What’s In Your Garage?

1956 356 Speedster replica

John Lewis

Dear enthusiastic PCV readers, here’s something different in our wonderful 11th year of WIYG? to join with our wonderful year of covid pandemic. Long term country member John Lewis offered his drop dead fabulous garage, with 19 vehicles, 11 motor bikes, 6 cycles, two boats, and more memorabilia than you have ever seen, for WIYG? Ron and I couldn’t visit, due to the lockdown, so John took lots of excellent photos, he and I had a long phone interview, and viola, here is Number 43, continuing our uninterrupted series!

John was a boy once, who always wanted a Porsche (heard that?), he had 3 motor bikes before he had a licence and an MGB at University, which he sold later, to buy the block of land, where he built his house and shed and then this shed of all sheds, living South of Ballarat.

He became a Civil Engineer and worked in local government for over 20 years, then at Sovereign Hill for over 17 years. When he began there, there was no engineering department and no engineering records, so John’s work was ground breaking all the way! Sovereign Hill is 50 years old this year. Remember how exciting it was and still is? He now works in land development.

1980 Porsche 911 SC Sport

NUMBER 43

2006 Porsche 997, 6 Speed

The green 1980 911 SC Sport with 68K came along in ‘97 from his mate Peter Stoddart (deceased ex PCV member and competitor) and now has 105K. He joined PCV straight away, with membership 556. He raced the 911, with another mate and mentor Kerry Bruty in the early 2000’s, on motorkhanas and tracks, winning modest results and trophies, which he proudly kept.

The 356 (which he’s always fancied) fibreglass replica with VW 1800 power came along 15 years ago. 18 months ago. John has not ruled out giving it a run with PCV in the future.

The 2016 Lambo Hurracan 610-4 was bought 2 years ago. It is delightful to drive and very sophisticated.

The 2013 Holden HSV GTS with 570kW Harrop kit and 1030 Nm is obviously a serious beast, with the best note of all time, according to John! These are John’s personal cars.

So to the shed, which has become the Super Shed. Until 7 years ago, it was a 12X6, which is now the garden shed. Then it became an 18X16 span, now it’s 30X16 (“and should have been bigger”).

What’s in it?

The office. Necessary with the shed, cars, files, car books, magazines, early books, car brands, maintenance books, “anything motor”.

Memorabilia. John’s been collecting since 12 and “being a natural hoarder, never thrown anything away”. He has 40-50 shirts. The same happens with Porsche and Mercedes posters from their museums, other posters, photos, trophies and