0802 february 2008
DESCRIPTION
SVR's February 2008 DrifterTRANSCRIPT
driftertheSacramento Valley Region - Porsche Club of America
February 2008
On the Cover
The Porsche Carrera GT
Photo byPorsche Cars North America
Got Track?
TrackMasters Racing is a leader in High PerformanceDriver Education events inNorthern California, and
invites SVR-PCA drivers toparticipate in our events.
Laguna Seca - February 28th
Infineon - March 21st
Infineon - April 21st
Thunderhill - May 2nd
Reno/Fernley - May 17th & 18th
Come out and stretch yourcar’s legs on some of the
finest tracks in the country!Fun, safe, and definitely . . .
No speeding tickets!
www.TrackMasters-Racing.com
Information and Committee DirectoryAutocross ChairMatt Deter 916.630.89245645 Harvest Road, Rocklin, CA [email protected]
Driver Education Chair/EventsFrederick D. Rauch 916.989.31996610 Folsom-Auburn Rd., Ste. 5-81Folsom, CA [email protected]/[email protected]
Charity ChairSusan Fleming 916.985.4142107 Cobb Court, Folsom, CA [email protected]
Concours ChairKent Brandon 916.663.17023450 Hector Rd, Newcastle, CA [email protected]
Goodie StoreTom Sisson 209.296.535214537 Surrey Junction Ln., Sutter Creek, CA 95685 [email protected]
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Volume 46, No. 2 February 2008www.derporsche.net
2008 Board of Directors
President Mike Willis 916.363.83132748 Tiffany West Way, Sacramento, CA [email protected]
Vice PresidentBill Keegan 916.415.15395104 Par Place, Rocklin, CA [email protected]
SecretaryKim Nelson 916.933.4282305 Glen Ridge Way, El Dorado Hills, CA [email protected]
TreasurerBetty Silva 707.864.049112 Oak Lane, Suisun Valley, CA [email protected]
Social DirectorCookie Anderson 916.988.65346320 Hickory Avenue, Orangevale, CA [email protected]
Membership DirectorRik Larson 916.481.60842120 Maddox Court, Carmichael, CA [email protected]
Competition & Safety DirectorFrederick D. Rauch 916.989.3199119 Copper Creek Drive, Folsom, CA [email protected]
WebmasterJohn Murphy 916.858.230411508 Armour Court, Gold River, CA [email protected]
Past PresidentJeff Kinder 916.765.28014320 Freemont’s Loop, Rescue, CA [email protected]
EditorBud Behrens 209.477.64966424 Culpepper Place, Stockton, CA [email protected]
Zone 7 RepresentativeLarry Sharp – Golden Gate Region 925.371.22581119 Megan Road, Livermore, CA [email protected]
Rally ChairPosition Vacant
Sacramento Valley Region, Porsche Club of America (SVR), publishes the Drifter monthly for its members. Written contributions and photos are welcome and should be e-mailed to the editor. The deadline for material is one month prior to the month of publication. SVR members should notify the membership director promptly of an address change to insure uninterrupted delivery. All material in this newslet-ter is protected by copyright. However, newsletter editors of others regions chartered by the Porsche Club of America may reprint any article provided that credit is given to the author and Sacramento Valley Region and that The Drifter is cited as the source.
Technical ChairLisa Thomas [email protected]
G24 ChairLee Deter 916.391.9956758 Clipper Way, Sacramento, CA [email protected]
Dummkopf ChairRandy Vidmar 916.624.31455207 Par Place Rocklin, CA [email protected]
Advertising ManagerDick MacFarlane 916.482.06525740 Windmill Way #11 • Carmichael, CA 95608
Upcoming Events3 - February, March, and April4 - February Dinner Meeting
4 - Presidents’ Day Weekend Tour5 - Porsche & Vintage VW Swap Meet
6 - March Dinner Meeting6 - Half Moon Bay Tour
8 - Track Driving Introduction
Features and Reviews9 - Mendocino 2007 Tour
10 -December 15 SVR Christmas Party12 -More Details on Panamera
12 - The CRAB 34 Beer ‘n’ Brat Picnic13 - Why Concours?
14 - A Can of Oil, or a Can of Worms?14 - 2007 SVR Zone Series Award Winners
Columns and Departments2 - Chilli’s Chatter7 - Drifting Back
15 - January Board Meeting16 -February Membership Report
19 - SVR Goodie Store19 - Index of Advertisers
20 - The Last Word20 - Drifter Classifieds
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Chilli’s chatterby Mike Willis
Since we have to prepare these articles so far in advance, here’s a little retrospection. The 2007 SVR Christmas party was a wonderful event,
thanks to the efforts of Dennis & Judy Stettner, Kim Nelson, Rachel Johnson, Tom Kroetz, Cindy & Kent Brandon, and Dick McFarlane (or DJ). There was a problem with the public address system, and I apologize for that. It was a little hard to hear and sometimes see what was going on. The food and service were great. Niello Porsche has invited us back for our next Christmas party. An additional plus was the opportunity we all had to visit with old and new friends in the wonderful atmosphere of the Niello show room. By the time you read this article, our 2008 event-planning meeting will have taken place. If it was like any of the previous years’ planning sessions, we will have many good suggestions for our future events this year. If you were not able to attend and have any ideas for events you would like to see on the calendar, please contact Bill Keegan to determine whether your time frame coincides with available dates on our calendar. We are always open to any event in which we can come together with our Porsches and have fun. To start off the year, Jim and Linda McMahen have planned are nice tour to Pacific Grove over Presidents’ Day weekend. The Monterey Peninsula is always a very pretty place to visit for a few days. See more information about the tour on page 4. On April 4th and 5th we will have the Half Moon Bay tour chaired by Emily Willis. It will include touring through the delta, a lunch stop in Livermore (wineries, what else?), plus a visit to the Filoli Gardens. Since the two nights of room fees are included in the tour costs, there is a February 15th reservation date because we will have to either release rooms or try and get additional rooms, depending on the number of tour reservations we receive. April is the month for our premier Porsche event, CRAB 34. This is a continuous weekend party (FUN) that is occasionally interrupted by a few low-key competitive events. Please take a look at our webpage and click on the CRAB button or go to last month’s edition of The Drifter for all of the information. Note: there is a $15.00 discount for entries postmarked before February 1. We shall continue to have dinner meetings and already have scheduled some very good ones. The February dinner meeting will be at the new Brick House Restaurant in Elk Grove. We found this establishment a couple of months ago and enjoyed the good food and fun atmosphere. In March we are going back to Wong’s Garden for excellent Chinese food. Later in the year we will visit some new establishments and return to some familiar old places. I think I will change the format of the dinner meeting part during the year to try and have a little more camaraderie. Remember: if it s not fun,then why are we doing it?
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February, March and April Events
SocialFebruary 4 SVR Dinner Meeting at The Brick House, Elk Grove; see page 4.March 1 Breakfast at Marie Caledar’s; for info, contact Cookie Anderson at 916.988.6534 or e-mail [email protected]
March 8 G24 Gathering at Baker’s Square, Fair Oaks; for info, contact Lee Deter at 916.391.9956 or e-mail [email protected] 12 SVR Dinner Meeting at Wong’s Garden, Roseville; see page 6.
TourFebruary 16-18 Presidents’ Day Tour; see page 4.April 4 - 6 Half Moon Bay Tour; see page 6.
Autocross and TrackMarch 13 Track Driving - an Introduction; see page 8. OtherFebruary 23 Porsche and Vintage VW Swap Meet; see page 5.April 18 – 20 CRAB 34; see the January issue of The Drifter or go to the SVR website at www.derporsche.net and click the CRAB button on the left.
Presidents’ Day Weekend In Pacific Grove
February 16th, 17th and 18th
We will be staying at the Pacific Gardens Inn, where Innkeeper Robert Boerner, a Porsche owner, has eighteen rooms reserved.
The inn has a great location across the street from Asilomar and is a five-minute walk to the beach. You’ll also enjoy a morning continental breakfast and an afternoon wine and cheese offering.
The tour will depart from the Starbucks located at 1024 Florin Road (916.427.9312) at 9:00 A.M. on February 16th.
To add your name to the tour list, contact Jim or Linda McMahen at 916.924.1463To reserve your room at the inn, call 800.262.1566 to receive the special rate.
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9027 Elk Grove Blvd., Elk Grove, CA 95624
February Dinner Meeting • Monday, February 4, 2008Socializing at 6:30 P.M. • Dinner at 7:30 P.M.
Entrée Options:Italian Pot Roast - $21.50
Chicken Parmesan - $21.00 -- Sautéed with house tomato sauce, cheese stock & white wineSole $19.50 -- Sautéed in butter & capers
All entrées served with family-style minestrone soup, house salad,daily vegetable and choice of pasta (or French fries or baked potato)
Coffee, Hot Tea or Iced Tea • No-host full bar available.
All prices per person. Reservations are required. Please contact Mike & Emily Willis 916.363.8313 or [email protected] or [email protected]
Please also leave your dinner selections. • Reservations without dinner selections will not be made.Reservation and cancellation deadline is January 28th.
Those who cancel their reservations after the deadline or fail to show up for the dinner will be billed for their meals.
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Niello Porsche has designated a Premier Porsche Dealer by Porsche Cars of North America. So now Niello is not only recognized as the
longest continually operating Porsche dealership in America, we’re officially one of the best.
Complimentary 29 point inspectionfor Porsche Club Members by appointment. Call today.
Niello Porsche Rocklin4525 Granite Drive, Rocklin.Showroom Hours M - Sa. 8:30am - 8:00pmSu. 10:30AM - 6:00PMParts MF 8:00am - 6:00pmService M-F 7:00am - 6:00PMParts & Service Saturday 8:30am-3:00pm1-888-298-3070 • (916) 625-8300
and perform the work where no one else can,the area’s most modern, state-of-the-art Porsche dealership.
Niello Porsche will meet or beat any written repair or service order estimate by any licensed independent Porsche repair facility...
25th YearPorsche & Vintage VWLiterature, Toy/Model
andMemorabiliaSwap Meet
Los Angeles Airport Hilton Hotel5711 West Century Boulevard, Los Angeles
Saturday, February 23, 2008
9:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.
Admission $5.00 at 9:00 A.M. or early bird $25.00 at 7:30 A.M.
There will be over 225 tables of collectibles and 25th anniversary goodies.
For vendor information, contact Wayne Callaway, 1504 East Cedar Street, Ontario, CA 91761, phone 909.930.1999, or go to the website at
www.LALitAndToyShow.com.
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RSVP by March 8th by calling Cookie Anderson at 916.988.6534 orKaren Goffin McGlumphy at 916.725.9828.
People who make dinner reservations and then cancel after the deadline or who do not show will be charged for the cost of the meal if an expense is incurred by the club.
Half Moon Bay Tour - April 4,5,6
Tour through the DeltaPicnic in Livermore and visit a wineryVisit the lovely Filoli GardensVisit many fine restaurants, galleries and shopsStay at Half Moon Bay Lodge or other lodging of choice
$400 for standard room or $465 for deluxe roomIncludes two nights at the hotel and Filoli tour
Space is limited, so reserve your space by sending your $200 deposit to:PCA-SVR • 2748 Tiffany West Way •Sacramento, CA 95827
Contact Emily or Mike Willis by February 15, 2008 916.363.8313 or [email protected]
March Dinner Meeting and Share-the-Wealth
Wong’s Garden Chinese Cuisine201-F Harding Blvd, Roseville, CA 95678
Wednesday, March 12, 2008Socializing at 6:30 P.M. • Dinner at 7:00 P.M.
Menu Choices:Orange Peel Beef • General Chicken
Garlic Green Beans • Pork Chow MeinEgg Rolls • Egg Foo Young
Dinner Price - $14.00 per PersonDrinks may be purchased separately.
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Drifting Back – February 2008by Larry Wilson
30 Years Ago (February 1978) Pat Wilson chaired the February 18-20 San Simeon tour and, clever person that she is, got Paul Bates to lead the tour and got TWO participants, Betty Rhea and C.C. Overstreet, to each write a DRIFTER article about the event. Jim and Sheila McDade ran sweep with new members Laura and Bob Verdina closely shadowing Paul and Gail Bates up front. In between were the Rhea, Overstreet, Reynolds, Weatherwax, and Boswell cars, among others. That weekend Larry Wilson and Dave Neukom were in Portland entertaining the PCA executive council with SVR’s proposal to host the 1980 Porsche Parade. Sacramento was considered too hot for that Parade, but 20 years later, being hot was okay for the 2000 Porsche Parade. The February 25 “Son of Low Bucks” practice autocross at Cal Expo, chaired by Mike Willis, was held under cloudy skies (but, no rain) for twenty-six SVR drivers who got many runs over the counter-clockwise course using the Lot A parking lot PLUS the access roads. Kern Breaux got so excited that he honked his horn every lap and then ran over the sound system not once but TWICE at the end of the event. The next day, February 26, was the Swap Meet at Darrel Overstreet Racing Enterprises with C.C. Overstreet in charge. The opportunities ranged from engine and suspension parts to accessories, wheels, tires, interiors, and restoration items. Dale Newhouse won the Dummkopf award during the day, and group adjourned to a high-class pizza parlor to celebrate Kirk Bradford’s birthday.
20 Years Ago (February 1988) The February DRIFTER welcomed Elizabeth Carr as the newest contributing editor and Ken and Marcella Mitchell as DRIFTER photographers, who were asked to improve on Kirk Bradford’s technique of overexposing the left margin of every shot. This issue also recognized SVR dual-member Susan Hageman, the nation’s winningest woman Porsche driver after she won her third consecutive SCCA Solo II annual championship at Salina, Kansas, in her A-Stock Porsche 911.
Kern Breaux, CRAB 17 chair, gave a run-down in this month’s DRIFTER of some who’s doing what: Tom and Tambra Kroetz doing the welcome party at the Red Lion, April 29; Mike Willis will be in charge of the April 30 autocross at Cal-Expo; Brian Perry (Redwood Region) and Don Henkel (Yosemite Re-gion) doing the funkhana; and Rik Larson will be the rallymaster on Sunday, May 1. Tina and John Murphy were the subjects of Elizabeth Carr’s SVR Profile column this month and, among other things, we learned that John was a Fighter Gator at Mather AFB where he met Tina, also in the USAF and also stationed at Mather.
10 Years Ago (February 1998) The announcement for SVR’s February 11 competition interest-group meeting, hosted by Dwight Mitchell, invited those interested in autocross, rally, concours, and tech sessions, to meet and discuss ways to supplement SVR’s competitive event schedule for 1998. “Light refreshments” were promised, but no word on the outcome. Something new for 1998 - a “Begegnen” (German word for “meeting”) on the second Friday of each month. The first “Begegnen” was held Friday, February 13th at the Metro Pizza & Grill. No reservations were required, people just ordered from the menu. Social Director, Sue Ambrozewicz, said over fifty people did show up, all undaunted by going out on Friday the 13th. Mike Willis chaired the February 14-16 San Simeon Tour making it a Valentine’s Day event and arranged for week-end lodging and the Friday evening pool-side welcoming party/ca-tered dinner at the Green Tree Inn in San Simeon. The tour was limited to 20 cars, so 27 cars were accepted. Lots of stormy weather on the way down, but clear skies for the rest of the weekend. A few minor mishaps - the Ambrozewicz car lost a wheel bearing, another car (no word on its owner) lost a water pump, another unnamed owner’s car suffered a holed radiator and, oh yes, another unnamed driver lost his/her car keys on the beach requiring a replacement key by FedEx to the motel.
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Taking your Porsche to the track: an introduction to drivers education(This is a non-driving event)
Ever pictured yourself driving at tracks such as Laguna Seca, Sears Point (AKA Infineon) and Thunderhill, but thought they were just for the pros? Mere mortals, such as you and I are allowed to drive on these tracks, but how do you get started? Doug Gale a PCA-SVR member, PCA Approved DE Instructor and Owner of TrackMasters is presenting an introductory class for people who have never driven on a track, although experienced drivers will also pick up useful tips. Attendees will learn: * How to prepare for your first day * What supplies to bring * A typical day’s schedule * Instruction program * Basic driving techniques * The driving “line” * Safety considerations * Costs You’ll see track videos shot from inside cars at speed, meet the Drivers Education Team from PCA-SVR and TrackMasters, and receive a list of websites containing driving videos, track maps and track driving info. As a result of attending this course, you’ll have fewer first day “jitters,” learn faster and have a much more relaxed experience. When? Thursday, March 13, 7:00-9:00 P.M. Location TBD. Even if you’re only mildly interested or just want to know what the heck your spouse does out there all day, you’ll enjoy the class. Cost? $20.00. Each attendee will receive TrackMasters t-shirt and a $25.00 discount certificate applicable to their first day. To register or for questions, email Event Chairs Doug Gale at [email protected] (www.trackmasters-racing.com) or Doug Klein at [email protected] (916.791.4864)
PCA-SVR Drivers Education TeamCompetition/Safety Director and Drivers Education Chair – Frederick D. Rauch
Drivers Education Co-Chair – Doug GaleChief Driving Instructor – Bob Peake
Steward – Matt Deter
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Same time, every year!
Mendocino 2007 tourby Rik Larson, photos by John Murphy
It was a new record for the tour, with more than 65 cars and more than 120 people participating. Redwood Region folks added another eighteen cars to the tour when they arrived
on Saturday on the Mendocino Coast. Besides the folks from Redwood Region, there were cars from San Diego, Golden Gate, Diablo, Sierra Nevada, and Sacramento Valley regions. More than 40 cars convened at Niello Porsche in Rocklin at 8:00 A.M. on Friday, November 2nd to begin the tour. The staff at Niello provided everyone with coffee and donuts. The first stop (i.e. potty break) on the tour was near Dixon. About ten cars joined the group at this point and everyone pro-ceeded to the lunch stop at the Lake Sonoma Park near Geyser-ville. The picnic setting was at the park at the base of the dam. Several cars from the Bay Area join the group here as well. After lunch, cars split up into smaller groups to make their way to the coast. Some of the cars took Skaggs Road (a wonderful Porsche road that can cause you to lose your lunch) over to California 1 and then continued up the coast. Most of the cars took the more scenic California 128 highway thru the redwoods. After passing thru the little town of Boonville, we saw a number of tour cars at the many wineries along the route. The Friday evening social was again at the MacCallum House Suites. Frederick Rauch had arranged for the use of the entire kitchen, lobby, and dining room for us. Leftovers from lunch, appetizers and finger foods were the faire for the evening. Many folks used this as a jumping off point for dinner at many of the fine restaurants in the historic village of Mendocino. As Saturday morning rolled around, many of the tourists opted to have breakfast at the Bay View Cafe. A quick trip over to the MacCallum House main building found several more of them enjoying the breakfast that is included with the stay there. By 10:00 A.M. about 50 people had gathered at the Emerald Dolphin miniature golf facility in Fort Bragg for a little competi-tion organized by Rich McGlumphy. Rich had organized every-one into teams, and then had them switch partners to created new teams (a move that takes care of the possible disagreements that might have otherwise taken place between men/husband/
woman/wife, etc.). Winners were announced at the kite flying later that afternoon. And then the town of Mendocino began to fill up with people. Almost everywhere one encountered Porsche folks gath-ered in small groups and sharing their experiences of the day. The folks from Redwood Region began to gather just around noontime. They had made lunch reservations at the Mendocino Hotel for 35 people! And then 2:00 P.M. came - and the winds did not. Our kite flying was not to be (at least not at that hour). There were many attempts to get the kites up (and, fortunately, no one went over the edge into the ocean). And then the cars from Redwood Region showed up. The wind finally came up around three o’clock, and about ten kites were observed hanging in the sky. The top kite flying awards, courtesy of Niello Porsche, went to Karl Wagen-hoffer and Steve Goltz. A special “POOP” award was made to Chrissie Neukom (Redwood Region) for finding that something special to step in. Saturday evening found more than 50 people having dinner at Silver’s at the Wharf in Fort Bragg. Redwood Region had or-ganized this for their group and had extended an open invitation to join this great get-together. Sunday morning found about forty people taking in the breakfast at the Fort Bragg Grange, where for $5.00 you got pancakes, eggs, sausage and a drink. This has become a tradition for many of the regular group attendees. And some of the folks from Redwood Region were in attendance as well.
Same Time, Next Year! Planning for the 2008 Mendocino tour has already begun. It will be during the first weekend in November. (Actually we will depart for the coast on Friday, October 31st,which is Hal-loween). So be sure and mark you calendar now. And also note that we will get an extra hour of sleep on November 2nd because of the change from Daylight Savings Time back to Standard Time. Twenty-five couples have already indicated that they intend to join the tour. Rooms will fill up fast. Information is available on the SVR website at www.derporsche.net or contact Rik and Lettie Larson at 916.481.6084.
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December 15, 2007
The showroom at Niello Porsche
Toni & Jerry Moore
Cindi & Kern Breaux present $5,330 raised at the Charity Auction to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition
Rachel Johnson & Phil Lawrence
Britt & Jenny Cooper
Sally & Ron Boeck
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SVR Christmas Party
Photos by Mary Ann Behrens, Pat deWitt, and Laurie Lee
Matt & Ann HamelSVR Merrymakers
Tom Lee, Frederick Rauch, Russ Hildebrand
Alice Schilla & Doug Klein
Jeff & Kim Kinder
On January 7th, 2008 Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, announced today that it is developing a hybrid drive version of its highly anticipated four-door Gran Turismo. The Panamera Hybrid will utilize the same gas-electric drive concept as the Cay-enne Hybrid that comes to market at the end of the decade and will claim a remarkable 30% reduction of fuel consumption.
The full parallel hybrid system of the Panamera will be configured with the battery unit positioned below the luggage com-partment, and hybrid module, comprising of an additional clutch and electric motor, will be between the engine and transmission. Depending on driving conditions, the hybrid module has the ability to disengage either the combustion engine or the electric motor, or to combine both drive systems as one joint power unit. This flexibility results in benefits such as a zero emissions driv-ing mode, fuel savings in both city and highway driving and maximum performance when desired. The Panamera, which represents Porsche’s fourth model line, will make its world debut in 2009 and promises to redefine the Gran Turismo category by featuring a unique design package that will afford equally generous front and rear space and seating comfort for four while retaining the sporting and un-mistakable driving dynamics of every Porsche. Intro-duced initially with traditional drive trains, the hybrid version of the Panamera will be offered at a later date.
*Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, GA, and its subsidiary, Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd., are the ex-clusive importers of Porsche sports cars and Cayenne sport util-ity vehicles for the United States and Canada. A wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Dr. Ing.h.c. F. Porsche AG, PCNA em-ploys approximately 250 people who provide Porsche vehicles, parts, service, marketing and training for its 212 U.S. andCanadian dealers. They, in turn, provide Porsche owners withbest-in-class service.
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The CRAB 34 beer ‘n’ brat picnicby Andy and Dianna Leight (cooks) and Kim Kinder (bottle washer)
So much to do, so little time. Yes, it will be a busy weekend but the Beer ‘n’ Brat is the op-portunity to slow down, reflect on all the weekend’s activities, share with friends old and new before departing, and take care of those empty stomachs. The menu will include brats, sauerkraut, potato salad, dessert, and plenty of beer. Service will begin at noon o’clock, at the VFW Hall, and will require that you wear your wristband. While you munch on good food, weekend awards will be presented and the last door prizes will distributed to some lucky people.
Ground breaking four-door GT to be offered with Porsche hybrid system
More details on Panameracourtesy PCNA*
Let’s give a big round of applause and a hearty THANK YOU to IPB-Autosport for their generous support of SVR by sponsoring the CRAB 34 Beer ‘n’ Brat.
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Why Concours?by Dave Yerzley, Riverside Region
“You’re entering an event where you are pay-ing someone to tell you how lousy your car is. That, my friends, is not normal
behavior. Revel in your masochism and you’ll be ok.” - James Brackenrig So the people who show their cars in concours must be a bunch of old guys who are afraid to drive them the way they were intended to be driven, so they hover and obsess around them with toothpicks and q-tips, right? Well, let’s not jump to conclusions so fast. I’ve got a 1972 911T Targa that I bought new. It’s still mostly original, including the paint, and it looks pretty good, but no one would look at it closely and mistake it for a new car. But I know of a few cars as old or older, which are also original and look like they could still be on the showroom floor. I wish my car looked as good as those cars do. How did they do that? But I’m getting ahead of myself here. Let me tell you a little bit about my own concours experiences. My wife and I joined PCA at the end of 2001, just after her new Boxster S had been delivered. The following year we went to the Boise Parade and, to get into the spirit of the event, we entered every competition. Never having participated in a concours before, we spent a lot of time working on the car, try-ing to figure out where judges might look and coming up with ways to clean and prepare areas we had never even thought about before. We had a real advantage in that the car was relatively new, and, for beginners, we did pretty well, placing 4th in a field of 16 Boxsters. After we got back, we cleaned the car up again and entered a concours in Wash & Shine, again doing reasonably well, but still with room for improvement. Not too long afterward, we bought a 1973 911S coupe. I had wanted the car to drive, but it was in such fundamentally good condition that I thought with a little effort it would make a good show car, so we got to work on it. We entered it in Wash & Shine a couple of times over the next year. We also went to judging schools and to various seminars on car care given by vendors to see what we could learn. Finally we decided to progress to Street division, in which the engine and storage compartments are added to the judged areas. This decision brought with it a new set of challenges. Finish of the sheet metal pan around the engine not too good? Drop the engine to the floor, take out all that stuff and have it
powder coated. How do you repair the carpeting in the trunk with its multiple thin areas and small holes? What a mess the gas heater compartment was! But we managed to figure out how to get those and other tasks done and entered more events, getting compliments about how much progress we were making with the car and with our own skills. Without really planning to do so, we ended up participating in most of the zone events, winning class and division championships. So is all this really an exercise in masochism? At least once each time I’m getting a car ready for a show, I end up asking myself: “self, why in the world are you doing all this work?” And then recently I realized that in the process of cleaning, touching up paint, repairing that old carpeting that Porsche used to use (it’s really not much more than compacted lint), waxing and polishing and so on, I’d acquired a really useful set of skills. Now I have some idea about how those people managed to keep their old cars not just well, but like new. When l approach a car to clean it, I look at all sorts of places which most people never even think of but which, in the aggregate, can make the difference between a car looking ok and looking really nice. I’ve worked out all sorts of little techniques and tricks for cleaning some of these areas. Although it’s not the only possibility, participation in the various events that make up the Zone 7 Concours Series is an efficient way to learn, and also to have some good times with your fellow club members. At these events you’ll have access to tremendous amounts of expertise and experience which you can take advantage of and, when the car is judged, you’ll get lots of feedback about how well what you’re doing is working, from people who have evaluated a lot of cars. You’ll be able to take even greater pride in your Porsche, knowing that it’s in the best possible condition. So how best to get started? Go to the Zone 7 website at www.pca.org/zone7/, click on the Concours button and down-load or read the concours rules and car classification list. Then start preparing your car and coming to events in the 2008 Zone 7 concours series. With a little fun and effort, you can become an expert yourself in taking care of your car.
Photo by Mary Ann Behrens
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A can of oil, or a can of worms?By Chris Rotvik (reprinted from DER ANZEIGER, Oregon Region)
Oil and Controversy are seemingly inseparable. Setting global supply, national security and profit issues aside, PCA’s Tech Q&A has seen a bit of traffic lately about oil weights, brands, and change intervals. Der Anzeiger has received a letter penned by Hervé Blanquart of Total Lubricants, a distribu tor of ELF engine oils, educating us on certain other issues at hand. Excel-lence magazine has included a fabulous piece by Jim Pasha on the subject of engine oil. What’s the buzz about? It helps to know that Porsche conducts very rigorous oil testing, periodically publishing approved oils as a technical in-formation bulletin. Their testing regimen simulates the stress of running the Nürburgring as well as the more mundane cycles your engine experiences. Oil approval is based on precise measure-ments of internal friction, engine (particularly bearing and valve train) wear, and oil oxidation and engine cleanliness after more than 200 hours of operation. One could say it’s the Porsche of oil testing procedures. Ask your service advisor for the list of approved oils or go to Porsche Technical Service Information (https://techinfo.porsche.com/techinfo/index.jsp). Hervé Blanquart brings to light the controversy centering on the anti-wear agent ZDTP (zinc dialkyldithiophosphate). In response to the EPA, the amount of ZDTP in engine oil is being reduced in an effort to prolong catalytic converter life and reduce the amount of heavy metals introduced into the environment. Some Porsche owners (primarily those of earlier air-cooled cars) are concerned about increased wear (particularly to camshafts). ELF’s Excellium NF 5W40 (Porsche-approved and available through German auto specialists) is being promoted as a solution. Others are running higher-ZDTP oils designed for commercial diesel use, or oil additives, which are increasingly seen as suboptimal choices. The subject of oil change intervals prompts nearly as much controversy, with the manufacturers going increasingly long (Porsche is at 20,000 miles or 2 years for the 997) while en-
thusiasts (and oil change franchises) stay closer to 3,000 miles. What are often overlooked are the conditions under which the car is operated. For those of you who don’t think your Porsche is operated under severe conditions (ignoring autocross or DE events), here’s a wake-up call. Severe duty includes driving less than five miles per trip (less than ten as temperatures approach freezing), driving when it’s over 90º F, and a high percentage of stop-and-go driving. The first and last items pretty much define the daily drive or a run to the store. Jim Pasha offers conserva-tive viewpoint is (assuming urban commute cycle): 7,500 miles for water-cooled 911s and Boxsters, 5,000 miles for 993s, and 3,000 miles for earlier 911s, 928s and 944s. He supports this with a great deal of logic and personal experience. It’s worthwhile reading. A good deal of the traffic on PCA’s Tech Q&A has questioned the use of what Porsche terms “non-seasonal light-running” oils, those rated 0W- or 5W-xx, in the later generations of Porsches. Those small “W” numbers frighten old-schoolers accustomed to running a meaty 20W-50. Porsche now approves only non-sea-sonal light-running oils. In addition to lubrication and cooling, newer Porsches use engine oil as a hydraulic activator for features such as Vario-Cam Plus, requiring the approved oils for effective operation. They also provide faster flow during cold temperature starts, reducing a significant source of engine wear. Finally, don’t assume that all brands marketed as “Porsche approved” (Mobil 1, for example) pass Porsche’s tests. Many of the Porsche-approved brands also offer oils engineered to lesser specifications, and it’s these lower-grade oils that are found at the typical auto parts store or oil change franchise. If you’re the proud owner of another European vehicle, don’t just settle for the right viscosity. Check your owner’s manual for the required rating—such as VW 502.00 or ACEA A3/ B4—and make certain the oil meets that rating as well.
2007 SVR Zone 7 rally and concours series award winnersby Rik Larson and Bud Behrens
Rally (There were five rallies presented in the series, with the best four events for each entrant being counted.)First Place (Tie): Jessica Toney (GGR) and J. Toney (SVR)Third Place (Tie): Rik Larson (SVR), Keith McMahan (SVR), Richard Wetzel (SVR)Sixth Place (Tie): Hubert Lee (GGR), Jenny Lee (GGR)
Concours (There were nine concours presented in the series, with the best six events for each entrant being counted.)First Place in Wash & Shine 3: Jim McMahen (five events, 995.75 points)First Place in Wash & Shine 5: Kent Brandon (five events, 994.00 points)
In order to be eligible for a year-end award, an entrant must compete in at least 51% of the events.
Series 2007
RallyConcours
Autocross
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January 9, 2008 SVR board meetingby Kevin Dougherty (for Kim Nelson, SVR Secretary)
President Mike WIllis called the meeting to order at 7:02
P.M. Attending: Mike Willis, Bill Keegan, Kevin Dough-erty, Cookie Anderson, Jerry Cupler, Rik Larson, Dick
MacFarlane, Jeff and Kim Kinder, Lee Deter, Betty Silva, Mark Judish, John Murphy and Frederick Rauch. The December minutes were reviewed and accepted.
New Business
• Resignation: Ray Silva has resigned as 2008 Treasurer. Betty Silva was appointed to replace him.
• 2008 Budgets: There was prompt response from the board in start-ing the process. Betty will respond to all requests this weekend.
• Calendar: A preview of the calendar was discussed; several events were added.
• Events of the Year Eligibility: Think about board members who chair events not being considered for this award for obvious reasons.
Old Business
• Drifter Mailing: Rik gave an overview of the new first class mailing of The Drifter. Approximately 100 copies are mailed at a cost of $1.31 per copy due to the 200 minimum number of copies mailed for bulk rate. The “Corvette tire track” should disappear with the bar coding of the mailing labels. It costs $280.00 to print 200 copies. The 4oz. rate to mail The Drifter, which weighs just over 3 ounces, leaves room for four more pages or a one-sheet insert.
• Drifter/Roster Advertising: A list of advertisers who have not paid their bill was discussed. Dick will follow up with those who have yet to pay. We are looking to print the roster during the first part of March with a “centerfold” ad being created to boost revenue.
Board Member Reports
• CRAB 34 (Mark Judish): Plans are moving along. Mark dis-cussed with Mike about taking flyers to the Zone 7 presidents meeting and awards banquet. Mark is going to the next G24 meeting to talk about CRAB and wants a couple of e-mail blasts sent to the entire membership. The website needs to be updated and brought closer to the top of the homepage. There is a 200-person limit at CRAB. Mark could use some help.
• Competition (Frederick Rauch): We are still looking for a rally chairperson. The Laguna Seca driving event had 75 drivers. $1,900 was brought in, even though there was rain on both days. There was a non-injury incident on Friday, and all reports to National have been submitted. Frederick requested $620 to increase the PCA instructors DE pool for SVR. A discussion ensued and a motion was made, seconded and
approved due to the fact is that this will assist in increasing revenue for SVR from the DE events in the future.
• Drifter (Bud Behrens): Report received and approved.
• Goodie Store (Tom Sisson): Report received and approved.
• Financial Report (Betty Silva): The C/D came due today and will be renewed for three months. A request from the Towe mu-seum for a renewal fee of $150 was approved. Towe requested a list of members who would like free admission cards, which would require us to provide our member mailing list. In the past, all we have had to do is to show our PCA membership card. Kim Nelson will be directed to discuss with Towe so that we be able to keep this member benefit.
• G24 (Lee Deter): A breakfast meeting has been scheduled on March 8th at 8:00 A.M. at Baker’s Square on Fair Oaks Boulevard.
• Membership Director (Rik Larson): National shows we have 635 primary members, 506 associate members, and 10 dual members. A discussion ensued about putting the calendar and the web address in a prominent place in the roster.
• Social (Cookie Anderson): Two months this year do not have a dinner meeting scheduled. Cookie suggested breakfast meetings once a month and will bring it up at the planning meeting. She threw out the idea of another CPR day this year.
• Webmaster (John Murphy): Micronesia hit our site this month. A million and a half folks visited our site in 2007. We are averag-ing 120,00 hits a month lately; The Drifter is a big hit for visitors (always in the top five).
• Vice President (Bill Keegan): Bill updated the calendar. Mike directed Bill to ensure that each event follows the policy state-ment, mainly for the sake of the event-of-the-year award.
• Past President (Jeff Kinder): Jeff griped about his January Drifter being late. Just kidding.
• President (Mike Willis): Mike is still working with Jim Webber, service manager at Niello Porsche, to get tech articles for The Drifter. Mike passed out three suggested changes in the policy statement for the board to review. They were approved and will be sent to the secretary for revision of the official policy statement.
Adjournment was at 9:04 P.M. The next meeting will be at RPM on Wednesday, February 6, 2008 at 7:00 P.M.
Respectfully Submitted,Kevin Dougherty for Kim Nelson, 2008 Secretary
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Join in – February membership Reportby Rik Larson, SVRMembership Director
SVR has 635 Regular Members, and 506 Affiliate members for a total of 1,141 members plus 10 Dual Members.Directory Update:If you have any corrections for our directory database, please contact Rik Larson. We will be publishing a new directory in February 2008. Deadline for updates is February 15, 2008.
New Members (Joined December 2007)
Craig & Tracy CarterFolsom, CA [email protected] ’77 911S
Jim & Carol KinnicuttFolsom, CA [email protected] ’05 Boxster
Paul & Jackie MehusLos Gatos, CA [email protected] ’64 356C
Patty NicholasSacramento, CA 95821916.971.3253 ’05 Boxster
David & Gale SchultzSacramento, CA [email protected] ’91 911C2
Mario ZanottoMarysville, CA [email protected] ’74 911
Transfers
Mike & Bryan RooneyRocklin, CA 95677.4017866.464.2834 ’74 911(from Santa Barbara Region)
Changes
Mark Alcorn & Lisa Cavanaugh916.863.0923
Dave & Kathi [email protected]
Steve Everett & Leslie Silvers510.299.8713
Gregory [email protected]
Anniversaries
John & Rosemarie LaBelle [5]Doug & Cheri Martin [5]Laura & Kevin Shaffer [5]Thom Penner [5]Gary & Juanita Schultz [10]Darrell & Cheryl Johnson [10]Gregory Peairs [10]
2008 SVR directory update deadlineby Rik Larson
The directory/roster is being finalized and we need to know if you have any changes that you would like made.
The deadline for changes or corrections is February 15, 2008. Just contact Rik Larson at 916.481.6084 or email him at [email protected]
Changes in our database are made based upon input from you as well as any notifications from the PCA National organization that you may make online or at the time of your membership renewal.
E-mail addresses are the most common change, closely followed by car type.
You can expect to see the 2008 SVR Directory in your mailbox in March.
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MP Parts We have a wide variety of used parts for late model
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Index of Advertisers
A & S BMW 18European Body Shop 2FDR Motorsports 17Frank’s Automotive IBCIPB – Autosport IFCKarma Kreations 8MP Parts 18Niello Porsche 5, BCOK Tire ‘n’ Wheel IBCPartsHeaven 18Performance Products 17 The Racer’s Group 17Reflections in Glass 2RPM Kart Racing 3Silver Star Recycling 19Trackmasters IFCWalt Stickel 7
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It’s almost Valentine’s Dayby Tom Sisson
It’s February again, and you know what that means, don’t you? Yep, Valentine’s Day is almost here and once again you
have to think of a present for your significant other. Didn’t we just get through with Christ-mas? Relax - just call Saint Valentine’s agent at the GOODIE STORE! The hot items right now are the T-shirts with Porsche embroidery for only $20.00. Also, it must be time to replace that SVR Polo shirt for only $30.00. We have some in stock and can order more reasonably quickly. Check out the SVR web site for more info. Don’t forget, heavyweight SWEATSHIRTS with Porsche script are available in red, black, white and Navy. Also available are FLEECE VESTS, JACKETS, DENIM SHIRTS, and other garments. And the logos aren’t limited to the Porsche script; we can order the crest in the old style, the new style, and black and white. Various cars can also be put on the garments-there are 911s, 356s, 928s, 914s and Boxsters. It may even be possible to match your car’s color. Did you know that Valentine’s Day was originally created as a substitute to a fifth century pagan fertility rite. The Romanscelebrated a young man’s rite of passage by holding a lottery in mid-February. The names of teenage girls were drawn at random by teenage boys. Thus a young man was assigned a young woman companion for their mutual pleasure (often sexual) for a year. After the year was up another lottery was held. Sounds like a good deal doesn’t it? However, as Christianity spread, Church leaders resolved to replace the pagan rite with a day honoring a “lovers” saint named Valentine, a third century bishop who had been martyred for the cause of love. Emperor Claudius had forbidden marriage because he believed that married men made poor soldiers. Valentine dis-agreed with the emperor and married young lovers in secret. Claudius had Valentine seized, imprisoned, clubbed, stoned, and then beheaded. While awaiting execution, Valentine sent little love notes to his followers. It is also believed that while in prison he fell in love with the jailer’s blind daughter, and that God enabled him to miraculously restore her sight. His farewell message to her supposedly contained a closing that transcended time: “From Your Valentine”. Traditionally, mainly due to the lottery, mid-February was a Roman time to court prospective mates. The young men instituted a custom of offering women they admired handwritten greetings of affection on February 14. The cards became known as Valentine’s Day cards. Doesn’t that just give you goose bumps? I know: you would have rather heard more about the red underwear! Contact your friendly Goodie Store! See Tom Sisson at meetings and events, or contact him at 14537 Surrey Junction Lane, Sutter Creek, CA 95685, 209.296.5352 or Email [email protected]. Items can be mailed for a small shipping/handling fee.
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Drifter Classifieds
Porsches for Sale
2005 Carrera S: Seal Gray/black, sport seats, rare GT2/3 rear seat de-lete option, 19-inch wheels in body color; sport exhaust, Tiptronic; CD changer. red belts and gauges; 2,900 miles, never in the rain. $75,000. E-mail Bill Wallace at [email protected]. (01/08)
2001 Boxster Tiptronic: Orient Red Metalic/black leather inte-rior; 6955 actual miles. This is the lowest mileage Boxster for sale on the west coast. Heated seats; sport pkg; comfort pkg; optional Boxster Design alloy wheels with painted crests; new rear tires; new battery; includes car cover. $29,800 Contact [email protected] or 916.771.4476 Roseville, CA for photos and more info. (12/07)
1996 911 Coupe: Guards Red/black leather, moon roof, 6-speed transmission, 58k miles. Asking $39,900. Call Kevin McCann at 916.447.7558 (12/07)
1976 911S: 2.7L motor, ’73 E cams, 40mm Webers, new clutch. Contact Rodley Moser at 775.741.1199 or e-mail [email protected]. (12/07)
1970 911E 2.2: Original green; runs, needs work; new 16” rims and tires; have new fender and other parts plus original Fuchs rims with tires. $8,500 obo. Russell Green, 2789 Carradale Drive, Roseville, CA 95661; telephone 916.709.9028 (01/08)
1961 356 B Roadster Super 90: Rust free, solid car. Restored in 2002. Guards Red, tan interior. Connelly leather seats. Hot rod engine, 5-speed transmission. Very quick. Disc brakes. Former racecar. $100,000/OBO. Contact Duane Spencer, Lakehead, CA 96051. Phone 530.238.2198, FAX 530.238.2846. (01/08)
Porsche Parts
Front bumper from ’96 C4S (Turbo); Arena Red metallic, needs re-spray. $750. E-mail [email protected]. or call 916.760.2054 or e-mail (01/08)
Drifter Classifieds for Porsches and/or Porsche-related parts or accessories are available at no charge to PCA members (pictures with text are $15 each); non-members may submit ads, $20 each; pictures with text add $15 each (member & non-member). Make check payable to PCA-SVR and send with ad to PCS-SVR, P.O. Box 254651, Sacramento, CA 95865-4651. Commercial ads are not accepted. Please contact our Advertising Manager for commercial advertising information and rates. All ads must be submitted by e-mail to the Newsletter Editor and received by the editor by the 1st day of the month prior to the month of publication. Ads may be shortened to fit available space. Editor is not responsible for content and reserves the right to reject any ads submitted. Not responsible for any errors or omissions. As an additional benefit to our members, all ads are included in the classified section of our web page. Ads are not verified for content. It is the buyer’s responsibility to verify the information in the ads. Ads run for three months unless cancelled.
The last wordby Bud Behrens
In MemoriamRon Leppke, a long time PCA member, passed away on December 27, 2007 of an apparent heart attack. Ron was a member of PCA for over forty years and was a charter member of Diablo Region. Since 2005 Ron served as the Zone 7 Photographer. He attended many events during those years, taking pictures of our cars and of us. Many of his photos appeared in The Drifter and in other newsletters in Zone 7. Among his other accomplishments was his outstanding editorship of The Advocate, newsletter of Diablo Region. Ron had a love of good music and possessed a fine singing voice; he was a member of a Bay Area choral group that toured Russia several years ago. When not talking about Porsches and PCA, Ron and I often had discussions about the art he loved. He had a strong love for Porsches and for PCA in general. His presence and his efforts on behalf Zone 7 will be greatly missed.
Workshop for prospective editorsA request has been submitted to the SVR planning committee to place on the SVR activities calendar a workshop for members who might be interested in taking over the editorship of The Drifter beginning in January 2009. This workshop will be designed for members with little or no previous editorial/publishing experience. The workshop will be held in my home in Stockton because that’s where all the necessary hardware and software needed to make an effective presentation is located.
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916-452-0917Frank LettiniNick Lettini5220 Folsom BoulevardSacramento, CA 95819Lic # 010502
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Frank’sAUTOMOTIVE
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Sacramento Valley RegionPorsche Club of AmericaPost Office Box 254651Sacramento, CA 95865-4651
Niello Porsche Rocklin4525 Granite Drive, Rocklin Showroom Hours M - Sa. 8:30am - 8:00pmSu. 10:30AM - 6:00PMParts MF 8:00am - 6:00pmService M-F 7:00am - 6:00PMParts & Service Saturday 8:30am-3:00pm1-888-298-3070 • (916) 625-8300 • niello.com
(c)2006 Porsche Cars North America, Inc. Porsche recommends seat belt usage and observance of traffic laws at all times.
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