena

I’ve been attending as often as I can for over fifteen years

occurs around the small town of Chichester on the south

with my father, another fellow car and motorcycle fanatic. This

coast of England.

year we signed up for the whole weekend and were blessed

Time rolls back to settle somewhere

between 1950 and 1960 for a whole weekend: welcome to The Goodwood Revival!

with perfect weather (fairly rare for the UK) and three days of

Started in 1998, the Duke of

incredible cars, motorcycles, aircraft and people! Everything

Richmond has created an unmissable, bucket list weekend for

from Bugatti 35Bs, Ferrari GTOs, Alfas, Talbot, Blower Bentleys,

all classic motorsport lovers. Based at the original Goodwood

Porsches to original Astons and Ford GT40s and not forgetting

race track that’s now been beautifully refurbished to look

an incredible line up of classic racing motorcycles such as an MV

exactly as it was in its 1960s heyday, the weekend is a blend

Agusta 500/3 and Manx Nortons. All of these iconic machines

of car and motorcycle racing from the 1930s to 1960s along

are available for close inspection in the paddocks and then one

with stunning classic aviation displays. What really sets the

can sit back in the grandstand to see them being raced flat out!

Revival off from other shows however, is the dedication to recreating the look and feel of the 1960s: many of these

If this is not enough, look to the skies to enjoy flying displays

classics are raced and everyone who attends dresses up in

of classic aircraft. This year included Spitfires, P51D Mustangs

1940-1960s clothes.

and a tribute to D-Day!

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/ LO N E S TA R M A G A Z I N E /

photos: terry blackburn

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[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : T H E G O O D W 0 O D R E V I VA L ]

For the Porsche aficionados amongst us, there is plenty to keep us smiling at the Revival, with some incredible rare early Porsche race cars to be seen in the paddock and racing at full tilt! Some of the stand out cars this year included a pair of Porsche 718 RSKs (RennSport). These are mid-engine cars running the legendary 1.5 liter 140 bhp ‘Quad Cam’ motors. Designed by Ernst Fuhrmann that feature hemispherical combustion chambers along with complex bevel driven overhead cams and twin 46 IDA Weber carbs. Early quad cams produced 112 bhp from the 1.5 liter, later configurations would eventually achieve close to 180 bhp and sound incredible at full throttle. These engines were very complex to build and service but hugely successful in completion.

Unfortunately, this complexity led to many quad cam road cars, including 356s, having their 4-cam engines swapped to the basic push rod motors by owners looking for a cheaper, simpler option.

Also racing were a couple of stunning Porsche 904 Carrera GTS from the 1960s. Porsche designed the GTSs variant to compete in GT class racing with a street legal version being released in 1964 to comply with homologation regulations. Porsche sold around one hundred 904s with a sticker price of about $7000! With an impressive power to weight ratio, the 904 was the first Porsche to use a steel ladder chassis bonded to a fiberglass body for extra rigidity. It achieved an impressive drag coefficient of 0.34.

Again, powered by the Fuhrmann Quad-cam engine, these cars were hugely successful in competition, racking up wins at the Targa Florio, Spa, the Nürburgring and Le Mans to name a few.

Racing in the Whitsun Trophy, against Ford GT40s, Lolas and McLarens were a pair of Porsche 910s.

The Porsche

factory race team only raced the 910 for about a year. At the 1000 km Nürburgring in 1967, Porsche entered a fleet of factory cars. Several of the 8 cylinder cars retired, with one finishing fourth. The three 6 cylinder cars finished with an emphatic 1, 2 and 3rd places. This was Porsche’s third major win in the World Sportscar Championship, after the 1956 Targa Florio and the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1960.

Racing in the Fordwater Trophy against TVRs, Ferrari 275s, Lotus Elans and Elites series was a collection of beautifully prepared early Porsche 911s from 1965 and 1966.

It’s difficult to sum up such an incredible three days in a few words, but I hope I’ve piqued your interest. If it’s not already on your bucket list, then go ahead and add it now. The Goodwood Revival is classic motorsport heaven. See you there in 2020, dressed appropriately of course! J

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[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : T H E G O O D W 0 O D R E V I VA L ]

If it’s not already on your bucket list, then go ahead and add it now.

The Goodwood Revival is classic motorsport heaven.

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[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : A V E H I C L E T H AT B R O U G H T U S TO G E T H E R ]

A VEHICLE THAT BROUGHT US TOGETHER WRITER : COLIN WONG

PHOTOS: OPULENT PHOTOGRAPHY

It all started when my father came home unannounced with a

there are competing accounts as to whether I was an accident or

car one Saturday evening. To my mother’s surprise, he’d just made

not. Whatever the truth, my parents, who, at the time, were in their

a seemingly impulsive purchase of a lifetime—a chocolate brown

mid-30s and already a decade into their marriage, had no intention

1977 Porsche 911 Turbo.

of changing their lifestyle, so there was reportedly no debate about

In my father’s defense, he’d done his fair share of drooling and

replacing the Porsche for something more practical like a station

daydreaming over one day owning his own German gem (as any

wagon. They simply crammed a car seat in the back of the 930 and

reasonable person would). Luckily for both of them, my mother was

carried on.

not familiar enough with the car to know that the newly purchased

As a child growing up in a household where sportscars were

model was affectionately called, among enthusiasts, the “Widow-

worshipped, it was only natural that I became a fan of Porsches.

maker.”

My mother recalls that not only would her and my father take me

My parents are baby-boomers who know and practice frugality,

on a car ride as an antidote to my fussiness, but I even liked the

but also hold the philosophy that, sometimes, you just have to live

sound of the engine as an infant. As a toddler, I played with all my

a little. A few years into their marriage, they were DINKs (dual-

stuffed animals, but among them, a red stuffed 911 Targa had a

income-no-kids) enjoying life and driving around in the fastest

special place in my heart.

German production car at the time.

Being raised in this household, I anxiously waited until the day I

In 1979, when Tropical Storm Claudette devastated their South

would learn to drive. I wanted so badly to harness the power of the

Houston neighborhood and totaled the dream car, my father was

German masterpieces I’d grown to love. My parents, in their infinite

somehow unfazed. In a welcome event, the chocolate brown

wisdom and twisted sense of humor, made this dream come true

automobile was soon replaced by a six-month-old 1978 930 that

by granting me access to a 1972 Volkswagen Bug after my 16th

screamed 70s with its tea-tray tail and metallic gold paint that would

birthday.

make a certain Austin Powers villain proud.

Once I conquered the 62 horsepower and manual transmission,

A few years later, I came along. With me being an only child,

my father was ready for me to take the next step. He would say

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[ L O N E S T A R M A G A Z /I NLEO :N AE VSETHAI RC LM E AT G H AATZ IBNR EO U/ G H T U S T O G E T H E R ]

PHOTO COURTESY OF COLIN WONG

he would rather proactively provide an experience in a controlled

those days through college and my early 20s, I realize what I cherish

environment than to leave an otherwise tempting experience

the most is the time together with my father. The 930 was a vehicle

unexposed and up to an adolescent’s curiosity. That’s how I ended

by which we were brought closer together during my formative

up getting behind the wheel of the 911 Turbo as a teenage driver—

young adulthood.

with my father by my side and always driving responsibly under the

Flooding once again claimed most of my parents’ belongings along

speed limit.

with my father’s entire car collection in Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

As soon as I turned 18 and became eligible, my father signed me up for

In my family, my parents would often downplay gifts and material

the Lone Star Region high performance driver’s education program.

things on holidays and birthdays. Rather, they would emphasize the

True to his style, there was no discussion; I was told I was going.

importance of celebrating our loved ones and ordinary moments

To the engineer father, who’d spent his career in the utmost safety

we get to spend with them. My parents let go of their flood-zoned

culture of petrochemical refineries, it was important that I’d learn how

home of over four decades and my father’s beloved sportscars,

to drive a car safely at high speeds. As for me, I was terrified, and the

seemingly without too much regret or hesitation.

“Widow-maker” moniker did not bring any comfort. The fear,

Thankfully, though, the gold 930 was spared—my father had

however, didn’t last long in its pure form; it quickly turned to

handed it down to me long before the storm. Today, it sits safely

excitement, as my father easily predicted. The challenge became

and largely in its original shape in the garage of my home in the

captivating, and learning to hit the apexes with speed gave me

Houston Heights, albeit with some battle scars acquired over the

an adrenaline rush. I, like any other 911 driver, went through the

years.

growing pains of learning to live in a state of constant oversteer.

This gold 1978 Porsche 911 Turbo carries with it so many

Trying to tame the beast was exhilarating. I also met incredible

memories, family history and a symbol of the special bond between

people, forged friendships and spent many a weekend on the track.

my father and me. But, however rare and eye-catching it may be, I

Event after event, my father and I would share not only the car, but

know in my heart that, in the end, it’s just a vehicle, and, no matter

the growing passion for driving and pushing our limits. Reflecting on

what happens to it, no one can take away what it means to me. J

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LSR AU

2019 LSR AUTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP

TO CH

N

SH

CROSS

IP 20 1

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : LS R AU TO C R O S S C H A M P I O N S H I P ]

AMPIO

WRITER & PHOTO: JIM HEDDRICK

Most of the 140 drivers that entered at least one

The remaining hard fought classes required the

LSR Autocross in 2019 were there for the fun, to

champions to come from behind at some point in

test and hone their car control skills, and to see

the season.

old friends and make new ones. Our events are

In the 2BC class for later model Boxster/

designed for the enjoyment of those participating

Caymans, 2019 Champion Ricardo Barnes and

and the class structure reflects that mission. Some

Ajay Brivic were tied with two wins each after

15% of our drivers ran at least four events qualifying

four events before Ricardo took the lead for good

for a 2019 LSR Season Championship with a number

with two more wins in his 2010 Cayman S. Jeff

of those very serious in their pursuit.

Taner didn’t get his first of three wins until the 3rd

Of our eleven 2019 Class Champions, six were

event but went on to secure the Water Cooled

repeat champions from 2018 and 5 first time champions.

911 Class Championship in his 2009 911 Carrera. Michael

Persistence is as important as outright speed in most classes

Deem scored his first of four straight wins in the 2nd event

with nine champions competing in five or all six events.

of the year in the 911 Turbo and AWD class to clinch the

Of the drivers managing the perfect 6-win season, Michael

championship in his 2018 Turbo S. Finally Alex Dalgleish with

Schnetzer won the hard fought Early Boxster/Cayman Class in

a series of consistent 2nd and 3rd place finishes throughout

his base model 2011 Cayman. Danielle Meyers dominated the

the season won the highly competitive X2 non-Porsche Class

Air Cooled Class in her beautiful 1995 993 . Jim Hedderick won

in his 2013 427 Corvette.

the Porsche Race Prepared Class in his 2001 Boxster S.

No matter for just a few events or the entire season, I invite

Other drivers that took and held a points lead for the entire

anyone interested to give autocross a try in 2020. I did my first

season were Hal Herdklotz in the Front Engine Porsche Class

autocross in 1971 and though I enjoy DE events, track days,

in his 1987 924S, David Hedderick in the Instructors Class in

and the occasional time trial, it’s the friendly competition and

his monster 1990 turbo Miata (when it was running), and Gerrit

the challenge of an entirely new course at every event that

D’Ablaing in the GT, R, and Tuner Porsche Class in his 2015 GT3.

keeps me coming out.

J

PHOTO: DAVID LEUNG

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A MUST HAVE

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : A M U ST H AV E ]

WRITER : CARTER FRANKLIN II

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[ L O N E/ SLTOA N R EM SA TG AA ZR I NMEA :G AA ZMI UNSET /H A V E ]

My driver is a Cayman S, the third I have owned. I started with an ’06, then moved to an ’09, and now to a ’14. When the ’14 was announced, first with a drawing and then a picture, I knew I had to have one. After seeing the shape, specs and reading early reviews, there was no choice: I had to have one.

First, the mid-engine technology of the Cayman is just superior to having the engine at either end of the chassis. The fact that all the super cars are midengined tells a significant story. The mystique of the rear engine in the 911 is undeniable, but …a daily driver? Porsche? Most are. But then most (of the new ones) have more than two doors. If your P-car has more than two doors, then odds are it is a daily driver. The question really applies to those with only two doors. If your two-door is old, then perhaps a reliability issue argues against daily driving. Perhaps it’s set up for the track.

The ’14 Cayman has a triple personality. Two of these personalities make it a perfect daily driver, where as the third goes to another agenda. When you

THE ORIGINAL: To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; No more; and by a sleep to say we end The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to, ‘tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish’d. To die, to sleep; To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause: there’s the respect That makes calamity of so long life;

get in and start it up, it comes to life in normal mode. Here, you have a car that gets 30+ miles per gallon and, with PDK, is a no-effort drive. Seats are superb, suspension is supple and pliant, driving position excellent, speed and responsiveness equal or better than the other cars on the road. Perfect for a trip to work or to the dry cleaners.

Push the sport button and the personality changes. Now you have a spirited sports car. Shift points are higher, the suspension is firmer, and a little attention to driving produces a lot of pleasure. To illustrate: The Tail of the Dragon was on the itinerary of our 4,000 mile tour to the mountains last October. Sport mode was perfect for driving away from the track prepared Scion FRS that tried to follow us up the mountain.

The drive was spirited, but enjoyable for my wife who was very aware of the need to stay in lane and sensitive to howling tires (no problem here).

Sport Plus takes you to a different world entirely. This is best appreciated on the track. Launch control operates in Sport Plus and 100 kph arrives very quickly and without the least drama. The lack of wheel spin and noise is remarkable. It is the track, however, where Sport Plus shines. This sedate, smooth daily driver turns into a dynamic, aggressive track car, able to run in amazingly fast company. Once at Texas World Speedway (TWS), I rode with instructors (race qualified) who easily turned two minute laps in my stock Cayman on street tires.

Daily drive? The only reason not to prefer the Cayman to anything else in the garage is the need for more than two seats. Lacking that, it’s hard to imagine a more desirable drive. Can I imagine having a car I would prefer to the Cayman, no matter what purpose the drive might serve? No, not at any price below $200,000. J

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THE ADAPTATION:

To daily drive or not: that is the question.

Whether it is nobler to chance the investment in the weather and chipping rocks of the public roadways and enjoy the pleasure of an exquisite ride, Or to park safely in the garage and maintain the pristine perfection of a low mileage vehicle.

Well, you get the point here.

To my mind, the choice is clear: enjoy the car!

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : I N M E M O RY O F CA RT E R F RA N K L I N I I ]

REMEMBERING CARTER FRANKLIN II WRITER : CHRIS D’AGNOLO

Carter Franklin was a great guy. He was such a great guy that, I don’t just feel inadequate to write a tribute to him, I know that I am! I can only try to tell you about him as one of our long time LSR PCA members, who passed away this past year.

Carter was a really smart guy, but he wasn’t just an ‘academic’ smart guy. Even though he was a long time college professor, his strong suit was really knowing people and their tendencies.

That’s what made his academic knowledge so useful and powerful! While most of us tend to shy away from controversial subjects, he loved to jump in and stir the pot! What I always respected was that he wouldn’t just stir the pot and walk off, he’d stay and discuss the topic d’jour! With his depth of knowledge and his great memory, it was always obvious that he had a valid point!

Carter had a great love for his family and he was proud of it!

Many times he told stories of the first car that he and his wife Ellie (the red-head, as he called her) bought together, a navy blue 1964 Pontiac GTO. He had long histories with a Triumph TR4A and a Volvo wagon (amongst others) before he finally bit the bullet and bought what I believe he thought was the best sports car, the Porsche Cayman! He was driving his third Cayman which now belongs to his son (Carter III, Trey) who is pictured in the TR4A with him, here. Who knows, maybe it’ll be a classic car some day with Carter IV (one of Trey’s sons) some day!

Carter got the bug for track days after getting his Cayman and convinced his son to road trip down from Dallas to do some DE (Driver Education) events with him at TWS, while that track was in its multiple last years! He fell in with a rough crowd at Haas Fogle’s garage and that’s where he made friends with a lot of like-minded car guys, myself included.

He was a friend and mentor to me and to so many others. I had some great conversations with him and we shared some fun drives through the back roads—both of which I plan to

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE FRANKLIN FAMILY

continue when we meet again some day! J

16

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E ]

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[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : M E M O I R S ]

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PHOTO: DOUG CARROLL

18

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : M E M O I R S ]

If you’ve been to enough LSRPCA events then you’ve probably seen my 1978 Talbot Yellow 911 SC. It’s definitely a unique color, which attracted me to the car, but this car is even more unique due to its original transmission: The Porsche Sportomatic.

Sportomatic?

What the heck is that, I thought.

WRITER : DOUG CARROLL

I caught the highly contagious

Half a year on the Pelican Parts and Rennlist classifieds sections later, I finally found a car that “clicked” with me and was miraculously in my price range. It was a 1978 911sc in a beautiful light yellow color that was bought as a euro spec/ euro delivery car (non-sunroof, roll up windows, euro bumpers)

Porsche bug in 2011 after a few track weekends with

with a Sportomatic transmission. Sportomatic? What the

LSRPCA at Texas World Speedway (R.I.P.). I quickly made

heck is that, I thought.

some friends in the paddock, many of which were driving

After a bit of research, I learned this was Porsche’s

older air-cooled 911s from the late 1970s and early 1980s.

earliest attempt at an automatic gearbox that was available

I was stunned that these old cars were setting lap times as

from the 1967 to about 1982. In reality, it was more of an

fast or faster than the latest GT3s. The design and amazing

automatic clutch (Sportomatics are two pedal cars).

capabilities of these cars impressed me immediately and I

The Sportomatic transaxle itself is very closely related to

began looking for one of my own.

the 905 gearbox in early air-cooled 911s.

PHOTO: CARL FEHRES

19

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : M E M O I R S ]

However, instead of a traditional clutch there is a rather complicated

When I bought the car the Sportomatic was working well, but

vacuum operated clutch coupled to a very heavy torque converter

the clutch microswitches on the shifter were not well secured

that shares oil with the engine. The vacuum operated clutch is

and would not stay in adjustment.

actuated when tiny contacts on the gear lever are closed from

frustrating experience of the clutch being actuated intermittently

contact with the lever by the driver. The torque converter lets you

and the car revving with no forward motion. I ended up solving

leave the car in gear at a stop like an automatic transmission car. It’s

that problem with a Hurst racing line lock button. For a while, I

all very complicated and very German.

had a push-button clutch car! Sadly, after about a year and a half

This led to an extremely

The car was in Long Beach, California and I happened to have a

of ownership the car refused to go into gear. I suspect the Sporto

weekend trip planned to Los Angeles in a few weeks from when

servo that operates the clutch went bad, but my intent all along

I agreed to a price with the seller. After a fun weekend, my then

was to put a proper manual in the car so I started the research

girlfriend and now wife and I headed to the east through the desert

for this project.

for a two-day journey along I-10 in the August heat. We hit Phoenix

Overall the project was about what I expected with twists and

a bit after lunch time and had the pleasure of driving through a huge

turns, but manageable. Getting all the parts together (and finding

sandstorm, also known as a haboob. Luckily it was short lived and

a good 915 transaxle!) is really the hardest part. Everything else

spared the paint on the car or a direct hit by a few high-speed

is bolt-on.

wind-driven tumbleweeds. We had a few scary moments of not

Now that the 915 is in place and a clutch pedal under my left

being able to get the car in reverse and having to push it back from

foot, the car has come alive and is much more engaging to drive!

a parking space, but otherwise the next 18 hours were pretty non-

If you have any questions, feel free to ask me at our next event.

eventful and we had made it to Houston intact!

Just look for the mellow yellow 911.

20

J

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : FAV O R I T E A I R - CO O L E D 911 ]

PHOTOS: SAMEER RAO

Porschephiles tend to be resistant to any change to their perfectly imperfect sports car.

If you love to chew on a really difficult

these days, it steadily gains respect for being

question, running different scenarios back and

simple, elegant and light in the rear end.

forth and up and down through your mind,

What about the often snubbed mid-year (1974-

here’s a great one: what IS your favorite air-

1977) cars, before the SC (Super Carrera)? These

cooled 911 of all time?

cars, sporting mechanical fuel injection, the

Is it that original 911 (1965-1973), the one

‘scary’ magnesium engine cases and starting into

that we know was intended to be called the

the era of fender ‘flares’, have certainly earned a

901, until Peugeot threw its French wrench

solid spot in the history of the 911!

into the works? Its got that lovely ‘long-hood’,

Maybe you’ve come to appreciate the 911SC

those fabulous wing windows and a wonderful

(78-83) for its wonderful 3.0-liter engine and its

simplicity about it!

entertaining 915 transmission? Or do they scare

Or, is it the long hood 912 (1965-1969) that helped reconnect Porsche with its disgruntled

WRITER : CHRIS D’AGNOLO

you off with their mysterious fuel distributor (dizzy) and W.U.R. (warm-up regulator)?

356 owners who were feeling betrayed by the 911’s (40% higher)

A very popular model replaced the Super Carrera (SC) and

price over their beloved 356? I personally consider the 912 a ‘version’

was simply referred to as the Carrera (1984-1989). It sports an

of the 911, not a separate model. This car was originally treated like a

improved 3.2-liter engine which finally fixed the long lingering

red-headed stepchild by those who COULD afford the 911, but

chain-tensioner issues in all previous models! Many salivate over

22

PHOTO: COURTESY OF C PHOTO

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : FAV O R I T E A I R - CO O L E D 911 ]

the G-50 transmission that arrived in the 1987 model year that

As you may have noticed, Porschephiles tend to be resistant

finally introduced a hydraulic clutch to the 911.

to any change to their perfectly imperfect sports car. Now that

Mechanical features seem to be the differentiating factor

we’ve all pretty much warmed up to the 993’s styling, there’s

amongst all the “G” body cars as their general appearance

a pretty good chance that this variation ‘trips your trigger.’

didn’t change significantly between 1974 and 1989. That is a

Of course, there were many specialty models intermingled

long time! (Ed. Note: Aside from the Beetle, has any car gone as

amongst all of the above air-cooled cars and I haven’t even

long without a significant redesign than G-body 911s?)

brought up the entire Turbo or Targa genre! I’m probably

If you’ve been drinking that (very tasty) Singer Kool-Aid, you

considered a Targa guy, having owned two without ever

may favor the ‘964’ model (1989-1993). Many would agree

owning a coupe. However, while I have nothing against

that it hits quite the sweet spot, combining old-school looks

the old-school Targas, I don’t really prefer them over the

and just the right amount of modern (for the day) technology,

lovely coupes. Come to think of it, I’d probably have to say

both in the engine bay as well as in the suspension. Porsche

that my favorite air-cooled 911 could well be the car that

959 technology was definitely injected into the DNA of this

so beautifully married the Targa and the coupe-the glass

series of the 911. I have to admit that, if I was forced to choose

(panoramic) 993 Targa.

a favorite, I’d be leaning pretty hard in this direction!

Check out my poll on the LSRPCA Facebook page and vote

Of course, the 993 model (1994-1998) replaced the 964

for one of these great old machines so that I can see our

and immediately caught serious grief for being ‘too modern.’

local leanings. Get out and drive!

23

J

[ LO N E STA R M AG AZ I N E : CA L E N DA R ]

LSRPCA EVENT CALENDAR Our club hosts a number of fun and engaging events.

If you’ve never been to one of our events, come out and say howdy and more importantly—DRIVE! You can always see what is happening in real time by checking out LSRPCA.COM

[GTG] NORTH

[GTG] CENTRAL

Every Fourth Saturday: 8:30am - 10:00am Hubbell & Hudson Kitchen, 4526 Research Forest Dr., The Woodlands, TX 77381

Every First Saturday: 8:30am – 10:30am The Paper Co., 1100 Elder St, Houston, TX 77007

[GTG] SOUTHEAST

[HPDE] HIGH PERFORMANCE DRIVER’S EDUCATION

Every Second Saturday: 8:30am - 10:00am Dunn Brothers Coffee, 201 S Friendswood Dr., Friendswood, TX 77546

Location: Circuit of the Americas (COTA) Dates: Feb. 28-Mar. 1 2020 *Advanced Solo HPDE and Club Race

[GTG] WEST

Every Second Saturday: 8:30am - 10:00am Whiskey Cake Kitchen & Bar, 23139 Grand Cir Blvd, Katy, TX 77449

Location: MSR Houston Dates: Mar. 21-22, 2020

[AX] AUTO CROSS

Name: 2020 LSR AX #2 Location: Houston Police Academy Date: Feb. 23, 2020 Registration open

[GTG] SOUTHWEST

Every Third Saturday: 8:30am - 10:30am Starbucks 18802 University Blvd, Sugar Land, TX 77479

CONCOURSE D’ELEGANCE

Location: Kemah Boardwalk 215 Kipp Ave, Kemah, TX 77565 Date: Mar. 21, 2020 Registration via

[GTG] NORTHWEST

PHOTO: RS-WERKS

Every Third Saturday: 8:30am - 10:00am Starbucks, 25615 Hwy 29, Cypress, TX 77249

LSRPCA.com

24

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201911LSRPCA.indd 1

10/15/2019 1:59:43 PM

Modern or Vintage.

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