A 20 YEAR LOVE AFFAIR John Donnelly’s Boxster obsession has lasted two whole decades
NINE TWO FOUR Andrew Harris & Jason Lee on the 40 year history of the 924
SILVERSTONE CLASSIC James Garrard & Jason Gibson report from the press day
ISSUE 117 / JUNE/JULY 2016 LIVE AND BREATHE THE MARQUE / WWW.TIPEC.NET
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All Torque is published bi-monthly by TIPEC (The Independent Porsche Enthusiasts Club) Text & images are © their creators. Front cover image: John Donnelly’s 986 Boxster photographed by Amber Insch. All Torque is based entirely on submissions from TIPEC members. This is your magazine and we need your involvement! Submissions for issue 118 (August/September) must be in before Friday 1st July 2016. Editor & designer: Tony Blow tony@typescape.com Flat 2, 2 Bowmont Terrace, Glasgow G12 9LP. Printed by: The Lavenham Press Ltd, Suffolk (01787 247 436) Advertising in All Torque is managed by: Sean Smallman, Walnut Tree Farm, Grain Road, Lower Stoke, Rochester ME3 9RE (07500 332 790)
All Torque / 117 June/July 2016 6 / News & updates Simply Porsche at Beaulieu 11 / Member’s cars Chris Cook’s Cayman 12 / Nine one seven Legends at Goodwood Members Meeting 14 / Anytime, anyplace, anywhere! Paul Bird’s Martini 924 project
Website: www.tipec.net Twitter: @Porsche_TIPEC Search for us on Facebook TIPEC Chairman: Jason Gibson (07958 459 725) jason.gibson@tipec.net Vice Chairman: Tony Levy (07759 222 613) tony.levy@tipec.net Treasurer: Paul Bird (01922 428 409) paulpsb928@yahoo.co.uk Advertising & sponsorhip: Sean Smallman (07500 332 790) sean.smallman@tipec.net
16 / A 20-year love affair The original Boxster ageing gracefully 22 / Silverstone Classic TIPEC at the launch for 2016’s event
Communications Director: James Garrard (07837 701 011) jamesgarrard@hotmail.co.uk Membership Director: Sue Simmons (07530 312 700) sue.simmons@tipec.net TIPEC Membership: Lavenham Group (01787 249 295) membership@tipec.lpl-uk.com TIPEC Valuations: valuations@tipec.net All Torque & TIPEC are entirely independent of Dr. Ing. H.c.F. Porsche AG, Porsche Cars GB Ltd and its dealers. All registered Trade Marks owned by Dr. Ing. H.c.F. Porsche AG, including the word ‘Porsche’, the Porsche Crest and Porsche Script are acknowledged as such and are their property. Whilst all due care is taken in the production of All Torque; neither TIPEC, its officers or the editor can accept responsibility for the advice, information or opinions expressed herein. Opinions contained in any article published herein are of the author or editor and do not reflect the official position of TIPEC, its management or membership, unless clearly stated by a club official.
24 / Nine two four Porsche’s upstart hits 40 this year 30 / Servicing Boxster front brakes Richard Sholl goes the DIY route 34 / Regional round up PAGE / 3
Chairman’s Chat Firstly, I would like to welcome all of you who are reading All Torque for the first time. Many of you will be visitors at Simply Porsche in Beaulieu. I hope you have a great day. This is our third year here at Beaulieu and I’m sure you will agree, it’s an amazing venue that is well worthy of hosting such a fantastic show. I am writing this in advance of Simply Porsche and this year’s show gives me a few logistical problems. As you will already know, we have anniversary displays for the 924 (40 years) and the Boxster (20 years). Well, I’m not quite sure how I will get two 924s and my Boxster down to Beaulieu but I’m sure I will have no shortage of willing volunteers to help me out. Talking of Boxsters, many of you will have already seen the new 718 Boxster in the flesh. Some may have been lucky to get an invite to the launch night at your local Porsche Centre or you may have gone in since to have a good look. Externally the car isn’t radically different and I’m sure many non-enthusiasts won’t notice the change. I’m sure that will please Mr Clarkson who still insists the 911 hasn’t changed in 50 years. The engine and the sound of the new four-cylinder engines will certainly divide opinion though. Yes, it’s a completely different sound but at least you can hear it and the reports I have read so far have been very positive. Sadly, I have yet to see it in person but I hope to get a test drive soon. I will reserve my judgement until then.
AT / 117
I am pleased to say that we have a couple of new leaders at regional level. Firstly, our South Central Region has Gary Howard as its new RO. South Central has been without an RO for a few months and Gary is the perfect fit for the position. I have been away camping with Gary a couple of times for long weekends at the Simply Porsche show over the last two years and am so glad he has stepped up to take the region forward. Gary held his first monthly meeting in April and there was a good healthy turnout, with members keen to do more. Secondly and far more recently (yesterday, as I write this!) our North East region has Mike Williamson taking the reins. Mike, who is a new member himself, is very keen to grow this region and we wish him well in his new post. The club AGM was held at the end of March at the recently upgraded British Motor Museum in Gaydon. A good turnout of members saw 42 people travel from far and wide to have their say on the running of the club. We would like to thank all of you for coming along. We have a new member on the committee, Tony Levy. Myself and Tony were voted in as Chairman and Vice Chairman. I am looking forward to working closely with Tony and we look forward to continue moving the club forward. Another new addition is Gina Purcell, who has taken over the Valuations role from myself. Gina is well known amongst many us and is undoubtedly a Porsche nut, especially knowledgeable on all things air-cooled. Contact Gina for your insurance valuations on valuations@tipec.net
Financially, the club is in great shape and all membership issues seem to have been resolved, apart from a few postcode errors, since transferring the service to Lavenham. Talking of membership, we continue to grow at a steady rate and have more members than ever. There are four regions very close to 100 members, closing in on Bristol, who lead the way by quite a margin. Looking past our wonderful show at Beaulieu, we have the Silverstone Classic coming up in July. Sadly the two-for-one ticket offers ended on the 31st May, but hopefully you will have already booked yours in advance. I was lucky enough to attend the press briefing for this year’s event and they have made a few changes to improve the viewing of the racing. Hopefully this year’s weather will be a vast improvement on last year’s but whether you want to avoid rain or keep out of the scorching sunshine, you will be glad to know that there will be more covered stands this year. There will also be more giant screens to see what is going on around the track. That’s all for now, Jason Gibson
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News & updates Simply Porsche 2016 Beaulieu, June 5th (Sunday) TIPEC’s annual show at Beaulieu is the biggest club event of the year. This is your club and your show. We do hope you enjoy it. The show has continued to be a huge success and has grown year on year, this year looks to be following the trend and will be a fantastic day out for all the family (and the dog). Entry to the show will include entry to the Museum, Abbey, Gardens and Palace House, home of the Montagu family for 500 years. As many of you are aware, Beaulieu’s fabulous motor museum was the brainchild of Lord Montagu, who first displayed a handful of vintage cars in the entrance hall of Palace House in the ’50s. His passion for cars and business skill soon saw this small collection grow into one of the country’s more popular tourist attractions. Since we were here last year, on August 31st 2015, Edward Montagu sadly passed away. I hope he is looking down with great affection at days like these on his old Estate. This year we are very pleased to be working closely with our chosen charity, The Chestnut Tree House Children’s Hospice. They will be selling raffle tickets during the day with all proceeds going directly to the charity, so please dig deep and buy a few tickets. The prizes have been donated
by our wonderful traders this weekend and they will include a Porsche Driving Experience up at Silverstone courtesy of Porsche Centre Mid Sussex, a Valeting Pack courtesy of Meguiar’s UK, and a year’s membership of TIPEC. Chestnut Tree House is the children’s hospice for Sussex and South East Hampshire, offering support for the whole family including psychological and bereavement support, end of life and short break care and sibling support. We appreciate for some of you this is a long way to come for a car show. The opportunity to visit the area, especially for the weekend is worth the effort and the cost. Many of you have made a weekend of it over the last two years. There is a great choice of reasonably priced hotels around the Southampton area, or if you wish to stay in the New Forest, there are lots of B&Bs.
Show & Shine Once again we will have a Show & Shine contest at Simply Porsche, sponsored by Meguiar’s. This is a friendly, non-scoring, competition with prizes for the top three cars entered. All models are welcome to enter, brand new or classic. To enter, email cluboffice@tipec.net by Fri June 3rd. This is not a concours competition, so don’t think it needs to be like new! Interior and engine will not be judged unless you leave the bonnet and doors open. The best pre-2000 car will be selected to attend the Meguiars Showcase Display at the NEC Classic in November.
I know quite a few of you have also camped locally, I have the details of a nice campsite that has had a decent Porsche contingent for the last two years. Details will be on the TIPEC forum online or just drop me an email on jason.gibson@tipec.net.
Dougie’s bucket list TIPEC NW helping a dream come true On 3rd April 17 Porsche cars from the North West region gathered at The Duke of Wellington Public House in Haslingden to give Dougie Groves a bit of a surprise. The North West Regional Organiser, Richard Sholl, had been contacted by Dougie’s brother, Alex, over the Easter weekend and had explained that Dougie had incurable stage four cancer and a ‘bucket list’ wish to take a ride in a Porsche before he was no longer able. Richard said: “Arranging a ride in a Porsche was going to be relatively easy. I’m lucky enough to own a 911 so picking Dougie up to take him for a spin was no bother. However, my wife Diane felt that the North West membership could make the day extra-special with a selection of cars for Dougie to enjoy.” On the day, Dougie was surprised and delighted to find 17 Porsches from across the decades waiting for him at The Duke and he enjoyed spirited rides in a 997 Carrera S, a 928, a 944, a 911 3.2 Targa, a 997 GT3 and even a brand new 981 Cayman S bought along by Adam Calvert from Porsche Centre Bolton. AT / 117
Club Chairman Jason Gibson said: “Sadly I couldn’t attend this event, but the Club presented Dougie with his very own TIPEC polo shirt as a memento of the day”, whilst North West stalwart Alan Aspden gave Dougie a Porsche cap to complete his new outfit.
An emotional day, not only for the Groves family but for TIPEC members as well, proving that Porsche ownership really can bring people together to do good things. Sincere thanks to all who came along at short notice to make an achievable dream come true for Dougie.
A day at the (local) races Martin Broadribb reports on Castle Combe’s Historic Sports Car Club weekend and looks forward to their Autumn Classic The members of TIPEC Bristol, South West & South Wales are very lucky to have a racing circuit like Castle Combe within easy reach. Established in 1950 just months after Silverstone, the track has been steadily developed over the intervening period but without losing its friendly atmosphere. Although the recent advent of a solar farm in the infield has restricted distant viewing, lots of elevated spectator areas and the minimum amount of high fencing mean that the action is visible from the entire perimeter, often at quite close quarters. As well as race meetings there are various trackdays and special interest events held throughout the year and some race meetings incorporate car club displays. We normally have a TIPEC area at the Autumn Classic historic meeting, but this year the Historic Sports Car Club were holding their 50th anniversary race meeting there in April, so I thought it might be interesting for us to attend that too. The first HSCC event had been held at the circuit in May
Club shop Polo shirts There are a variety of colours available in men’s or ladies’ cuts to match or clash with your car, from Guards Red to Speed Yellow and a few that weren’t on Porsche’s colour charts too. Polo shirts come with the option of black or white embroidered logos. In addition to the polo shirts we have fleeces and baseball caps, especially for our follicly-challenged Boxster owners. http://stores.clothes2order.com/tipec There is also a direct link from our homepage at www.tipec.net £14.99 £21.99 £17.99 £24.99
Ladies Polo Shirts Ladies Fleece Mens Polo shirts Mens Fleece
All prices are plus P&P but are best value when ordering multiples, so why not ask others in your region before ordering?
Membership management Contacts for member queries We have a dedicated membership management agent. The contact details for and TIPEC membership renewals, changes of address, queries, etc. are detailed below. Please make sure you mention that you are contacting them about TIPEC: Phone: 01787 249 295 Email: membership@tipec.lpl-uk.com By post: TIPEC Membership Arbons House, 47 Water Street, Lavenham CO10 9RN Online: www.tipec.net Go to the membership renewals tab Password: tipecmember
1966 and TIPEC member and fellow lifelong motorsport enthusiast Ted Walker was at that very meeting. I’m sure that as a youngster he had no inkling that 50 years later he would not only be involved in the HSCC but attending their 50th in his 911 Carrera GTS! In October we invariably get great weather but this Spring event got off to a very wet start, particularly if you were travelling up the M4 in a Boxster with the roof down! The circuit is only half an hour from home and it was so nice there, but then this is Britain! After a couple of hours it turned into a nice day and despite a very wet practice for the ’70s Road Sports Championship it was pleasing to see a 911 take pole. There were a few other interesting Porsches competing and attending and we’ll be back for more on October 1st, so if you are within or even outside our area and would like to park with us then please get in touch with me at flyingteacup@tiscali.co.uk. www.castlecombeautumnclassic.co.uk
All Torque Submissions
TIPEC online www.TIPEC.net
Submissions for the magazine are always very welcome – All Torque is your magazine and we rely on your articles, reports and photographs to keep it full of interesting Porsche-related stuff.
You can use the TIPEC website to register or renew your club membership, advertise cars and parts for free, view old issues of All Torque, and keep up with events.
Anyone can contribute – we only ask that it is all your own work (both writing and photography). Email: tony@typescape.com We put out a call for extra articles recently and have had a fantastic response. Huge thanks to everybody who sent in articles, photos and stories. There simply isn’t room for everything this time around, so please bear with us if your piece hasn’t been printed in this issue – we’ll hold some over for quieter months. We really do appreciate the effort, and value every submission.
At the top-left of the homepage, you will find a link to TIPEC’s online discussion forum. This is the place to trade banter with fellow club members on a day-to-day basis, ask questions and share knowledge with your fellow TIPEC members, up and down the UK (and worldwide!)
PAGE / 7
News & updates NEC Classic Car Show 2007–2015 (and counting …) Paul Bird looks back at past years and forward to November 2016 The annual NEC Classic is the UK’s biggest classic car event. The show is very important to the club as it allows us to engage with a great many members (and potential members) over the three days and historically we have signed up a great many new members at the show.
We have tried in vain to request more space at times but without success – effectively we have to work with the space we are given and in some years we have been squeezed down to accommodate other clubs who may be celebrating significant anniversaries.
Back in 2007 I was Central Region ARO and stepped into the RO role following the departure of John Brookes back to the Marcos fold. With the NEC on our doorstep it had become the norm for the region to take the lead providing cars for our display and also to man the stand over the weekend.
Once the space is known the search for display cars begins in earnest and it can be tough finding cars for the show. Obviously the cars must be very good examples but equally the owner must be willing and able to transport their car to the NEC on setup day (Thursday) and then be on hand with their car over the three days of the show (Friday–Sunday), although we have made exceptions to the latter over the years. The commitment of the owner is crucial and by the end of the three days it is good to have a rest!
Shortly after taking over as RO I had to start planning for the 2007 event and so now I am in the early stages of planning for my 10th show at the NEC. Around April/May each year we are sent details from the show organisers about the space we have been allocated as a club.
Whilst Central Region have provided most of the display cars over the years it is always a pleasure to have along cars and owners from different areas. Over the last two or three years it has been great to have Cheshire, Scotland and Southern regions represented and I hope this continues in years to come. So I am now thinking about our display for 2016. If you think your car is good enough to represent the club, and you’re willing to give up four days of your time, please get in touch with me via the club forum or by email at paulpsb928@yahoo.co.uk so we can talk.
Ignition Festival of Motoring Glasgow, August 5–7th At the end of the summer, Glasgow is getting its very own major motoring event, Ignition. Right in the heart of the city, the event run by the team behind Top Gear Live and Carfest will showcase all aspects of motoring and will even close roads around the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre and SSE Hydro Arena to create Glasgow’s first ever street circuit. Demonstration laps around the street circuit will include F1 star David Coulthard in the Red Bull Racing RB7, Top Gear’s The Stig, and Jimmy McRae driving his son’s WRC-winning Subaru. There will be further track action from a wild selection of race, rally and supercars and bikes. This will be supported by live music, street food, and hall after hall of car displays – everything from local owners clubs like TIPEC to manufacturer stands and concept cars. Tickets are on sale now at www.ignitionfestival.co.uk AT / 117
718 Boxster 40 years on, Porsche have transformed their two-seater cabriolet with a four-cylinder engine. Sean Smallman takes a look. You would be forgiven for saying that when you first glance at the new 718 not a lot appears to be different. The rear styling looks more aggressive than the 981, the light clusters frame the new badge panel and the twin pipes complete the back end beautifully. However, it is under the engine cover that the latest incarnation of the model is unlike anything that has gone before. Like the very first Boxster that came off the line in 1996, this new four-cylinder turbocharged unit breaks the mould and is the start of a new generation. At the unveiling, the brand went to great pains to stress that less is more and the new S is quicker 0–60 than the Mk2 GT3. Four pot engines are not new to Porsche and the
stats for the latest configuration are impressive. Using 30% less fuel and topping out at a not too shabby 177mph. The new powertrain undoubtedly takes the best two seater roadster in class to a new level. Whilst the purists may frown at the loss of two cylinders, Porsche seldom get it wrong … and it is fitting that the model which undoubtedly saved the company some 20 years ago is at the forefront of the technological advancement in engine design. The 718 is listed a little under £42,000 with a top speed of 170mph and a combined economy of 38mpg, my guess is they are going to sell a lot. With this level of performance for the money, the roadster or coupe make a lot more sense than the significantly more expensive 911.
Porsche Boxster: The 986 Series 1996–2004 Veloce’s new book explores the development and legacy of the original Boxster, just in time for its 20th anniversary. Author Brian Long Price £30.00 ISBN 978-1-845848-04-0 www.velocepubishing.co.uk A typically glossy coffee-table hardback from Veloce, Brian Long’s latest follows their tradition of easy to read historical overview coupled with a fabulous collection of archive photography from Porsche’s files. A relatively young Porsche model at only 20 years old, the 986 Boxster provides much more thorough photographic proof of its early life than older cars from the marque. That allows the book to give a solid amount of coverage to the Boxster’s genesis. From Harm Lagaay’s early sketches, to the sculpting of clay models in Porsche’s studio, the birth of the Boxster has rarely been so lavishly displayed. Long covers the development from concept car to production, the Boxster’s reception in different markets around the world, and it’s evolution through to 2004 – stopping short at the introduction of the facelifted 987. A very brief buyers guide is included, along with some basic technical details, model numbers and sales breakdowns. This is not a handbook – it’s an approachable celebration of Porsche’s mid-engined roadster, packed with period photography and a pleasant, undemanding read. If you love your Boxster, you’ll probably love this too. PAGE / 9
News & updates 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship Opening round at Silverstone, 17th April Izzy and the TIPEC Anglia & North Essex crew went to support Porsche at Silverstone for the first round of the WEC. A bright but chilly start to the day was kicked off by the Porsche Carrera Cup, with excellent very close racing and plenty of thrills and spills.
Porsche 997 2004–2012 The Essential Companion The latest historical overview from Adrian Streather covers the 997. Author Adrian Streather Price £75.00 ISBN 978-1-845846-20-6 www.velocepubishing.co.uk In stark contrast to the Boxster book covered on the previous page, this is a serious piece of work. Running to over 700 pages in length, you won’t find a more in-depth book on the 997. Adrian Streather’s authoritative work kicks off with the differences between the last 996 and the first 997, in a clear, simple, comparison chart. Yes, it’s dry – but it’s listing facts, not giving opinions. That sets the tone well. This is a reference book, and goes into minute detail with the minimum of fuss. The 997’s history is detailed through model numbers and official designations. The specifications of each are all listed. Limited editions, special order options, regional variations. Technical explanations of the engines, transmissions, running gear, electronics, and bodywork are all present and correct. Basic DIY is set out step-by-step, a little like a Haynes manual but with better quality photos. The troubleshooting section will be invaluable if you are new to water-cooled 911s. A lengthy appendix goes into detail on VIN numbers, part numbers, paint codes, factory specs vs option lists, and even includes an exhaustive rundown of diagnostic error codes. It’s an impressive piece of work and the research involved must have been enormous. There’s nothing flashy here, but there doesn’t need to be. It’s an invaluable reference for a 997 owner or prospective buyer, which will live in your garage and not on your coffee table. AT / 117
Then a nice warming cuppa and a stroll around the pit area, driver spotting, but as you expect everything is under tight wraps. With the National Anthem finished and the first rumblings of engines, Patrick Dempsey set them off on their warm up laps. At 12 o’clock the race was on. Audi took an early lead with Porsche hot on their heels. Porsche then mixed it up a bit and within the next few laps the number one Porsche was out in front with Mark Webber at the wheel. As you’d expect endurance racing, with its mixed field, comes with its own special dramas – flat
tyres, ripping bodywork, shunts and offs, technical problems, waved yellow flags and safety cars. Then more drama with Audi grinding to a halt and almost immediately the big one, with Brendan Hartley at the wheel. The lead Porsche and a back marker had a big coming together which resulted with them both going out, leaving the last Audi in the lead followed by Porsche chasing to the very end. Audi came in 42 seconds ahead of the Porsche after the six hours … But the dramas didn’t end there, as under scrutineering Audi was disqualified for a technical infringement. So the number two car of Romain Dumas, Neel Jani & Marc Lieb took full honours and points. Keep up with all the action at www.fiawec.com
Member’s cars
Cayman ownership, the first year By Chris Cook from TIPEC’s Surrey & Sussex region Having owned my 2.7 944 for around 11 years I was thinking that it was time for a change of Porsche and I really liked the secondgeneration Cayman models. Before I could buy my new car I first had to dispose of the 944. The body and interior were in excellent condition but time was taking its toll on the running gear and she needed some serious money to be spent to bring it up to perfect condition. Also the smell of petrol when the tank was more than one third full bought terrible memories back of an incident many years earlier. (About using petrol to clean mechanical parts in the workshop: DON’T. As I found out to my cost, it only takes the slightest spark and petrol fumes are lethal. One totally destroyed workshop in five minutes– yes it’s that fast. If you must use petrol do it in a safe area outside, well away from buildings, vehicles or naked lights.) After talking to those in the trade and fellow TIPEC members I decided that a Gen 2 PDK 2.9 was the model for me. It was pretty clear that a Gen 2 with its totally revised engine layout was the way to go. A Cayman S was also considered but I figured that the 2.9 was plenty fast enough for me. After what seemed an awfully long time I managed to find a suitable car that had just been traded in at a Guildford Jaguar dealer. This seemed to tick most of the boxes: A Gen 2 PDK 2.9 in GT Metallic Silver with full black leather interior, 18" wheels and also a full service history and a low mileage.
A quick call to the dealer helped to convince me this vehicle was worth a second look. Armed with a mirror, torch, magnet, and a voltmeter I arrived to view the car. I introduced myself to the salesman and set about inspecting the vehicle, paying particular attention to the general condition and body shut lines and checking for even wear to the tyres. The paintwork seemed good with no supermarket scuffs and only the inevitable minor stone chips to the bonnet. The interior was very clean and tidy and oozed quality. Time to start the engine and check for smoke or oil in the exhaust. All seemed okay and the voltage output was fine. All dashboard lights and indicators worked as expected. A test drive out onto the Hog’s Back confirmed that this Cayman was rather nice! Engine, gearbox, steering, brakes and suspension and general ambience all felt good. Having decided that this was the car for me, the deal was done with a one year warranty which later turned out to be a wise move. Even a well-cared for six year old Cayman would not be totally faultless. Upon getting the car back to base it was time to speak to Peter Rowe at Precision Porsche to book the car in for a thorough inspection and fault find. This turned out to be a good move as a few items were raised that needed attention. Peter found a leaking air con radiator, cracked exhaust clamps (a common fault), heavily corroded exhaust studs between the cat and exhaust boxes and some light corrosion on
water cooling pipes. The first thing to fix was the leaking air con unit, under warranty. The next thing to be done was an annual service along with the exhaust studs and the cracked exhaust clamps. The six year gearbox oil change also had to be done. Another fault to show later on was the emergency transmission run warning on the dash board. This turned out to be the PDK Gearbox oil temp sensor and connector. This is a common issue with the PDK gearbox and there is a Porsche bulletin out on this fault. Again this was fixed under warranty. As I said a one year warranty turned out to be a wise move. The front brake discs and pads will need to be replaced fairly soon. This I intend to do myself and have manufactured a jacking plug to fit between my trolley jack and the car body. I also have the wheel alignment studs ready for this next job – just need to source the remaining items and sort out the required tools. Now time to get out on the road and enjoy driving it! So what is it that I love about Porsche ownership? Being an engineer all my working life it’s easy to appreciate the top quality design, styling and performance that goes with these lovely cars. I appreciate the cameraderie and long friendships developed over many years of TIPEC membership. Also the excellent service given to me by Porsche Mid-Sussex, Porsche Portsmouth and Precision Porsche – all top quality professional organisations. PAGE / 11
NINE ONE SEVEN Author / Photographer Martin Broadribb
AT / 117
The 2016 Goodwood Members Meeting included not one, but eight, Porsche 917s racing in anger. Martin Broadribb was there to see (and hear) these legendary Porsche racers on their rare outing.
It is rather a shame that as time passes and the values of older Porsches increase they are less likely to be seen at events or in action. This means that there are already many Porsche enthusiasts who rarely, if at all, ever get to see certain models outside the lifeless existence of a museum. When it comes to Porsche racing cars this is all the more true. For competition cars this can be as much due to a lack of an appropriate historic racing category as much as the astronomical values now attached to old racing cars, so when the opportunity arises to see and hear rare old Porsches in any sort of action it must be grasped. Normally one of the few ways to witness a 917 on a racetrack these days would be at attend the bi-annual Rennsport Reunion in America, but such an occasion arose in Britain earlier this year when a high speed demonstration of sportsracing cars from the late 1960s and early 1970s Group Five period was staged twice during the 74th Goodwood Members Meeting. This allowed those not old enough to have seen the 917 in action to witness eight of them circulating. They were accompanied by some of their contemporaries from Ferrari and Lola to add context to the proceedings.
As well as being able to see (and hear!) the cars in action it was also possible to examine them at very close quarters and even to meet their contemporary drivers, David Piper, Derek Bell and Richard Attwood, all of whom were also driving 917s during the weekend. While it was nice to see the familiar JWGulf colours that suited the cars so well it was also pleasing to see some other colour schemes as a reminder that this model was raced in many liveries during its competition career. Being able to view these cars in detail and to see them in action certainly beat viewing any museum-bound example, no matter how well restored, and provided an interesting window into Porsche history that rarely occurs. PAGE / 13
ANYTIME, ANYPLACE, ANYWHERE! Author / Photographer Paul Bird
“ There were only 100 UK Championship Edition 924s. Having realised the rarity I must admit, I spent the next few days wondering if it was a genuine Martini car or simply a white 924 with aftermarket stripes.
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Anyone around my age will remember the Martini slogan well. Hardly an advertising break went by without seeing one of the adverts on TV. Martini was a huge name in the 1970s and of course the link between the brand and Porsche racing is the stuff of legend. So let’s roll the clock forward to 2016 and I find myself looking after the Club’s stand at the Practical Classic and Restoration Show at the NEC over the first weekend of March. Running up to the show my wife had commented I was working too hard and needed a new project to get me away from the laptop! Over twelve months had elapsed since I had sold my 928 and the trackday car was pretty well sorted, so there was nothing on four wheels demanding my time. Perhaps by fate a visitor onto the stand over the weekend explained he had a ‘classic’ Porsche he wanted to get rid of and explained it was a 924 Championship Edition. I agreed to go and view the car the following weekend and I spent a few days researching so I knew what to look for on the day. Having realised the rarity I must admit I spent the next few days wondering if it was a genuine Martini car or simply a white 924 with aftermarket stripes. There were only 100 UK Martini cars and they were produced between December 1976 and March 1977. White with Martini stripes, scarlet carpets with black vinyl seats centred with red corduroy and piped in blue. Finally they were all fitted with a small brass plaque at the rear of the centre console commemorating the success of the Martini Rosso racers.
A few moments looking over the car confirmed it was the genuine article but she was in a sorry state. Having been off the road for twenty years the old girl was run down and neglected with more than a few dodgy looking panels and some odd areas of rust. The side of the windscreen had significant issues, the driver’s door was beyond salvation and the rear hatch lock areas were totally rotten. Inside there was more than a little mould and the driver’s seat was ripped either side of the centre fabric … but everything was there. Only the door mirrors were not original. About half an hour of haggling followed until I had secured a deal and I left a deposit, agreeing to pop back with the balance on Monday evening. The guy selling the car explained he had sent off for a log book but it hadn’t been received so he agreed to chase it up on Monday morning. When I went back he had spoken with DVLA and they apparently had no record of his application so it was agreed I would sort. I commented that it was a pity there was no paperwork with the car and he suddenly announced he had a file! This hadn’t been mentioned on my first visit so I was somewhat taken aback but he duly produced an old file from a kitchen drawer. Reviewing the contents back at home yielded the original owners manual, nearly all the MOT certificates and lots of paperwork from previous owners – not a complete history but a good background to an honest car. Thinking about it, I don’t think I could have a better project to start during the 40th Anniversary year of the 924. Perhaps it was fated? There is a great deal of work to be done but I hope to see her back on the road in all her former glory although not, I suspect, in time for this summer’s events.
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A 20-YEAR LOVE AFFAIR Author John Donnelly / Photographer Amber Inch
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At 15, John Donnelly fell head over heels in love. Teenage infatuation doesn’t always last … … but John’s 20-year obsession with Porsche’s mid-engined roadster shows no signs of fading.
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Like most teenagers I covered my bedroom walls in posters. Bands, movies and cars all came and went, however there were two posters that were in my eyeline when I woke up every afternoon. The 911SC Targa in Black and James Dean stood next to his 1955 550. Even then I was obsessed with all things Porsche and I took every opportunity to show off, as the only one of my school friends who could tell a 924 from a 944 coming towards us every time without fail. As much as I salivated over every Porsche ever made, in my mind the 550 was (and still is) the most beautiful thing that anyone had beaten from sheet metal. I’ve never been able to put my finger on why, maybe it had to have something to do with the minimalist roadster styling and the mid engine engineering, wrapped in rolling lines that ran seamlessly from front to back, giving the impression that the driver was rudely interrupting its perfect organic form. This was a love affair that would never fade. Fast forward to 1993 and my beloved Porsche, a company very much in trouble, launched a brave concept car at the Detroit motor show. The lines were unmistakably classic Porsche from front to back, but there was something else. Minimalist roadster styling that was
wonderfully familiar, rolling wings front and back, a silver petrol cap mounted up front, midengine configuration … this just screamed out classic 550. The pictures were incredible, but the big question was whether Porsche would be brave enough to make a car that would save or sink the marque? Only time would tell. The concept was a massive departure from Porsche at the time, as was the name. The combination of a mid-mounted water cooled boxer engine ‘BOX’ slotted into a pure roadster ‘STER’. This revolutionary combination led to the name and the BOXSTER was born, it was a work of pure genius. The man responsible for these amazing lines, Grant Larson, had knocked the design out of the park. Following the concept car’s successful debut, Horst Marchant, a truly gifted engineer primarily responsible for the ‘Boxster development project’, was given the goahead to go into production. The news that this incredible looking homage to the classic Porsche cars of the golden era was going to be made was too incredible for words. I could hardly believe that I would see a modern version of the iconic 550 on the road again 40 years on. I kept tabs on the Boxster, now given the Porsche manufacture code 986, in the press
over the following three years, including the universally successful launch at Paris in 1996. Nothing at all could have prepared me for the first time I saw one in the flesh. I can remember exactly where I was, it’s my own Kennedy moment. It was August 1996 I was working at a casino in Southampton and was arriving at work, when a silver Boxster pulled into the car park with the roof down. It was unmistakably a classic flat six sound although a much smoother note than the air cooled 911, the subtle rumble from the 2.5 water cooled boxer engine was warning you there was something special waiting to be unleashed. I was smitten. Yes, the low side intakes had been moved up to three quarter height, the iconic petrol cap had been moved to a more practical side position and the seats no longer intruded into the rear body in that classic ’50s style. Porsche had been truly brave, the mid mounted rear exhaust exit was still there, the light clusters front and back, effortlessly and organically merged into those iconic rolling wings as opposed to looking like an afterthought like most cars of the time. The front air intakes were wider and less aggressive and moulded into the car’s form almost like they were slowly sinking into quicksilver. The now iconic ‘cookie cutter’ alloy wheels, so often described as the making of a car, were incredible, at home in any modern art gallery. PAGE / 19
Drop it from fifth to third at 50mph, bury the joy pedal, and the spoiler is up in a millisecond. Before you realise it you’re in three figures (on a track of course).
The Boxster was cross-your-legs gorgeous in the flesh from front to back. I fell head over heels in love, but sadly I was a working class lad from the North East working in a casino … then children arrive and money gets tight … I could really only dream. Owning a Porsche was as likely as owning the Eiffel Tower so I was limited to magazines and brochures. It looked like it would be a case of unrequited love. Widely acknowledged as one of the best handling cars on the planet, as well as being lorded as a pure driver’s car, sadly the Boxster became another great Porsche dubbed ‘the poor man’s 911’, a mantle that every post-1980 non-911 Porsche owner has to live with. The Boxster in the meantime, bless her, went from strength to strength. In 1999 Porsche introduced two more versions of the 986, a 2.7 and the S, a 3.2 version with slight styling changes, most notably the light clusters, which lost the controversial orange indicators. The Boxster has since undergone major changes with the 987 model, 981 and most recently the 718. It even led to a fixed roof version in the Cayman (admit it Cayman owners, love you all, your cars are amazing, but without the Boxster there would be no Cayman). All good love stories should have a happy ending right? AT / 117
The dream of Boxster ownership was an itch that never went away. Times change, people get lucky in work (defiantly not through skill or ability), and I fell into the IT world. In 2011 the itch needed scratching; the day arrived when I was able to start looking for a Boxster. Despite everyone’s advice to get a 3.2S, I couldn’t get away from the emotion of seeing that first 2.5. After months of solid searching, I went to see the nice people at Maundrell Oxfordshire. Steve, an ex racing driver, soon dispelled the myth of the ‘slow’ 2.5 Boxster. I had never felt anything like the grip, agility, and responsiveness; it had the performance to match the looks which was a bonus considering I didn’t really care. 30 minutes later I payed the asking price and floated all the way home, counting the sleeps to delivery. Six years on I am still the proud owner of that little silver 2.5 986 and I adore it now as much as the first time I laid eyes on one. I still get a kick every time that flat six fires up. Driving every day is a joy, and I get 30mpg during the daily commute. Looks in the Boxster’s case are most definitely not deceiving, the Boxster looks fast stood still. The way the whole car changes character above 4,000 revs is staggering. Everything opens up; this smooth, forgiving, open top cruiser becomes a corner devouring monster. Be prepared to drop it from fifth to third at 50mph, bury the joy pedal,
and the spoiler is up in a millisecond. Before you realise it you’re in three figures (on a track of course). Oh and don’t forget ‘the Boxster warning’, the promise you’re moving towards noisy territory, something only 2.5 owners know – the engine note change at 2,850rpm (yup 2,850, I checked, I am that sad) still causes issues in the gentleman’s area. Ownership is an absolute joy; the support network is great, servicing is less than most German main dealer prices and even spares are easy to get hold of and replace. To date I have replaced the water pump, brake pads and cats (back to original) myself and I love working on her. So here I am, the very proud owner of a completely original (even down to the weird squidgy Becker radio knobs, what are those all about?) mid-engine, 200bhp, sub-seven seconds to 60, 150 mph, convertible, vintage lines, poor man’s 550, on classic insurance at £220 per year … thank you very much. Like all true loves, I love my 986 a little more each day. The absolute best part of ownership, every time I look at her on the drive I’m 15 again dreaming of owning a mid-engine Porsche roadster. I’m a lucky boy. Happy birthday Boxster, here’s to the next 20 years.
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Having only attended the Silverstone Classic once before, in 2013 for the 911x911 parade, James Garrard was lucky enough to be invited to the press launch day for 2016’s event. Author James Garrard / Photographer Jason Gibson
SILVERSTONE I jumped at this opportunity for find out what this years Silverstone classic has to offer. It was a brisk sunny start to the day at 8am and the international paddock was already buzzing with the sound of engines and people.
anniversaries – with lots of models and marques set to celebrate momentous milestones this summer, including the 50th birthday of the iconic Lamborghini Miura and 25 years of the charismatic Nissan Figaro.
ITV Anglia joined Jason Gibson and I on our breakfast table, and Jason spotted Philip Glenister and Ant Anstead from Channel 4’s For the Love of Cars, BBC Sport’s presenter Steve Rider and Nicolas Hamilton (Lewis’s brother) way before I did, proving I am blind as a bat when it comes to spotting celebrities.
Freddie Hunt was one of the undisputed star attractions of the press event, as the 2016 Silverstone Classic prepares to mark the 40th anniversary of his father James Hunt’s Formula 1 World Championship crown. Freddie got behind the wheel of his father’s 1976 title-winning McLaren-Ford M23, and was interviewed by commentating legend Murray Walker for a forthcoming feature on Channel 4’s F1 programme.
The main speaker appeared on the presentation stage, and filled everyone in on this year’s event. The Silverstone Classic is firmly established as the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival, with last year’s record-breaking silver jubilee extravaganza attracting more than 100,000 visitors for the very first time. This year is gearing up to be even bigger and better, with the Home of British Motorsport primed to host the ultimate celebration of classic cars. Some 150 of the world’s finest cars will take to the Grand Prix track, while static displays in the paddock highlight many of the car club AT / 117
Other big names included former England international footballer Luther Blissett, who is an ambassador for new event charity partner Prostate Cancer UK. He is supporting Gordon Weston with his racing 924S. Gordon is a Prostate Cancer survivor and we are hoping Gordon and his 924 will join us for the day down at Beaulieu’s Simply Porsche on June the 5th. Touring car heroes Steve Soper, Jeff Allam and Patrick Watts were also in attendance, and
they will all be appearing on track as part of the inaugural ‘Tin-Top Sunday’ in July. For the first time at the Silverstone Classic, there will be four separate touring car grids – the JET Super Touring Car Trophy (1990–2000), Historic Touring Car Challenge (1967–1989), Big-Engine Touring Cars (Pre ’66) and Under Two-Litre Touring Cars (Pre ’66) – bringing together more than 200 of the nation’s best-loved cars. In another exciting innovation, in addition to the ever-popular Group C twilight race, FIA Masters Historic Formula One, Legends of Modern Formula One and Stirling Moss Trophy amongst many others, the new Can-Am 50 Interserie Challenge will stage its season finale at the Classic. These extreme machines will provide an awesome soundtrack to the event as they celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2016. Extending the event’s appeal to two- and three-wheeled fans as well as car connoisseurs, this summer’s Classic will also welcome to the bill World GP Bike Legends – off the back of a successful debut at Jerez in Spain last year – and the Sidecar Salute, with 1987 500cc World Champion Wayne Gardner and ten-time ten FIM Sidecar World Champion Steve Webster.
CLASSIC 2016 Away from the racetrack, the impressive infield display will include live music concerts from chart-toppers The Boomtown Rats, The Stranglers and Reef, more than 120 car clubs (Including TIPEC) exhibiting classic models from through the decades, Silverstone Auctions, aviation displays, a live Range Rover restoration with new event partner eBay and – for the first time – a concours d’elegance. Sounds like a pretty good weekend to me. Then I actually got goosebumps as James Hunt’s son Freddie took to the stage, and it was like looking at a slight younger version of the man himself. The likeness was uncanny, and not at all what I expected. Later I would see more of Freddie and his Dad’s cars outside, an inspiring sight. After a few more speeches and introductions Jason and I headed off to the paddock for photos with Freddie and Gordon which gave Jason and I chance to have a chat before heading off to our track runs. We got lined up, with balaclavas and helmets on, then all of a sudden the heavens opened with sleet and hail! Hail on a racetrack isn’t good no matter what you drive. Jason had his heart set on a ride out in an old open top car from before the Second World War. As he left in
the ever increasing downpour of hail, I had to snigger a bit. I had my eye on the 991 Turbo S that was making the rounds. Jason had just about got to the end of the first turn doing his 20mph in the rain, when all of a sudden the smile was wiped off my face. There before me stood a Lamborghini Diablo in deep purple. My first thought … I’m going to die now! My second … what a way to go though. I shoehorned myself in to the Lambo, we set off out of the pit lane, and we’re already doing 120mph. I actually said to the driver, who was semi professional, ‘Please don’t kill me!’ I think the first lap was just a warm up as we didn’t get much over 140. This was still enough to lap Jason, and on the second lap things started to become really interesting. By this time hail had turned to ice on the track, and my driver was now at full chat around the circuit (180+). We came around the second to last bend before coming back into the pits when he loses the rear end … I hold my breath as we start to go sideways, but somehow he corrected and we slowed to a steady 40mph as we re-entered the pit lane.
A very impressive drive, done much faster than I would have been comfortable driving. By the time I’d got out of the car and back with Jason (who was thawing out) we had both joined the queue again for another run out. Sadly it wasn’t meant to be as lunch was about to be served. We had another good look around after lunch. I couldn’t quite believe the amount of rather attractive ladies talking with Nicolas Hamilton, what ever he’s got I’d like some of it too! We then headed off to the paddock and garages for one last look around, spied a stunning black GT1 racing car owned by Paragon Cars and a rather nice looking 962 just behind the GT1. Bumped into Ant & Phil and did the usual happy pics, a great couple of guys that are passionate about their cars. Credit to them both, what you see on the TV is them in real life. No acting required. We decided to call it a day but before leaving Silverstone we couldn’t ignore the Porsche Experience Center, so we popped in for a quick look around and to catch up with our old friend Gordon Robertson, Chief Driving Consultant. All in all a brilliant day had. PAGE / 23
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NINE TWO FOUR Authors Andrew Harris & Jason Lee Photography from the Porsche Press Archive
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The 924 was every inch a proper Porsche. A real driver’s car with fantastic handling. Only the limited power of that original Audi-sourced engine held the inital versions back. Back in the early 1980s, during my teenage years, my memory of the Porsche 924 was something that was owned by a young urban professional, abbreviated to ‘yuppie’, which really meant a young man, well dressed in a pin-striped suit, working in the city, carrying a Filofax and earning lots of money! Just like a fine wine or good cheese, we mature with age and I have since learned to appreciate that the Porsche 924 was actually a turning point in the history of Porsche and contributed to saving the commpany from financial disaster. The Porsche 924, designed by Harm Lagaay, was first shown in 1975 at a press launch in the South of France. It was introduced to the market in 1976 to replace the Porsche 914 which was a mid-engine, two-seat, targa-topped roadster built jointly by Volkswagen and Porsche. The 924 was, in addition, going to retire the 912 at the same time.
The 924 was also going to be a combined project between Volkswagen and Porsche. Volkswagen was hoping for the 924 to be the company’s flagship sports car and was given the project number 425 whilst in development. For Porsche, it was going to be the opposite; it was to be the entry level car within their range. Volkswagen was lacking in research and design as whereby Porsche were doing most of the development work, so a contract was entered into between the two companies for Porsche to continue developing the car. However, a stipulation was made that the new car had to use an existing Volkswagen/Audi four cylinder in-line engine. Due to this, Porsche chose to drive the rear wheels through a transaxle which combined the functions of the gearbox and differential of the driven axle into one integrated assembly. This created almost perfect weight distribution (53:47) and excellent grip. The Porsche 928 was the first ‘designed’ Porsche to have a front mounted, water-cooled engine with rear wheel drive; the 924 was now going to be using the same configuration. This was very unusual for Porsche as previously all their other models had either mid or rear mounted engines of a boxer arrangement. The 924 was also the first Porsche to be offered with a fully automatic gearbox.
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During the 1970s there was a fuel crisis and along with a change of directors at Volkswagen, they decided to discontinue ‘project 425’ and continue with the development of the cheaper Scirocco model. Porsche then made a deal with Volkswagen to buy back the design and continue with production. The deal specified that the NSU factory, (NSU Motorenwerke AG, a German manufacturer of push-bikes, motorbikes and motor vehicles acquired by Volkswagen in 1969, then later merging with Auto Union) which was located near to Porsche’s headquarters in Stuttgart, is where manufacturing of the 924 was to take place with Volkswagen as the subcontractor, this in turn allowing Volkswagen employees to carry out the assembly work with Porsche specialists overseeing production. The 924 was powered by a 2.0 litre engine which was used in the Audi 100, with a Porsche designed cylinder head, Bosch K-jetronic fuel injection and offering a healthy 125bhp (a little less in North America as they required the use of a catalytic converter). The 1976 model had a four speed manual gearbox, a year later was being offered with a five speed dog-leg gearbox or three-speed automatic. It was not until 1980 that the conventional five-speed H configured gearbox was to be used. Unfortunately, whilst introducing radical safety concepts like crumple zones, possibly a world first, the cars came without power steering and very few had air conditioning – a huge oversight given Porsche’s traditional strength in the American market.
From 1980 onwards all models were fully galvanised resulting in long lasting cars free from the rust problems associated with other cars of the 1970’s period and ensuring that a large number of survivors exist, although pre1980 cars should be checked for rust particularly around the sills. Parts are easily and cheaply sourced although trim parts, such as the dashboard are of a poor quality (compressed cardboard under vinyl) and prone to cracking when exposed to heat and hard to repair or replace. Another common complaint is the mix of front discs and, less efficient, rears drums, replaced in the S models with all round disks. Just like the later Porsche 996, the 924 received some rather harsh comments from the motoring press, as much as the styling, handling and reliability was praised in this instance, the press were not enamoured with the performance! Unfortunately, Porsche had made a reputation for itself, leading to high expectations; it wasn’t until the Turbo version came out that the press decided to open its arms to the 924.
Competition has always been at the forefront of Porsche, ever since their early beginnings, and so during 1980 the evolution of the 924 Turbo to the 924 Carrera GT and 924 Carrera GTS respectively was never going to be a surprise! The Carrera GT benefitted from increased compression and an intercooler over the Turbo model, was producing 210bhp, and entered the world of competition. To be able to compete and to comply with homologation regulations, the 924 Carrera GT had to be offered as a roadgoing car with 406 being produced, the later 924 GTS offering an increased power output to 245bhp with 59 being produced. In the UK the 924 has its own racing series, run by the BRSCC and the Porsche Racing Drivers Association. This was started in 1992 by Jeff May, who was also one of the founding members of Porsche Club GB, unfortunately passing away in November 2003. Production finally stopped in 1988 with the 924S model. The 924 was to become one of the best selling models in Porsche’s history with over 150,000 cars being sold worldwide.
Such was the build quality of the cars that today many 924s survive and a good project car can be purchased for as little as £500. This quality was demonstrated in a series of road tests conducted by Rudi Lins and Gerhard Plattner who between them subjected the range to a series of remarkable tests. For their first journey they drove a standard 924 80,000 kilometres in 12 months with the first part of the test to drive the car around the world, over five continents, travelling 23,313 kilometres in 28 days. Next they drove the vehicle continuously up and down the Brenner Autobahn at an average speed of 71.8mph for 100 hours non-stop. They then drove from Hammerfest, the most northerly town in the world, to the southernmost, Ushuaia in Argentina, a distance of 32,000 kilometres. During this journey the vehicle travelled between temperatures of minus 40ºC to plus 40ºC and reached heights of 13,000ft above sea level. The same vehicle was used for each journey and suffered no major mechanical problems except for a shock absorber damaged during a particularly heavy landing. It should be noted that three separate engines were used although this was for testing purposes rather than due to an issue with any of the engines.
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The standard 924 came with three gearbox options: four and five speed manuals and a three speed automatic. A number of limited edition models were created, for which there appear to be no known definitive numbers of units produced, with various numbers between 1,000 and 3,000 units quoted for each edition. We have seen evidence that Porsche themselves can’t even identify the chassis numbers of the 1977 and 1980 models due to a lack of proper production records for the 924 before 1982. 1977 Championship (Martini Rossi) Edition This car featured mainly cosmetic upgrades relating to its interior, with the only mechanical upgrade being the inclusion of rear sway bars. 2,000 were produced for the American market and 100 right-hand drive models, although we are not sure if the latter figure was for the UK only or included the rest of the world market. 3,000 were produced in total according to Porsche, but various sources quote different production figures. The car is white with a very distinctive Martini stripe running rear to front and the interior mixes leather with very bright fabrics. A telling feature of a true Martini car is a plate attached to the rear of the centre console commemorating Porsche’s double world championship in 1976. 1980 Le Mans Edition This was produced in the same numbers as the Martini car and again is special only for its livery and interior. The car was produced in white or black with a small graphic being the only external evidence of its designation.
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1982 Weissach Edition Again, predominantly a cosmetic upgrade. Porsche produced a limited number of all models in production at that time as a special edition to commemorate the 10th anniversary of their Weissach research department. 400 units are believed to have been produced. We are only aware of one right-hand drive vehicle in existence which was a post-production conversion carried out in Australia. 1978–1981 924 Turbo Mk1 1981–1983 924 Turbo Mk2 This car came with a five speed dogleg gearbox in which the first gear is over and down and the reverse over and up which takes a little getting used to when first driving them. Only 12,000 were made ensuring that this is a highly collectable model. The 924 Turbo is currently attracting high prices as the air cooled range move rapidly out of the financial reach of the normal enthusiast, although restoration projects can be found at reasonable prices.
1986–1988 924S Using an upgraded 2,500cc engine (produced for the 944) Porsche produced the 924S between 1986 and 1988. The vehicle came with a choice of five speed manual and three speed automatic gearboxes. Its performance means that even today this car and the 924 Turbo remain favourite track cars for many people, with performance figures of 0–60 in eight seconds, reduced to 7.3 in the Turbo, and a top speed of 133mph. Carrera range Between 1980 and 1981 Porsche released the monstrous Carrera GT, GTS and GTR cars producing 210bhp in the GT, 245bhp in the GTS, moving to 280bhp in the Club Sport GTS version and an enormous 375bhp in the GTR. Only 400 GTs were made with six prototypes known of and 59 GTS models, meaning that they are, and have always been, exceptionally rare and highly collectable cars. Interest in them and the price is sure to rise after world famous Porsche collector and builder Magnus Walker recently unveiled a Carrera GTS he had managed to find and purchase from Japan. A further Carrera, the GTR, was produced with only 17 known to have been made. The vehicle could produce up to a staggering 375bhp with a resulting top speed of 181mph and a 0–60 time of 4.1 seconds, almost unheard of for its time.
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BOXSTER FRONT BRAKE SERVICE
If it’s immaculate on the outside, there’ll be nothing to worry about on the inside, right? Er, not necessarily … Richard Sholl has a tale of breaking brakes on Malcolm Poulson’s otherwise bonny Boxster.
At 14 years old and with only 28,000 miles covered, Malcolm Poulson’s 986 Boxster S is probably as fine an example as you’re going to find … apart maybe from cars which never actually get used as the factory intended. Mal has owned the car since June 2011 and it came to him with just one previous owner having then covered 14,000 miles. Knowing the brakes were as supplied from the factory and with a wear sensor warning light flashing, Mal knew the time had come to take a look beyond the alloy wheels and in April this year the car went into the workshop: Mal says “The brake discs and pads were the originals. The discs were still less than half worn but I have always had a problem with rusting on the inside face of the front discs. AT / 117
Despite some heavy braking it has never cleared the build-up [of rust]. I had been putting off changing them for some time in the knowledge that new discs will most likely rust the same as the old ones. “In the car’s first nine years it averaged 1,500 miles a year and in the last five years that has increased to 2,800 miles a year. Despite the extra mileage and being garaged with a car cover and a dehumidifier for four months of the winter, the discs still rust! “My first thought was to skim the disks and fit new pads and sensors but having discussed the options with friends within TIPEC I decided that new discs would be the better option. What brand of discs and pads to buy would normally be straight forward for me – the cheapest (if it’s for my old
workhorse Passat anyway!) but for the Porsche I took a minute or two to decide. Pagid appeared to be cheapest; Textar seemed to be ‘good value’ and Sebro, although not a name I knew, were well thought of amongst friends in my North West region of TIPEC. It would appear that they are often fitted to Boxsters and 911s used on track, which intrigued me because my 986 does venture on to the track occasionally. “The best prices I found for the parts I fitted: two Pagid sensor kits, four damper plates and a set of Textar pads from Euro Car Parts came in at £123, with two front Sebro high carbon discs from Halfords at £168. “As can be seen in the photos the outer face of the old disc has less than a millimetre of wear but the backs had almost no wear, and
75% of the face was not being used. The inner disc pad had worn down on the inner edge and had become wedge shaped. This was not what I expected to see. So in the future I will be checking the discs and pads more closely. “Past Services and MOTs have only ever reported the rust. But clearly the twisted inner pads were not doing the job and could have damaged the calliper or even twisted and cracked the discs. This is definitely something to be aware of on low mileage cars. There’s nothing here that a sensible DIY mechanic shouldn’t be able to change or service themselves and there’s loads of help available online. If you’re old-school then Wayne Dempsey’s book 101 Projects for your Porsche Boxster is available from Waterstones or Amazon and is well worth a read.”
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Regional round up R2
Scotland
R8
Anglia & North Essex
R3
North East
R11
North London, Herts & South Essex
R4
Yorkshire
R12
Kent & South East London
R5
North West
R13
Thames Valley
R18
Cheshire & Staffs
R9
Surrey & Sussex
R6
South Yorkshire & North Notts
R21
Wessex
R19
East Midlands
R23
Southern
R7
Central
R22
Bristol, South West & South Wales
R20
South Central
R15
Cornwall & Devon
R2
R3
R4 R5 R18
R6 R19
R7 R22
R20
R8 R11 R12
R13 R9
R15
R23
R21
Scotland RO Neil Fraser 07946 616 782 • neil@fraser72.freeserve.co.uk ARO West John Davidson davidsonjohn3@sky.com ARO East Scott Allan scott@ego3d.co.uk Meetings are held first Wednesday of every month 7:30pm for an 8pm start in the 007 bar, upstairs at Bo’Ness Motor Museum, Bridgeness Road, Bo’Ness EH51 9JR. www.motor-museum.bo-ness.org.uk It is well in to spring but still a bit on the nippy side up here in the North … but getting warmer finally. May has finally seen some action and shows for the region. A few of us were at the Gumball 3000 in Edinburgh on Sunday the 1st of May and after a long anticipated wait for the cars coming in they finally arrived between nine and 10pm having come from Ireland via the ferry. The following weekend we were at the Jim Clark Museum down in the Scottish Borders which was one of the outings that came from our winter suggestion sheets. Firstly it was a nice lunch
Brian’s new lady friend in Essen didn’t say much … AT / 117
at the Allanton Inn in Chirnside then a visit to Jim Clark’s graveside and a short drive to the museum, with some nice Porsche driving roads on the way home. 17 of us took a trip to Essen in Germany for Europe’s largest classic car show. I have to say this event never disappoints. Only my second time there and I’ve never seen so many Porkers in one place. A fantastic trip in great company. Thanks to everyone who made the trip. The May club meeting saw us surprise Martin Whitelaw with a wee cake for his 70th birthday. He doesn’t look a day over 56, how on Earth does he do it? Elaine organised the cake and it went down a treat, I have to say. Especially with myself and my sweet tooth. Happy birthday Martin from everyone in the region. A few of us attended Porsche Centre Edinburgh for the launch of the new 718 Boxster with a few of the clan having taken the opportunity of a test drive on the day. It was nice to catch up with a few old faces as well. The new 718 Boxster is getting more like its big brother every time a new version comes out – or that’s what it looks like to me. The yellow Boxster on the evening
Feeding time for the Clan in Essen
took my breath away but those that know me will know anything yellow and I am hooked! There is still a lot happening this season and for many of the shows we have a full house of cars attending. Thirlsatine, Moffat and Glamis are all fully booked up early on in the season. I see more cars coming to shows this year than recent years, which is a very encouraging sight. The more the merrier as far as I am concerned. We will have a few spontaneous emails going out regarding chippy runs on those days that look as if the sun might shine, so route suggestions please. A run to Anstruther comes to mind, for example, for a nice wee jaunt down by the harbour. June 1st (Wednesday) Club night with Angelwax car detailing demo June 5th (Sunday) 44th Historic Motor Extravaganza, Thirlstaine Castle June 12th (Sunday) Tayside Classic Motor Show, Errol Airfield June 26th (Sunday) Moffat Classic Car Rally, Moffat Showground
Martin Whitelaw and his Targa birthday cake
July 3rd (Sunday) Knockhill German Car Show & Trackday July 6th (Wednesday) Restoration / buffet / club night, East Lothian July 10th (Sunday) Scottish Transport Extravaganza, Glamis Castle July 24th (Sunday) Annual Scottish region BBQ and concours day out at Bo’Ness Motor Museum August 7th (Sunday) Kaimes Classic Car Show, Muirkirk August 28th (Sunday) Scotland s Largest Gathering of Porsches (Porsche in the Glen event) September 3rd–4th (Saturday–Sunday) Bo’Ness Hill Climb (Club Stand Sunday 4th only) September 3rd–4th (Saturday–Sunday) Autumn weekend away to Mull November 11–13th (Friday–Sunday) Porsche Experience, Silverstone & NEC Classic Car Show, Birmingham November 24th (Thursday) Ten Pin Bowling evening Deer Park Country Club, Livingston December 10th (Saturday) Christmas Dinner and quiz night Open Arms Hotel, Dirlton If any member requires more information on any aspect of the Scottish Region’s activities then please do not hesitate to contact any of us (details above). We are only to happy to answer and help with any questions you may have. May I remind all members who require servicing, maintenance or repairs to their Porsche to contact Brian Miller Motors in Edinburgh (0131 443 7806). Brian is a Porsche trained mechanic with over 45 years’ experience in the business and caters for other German marques in addition to Porsche. We also have SP Autobahn, a Porsche Specialist situated in Stirling. Owner Stuart Paterson (07973 385 463) has over 15 years in the business and offers every service possible for your Porsche. His website is www.spautobahn.com
Part of Mike Williamson, new RO for the North East’s, collection
North East
North West
RO Mike Williamson 07940 738 692 mike.williamson@volkswagen.co.uk ARO Andy Blythe 01642 809 031 • andy44s70@gmail.com
RO Richard Sholl 07970 147 779 • n22rks@googlemail.com ARO Simon Kendal 07833 446 336 • s.kendal@sky.com ARO Colin Hammerton 07500 908 091 • col.hamm@hotmail.co.uk
Meetings are held first Sunday of every month 7:30pm at The Anson Farm, just off the A19. In June and July we are meeting on the SECOND Sunday of the month. I would like to welcome Mike Williamson to the club. Mike is a long time friend of mine and an avid car collector. Recently he has succumbed to the attraction of the Porsche marque, purchasing his first Porsche in the form of a 996 sporting GT3 factory-fitted upgrades. Like myself he is a time served technician, clubman racing driver and now only gets oil under his fingernails at weekends. Mike will be stepping into the role of RO. Mike never does anything half-heartedly! I for one, as ARO, look forward to revitalising the North East region with him. Over the past few club meetings it has been decided that a new venue for the monthly meeting may give better attendance. Therefore the new club meeting pub will be The Anson Farm, just off the A19, on the first Sunday of the month. The North East has a Facebook closed group to join – send a personal message to me, Andrew Blythe, for updates and Porsche related chat.
Yorkshire RO & ARO wanted
Brian Wood’s new Boxster Spyder
Meetings are held first Tuesday of every month 7:30pm at The Arabian Horse, Main Street, Aberford, LS25 3AA (Tel 0113 281 3312). Just off the A1/A64.
Meetings are held first Monday of every month from 7pm at The Boatyard Inn, Bolton Road, Riley Green, Houghton, Preston PR5 0SP (01254 209841). When this falls on a Bank Holiday, we meet on the second Monday of the month instead. The North West Region has had a busy time lately, so I’ll pile straight into the news that matters on our ‘patch’. You’ll have read elsewhere in All Torque about our involvement with a ‘bucket list’ event in April so I don’t need to repeat all the details again here. However I will stress how humbled I am by all of you that gave up your Sunday morning to support this event at very short notice. Sincere thanks are owed by me to you. Sunday 10th April saw us gathered at The Boatyard for our second Charity Pet-Food Run to Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary near Edenfield. We had a great turn-out of 12 Porsche cars and welcomed friends from Region 18 of Porsche Club GB along as well. Everyone made donations of pet food, pet toys, animal bedding and suchlike and spent time viewing each other’s cars, the cats/dogs/donkeys/goats/horses/rabbits at the Sanctuary and of course sampling the delights of the on site café at Bleakholt (it wouldn’t be a TIPEC NW event if there wasn’t a café involved). ARO Simon Kendal organised the event and did a fine job of reserving/policing the upper car park area at Bleakholt for our cars – the Sanctuary gets very busy on Sundays – whilst getting the Porsches parked with almost inch perfect accuracy. PAGE / 35
Peter Anderson: keyboard warrior & karting winner
TIPEC North West cars & girls at Bleakholt
By Friday 15th April it was time for another Friday Feast Run, this time to a new venue for us in the shape of The Blue Anchor at Bretherton. It was a busy evening with no less than 22 attendees (some of whom were on their very first TIPEC NW event). We had 12 Porsches in attendance, one of them being a Rinspeed 930 and you don’t see one of those every day! Our little convoy also included an immaculate Mercedes SLK with AMG accoutrements and Norman’s fabulous Mustang convertible. As always, thanks to all who came along and please don’t forget that we’re always keen to hear your suggestions for new Chippy Tea/ Friday Feast destinations. Remember that we need ample seating for hungry Northerners and safe, Porsche friendly, parking. This year’s Annual Karting Event arrived on 23rd April even though it only felt like a few months since the last one. Simon had suggested Team Karting in Rochdale and club stalwart Doug Ogden kindly took on organisational/booking responsibilities and, as per the last few years, we held a joint event with the good folk from NORLOG (Northern Lotus Owners Group). I think we had 23 drivers taking part. We certainly had a lot of banter, a lot of crashes, a lot of laughs and at least one driver with a somewhat less than competitive power to weight ratio whilst in his kart: good taste prevents me from naming names but one of his kart tyres succumbed to the stress of it all by not only popping but also ripping itself right off a wheel! By the end of the afternoon we were delighted to see long-time TIPEC member Peter Anderson take the winners’ place on the podium knocking NORLOG into second and third. Well done Peter – all your big talk paid off … One of our local guys, the aforementioned Norman Harris, is involved with the charitable organisation Galloways Society for the Blind AT / 117
Rare Rinspeed 930 at The Blue Anchor Friday Feast
and he’d asked if anyone was available to get involved with an ‘experience day’ at the Three Sisters track in Wigan on Monday 25th April. Sadly, and through no fault of Norman’s, this was another short-notice event. However Malcom and his 986S, Tim and his 986, ‘the other Malcolm’ and his 944, Alan and his 911 Targa, Norman and his Mustang and Mike with his Lotus Exige all took time out to spend the day at Three Sisters offering rides around the track to blind and partially-sighted ladies and gents. For a second time in a month I am humbled by the generosity of our members to give up their time to share their cars with folk they don’t know, just because it’s ‘the right thing to do’. Again, sincere thanks to those who were involved – you’ve done TIPEC proud. Magazine lead times being what they are, a report about our visit to The Wheel Restorer in Wrexham will have to wait until the next All Torque. For now though, please be aware that our regional page on the main club website is being promptly updated by ARO Colin (he’s got a new iPad and he’s not afraid to use it) and our ‘closed’ Facebook group remains as popular and irreverent as ever: not to be taken too seriously, it’s a great tool for keeping in touch with the region. Search Facebook for The Independent Porsche Enthusiasts Club North West. If you’re a paid-up member and not receiving the occasional club email, get in touch with me (Richard) and let me know your email address so I can add you to my distribution list. If you’re not active in the region feel free to pop along to a club meet at The Boatyard or to one of our events to get a feel for what we’re about. We’re a friendly bunch, and not all the talk is about wheel offsets and tyre compounds!
May 20th (Friday) Chippy tea/Friday feast run May 22nd (Sunday) Porsches on the Prom, Llandudno June 5th (Sunday) Cleveleys car show and Simply Porsche at Beaulieu June 6th (Monday) Club night at The Boatyard June 17th (Friday) Chippy tea/Friday feast run July 4th (Monday) Club night at The Boatyard July 15th (Friday) Chippy tea/Friday feast run July 16th (Saturday) TIPEC trackday at Blyton Park July 31st (Sunday) TIPEC NW club concours August 1st (Monday) Club night at The Boatyard August 19th (Friday) Chippy tea/Friday feast run August 27–29th (Bank Holiday Weekend) Oulton Park Gold Cup August 28th (Sunday) Ormskirk Motor Fest Mid-September Nürburgring Euro road trip
Cheshire & Staffs RO Dave Watson 07889 804 598 • watson_david@btinternet.com ARO Gareth Aldridge 07881 228 944 • gj.aldridge@yahoo.co.uk Cheshire & Staffs on Facebook www.facebook.com/groups/TIPEC.CS Meetings are held third Tuesday of every month 8pm at The Whipping Stocks, Stocks Lane, Over Peover, Knutsford, WA16 9EX. We have had a quiet few months to the start of the year, with everyone now slowly bringing their cars out of winter storage. A lot of work has been happening in the background on various members’ cars. Dave Watson’s 4.5 ‘Project 928’ is progressing well, however the misfiring problem is causing considerable head scratching – we are now replacing all the injector seals! His 914 has a new dashboard and repaired speedometer too. Gary Ince has made some alterations to his 911 RS replica. Gareth Aldridge has been working on his 944 Turbo track car as well as his new 928 S4, and Chris Hulme has been stripping his 968 in readiness for remedial work. Great to see various members helping eachother out behind closed doors. The weather not been the best so far in 2016, the seasons seem to be changing (we will soon be storing our cars at different times of the year!) However, we have still managed to run and attend various events as outlined below. A group of us attended the RS trackday at Oulton Park on the 11th of March. There was a beautiful selection of Porsches going round the track ranging from various 928s and 944s to a Carrera Cup car. There was even more to admire in the paddock car park with all manner of Porsches on display. The weather stayed sunny and dry which made the day even more enjoyable. The following day some of our region joined fellow North West members for a trackday at Oulton Park. Tony Levy and his son Simon were more than happy to take passengers around the track with them in their 944. Stefanie took them up on the offer and is now even more eager to get her and Gareths’ 944 Turbo track car on the road to start having fun! Disaster struck late afternoon when Tony was out on track, he lost gears and had to come in early. Upon inspection the clip off the gear linkage had disappeared. After some fumbling around under the car by
Donington Historic Festival
Tony, Colin and Gareth, Stefanie came up with the ingenious idea of using a jubilee clip as a temporary repair so Tony could get home safe. It worked and both Tony and the 944 made it home and then to Unit 11 for a proper repair job. Good thinking Stefanie! Our March club night saw a good turnout and although we didn’t have a guest, lots of plans were discussed for the upcoming year of events and fixtures. It was great to see several new club members. We look forward to seeing you all again at future meetings and events. We try and do a factory tour of some sort each year, and having been round Porsche last year, Ginetta the year before, and Bentley and Morgan previously … it was time for something different. A major employer in Staffordshire is JC Bamford Excavators. JCB is a home-bred success story which started from humble beginnings at the end of the war and now has over 4,000 staff worldwide. A group of 20 of us made it to JCB’s Visitor Centre in Rocester on March 18th. We were fortunate to have the personal attention of a large team of knowledgeable tour guides – another group had failed to turn up. The day started with a video presentation outlining the company’s history and key product lines, followed by a step by step tour around the production facilities, their in-house museum and exhibition areas. It was a hugely impressive story of innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. Everyone seemed to enjoy the event and a number of us then stopped for a very pleasant lunch at the local Denstone Farm shop (highly recommended). We also managed our first Pub Grub Run of the season this past month when a small group of us met in Congleton and had a scenic drive to the Ryles Arms near Macclesfield. You forget how low to the ground the 944s are until you are parked next to a Cayenne and it looks like a jolly giant and a dwarf parked next to each other. I’m sure Gareth could have fitted his 944 under Graham’s Cayenne and they would only have taken up one parking space! In total 12 of us dined at the Ryle’s Arms, enjoying delicious homemade hearty pub meals. Dave Watson had the biggest fish you have ever seen and Linda Williams had the most delicious and extremely generous portion of homemade cheesecake. Our Club Vice Chairman also seemed to be enjoying the evening, with lots of laughs throughout the night. Everyone went home fully stuffed.
Lucasz’s award-winning photo of Jason’s Cayman
Some of Cheshire & Staffs members joined the North West region on the 10th of April for their annual charity pet food run to Bleak Holt where 12 Porsches attended. It was nice to see some of our Porsche Club GB friends there as well. A beautiful scenic drive was enjoyed before we emptied our cars of pet food supplies in support of the local animal sanctuary. There was still snow on the mountains near Bleak Holt which made it even more picturesque. The gathering attracted other Porsche owners in the car park so we even managed to sign up some more club members on the trip. Stef took a fancy to at least three of the dogs which could have come home with her. Just as well there wasn’t space in the 944! The April club night was held at the Bleeding Wolf in Scholar Green due to our usual venue being refurbished (looking forward to seeing the changes at May club night). Apologies to a few of you who did not receive an advance email. Information was posted on our Facebook group, and discussed at the prior meeting. However due to technical challenges, Dave Watson managed to omit a handful of you on the reminder email which was sent whilst working away. Sorry for any inconvenience caused. We had a fantastic turnout with a total of 20 Porsches in the car park, welcoming both nonclub members and club members alike to chat and admire each other’s cars. Stef’s favourite of the evening was the beautiful 912 that joined us. It was lovely talking to the owner and learning about its history. Lovely machine. The May bank holiday weekend had several events scheduled. Some members attended the Donington Historic Festival and this was a most enjoyable event. There were many beautifully prepared classic race cars out on track, and a wide variety of sports and classic cars displayed around the grounds. It was nice to see a varied range of Porsches on the club stand (where did all those 944 cabs appear from?), with some taking part in the parade lap at lunch. Another party from the region attended the VW show at Stanford Hall near Rugby. This was an impressive event with something for everyone. Dave Watson, John Biddulph and Helen Goff joined a bunch of other 914 owners on the combined DDK/TIPEC/PCGB 914 owners stand. There were no fewer than 12 914s on the stand with a further four cars in the concours. A great turn-out. We failed to bump into other members that attended so hope you also had a great time.
914s lined up at Stanford Hall PAGE / 37
We would also like to offer our congratulations to our resident club/regional photographer, Lukasz Dulski who recently received two awards for his photography. One of the awards received was for his beautiful photo of the Jason Lee’s Cayman at the region’s run to Cosford Air Museum. Well done Lukasz. Just rewards for the amazing photos you take at our events. Please note that club night is back at the usual location of the Whipping Stocks on the third Tuesday of the month. June 4–5th (Saturday–Sunday) Tatton Park Classic and Sportscar Show Club Stand, tickets are booked and will be issued on the day unless otherwise agreed with Dave Watson June 19th (Sunday) Trentham Transport Show Numbers now filled – no more bookings June 21st (Tuesday) Club Night, The Whipping Stocks WA16 9EX, from 8pm. Car Detailing Demonstration and discussion ahead of the July concours. July 6–12th (Wednesday–Tuesday) Cheshire & Staffs Le Mans Classic trip (fully booked) July 19th (Tuesday) Club Night, The Whipping Stocks WA16 9EX Annual Pride of Ownership Concours from 7pm (please note the earlier start) July 29th–31st (Friday–Sunday) Silverstone Classic August 16th (Tuesday) Club night at the Whipping Stocks from 8pm, with guest speaker August 20th–21st (Saturday–Sunday)
Tatton Classic Car Show (club stand and attendance to be confirmed) August 28–29th (Sunday–Bank Holiday Monday) Oulton Park Gold Cup.
South Yorkshire & North Notts. Joint RO Dean Lancashire 07860 198 627 • dean@tachart.com Joint RO Ray Waite waite696@aol.com Meetings are held first Sunday of every month 5–5:30pm (meeting proper begins 7pm) at Ye Olde Bell Hotel, Barnby Moor, Retford, Notts, DN22 8QS March run to Masham via Brimham Rocks Fantastic turn out of eight cars and 16½ people, for the run. We were lucky that the weather was sunny and surprisingly warm for the time of year. A nice steady run up the A1 meant we arrived there before the car park became very crowded. This was the first time some of us had been here and I’m sure we will be back in the future. After some rock climbing and exploring to get the blood flowing there were shouts of ‘ice cream!’ which we had to queue for but was well worth the wait. Lots of silly pictures were taken and then back to the car park for the short trip to Masham and a much needed lunch. Unfortunately it was at this point we realized we had misplaced the youngest member of our party. It was a situation most parents will be familiar with, Mum thought she was with Dad and Dad thought she was with Mum. Hearts in mouths and trying not to panic, search parties were dispatched. Thankfully, being an intelligent little girl, Erin had made her way back to the visitor centre and was waiting patiently to be collected. Erin was none the worse for her
experience, the same can’t be said for the 16 adults who were supposed to be looking after her! After another steady drive to Masham we all parked up and ventured into the King’s Head for a very nice (and a lot less dramatic) lunch. After lunch we adjourned to the car park for a bit more chatting followed by a steady drive home. Another success which has become an annual event. April club night at the Old Bell. A good turn out with some of us having a meal beforehand. We were running a bit late and didn’t have time for dessert (note to self: get there earlier next time). Usual updates on who had got another car, sold a car, suggestions for events and meals out, calendar updates and then the highlight – the quiz. As Paul won the last quiz he had set this one … Oh dear, Peter won with a score of 13 out of a possible 24. Enough said. Spring National Speed Hillclimb at Harewood Joint venture with the Northern Porsche Club saw five cars meet up on the A1 for a spirited drive to Harewood; a cool wind was blowing around the hill which made it a little chilly but the walk around the paddock was entertaining and we had our picnic lunch back in the car to look forward to. Lots of hold ups for spins and crashes didn’t spoil the enjoyment too much. We are looking for suggestions for events and meals out, if you know of a nice venue with a decent car park please let a RO know so we can check it out. June 3rd–6th (Friday–Monday) Weekend of the Year, Incorporating the TIPEC Simply Porsche Show at Beaulieu June 12th (Sunday) PCGB Porsche Pageant at Chatsworth House July 3rd (Sunday) Club Night at The Bell July 3rd (Sunday) Classic Car & Bike Show, Doncaster Deaf School July 3rd (Sunday) PCGB Porsche Festival, Lotherton Hall July 16th (Saturday) TIPEC track day at Blyton Park Further details can be found to these events and any last minute updates at www.synn.org.uk Look for us on Facebook too.
The SYNN group at Harewood Whillclimb AT / 117
‘Luke, I am your father …’
East Midlands New RO & ARO wanted urgently! Meetings are held third Tuesday of every month 7pm for food (meeting proper begins 8:00pm) at The Field Head Hotel, Markfield Lane, Markfield, Leicestershire LE67 9PS.
Central tipeccentral@outlook.com Joint RO Lindsay Brown 07768 442 050 Joint RO Steve Jones 07775 581 044 Joint RO Stuart Wakeman 07912 620 181 Meetings are held second Monday of every month 7:30pm onwards at The Bull’s Head, Birmingham Rd, Shenstone, Litchfield WS14 0JR. www.vintageinn.co.uk/thebullsheadshenstone Wow, that’s us nearly halfway through 2016 and we haven’t seen a decent weekend weather wise, let’s hope that changes for the summer events. We had a wet drive to Meguiar’s where we were made more than welcome with a talk and a display on Steve Jones’ 928 bonnet. They like to use a black car and his was the only one in attendance. Steve will be the first to admit that his paintwork is not of concours quality, but the work certainly improved his bonnet and with the products purchased on the day the rest of the car should get some TLC. After reading about the Cars & Coffee mornings that are popping up I decided to go along to the local meet in Redditch. What an eclectic range of cars, there was even a 924 with huge spotlights on the badge panel (not my cup of tea, but each to their own). Well worth a run out if you have a spare hour or two on a Sunday morning.
July 2nd–3rd (Saturday–Sunday) Cars in the Park, Lichfield July 11th (Monday) Club night at The Bull’s Head July 29th–31st (Friday–Sunday) Silverstone Classic August 8th (Monday) Club night at The Bull’s Head. August 27–28th (Saturday–Sunday) British Sportscar racing at Donington August 29th (Monday) Pershore Plum Festival
Anglia & North Essex Steering group: Ian Jones • izzy.spyder@sky.com John Butcher • gtjohnny1@aol.com Shaun Crosby • scampi.cat@btinternet.com Steve Burgess • info@sbprinting.co.uk Lorna Ward • info@sbprinting.co.uk John Briggs • john.briggs@charcoal.uk.com Yvonne King • yvonneking@hotmail.com Meetings are held fourth Tuesday of each month from 7pm at The Woolpack, Fornham St Martin, Bury St Edmonds, Suffolk IP31 1SW. 01284 753 380 Easter is now behind us and summer is here, allegedly, as sit in my office with the heater on full blast, sleet hammering on my office window … happy days. Over the summer months (which we hope are going to be warm and fruitful) we have arranged a number of events, far too many to list so I shall only mention those which are coming up in the next couple of months.
Since the start of the year we have been trying to direct members to our Facebook group ‘TIPEC Anglia & North Essex’. Our webmaster Izzy seems to have little to do during the day and populates our site with more information regarding Porsches than I thought possible, so if you have a little time wander though the posts and I guarantee you will find something of interest. If not, contact our webmaster! Since the last edition of All Torque our region attended the Bank Holiday Ace Café meeting with North London, Herts & South Essex. The drive was interesting and a little challenging for us Suffolk folk not used to driving in London. There was many a cross word coming from the passenger seat, where the boss was taking little pleasure in being driven around the north circular. We arrived bang on time, the car park outside the Ace was empty, and we were herded into various slots in the car park. The car park quickly filled up with all varieties of Porsche, so it was off for a cup of tea and bacon sandwich. It was a great night and we managed to catch up with Vince Dallimore and Peter. It was useful to finally meet and exchange thoughts as we had another joint regional event at Duxford in May. June 5th (Sunday) London to Brighton www.classicmotorevents.co.uk All welcome. Our group have opted for 10:30– 11am. Dedicated parking at Brighton June 5th (Sunday) Simply Porsche, our national event, at Beaulieu June 19th (Sunday) Cars on the Green, Bury St Edmonds July 16th (Saturday) Blyton Park
Unfortunately we have a couple of cancelations to our events list, one of which may be of interest to other regions, that being Prescott Revival in August. This is due to the massive cost of the event and the poor weather over the last couple of years. The other being the Shackerstone Festival in September. Hopefully we shall see you at one of the shows, or even to kick some tyres at a club night now the lighter nights are with us. June 5th (Sunday) Simply Porsche, our national event, at Beaulieu June 13th (Monday) Club night at The Bull’s Head June 19th (Sunday) Trentham Gardens June 22nd (Wednesday) Curborough sprint day
A busy night at the Ace Café with TIPEC Anglia & North Essex PAGE / 39
July 29th–31st (Friday–Sunday) Silverstone Classic See advert in this magazine for discount code
it was a good contrast to other major events, so we’ll pencil it in for next year and perhaps a convoy up from our region.
August 7th (Sunday) Helmingham www.helmingham.com/eventsasp2.asp?ID=14
The Goat meetings continue to attract a surprising array of metal; true vintage, through to new models, with a great mix in-between, American muscle, modern classics and British heritage; for a completely informal gathering that’s been going for 15 years plus, the volume of cars is always surprising. We typically have up to 10 member cars, so we meet early to try and group our cars before the rush from 11am.
August/September TBC BBQ, details to follow September 4th (Sunday) Classics at the Castle, details to follow PIE Performance Coffee & Cars events June 25th August 27th October 29th
North London, Herts & South Essex RO Vince Dallimore 07798 630 649 • NLHSE@tipec.net ARO Peter Musk 07734 769 953 • NLHSE@tipec.net Four informal monthly meetings: First Sunday 10:30am (open marque) at The Goat Inn, Vicarage Causeway, Hertford Heath, SG13 7RT. Third Saturday 2pm (Porsches only) at the South East side of Smithfield Market, London EC1A 9LH, parking in the closed loading bays opposite Smithfield Café. Third Sunday 11am (open marque) at the King & Tinker, Whitewebbs Lane, Enfield, EN2 9HJ. Last Monday 6pm (Porsches only) at The ACE Café, Ace Corner, off the A406, Stonebridge, London, NW10 7UD. Suddenly we’re in May, but the weather has only just shown a hint of spring! Our regular cycle of informal meetings continues to attract new members interested in driving, showing and chatting about their cars with like-minded enthusiasts of motoring classics. Peter & I had two runs to the Midlands in March; the club AGM at the recently expanded and enhanced Gaydon Motor Museum and the Practical Classics restoration car show at the NEC. TIPEC tested the water at this show with a small display very near the entrance; the event had a very different slant to the November show, seeing lots of before and after exhibits rather than the usual finished projects. We thought
997 Turbo at one of the regular Goat meetings AT / 117
The Smithfield ‘Meat’ sees a rotation of cars, with typically 20+ cars parked at any time. The idea for this informal Porsche meeting came from Ed & Nick Pike; they look after the London region of PCGB, but treat this as an open Porsche meeting for owners. Having joined in several times this year, Peter and I are finding the journey to Smithfield from the North less than sparkling; I live 10 miles from the meeting, but due to Haringey and Islington 20mph speed limits supplementing the Porsche unfriendly humps, it has been taking more than an hour of less than joyous driving. Talking to the other visitors, it seems access from the East, West and South is far more straight forward via Thamesside routes. We’ll leave the event in the calendar, but Peter & I will not attend every time. A new event came to my notice recently; The King & Tinker at Enfield, only a mile or so from the M25/A10 junction, address details above. Another informal meeting, similar to the Goat, but only in its fourth month of activity, on the 3rd Sunday of the month. I’ll be testing again in May and June and know that the organisers would welcome a group of our cars to boost the numbers in the large car park. The pub offer typical pub fayre and of course Sunday lunch, so if you are looking for an easy access venue after a run out, give it a try! For early arrivers, there is a Toby Inn inside White Webbs Park, offering an all you can eat breakfast for £4.50. They open early so I’ll be trying that from 9:30 for a two minute drive to the pub car park for 11am; hope to see some of you there! The ACE Café on the last Monday of the month attracts a great turnout (unless it’s raining). Access is via the A406, it’s only half a mile from Hanger Lane Gyratory, but for those travelling from North and East London, the North Circular is the natural route to the ACE beyond Wembley. Please be aware that in addition to fixed Gatso cameras, the A406 has been equipped with
Modified 928 at Duxford
‘Meating’ in the city at Smithfield Market
extensive average speed cameras, so on or below the 40/50mph sections is now the only option. The last Monday of the month visit to the Ace Café was cold and wet, but on the bright side, the evenings are getting longer and the food and the atmosphere in the cafe was still worth the journey. There was a good selection of Porsches to be viewed, from a lovely chocolate brown 356 Coupé through to the latest Cayman GT4. We attended the Spring Car Show at IWM Duxford in Cambridgeshire on Sunday May 1st. The support from neighbouring regions, Anglia and Kent was tremendous. I’d booked 30 spaces, which were easily filled – in fact we had spill over into the 928.uk zone to accommodate our TIPEC cars. The support from our own region wasn’t as strong as our neighbours, which is a shame as the weather was brilliant and the recently reopened American exhibit was excellent. I met with a group from Anglia for breakfast at 8am at a nearby pub and after our full English, we cruised into Duxford very quickly at 9:15. We heard some reports that after 10am queuing for entry extended to an hour, so early arrival was essential. Many thanks to John Briggs of Anglia and Martin Jackson of Kent for organising their attendees; the extra numbers meant we had a best ever turnout of over 40 cars. Also worth a mention was the excellent turnout of 928s organised by John Speake for subscribers to the 928.uk list; a group of over 20 928s covering the whole model range was an awesome sight. The day before Duxford, Peter attended the Donnington Festival; here is his report: “Saturday 30th April was the opening day of the three day Historic Festival at the Donington Park Circuit, an event without perhaps the prestige of Goodwood or Silverstone, but well worth our visit, in spite of the weather. With infield parking on our club’s pitch, shelter from the
Sharks as far as the eye could see at Duxford
Kent & South East London Joint RO Paul Greer 07799 412 870 • prgreer@blueyonder.co.uk Joint RO Martin Jackson 07942 485 094 • martinjackson911@yahoo.co.uk Classics on track at Donington Historic Festival
rain and sleet was only ever a short run away when necessary. Great races throughout the day included International F2 1967–78, Touring Cars pre-1991, Grand Prix pre-1951 and my favourites the WSC Touring, Sports & GTs 1964–71. Loved the sound of the Lola T70 V8s. “Up the next day to join Vince and the others at Duxford with probably the filthiest car at the show … I parked discretely at the very back of our club’s display.” For Simply Porsche in June, I will be travelling down on the Saturday, to make the Sunday event entry more relaxed. If there is member interest, we could plan a destination drive out for the Saturday – please let us know if that would be of interest? Hotels and B&Bs book up fast in the New Forest, so if you are planning to stay over Saturday evening book early. Lymington is a short Drive from Beaulieu and a pleasant historic town to explore. We have booked 10 spaces for the Little Gransden Air Show in August. It is an excellent flying display from airfield and the display area is close to runway, so you can get really close to the planes on the ground. One feature of the event is that you enter by crossing the runway, so once in there is no exit until flying has finished around 4pm. Tickets are £10 per car, we will allocate tickets on a first come basis, so be quick! We look forward to seeing members at our regular gatherings and or the bigger planned events. Drop an email if you’re visiting for the first time, so that we can look you up. June 5th (Sunday) Simply Porsche at Beaulieu Motor Museum The club’s main event of the year, gathering 700+ Porsches in one place. In previous years we have arranged activity on the Saturday for those making it a weekend.
Meetings are held first Monday of the month from 7:30pm at The Carpenters Arms, Three Elm Lane, Hadlow, Tonbridge TN11 0AD. www.carpentersarms.net Our March club night turned into a birthday party for Nick (21 again!) Debs had an amazing Porsche cake made and I think Nick was pleasantly surprised – well done Debs! We had around 25 members there to help celebrate; we all had a great night. Thank you to all who bought raffle tickets for our regional charities, Macmillan Cancer Support and the Kent Air Ambulance. On Saturday 19th March we met at The Carpenters Arms for breakfast before driving to the Aston Martin dealership in Sevenoaks for a look around the showroom. Kevin took a fancy to one of the cars and asked for one for his birthday; unfortunately the delivery lorry must have got lost on the way to his house! We had another great turn out for our April club night with lots of good-hearted banter. The Gang of Four had been discussing for a few weeks the possibility of changing the name of our region to encompass the whole of Kent, making it easier for our members to identify with us. This club night was the first for the newly renamed Kent & South East London region. On April 9th we met for another superb breakfast at The Carpenters Arms before a scenic drive down to the Harley Davidson dealership in Guildford (which is part of the Porsche Centre Tonbridge family). On our way in we were greeted with about 30 Harleys on their way out for a Saturday morning run. At the showroom we were shown new and used bikes and had a tour around the workshop, followed by coffee and burgers for some. Pat tried a few bikes for size – there may soon be new toys in the Feddon garage! We tried another new venue for our monthly breakfast club; 14 of us had a delicious breakfast at Brogdale farm before having a wander around the shops and garden centre.
July 29th–31st (Friday–Sunday) Silverstone Classic. www.silverstoneclassic.com Look out for club discount code in the advert elsewhere in this magazine.
Kent & South East visit to Duxford Spring Car Show
We had good weather for the Duxford Spring Car Show on May 1st. There were over 60 cars, with nine (including a Morgan) from our region. It was a chance to see the best mix of TIPEC cars seen so far this year in the South, including a bunch of 928s. Duxford had a real eclectic mix of cars with a big American contingent. 5th June (Sunday) TIPEC Simply Porsche at Beaulieu National Motor Museum, Hampshire www.beaulieu.co.uk Our national event is a great chance to meet members from all over the country 12th June (Sunday) Evening River Cruise, Greenwich Pier, London Along the River Thames in George & Gill’s boat 25th June (Saturday) Car Health Check at OPC Tonbridge, TN11 0QN Meet first for breakfast at The Carpenters Arms If you have any questions about any events, please phone or email Martin or Paul. We look forward to seeing lots of members, old and new, at these events or at one of our club nights, held on the first Monday of every month.
South Central RO Gary Howard 07856 723 196 • south.central@tipec.net Meetings are held from 7:30pm on the fourth Monday of every month at The Red Lion, Evenley, Nr Brackley, Northants NN13 5SH and from 9:30am on the first Sunday of the month (from March to October) at The Betsy Wynn, 21 Mursely Road, Swanbourne NN13 5SH.
August 28th (Sunday) Little Gransden Air Show. We’ll be reserving tickets soon. www.littlegransdenshow.co.uk November TBC NEC Classic Car Show at the NEC Birmingham, November, dates yet to be announced.
Nick with his amazing birthday cake
Pat’s new toy!
Having only recently taken over as RO for the region, we are looking at new locations. Any changes will be notified by email or contact me directly to confirm. PAGE / 41
Wessex RO Pete Blackler 07779 203 278 • peter_blackler@sky.com Meetings are held third Thursday of every month from 8:15pm at The Bucks Head, Meonstoke, Hampshire SO32 3NA. www. thebuckshead.co.uk The Bucks Head is just off the A32. Meonstoke lies just North of Fareham, only 15 mins from the M3.
Thames Valley RO Andrew Harris 07812 146 999 • thames.valley@tipec.net ARO Graham Driver 07799 625 279 • thames.valley@tipec.net Meetings are held second Tuesday of every month 7:00pm at The Novello, Bath Rd, Littlewick Green, Maidenhead, SL6 3RX. Our meeting at The Novello seems to be getting busier and busier with new faces joining us each month. Hello and thank you to you all. It’s always nice to catch up with the regulars too, enjoy a nice meal and have a few giggles together. Now that we are starting to come into the summer months with dryer and brighter weather (that’s me being optimistic) hopefully we will start to see more cars attending. We do tend to fill the pub car park during these months and in turn spend more time outside chatting and looking over these gorgeous cars. What better way to spend a Tuesday evening! We were lucky enough to be invited to an open morning with the Porsche dealer at Burgess Hill on Saturday 12th March; this was arranged by
Jason and turned out to be a fantastic morning. We all met at Cobham services on the M25 for a steady run down to Burgess Hill to be greeted with bacon and sausage rolls, tea and coffee. A very nice way to start the day. Some of us had our cars booked in for geometry checks, others for inspections. The day came to a close for about 1pm; we then parted company for our onward journeys back home. Thank you to all the staff at Porsche Centre Burgess Hill for putting on a truly wonderful morning, I am sure we will be visiting you again. The club’s AGM was held at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon on Sunday 20th March and was very interesting, the first one for me and hopefully I will have many more to come! We had about ten members from our region attend, a big thank you to them and to all the other members from around the regions for making the time to join us. Once the formalities were out of the way, there were lots of interesting discussions about the club and forthcoming events, we then had a spot of lunch and an opportunity to look around all the wonderful vehicles within the museum. If you have not attended an AGM before, I would recommend a visit; it is always nice to hear how the club is doing and great to share ideas and meet other club members from around the country. Our April meeting at the Novello was one of our busiest to date with a car park full to overflowing with over 35 gorgeous cars ranging from a stunning 356 Speedster to an array of 944’s (which is always great to see), and many different models of the 911 from the 1970s up to the present day, including a lovely GT3, and of course, the popular Boxsters. We were fortunate enough to have our evening graced by John Cave from Drivetrain who gave us a couple of hours or so of his valuable time to talk to us about safer driving. Drivetrain was set up by John in 1989 and his enthusiasm
and commitment to promoting safer driving is second to none. John is a qualified Approved Driving Instructor to Grade Six and his qualifications include the RoSPA Diploma for Advanced Driving Instruction. We all found John’s talk to be very informative with many of us surprised to hear about some of the ‘facts of the road’ of which John was speaking about! Quite enlightening … Thank you to all the members and nonmembers alike for coming along to this meeting, I think we had a room of over 40 of you which made for a wonderful evening. I would also like to say a big thank you to John Cave on behalf of all the Thames Valley TIPEC members who came along and to Jason Gibson and Paul Mabley for organising the night. If you are interested in talking with John or even organising a training course, his website is www.drivetrain.uk.com It was a very pleasant Sunday morning of the 24th April; we had seven cars arrive at The Novello, our monthly meeting place, for 9:30am in readiness for the first leg of our run up to the Akeman Inn on the A41 near Aylesbury. Setting off at a ‘spritely’ pace we zipped through Remenham, Henley-on-Thames and Nettlebed which were all A-roads up to this point. Taking a sharp right towards Watlington, we were then in B-road territory! The pace was quick with Jason leading the way followed in very close proximity by a 996 CS, a 996 Turbo, Gina & Alan’s lovely 1989 3.2, Peter’s Boxter, my 996 C2 and John’s Boxster S; a lovely mix of beautiful cars. Driving time for our first leg was about an hour and a quarter. On arrival and the Akeman Inn, we had about half an hour or so break for a coffee and a natter and met up with Gary Howard, the new RO from the South Central region who joined us for our second leg back to the Cinnamon Tree in Winkfield, our curry lunch stop. It was lovely to see Barry from our region waiting for us in the
Thames Valley visit to Porsche Centre Mid Sussex
The joy of old school … AT / 117
The curry run well underway
car park. The second leg started in the same fashion as the first, ‘spritely’! We all managed to stay together, for the first 10 minutes anyway, and then the pack was a little broken up for the run back down country. Somehow Peter, John & I made a wrong turn, now heading in the wrong direction we decided on a ‘U’ turn and to lose a few minutes we jumped on the M40 for a couple of junctions, relying on our sat-navs we made it to the Cinnamon Tree just as all the other cars were arriving. We had a few others meet us for lunch, my Mum & Dad in their Boxster and Paul in his. The car park was a delight of lovely Porsche’s, the sun was out and the weather stayed dry for our run around the countryside. A lovely day had by all I think and the curry buffet was good. Let’s do it again next year… June 5th (Sunday) Simply Porsche at Beaulieu June 14th (Tuesday) Monthly meeting at The Novello June 23rd–26th (Thursday–Sunday) Goodwood Festival of Speed June 27th (Monday) Porsche Night at the Ace Café July 3rd (Sunday) TIPEC Family Picnic Drive out for a picnic in the Surrey Hills July 12th (Tuesday) Monthly meeting at The Novello July 17th (Sunday) Supercar Sunday – TIPEC are hosting the Porsche side of things at Brooklands July 25th (Monday) Porsche Night at the Ace Café July 29th–31st (Friday–Sunday) Silverstone Classic – A fabulous weekend of motor racing along with a static car show.
Surrey & Sussex RO James Garrard 07837 701 011 • jamesgarrard@hotmail.co.uk ARO Eben Hugo 07952 862 769 • ebenhugo@gmail.com ARO Robert Stephens 07548 306 803 • rhst10y6@gmail.com Meetings are held second Wednesday of every month 8pm at The Bolney Stage, London Road, Bolney RH17 5RL, 10 miles south of Crawley off the A23. Surrey & Sussex Region’s own Facebook page www.facebook.com/ groups/412785915550876 For those of you who haven’t made it along to a monthly club meeting or TIPEC regional event, we always welcome new members or prospective members. We’re a friendly bunch no matter what model of Porker you own or desire, you don’t even have to own a Porsche to be a member and you will be guaranteed to receive a hearty welcome and make some new friends. You also have the opportunity of winning our regional Lotto with all S&S Region members going into the hat each month, but you have to be at the meeting to win if your name is drawn out. Top tip for membership: if you want to get the most from TIPEC membership, please remember to interact with other regions, you will be very surprised at what you might find. Why not take a look at our Facebook page and the main TIPEC.net web page to keep up to date with the very latest news from the club and the Surrey & Sussex region. Existing members will notice a regional name change. No longer is the region called South East, we are now Surrey & Sussex Region. The change has materialised due to the expansion of TIPEC as a whole. Our region together with
SELNK (now called South East London & Kent Region) have had to alter their names to give better definition for Lavenham who look after our club membership– and so our members they can choose which region they prefer to be in. We are the first regions to change names but I’m sure there will be more as the club grows. Speaking of the club growing, since January we have had nine new members join up, which shows our region is growing well. We are also the region to have the most members join up within the last three months, and hold the current top position for the most members on a regional Facebook page (which now stands at 177 joining since February last year). It’s all good news and the region remains strong. Porsche Mid Sussex open morning Special Thanks to Andy Crab, Dean & Michael Elliott for setting up an amazing event to kick the year off. Some stunning cars turned up, despite a gloomy fog bound start. Nice to see Paul Steed’s Cayman R, a mean looking bit of kit in Acid Green Metallic. A lovely orange 991 Targa, and even a beautiful ’80s 308 GTS Ferrari turned up belonging to a club member. I personally fell in love with a low mileage white 930 Turbo with a red and blue tartan interior. But the car that stole the show was a fully refurbished 1970s 2.7 RS lightweight. One of a handful ever made, with an even rarer price tag to match. BBQ bacon butties and other nosh were the order of the day, and a full health or geometry check was offered for those who pre-booked for the workshop beforehand. Raffle prize draw too, where Jason Gibson won valve caps, I got a lanyard and everyone had a fun filled day. Porsche Club GB & the 924 Owners Club also attended. TIPEC Member Jaga Kubit won Porsche Mid Sussex’s online Face book draw prize in March, of £150 worth of goodies, well done.
Please keep an eye on our region’s regularly updated diary page on the TIPEC website at www.tipec.net/regions/thames-valley We do have lots of events lined up and it would be great to see you, if you can’t make any of the events, please feel free to pop along to the monthly meeting at The Novello, it is always an enjoyable evening with lots of friendly and knowledgeable people.
Stopping for coffee …
Fully refurbished 2.7 RS lightweight at Porsche Centre Mid Sussex’s open morning PAGE / 43
TIPEC AGM 2016 Special thanks to Eben who took me up in his 986 Boxster, and thanks for letting me test drive it even though we nearly ended up going the wrong way down the M40 thanks to the lack of roadwork signs and poor cone layout when trying to get back home. Also thanks to Brian Hilliard for turning up on the day, good to see regional members supporting the AGM session. And thanks to the rest of the committee for organising the AGM, the spread of food for lunch and the tour of the recently modified Motor Museum went down a treat. You all should have received a copy of the AGM minutes by email, if you would like a copy sent to you please drop me a line.
myself, Jaga Kubit and John P. A good time was had by all. Jason and I sloped off to AFN Porsche Guildford for our fix of cars for the day afterwards followed by a warm up run out for ARY, my 924.
Precision Porsche open morning, April A stunning turn out with stunning weather. Over 100 cars arrived up on the day and special thanks to Peter and Johnny for including us with this event. Heath checks were flowing freely as was the tea, sausage rolls and Danishes – very yummy. A brilliant day, many gorgeous cars turning up which left all folk drooling. Also extra special thanks to Sam and the crew at Impact bodywork for doing such an amazing job on my own 911 Targa Turbo R respray. It looks stunning and now not sure if I want to part with it. Please see Peter Rowe about the 911 if interested, before I change my mind.
June 5th (Sunday) Simply Porsche, Beaulieu National Motor Museum, £10/ kids £5. TIPEC’s main event of the year, Porsche Mid Sussex Attending. If you own a Boxster or 924 it would be great to see them — there will be dedicated display area for each model to celebrate 40 years of the 924 and 20 years of the Boxster. It’s normally an early start, and if anyone wishes to travel down in convoy on the day please let me know.
Guildford Harley Davidson, April South East London & Kent Region invited us to something different for the club. The Harley Davidson Centre at Guildford is also owned by the Porsche Centre at Tonbridge, so that’s the connection with Porsche. A nice drive out for the Kent region and some stunning machines to be seen on display, Martin Jackson from Kent Region along with a selection of members from the region, our Chairman Jason Gibson and advertising chief Sean Smallman also turned up along with
July 2nd–3rd (Saturday–Sunday) The Supercar Event at Dunsfold Park £10/Kids £6. Now celebrating its 10th year, The Supercar Event has something for the whole family, including supercar passenger rides around the famous Top Gear track from just £30!
June 5th (Sunday) Goodwood Breakfast Club Meeting Full Throttle Sunday, Goodwood
July 8–10th (Friday–Sunday) Le Mans Classic
June 5th (Sunday) Bromley Pageant of Motoring, Norman Park
July 13th (Wednesday) TIPEC S&S club night at the Bolney Stage Inn
June 5th (Sunday) London to Brighton Classic Car Run & Brighton Beach Show
July 16th (Saturday) TIPEC trackday at Blyton Park (sold out!)
June 8th (Wednesday) TIPEC S&S club night at the Bolney Stage Inn June 18–19th (Saturday–Sunday) Le Mans 24 Hr
July 22nd–24th (Friday–Sunday) Silverstone Classic with national TIPEC stand July 30th (Saturday) Show & Shine detailing day and Summer BBQ at Porsche Mid Sussex (TBC) We have had our allocation of 20 cars at this years Capel Classic car show on Saturday 20th August, 12pm to 5pm. Please go to the website to book your ticket. www.capelcarshow.com On Sunday 14th August it’s the Cranleigh Classic Car, Bike Show and Autojumble with TIPEC SE stand. Again please register online at www.cranleighlions.org/classic-car-show.php
June 19th (Sunday) The Deer Hut, Charity Classic Car Day, (11am) Liphook GU30 7PD
For those of you wanting a weekend surrounded by cars and have been lucky enough to obtain tickets Friday 26–28th August is CarFest South, Laverstoke Park Farm, Overton, Hampshire. We won’t be running a stand at the event but if you are attending please let S&S RO know. Lastly for August on Monday 29th it’s the Bexhill 100 Classic & Custom Car Show, entry £3.
June 23rd–26th (Thursday–Sunday) Goodwood Festival of Speed (Advance ticket only)
All details of the Regional and National events are under the Events & Regional sections on the main TIPEC.net website
June 19th (Sunday) Senlac Rotary Club Classic Car Show at Bodiam Show Ground (10am)
Undergoing surgery at Precision Porsche
Porsches lined up at Gaydon for the TIPEC AGM AT / 117
Not everything at Harley-Davidson had two wheels
Bristol, South West & South Wales
From 1997 to 2016 … Jim Tarrant’s 944 turns 30 this summer. Here it is from when he got it 19 years ago to today!
Southern RO Andy Fenwick 0776 720 1220 • andy.fenwick@tipec.net ARO Jim Tarrant 0120 260 1886 • jim.tarrant@consequia.com Meetings are held first Tuesday of every month from 7:30pm at The Old Thatch, 285 Wimborne Road West, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 7NW. The Southern Region AGM in April followed its traditional pattern – no one brave enough to take on the roles vacated by the outgoing committee, so you’re stuck with us for another year! Hopefully we will see you at one of the many events in the coming months. June 5th (Sunday) Simply Porsche Beaulieu June 7th (Tuesday) Club Night, The Old Thatch, Wimborne June 18–19th (Saturday–Sunday) Bristol Classic Car Show, Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet June 18–19th (Saturday–Sunday) Le Mans 24 Hours June 23rd–26th (Thursday–Sunday) Goodwood Festival of Speed July 5th (Tuesday) Club Night, The Old Thatch, Wimborne July 10th (Sunday) Macmillan Classic Car Show, Clandon Park July 15th (Friday) Weymouth Porsche on the Prom evening from 6:00pm to 10:00pm July 16th (Saturday) TIPEC Members Trackday at Blyton Park cost is £130 per car July 17th (Sunday) Classics at Sherborne Castle Those wishing to exhibit please contact Sue Simmons or Andy Fenwick July 24th (Sunday) Family Sports Car Day at Castle Coombe
July 29th–31st (Friday–Sunday) Silverstone Classic August 2nd (Tuesday) Club Night, The Old Thatch, Wimborne August 7th (Sunday) Southern Region BBQ *** Please note new venue *** August 14th (Sunday) Hampshire Classic Motor Show Breamore House, Breamore, Hants August 21st (Sunday) Supercar Showdown, Beaulieu, obtain a booking form to exhibit your car, or £15 admission August 26–28th (Friday–Sunday) Chris Evans’ CarFest South, near Basingstoke – spare tickets for all three days September 6th (Tuesday) Club Night, The Old Thatch, Wimborne September 9–11th (Friday–Sunday) Goodwood Revival September 25th (Sunday) 911 & Porsche World Picnic, Mapledurham House October 4th (Tuesday) Club Night, The Old Thatch, Wimborne November 1st (Tuesday) Club Night, The Old Thatch, Wimborne December 6th (Tuesday) *** NO CLUB NIGHT TONIGHT! If you go to The Old Thatch, you will be Wilhelm Keine Freunde *** December TBD Christmas Dinner – contact us if you would like to join in Please visit our website at www.tipec.net/regions/southern as we are continuously updating our events page. Members will also receive email notifications of upcoming items.
RO Sue Simmons 07530 312 700 • sue.simmons1@gmail.com ARO Debs Bradshaw 07423 436 503 • debbradshaw@sytner.co.uk ARO Mick Simmons 07793 905 918 • mjs019@gmail.com Meetings are held first Tuesday of every month 7:45pm at The Plough, Pilning, Nr Bristol BS35 4JJ. www.theploughpilning.co.uk This 2 month period started with a Porsche ‘clinic’ at the dealership in Cribbs Causeway, Bristol. 19 cars were inspected and the owners given important and helpful information about the needs of their motors. The cars covered a wide range with 928, 968 and 944 models in attendance and then of course their newer pals – Boxster, Cayman, 911s and even a Cayenne. TIPEC members gave some good reactions to the morning including: “May I take this opportunity to thank you for the inspection carried out on my 1989 911 Carrera Targa on Saturday. Steve and Nick both know my car and it was a pleasure to talk to them as they gave my car the ‘once over’. There were no obvious nasties on this occasion and the car is now with Paul in the bodyshop awaiting his opinion on my bodywork.” “I was particularly impressed by the technician's evaluation at the service clinic … He identified a number of minor issues, all of which (bar one) I was aware of in advance. This gave me confidence that he had thoroughly inspected the car. The advice given to me by the technician was frank and honest. There was clearly no attempt to ‘up sell’ remedial work, nor pressure on him to do so. His advice on all three issues was that there was no need to address them unless the items were being removed for another reason. In one instance he praised my ‘quick fix’ and confirmed it was a satisfactory long-term solution. Upon identifying that my front scuttle drains were blocked, the technical cleared them free of charge. Much appreciated thanks.” “Thanks Sue for organising the visit, I found it really useful and enjoyable, a good club outing. Visiting Porsche at Bristol is always a pleasure and the service clinic was a great opportunity to get underneath the car and chat through some of the issues with the technicians … I am looking forward to getting a shopping list from John and getting the car spruced up for Le Mans later in the year.” “As always Porsche Bristol are helpful and understanding. It’s really nice that we can be shown the vehicle that we have invested in, and given the assurance that you have a good example. With the discounted labour rates it means work can be done sooner rather than leaving it until later.”
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“Thank you for arranging the day. It was most opportune given that my car would not start on the Friday night and just crept into action on Saturday. In fact, I did wonder if I was going to be able to get there when I got early up on Saturday to start the car. The fault turned out to a an elusive bad connection that was barely visible even on the ramp and I do not think I would have found this easily at home in ‘Bob’s Garage’! The work done by Matt the technician was as thorough as always and I will book my car in for a service and get the fault fixed at the same time.” Many thanks to Porsche Bristol for the valuable time and hospitality they gave us that morning – we look forward to continuing a great partnership with you all! Our club nights during March and April included our now traditional ‘Rob’s Quiz Night’. Some challenging, educational and ‘interesting’ questions. Congratulations to Derek Holliday and his team for winning and running off with the prizes. Nights are lighter now (and hopefully will soon be warmer too) so it will be lovely to see more members in their Porsches in the car park at The Plough. We can also look forward to many of our upcoming events including Beaulieu (June 5th), Prescott/Gloucester Steam Railway Day (June 12th), Dursley Rotary Club Rally
(June 19th) and our weekend at Weymouth Porsches on the Prom (July 15/16th). Get in touch if you are interested in more info or go to our regional page at www.tipec.net/ regions/bristolsouthwales for more details and more events. I am always happy to welcome members from other regions to our events so please come and join us. June 7th (Tuesday) Club night June 12th (Sunday) GWSR & Prescott Classic Car Day TIPEC Club parking with Gazebo etc www.gwsr. com/planning-your-visit/2016-events-calendar.aspx June 19th (Sunday) Dursley Rotary Club Car Run June 18–19th (Saturday–Sunday) Bath Festival of Motoring at Walcot Rugby Club, Lansdown, Bath BA1 9BJ June 26th (Thursday) Chipping Sodbury Rotary Club Classic Car Run July 5th (Tuesday) Club night
July 15th (Friday) Porsche on The Prom in Weymouth Weekend in Weymouth at Rembrandt Hotel July 17th (Sunday) Sherborne Classics At The Castle http://classicsatthecastle.co.uk July 29th–31st (Friday–Sunday) Silverstone Classic August 2nd (Tuesday) Club night September 6th (Tuesday) Club night September 10–14th (Saturday–Wednesday) TIPEC trip to Ireland December 11th (Sunday) Regional Christmas Lunch
Cornwall & Devon RO & ARO urgently wanted For now, contact Sue Simmons 07530 312 700 • sue.simmons1@gmail.com Cornwall & Devon region is merged with Bristol, South West & South Wales until a local RO is found.
July 8–10th (Friday–Sunday) Le Mans Classic
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SIMPLY PORSCHE
A GREAT FAMILY DAY OUT FOR ALL PORSCHE ENTHUSIASTS SUNDAY 5th JUNE 2016 / ENTRY FROM 9:30am
SHOW AND SHINE / TRADE STANDS
BOXSTER 20th & 924 40th ANNIVERSARY DISPLAYS
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