FLATOUT April 2012
N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E N I A G A R A R E G I O N P O R S C H E C L U B O F A M E R I C A
Weather Won’t Stop Us!! Coming Events Page 3 Presidents Message Page 6 Members Stats Page 7 RIP Ferdinand Porsche Page 8 Tech Tactics Page 10
Autocross Page 13 Rochester Auto Show Page 14 1965 911 Project Page15
Instructor Seminar Page 17 April Members Meeting Page 18
A Race Car Names #50 Page 19
Niagara on the Road Page 28 WGI Opening Day Page 30 Tech Inspection Page 32 911 Named 2012 World Performance Car Page 33 Where the Hell Are We? Page 34
Technically Speaking! Page 37
GriotISMs Page 43 Historic Poster Page 46 Picture Page Page 63 April Fools Puzzle Page 64 APRIL 2012 Page 2
EXECUTIVE BOARD [email protected] President And Sue Juby Jim Arendt 95 Alton Way 780 Washington Street W Henrietta, NY 14586 Spencerport, NY 14559 (585) 321-0304 Cell# (585) 749-2786 [email protected] [email protected] DE Chairperson
Bert Xander Vice President – 10 Lavender Circle Tom Lyons Fairport, NY 14450 25 Tyburn Way tel# (585)-388-1431 Rochester, NY 14610 [email protected] 585-381-8535 [email protected] Driver Ed Registrar
Curt Hinchcliffe Secretary 5 Black Watch Trail Mike Cohn Fairport, NY 14450 7 Round Trail Drive tel# (585)-314-8506 Pittsford, NY 14534 [email protected] Tel# (585) 385-8828 mcpor- [email protected] Newsletter Editor Tom Lyons Treasurer 25 Tyburn Way Rich DeAsis Rochester, NY 14610 2 North Clinton Street 585-381-8535 Dansville, NY 14437 [email protected] Cell (585) 750-4231 [email protected] Flatout Advertising Sue Juby CHAIRPERSONS 95 Alton Way Membership W Henrietta, NY 14586 Curt Hinchcliffe (585) 321-0304 5 Black Watch Trail Published monthly [email protected] Fairport, NY 14450 Statement of Policy: FLATOUT is the official tel# (585)-314-8506 publication of the Niagara Region Inc., Porsche Webmaster Club of America. Statements appearing in [email protected] Jim Arendt FLATOUT are those of the author and do not con- stitute an opinion of the Niagara Region Inc., Por- 780 Washington Street sche Club of America, FLATOUT, or its staff. The Social Events Spencerport, NY 14559 editors reserve the right to edit as necessary all Bill Schicker materials submitted for publication. Permission is Cell# (585) 749-2786 granted to reproduce any material published in 20 Edendery Circle [email protected] FLATOUT provided full credit is given to the au- Fairport, NY 14450 thor or photographer and to FLATOUT.
Tel# (585)-377-1495
APRIL 2012 Page 3 UPCOMING EVENTS
COMING UP NEXT MONTH
May 1 – Monthly Member’s Meeting
May 5 – Tech Session @ Northtown Porsche
May 6 – Breakfast Run to Ellicotteville
May 12 – Autocross @ Letchworth
May 19/20 – Zone 1 Concours & Rally
May 26 – Tour to Saratoga Auto Museum (Porsche Display)
May 28/29 – May Driver Education @ WGI
See our website for event details.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED @ PORSCHE CLASH
There are many opportunities to volunteer at the June 1-3 Porsche Clash club race at Watkins Glen including reg- istration, grid, tech, and timing/scoring. INFO HERE
APRIL 2012 Page 4 UPCOMING EVENTS TH 50 ANNIVERSARY PARTY
Saturday, June 16 from Noon – 4pm at Glenora Wine Cellars on Seneca Lake
BBQ lunch
Wine Tasting
Live Music – Rock Out To The Sounds Of “Night Shift”
People’s Choice Concours
Meet Legendary Racer & Honorary Guest Vic Elford
LOGOwear Shop
Over $4,500 In Door Prizes
Only $15 Per Person
Come for just the party, or enjoy a full weekend of activities.
Due to venue constraints, some activities have a limited number of tickets available so register early.
If you are planning to stay overnight be sure to book your hotel room now; as of today there are only a few rooms left at Seneca Lodge and Glenora.
Registration closes June 1 (or as activities sell out).
Volunteers are needed for this event. Check our web page for details.
APRIL 2012 Page 5 UPCOMING EVENTS
Visit us at
www.NiagaraPCA.org
Click the button below to see our website.
Don’t Miss Any NRPCA Social Events Sign up for Sue Juby’s E-mail notifications by sending Sue an e-mail at: [email protected]
APRIL 2012 Page 6
President’s Message
80 degrees and sunny one day…50 degrees with wind and rain the next. Man, I can’t figure out if it’s spring, summer, or fall. One sure sign of spring though, is the number of events showing up on our club’s Event Calendar. We have something planned almost every single week now through October! There are perennial favorites, and there are new offerings such as a Saratoga Auto Mu- seum tour in May, our 50th Anniversary Party in June, and a ‘Cleveland Rocks’ tour in August. It’s always fun to try new things to keep our club fresh and exciting, and these new events promise not to disappoint.
When you attend one of our region’s events, be sure to pick up your complimentary 50th anniver- sary polo shirt. All primary club members receive one, free of charge, simply for showing up as a ‘thank you’ for being a NRPCA member. So far 63 shirts have been handed out, which is only 16% of our total member- ship. That means there are plenty of shirts remaining; come on out and get yours.
There has been incredible interest in our DE program already this year. Our May student groups sold out by mid-March, as did the entire June Advanced event. This is the earliest we have ever sold out these events, which bodes well for the pro- gram and for our club in general.
Registration for our 50th Anniversary Party on June 16 is still going strong with over 120 people signed up. SWAG bags, door prizes, and other assorted goodies are filling up my house…I get the ”more party stuff Dad?” question every time the UPS man shows up at the door. This is going to be a once-in-50-years-party. If you only hit one club event this year, make it this one! This is all about our club members and I assure you that you won’t be disappointed. Remember registration closes June 1, though some activities will close earlier as they sell out. Go to our website and register today.
So as you’re perusing this issue of Flatout, mark some of the club events on your calendar and make a commitment to get involved. Bring a friend or family member, they are always welcome. See you on the road!
Take care,
Jim
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Want to advertise your business in Flatout? Well now you can. Contact Sue Juby at [email protected] for details and cost options. Don’t forget to send me your stories and pictures. There is no Flatout without them.
Tom Lyons Editor Flatout APRIL 2012 Page 7
NRPCA Members Report March and April ’12 Members Report
Member Stats Primary Members 377 Affiliate Members 274 Life Members 1 Transfers in 1 Transfers out 0 Renewals 21 Non renewals 7 Total Members 652
Welcome To Our New March/April Members – Bos-Fisher, Hadley Bowen, William D. Krotz, Paul D.
Peden, Peter J. APRIL PCA ANNIVERSARIES Shields, James R. III 40 Years Tepas, Thomas F. Kenneth Williams Youngs, Craig 25 Years Al Schuessler
MARCH PCA ANNIVERSARIES 20 Years
Hilary Cholhan 50 Years
Fran McAllister 15 Years
Rick Bakewell 20 Years
Rob Dean 10 Years Roger Simpson Thomas Christopher
Paul Pizzella 10 Years
Vic Tkalenko 5 Years
Allen Pettee 5 Years
1 Year Lawrence Busch Chris Blaine Craig Deats Michael Lapinski Wayne Gerhart Dave Santillo Stuart Jenkins Jeff Thomas
Aaron Williams 1 Year
Brandon Comella Scotty Grose Edward Plata
APRIL 2012 Page 8
RIP Ferdinand Porsche Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is mourning Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. The Honor- ary President of the Supervisory Board died on 5 April 2012 in Salzburg, aged 76. Matthias Müller, President and Chief Executive Officer of Porsche AG, paid tribute to Ferdinand Alexander Porsche's ser- vices to the sports car manufacturer: "We mourn the death of our partner, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. As the creator of the Porsche 911, he established a design culture in our company that has shaped our sports cars to this very day. His philosophy of good design is a legacy to us that we will honour for all time."
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche was born in Stuttgart on 11 December 1935, the oldest son of Dorothea and Ferry Porsche. Even his childhood was shaped by cars, and he spent much of his time in the engi- neering offices and development workshops of his grandfather Ferdinand Porsche. In 1943 the family accompanied the Porsche company's move to Austria, where he went to school in Zell am See. After returning to Stuttgart in 1950, he attended the private Waldorf school. After leaving school, he enrolled at the prestigious Ulm School of Design.
In 1958, F.A. Porsche, as he was known by his colleagues, joined the engineering office of what was then Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche KG. He soon proved his great talent for design by sculpting the first model of a successor to the 356 model line out of plasticine. In 1962 he took over as head of the Porsche de- sign studio, creating a worldwide furore one year later with the Porsche 901 (or 911). With the Porsche 911, F.A. Porsche created a sports car icon whose timeless and classical form survives to this very day in what is now the seventh 911 generation. However, in addition to passenger cars, F.A. Porsche also concerned himself with designing the sports cars of the 1960s. His best-known designs include the Type 804 Formula One racing car or the Porsche 904 Carrera GTS, now considered to be one of the most beautiful racing cars ever. APRIL 2012 Page 9
RIP Ferdinand Porsche In the course of the conversion of Porsche KG into a joint-stock corporation in 1971/72, Ferdinand Alex- ander Porsche, along with all the other family members, stood down from the company's front-line busi- ness operations. In 1972 he founded the "Porsche Design Studio" in Stuttgart, the head office of which was relocated to Zell am See in Austria in 1974. In the decades that followed, he designed numerous classic gentlemen's accessories such as watches, spectacles and writing implements that achieved glob- al recognition under the "Porsche Design" brand. In parallel, with his team, he designed a plethora of industrial products, household appliances and consumer durables for internationally renowned clients under the brand "Design by F.A. Porsche". A strong and clear design concept typifies all product designs created in his design studio to date. The credo of his design work was: "Design must be functional and functionality has t o be translated visually into aesthetics, without gags that have to be explained first." F.A. Porsche: "A coherently designed product requires no adornment; it should be enhanced by its form alone." The design's appearance should be readily comprehensible and not detract from the product and its function. His conviction was: "Good design should be honest."
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche received numerous honours and awards both for his work as a designer as well as for individual designs. For example, in 1968 the "Comité Internationale de Promotion et de Prestige" honoured him for the outstanding aesthetic design of the Porsche 911 while the Industrial Fo- rum Design Hannover (iF) voted him "Prizewinner of the Year" in 1992. In 1999, the President of Austria bestowed on him the title of Professor.
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche retained a close lifelong association with Porsche AG as a partner and member of the Supervisory Board. For example, even after stepping down from front-line business oper- ations, he contributed to the design of Porsche's sports cars over many decades and repeatedly steered the company in the right direction. This was especially the case for the difficult period Porsche experi- enced at the beginning of the 1990s. From 1990 to 1993, F.A. Porsche served as President of the com- pany's Supervisory Board, thus playing a major role in Porsche A.G's economic turnaround. In 2005, he stood down from his Supervisory Board role in favour of his son Oliver and assumed the mantle of Hon- orary President of the Supervisory Board.
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche will be buried in the family grave at Schüttgut in Zell am See, attended by his immediate family. An official funeral service will be held in Stuttgart at a later date.
Communication Porsche AG Head of Communication Porsche AG Hans-Gerd Bode Phone: +49 (0) 711 / 911 27072 E-Mail: [email protected] APRIL 2012 Page 10
Tech Tactics
Tech Tactics East – Easton PA By George Hitchcock
Tech Tactics East 2012 was hosted again at the Porsche Cars North American Training Center in Easton, Pa. The participants were entertained by three Porsche Cars North America technical ex- perts, three PCA speakers; Peter Smith, our National Tech Committee Chair, John Paterek, who has spoken in all 32 past Tech Tactics events, and Mike Bavaro, from Bodymotion.
This was my first time at Porsche Tech tactics and it was more than worth the 4½ hour drive down. I attended the Sunday session because the Saturday registrations filled very quickly. I think it turned out well because there were 180 attendees on Saturday and less than 100 on Sunday. The weather was terrible on the way down – we got 5 inches of snow here in Victor ear- ly Saturday morning. The roads here were relative clear when I left but in Ithaca and again be- low Scranton there were white-out conditions at times.
Arrived on site Sunday Morning
The greeting with check-in in the Lobby was expertly run and a continental breakfast was availa- ble in addition to this beauty/beast - an older GT3
GT3
APRIL 2012 Page 11
Tech Tactics
The welcome and intro was short and held right next to the car of the day.
The first session started with everyone together to get an overview of the changes in the new 991 version of the 911. The major items here were the wheelbase and front tracking changes (both larger) that have improved the handling characteristics of the 911. It was described as “crisper turn in with less under steer”.
The next big thing was the “electric” steering.
Electric Motor Cutaway The power assist, when “needed” is provided by an electric motor versus the hydraulic pump – no more fluid to check or pentosin leaks and more power! We were assured that Porsche has done its homework and there is still “feel” through the wheel.
They also discussed the frame construction and the extensive use of aluminum and high strength steel to lighten the structure but maintain rigidity. The reduced weight, in conjunction with en- gine modifications, engine mapping, and aerodynamics, help to increase efficiencies of the model and improve fuel mileage. APRIL 2012 Page 12
Tech Tactics
They covered much more but those were the highlights I took away from this session.
This type of presentation continued for the rest of the sessions during the day – discussion of the DFI (Direct Fuel Injec- tion) and the Durametric tool demonstration were two of the other highlights I enjoyed. I have got to get a Durametric Diagnostic tool just to be able to check some of the basic items on my car!
Lunch was provided and then we all gathered for the facility tour. This included the PDC (Parts Distribution Center). They described the way it was initially setup and how the measurements are documented and continuously improved to provide the support to the dealer network so we see the parts when we need them.
They had a closing happy hour with refreshments and a bag of trinkets to take away. This was truly a great experience not only for the wealth of information but also the other PCA members you get the opportunity to meet. I plan on going again next year and I would encourage you to take the opportunity to see this facility (bring your parts list they will sell you parts there!) and learn more about the technical aspects of our cars.
I have included the link from the PCA newsletter for those that have not seen it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBagDUgjmC4&list=UUdBSaHWRHMQTVALwa7gs7Fg&index=1&feature=plcp
APRIL 2012 Page 13
Autocross Autocross 2012 By Mel Dillon
The new year is well under way and it will be a year of change for the autocross program. New locations are on the docket and the hope is it is the best year yet.
The first change is an important one. If you don't have a new helmet take a minute and check the SNELL sticker inside your helmet. It will have to read 2005 or 2010 for this year. Start looking now for a deal on a new helmet if you need one. Mines on order already.
We have some new locations on tap for 2012. First is the return to a historical location. It's been years since the last event but we will be going back to Avon and the Genesee Valley Kart course. There will be a special restriction for this event - all cars have to be street muffled. The course is landlocked by housing and we don't want to aggravate the neighbors.
The schedule also includes two events at Letchworth State park. Early in the year we will be able to use the large lot in front of the swimming pool. Come fall we will be returning but in the smaller lot at the swimming pool. If you were there last fall for the first event it may be a small lot but it was an interesting course. Keep in mind that only registered cars are allowed at the state parks.
In June we will be holding an autocross in the North Paddock at WGI during the Anniversary event that weekend. It promises to be fun with all the BMWs in attendance. Let's have a good turnout and find out which German car is the fastest.
July brings another new location. The plan is to have an event at Hamlin Beach state park in the western most lot near the lake. It will be fun to have the lake as a backdrop and hopefully we have a nice shore breeze to cool off the hot com- petition
The last event of the year will be our annual fall trip down to Cherry Valley Speedway. Lets hope for some lovely fall weather for what has often been a great event. It's always fun to finish the day with a trip to the local winery for some nice apple wines and a bag full of fresh fried apple fritters.
This year represents a new chapter in the autocross program and promises to be a good one. Check the website and the Facebook page for late breaking news and event results. Also, check out motorsportsreg.com and pre-register for the events. It's free to use and eases the line at registration in the morning. Come on out and join us.
APRIL 2012 Page 14
Rochester Auto Show
2012 Rochester International Auto Show By Curt Hinchcliffe
Being in our 50th anniversary year the club thought it’d be an excellent idea to spruce things up a bit and add more events to our already bursting at the seams schedule. A few calls were made and some space opened up for us at the Riverside Convention Center in Rochester to attend the 2012 Rochester International Auto Show.
As many of you are aware every city gets an influx of new cars being shown off to the general public in an auto show of sorts (i.e. New York and LA Auto Shows). This way you can climb in and feel what the new models of all available makes are like and compare them without having to drive from dealership to dealership hunting down the differences. The Roch- ester show adds in some room for local clubs to get their names and cars out there and muster up a little free advertising.
So being the forward person I am (and the one who made the calls) I put my beauti- fully kept “old” car in and asked around for anyone interested in adding their car to the mix. Mike Mammano took us up on the offer with his beautiful Cayman Interseries Martini Racing Car. Talking with the or- ganizer and making arrangements un- knowingly to the size of our area we brought two cars and a plethora of bro- chures. Of course being without a 911 was a bit of a surprise to some, everyone who worked their way around the booth enjoyed a bit of the old with a slap of the new. As a side note I did get a my fare share of funny looks as I drove my car down 490 in clear stretch wrap…..
Many a new and old Porsche owner who hadn’t heard of the club or what we do stopped by to say hello and talk about possibly joining up. Smiling faces were seen by the little kids hoping to be the next Michael Schumacher while peering into Mike’s car, along with the occasional teenager trying to impress their friends with stories of what they could do in that thing. Amongst the questions on my car were about the fun they had watching “Risky Business” and “Scarface” when they were younger or how the design/shape of the car has stood the test of time.
And now that we have gone through the growing pains of our virgin trip we can expand and add more for next year. That hallway is awfully long and I can certainly see a few more cars being added in next year (maybe a small progression of 356 to 997’s, let me know if you’re interested).
I want to thank those who participated with their families: Jim Arendt, Ken Buschner, Rich DeAsis, Dave Hostetter, Ed Hurtubis, Chad Juby, Tom Lyons, Mike Mammano, Gary Moore, Sue Reesen, Johan Spijker, Bert Xander and Mike Zotter. I also want to thank the event coordinator Richard Sherman. APRIL 2012 Page 15 APRIL 2012 Page 16
Hershey Swap Meet “Hear Ye, Hear Ye, Hear Ye....It did not rain at the PCA Swap Meet at Hershey this year. Lots of peo- ple, lots of cars and people were buying. Don't miss it next year!!!”
Jim Tulloch APRIL 2012 Page 17
Instructor Seminar
Niagara Region Hosts Second High Performance Drivers Education Instructors Seminar By Bert Xander
You know the driving season is just around the corner when the focus turns to preparing for the Niagara Region Drivers Education events in 2012. With this in mind, thirty NPCA instructors gathered at the Back Nine Grill in Rochester on April 7 for the second annual Niagara Region High Performance Drivers Education Instructors Seminar.
Chief Instructor, Rich DeAsis and Chief Classroom Instructor, Jim Tulloch led the presentations and discussion on a wide range of topics. Beginning at 9:00 am with a continental breakfast, Rich began the day by discussing the need for our instructors to deemphasize speed with their students. We discussed the ever increasing horsepower of high perfor- mance cars over the last twenty years. Rich presented a graphic that demonstrated most performance carmakers, in- cluding Porsche, have more than doubled horsepower over this time period! These days, many novice drivers show up at our events with these higher horsepower cars. This places an even bigger premium on proper driving techniques and the need to deemphasize speed to ensure inexperienced drivers do not get into situations beyond their abilities.
Another challenging situation for instructors is coaching a student driving a car that the instructor has little experience in. The next portion of the session featured guest presenters who were fellow instructors familiar with various types of cars. Among those discussed from Porsche were a 996 GT3, older generation 911 Carrera, 944, Cayman, and others such as a Mazda Miata, Corvette, BMW 3 Series, and front wheel drive cars. The presenters discussed handling character- istics, horsepower and torque, braking, and strengths and weaknesses of each make. This provided valuable insight on what to expect when instructing in an unfamiliar car for the first time.
After a buffet lunch, Ken Buschner presented an update on the new Niagara Instructor Development Program that is in its first year. Jim Tulloch ended the day by leading a discussion on car physics and the kinetic energy generated by cars with ever increasing horsepower and weight. These cars produce great amounts of stress on the brakes and espe- cially the rotors. We discussed the need to continuously check the condition of the brakes and pedal feel with our stu- dents throughout the event.
After the session ended at approximately 3:00, most of the group reconvened in the bar to continue discussions while enjoying their favorite beverage. All in all, a great session that has us primed for another driving season. Special thanks go to Rich, Jim and the guest presenters for their contributions to this seminar! It's another reason Niagara Re- gion drivers education program has progressed to the next level.
APRIL 2012 Page 18
April Members Meeting APRIL 2012 Page 19
A Race Car Named #50
A Race Car named #50 We depend upon each other to accomplish our objective of being competitive and winning as By many races as we can, during the season. That Lou Betstadt means we travel to and participate in PCA Club Races at venues like Lime Rock, Watkins Glen With editors notes by Tom Lyons (I know you have seen us there and wit- Creating a winning race team does not happen by accident. nessed our There is a huge effort required from a small army of tech- victories and nical experts DNF's), Mid all dedicated Ohio, Mosport, to excellence Summit Point, sharing a com- Carolina Mo- mon goal. torsports Park The following and New Jer- compilation sey Motor- was pulled sports Park. from a series We get to ex- of e-mails that perience won- I was lucky derful camara- enough to be derie with the copied on. other teams, The e-mails cheap motels and sometimes exquisite food. came from Often there is something that has gone bad with Lou Betstadt. His e-mails only start to demonstrate what it #50 and the crew guys have to use their creativ- takes to keep a car and a team, the Doghouse, in top run- ity, skill and innovation to overcome the me- ning order. The following is an e-mail from Lou explaining a chanical challenges that we are faced with at little about the Doghouse team and car #50. It sets the almost every race. Last year we won five races stage for the commentary that follows it. out of the 15. But more importantly we had lots of fun and bonded with many other racers, crews, technical inspectors, Club Scrutineers, Lou’s foreward: and of course the many Club volunteers that are needed to sponsor a Club Race weekend.
Hi Tom, So it has been my intent to give you a view of the behind the scenes work necessary to get Regards to you and Babs. #50 ready. The current #50 crew members are: Paul Reynolds, Jeff Houston, Aaron Roberts, You have asked me to submit articles for our news- Paul Dewing, Joe Ajavon, Tom Kubiak and letter, Flatout. Jim Tulloch as past co-driver and now Senior Consultant. Of course I would be remiss in not It is not an accident that I have been copying you in mentioning my sponsors: Long Pond Auto- on the exploits that go into race preparation for a body, Eksten's Autowerks and Louis Club Racer like #50 (1988 911 Carrera, "F" Class, Betstadt, Cerified Financial Planner. Prepared). I hope you have enough information, ideas and Most people have no idea how much time, energy, copies of emails to facilitate an article for the planning and human contact hours it takes to pre- Niagara Region Flatout publication (that you do pare a race car for a race, let alone a race season. a great job steering its success). Let me know if At the end of the season last year we ranked 4th in you need additional information on this topic. the Nation in points and 2nd in the North East. That did not happen by accident. A very special Regards, team of dedicated volunteer crew guys have com- mitted themselves (no, not to a sanitarium) to sup- Lou Betstadt #50 Team Owner/Driver port me and #50, as a team, in PCA Club Racing. APRIL 2012 Page 20
A Race Car Named #50
brakes and the clutch slave cylinder (I supplied the SRF and Swepco). After a considerable With that foreword to get everyone on the same page we chip reprogramming delay, the chip builder at can start looking at some of the e-mails sent around to the 911Chips, Steve Wong was able to finally pro- team that show some of the preparation that goes into a duce a great chip (after sending the chips back successful race team. With the 2011 race season barely to him for reprogramming after four successive over, the engine was still warm, the “dogs” are already dis- Dyno pulls on Larry's Dyno) that allowed the cussing the 2012 season’s needs. Issues such as facility engine to breath beautifully. The power curve rent, propane for heat and the sharing of the lift are all topics looks nice and linear, throughout the rev range that need to be ironed out. The next e-mail excerpt was and is not too fat or too lean...just right! from Lou laying out what needs to happen on the #50 just to get ready for the new season. To help you follow the I picked #50 up from Larry's shop with my trailer “action” I am using the following convention. All of Lou’s and on Monday of this week (early March) and the team’s communication will be indented. All of my be- brought trailer and #50 back to Sugar Hill Farm. tween yammering will be in red italics. Tomorrow I will return to pick up both and head to Long Pond Autobody so that Tom Hebert and his crew can start masking the dash, shifter etc. in preparation for a complete gutted interior paint. The new roll cage modification, done by Jim Fitsmaurice, will be primed and painted too. He will also have his merry men fix the driver rear quarter where the suspension collapsed on us last year and caused the tire rubbing that resulted in burning off the paint. I would hope Long Pond can get the car done in a week and a half...putting us somewhere in the middle-ish of March. I would like to bring the car back to the Doghouse at that time so the crew and I can work on the car. This year I am going to try something new and doing away with the front windshield gasket. Instead I have purchased a frame that is bolted to the windshield opening. In turn the Lexan windshield will be RTV'd and drilled and attached to the frame with 28 flush mounted screws. It should be an easier install than fighting with the rubber gasket which frus- Hi Everyone, trated all of us with poor results.
Lime Rock (end of April)is the first PCA Club race #50 is going to be considerably lighter due to for #50. All glass, radio equipment, seats and har- the removal of the interior (including the door nesses need to be put back in the car. Ride height, glass and associated mechanisms) which the wheel camber, corner balancing, Nitrogen shock rules have allowed. In addition, a rule change charging and alignment need to be reset as well. for 2012 allows 1984-1989 3.2 litre Carerras Also complete chassis and wheel bearings and (#50) to be approximately 140 lbs. lighter in front and rear torsion bar carrier bushing need to be order to be more competitive with those nasty greased as well. 2004 Boxster S' in our F Class. Perhaps this year we may have to give up our fourth place I would guess the aforementioned activities would nationally, second in the NorthEast, in F Class, take approximately six, four hour crew sessions in for a higher ranking. That's a thought :-)! How- the Doghouse. Only a few of the sessions would ever because of the lighter weight we will need need lift time. #50 will be mobile and can be rolled to add many more steel plates to the passenger on and off the lift. I would prefer that the engine is side to meet minimum required weight for our F not started and stopped as the break in period from Class. Yes, the passenger seat must be in- Larry Eksten's rebuild is not complete yet. Howev- stalled according to the rules! er Larry did a great job refreshing the engine. I asked him to replace all of the fluids and bleed the So Vince, et. al., that's the best I can give you APRIL 2012 Page 21
A Race Car Named #50
regarding #50's time lines and Doghouse usage. As the start of the racing season gets closer the volume Of course the best laid plans of mice and men... of work required seems to be monumental. The team keeps plugging away at it. The focus on a common goal Regards to all, is truly impressive. The next e-mail gives a “Sit Rep” to the team letting everyone know what has been done and Lou what is still needed with a gentle reminder about the timeframe.
As I read that note laying out all the work that needed to be done and in a relatively short amount of time my eyes glazed Hi Team #50. over at the prospects. How can they do all that and have the car ready when needed. Below Lou explains to Bob Poirier Paul (Dewing), thanks for the picture of the what work is coming up while negotiating to get required lift headlight. Amazing resolution! How many time. megapixels does your camera have?
Jeff and I removed the camber plates last night. Hi Bob, I took them over to Joe who will helicoil the stripped holes today and modify the old/new After Eksten's engine refresh and Long Pond Auto- camber plates taken off the first #50 that I had body's repaint, #50 is back in the Doghouse. We saved. We'll be able to mount them Saturday at have been working feverishly to get the car ready the Doghouse. Either way we will have a spare for the lime Rock Club Race (April 27 & 28). The set. "to do" task list is over 25 items long. It is amazing when you strip the car, how much time it takes to The front wheel bearings need to be inspected, put everything back. The car is mobile and can be cleaned and repacked so #50 can be removed moved off the lift. I anticipate we will need the lift from the lift. Other folks need to use the lift. during the two weeks prior to the race when we set The hardware to finish mounting the lexan wind- shield should arrive tomorrow.
The windshield hold down tabs need to be in- stalled as well.
The vinyl sun visor needs to be installed at the top of the windshield.
I will pick up mounting straps for anchoring the weight plates to the passenger floor.
ride height, camber, toe and corner balance the The same stock can be used for the two new car. Although these are critical functions, the crew anchors that need to be put in place to accept and I are generally completed with our task by the the crotch belts (for the six point belts) under end of the weekday evening, 9PM or by 4 PM Sat- each of the seats. urday or Sunday. Although Paul Reynolds has been supporting us remotely from his Florida home, The hour meter needs to have a bracket fabri- Joe Ajavon, Paul Dewing, Aaron Roberts, Jeff Hou- cated, located, mounted and attached to a ston and I have been working long hours to put #50 keyed (fuel pump) power source from the fuse back together again. block.
It is always good to hear from you. Please give our Jeff is working on completion of the driver's regards to Martha. door release.
See you soon, All of the above are tasks that are targeted for completion this Saturday, March 31st, and the Lou following Monday.
APRIL 2012 Page 22
A Race Car Named #50
See you on Saturday. We will see where we are at regarding the other projects to determine how much time needs to be Thanks again, devoted to #50 before we leave on April 26 for the Lime Rock Race. Lou
I will pick up new seats, harnesses, roll cage pad- ding, new helmet, all of which are to replace my out A “dog” offers an opinion about how to proceed and Lou of date equipment and will comply with current answers. rules. I will do this on route when I am returning from White Plains retrieving my Mom for the Holi- days on April 5. Lou,
Race date will soon be upon us. I know we will be ready. However all of this could not be possible I was thinking about the seats. V Does the right without the contributions everyone of you make. I side seat need to be replaced? It would have am amazed how we are able to compete at the limited use, only in a DE situation and will not highest levels in F Class, against the others who match the driver’s seat anyway. Without replac- are often prepared and crewed by professional race ing, all of the weight plates and right side items shops. I am honored to be part of the team's ef- could be finished and we would also save a few forts. We are going to have a great season! Thank bucks. Also as rules have recently changed at you all!!!!!! some point that seat may be removed. Just something to think about.
Lou Do we have white tie wraps? I think they will look better on the white roll bar. What color roll bar padding are we getting? Tie wraps should match.
Just some random thoughts.
Jeff (Houston)
Hi Jeff,
A point of clarification about one of the upgrades. I hope you are feeling better today. Working late at the Doghouse on #50 doesn't mix well with your getting to work at 7 AM the next morn- Hi Paul (Dewing), ing. Take two brake pads to bed with you and call me in the morning. : - ) I too would prefer the riv-nuts as they are easier to service. Thanks for your thoughts.
I believe the bolts are coarse threaded 1/2" diame- Yes I do have white nylon ties to match the ter. They will be anchored with large pieces of 1/8" white roll cage. steel stock with additional reinforcing washers. I believe we used four bolts in the old #50 and they The roll cage padding will be red. survived the crash that destroyed the car. The 70 lbs. of weight remained in place. I have made the decision to replace both seats.
APRIL 2012 Page 23
A Race Car Named #50
In the event I take a student in my car during a DE I would feel better knowing that the student's equip- ment is as up to date and safe as mine. I have no Hopefully we can stay out of each other's way. : way of knowing what use or misuse (accidents or - ) other stresses when mounted in other cars?) the old seats have been subjected to. The new seats will be black (as to not show so much dirt) and the It should be an interesting evening. I'll bring harnesses will be red. food and drink.
I will try and locate large red nylon ties to use with the padding. Anyone have an idea where I might Thanks again guys for helping out and relieving find a source for the red ties? some of my anxiety regarding getting #50 ready for Lime Rock. Regards,
Lou Lou
Ps…Door handle mount and bracket almost done, cable attachments modified and should work fine with parts that are already at the dog- house. Video bracket painted and drying. I also plan on installing video system Monday. I will be there.
I get a note from Lou clarifying what is going on.
Hi Tom, We are now into April and the time left before the first races is getting much closer and there is still some significant work to be done. The “dogs” march forward with clear vision and Sorry. I wasn't sure if I had copied you in on purpose. these communications with the team.
Perhaps I could keep you posted as to our ac- Hi Mav, Aaron, Ted and Jeff, tivities and results after each race (wins or not). Just so all the readers know that unlike the movies we have ups and downs and we don't always walk away with a podium finish at every Got your messages. Thank you. I'll see you tomor- race (although we try our best to win). row afternoon (Monday April 2nd) sometime after 4:30 PM. Paul D. (alias, Mav) has got control of the window sun visor and the driver's door "50" decal. Jeff has perfected the video mounting system Regards to Babs, bracket and has worked out a solution to the driv- er's door release handle. Aaron will use his skill to install the riv-nuts for the front windshield tabs with- Lou out breaking the installation tool. Ted and Lou will attempt to install the dual crotch belt anchors (2 for each seat). Any other free hands can help with the Babs and I get an invite to see the inner sanctum, the positioning and attachments of the weight plates. actual doghouse. How could we refuse? APRIL 2012 Page 24
A Race Car Named #50
Hi Tom,
You are more than welcome to visit us tonight (April 2nd) at the Doghouse to see us work. For that mat- ter you are welcome anytime. Maybe some new pictures of the guys working on the car and the Doghouse might be interesting for the readers.
The address for the Doghouse is in Victor, NY. The Doghouse is located on an Arabian horse breeding farm. The Doghouse is attached to the mare barn which is just down the hill below the main barn complex which houses the offices of the farm. We will probably be there until 8:30 PM. Pizza will be served around 7 PM. You are welcomed to join us. You can call me if you have any questions.
Regards,
Lou
Hi Everyone,
What a difference a night makes. Babs and I got to witness the dogs in action. Everyone was working very hard on various projects to get the car ready for the race season just a few short weeks away. We were It appeared that all of you were swarming over blown away in the camaraderie that we saw and the amount #50 like ants on a piece of sugar. When the of progress the dogs made in that Monday night. We were night came to an end virtually every project goal also blown away when we saw the other tenants in the mare for the evening was completed!! barn. Is there anything cuter than a new born horse? Lou sums up the nights work and lays out what still lies ahead. Mav being the perfectionist he is replaced the windshield sunvisor with far more attractive ma- APRIL 2012 Page 25
A Race Car Named #50
terial he sourced from England (?). It is now a bet- ter quality looking application. After everyone left, Joe looked at the plastic headlight covers and thinks he has found a way to make them Working around Mav, Aaron was able to install the work. He may rivnuts for the windshield tabs (seemingly relieved make an at- that he was able to get a break from his jury duty). tempt on Sat- Then he and Mav got together and modified the urday. He has panel in the "boot" to accept the new hour meter an uncanny and hardwired the unit to the fuse panel. Although ability to look there was much hand gesturing and verbal epithets at something aimed at each other, the meter does work! and make it work when nobody else Meanwhile, Jeff was talking to himself inside the can (kind of interior of the car where we kept him until it was like his BMW time to eat. That way he couldn't get into trouble. CSL race car). In addition he is going to look for a spe- cial sized nut to fit one of the seatbelt anchors. He'll find this “needle in the haystack" of his garage where he has everything and anything one can imagine. He has been collecting for 30 years!
By the time we finally let him out of the car, he had Finally it was nice to have Tom and Babs Lyons installed his newly fabricated and painted driver visit the Doghouse. After hearing about Team door release mechanism, video equipment mount #50's shananigans and stories, they came to he created and painted (nestled artfully in the "X" of see what it was all about. They arrived in their the passenger's roll cage) and attached the radio beautiful red 1987 911 seemingly sane. How- box and the fire extinguisher release handle on the ever, when they left several hours later, it was underdash part of the roll cage. Rumor has it that noted they were shaking their heads and bab- Jeff is applying for patents on these items (they all bling. The red 911 hurriedly left the premises work flawlessly). under a cloud of dust. Not sure we'll see them again anytime soon! Ignoring all the commotion, Ted studied the Schroth harness manual and determined what placements, Thank you all for your hard work and dedication. measurements, bolt holes and backing plate mate- As of last night we are under control and on rial were needed to install the harness anchors for track (pun intended) to finish the car for the the submarine belts. After cutting metal stock on Lime Rock Club Race (April 27,28). You are all the band saw, drilling the backing plates on the awesome people and work so well together. It press and painting everything to look pretty, he truly is amazing! installed the anchors in the floor. Not bad for a guy who claims to not being particularly adept at these things. Maybe he is practicing on #50 because he may have to do some of the same on his new Cup NEXT: race car! APRIL 2012 Page 26
A Race Car Named #50
I will head down to White Plains and NJ this tors. Fresh rotors were installed along with new Wednesday (April 4th) to bring my Mom to Roches- pads and everything was checked for proper ter for Easter/Passover holidays. On Thursday torque tightening specs. Significant others were Mom and I will stop at Stable Energies. They are beckoning so that's all we did on Saturday. waiting for me with a new window net, roll cage padding, helmet, harnesses, and seats. They will On be freshly dated and compliant with the Rules for Sun- another five years. All will be loaded into my car (I day I told my Mom to bring a good book to read). We will spent arrive back in Rochester Thursday evening. Hope- more fully most of these items can be installed this Satur- time day (April 7) starting at 10 AM. Anything left to do with from these items can be finished the following week #50 (Tuesday April 10 ??). as my wife
and That will leave camber setting, alignment, weighing the car, adjusting with weight plates and corner balancing. We are almost done with our checklist!
Once again, thank you all for your extraordinary gifts of time and talents. Where applicable, please extend my appreciation to significant others who have put up with #50's time demands.
Warmest regards,
Lou
Time is getting short. There are only a few more opportuni- ties to tweak #50 before racing season starts in earnest. A final session is scheduled to get the remaining items of the daughter had a wedding shower to attend which TODO list finished up. freed me to work on installing new aluminum floorboards (the old plywood originals were rot- ted and no longer serviceable), running the Hi Tom, wires for the push-to-talk helmet microphone button and the antenna wire for the radio. Lastly It has been an exhausting week for me. A couple of I was able to give the interior a thorough clean- the crew (Paul Dewing and Aaron Roberts) were ing to neaten up all loose ends but also to in- able to shake loose on Saturday and work with me sure that some overlooked leftover loose on number #50. We continued to find ways to get a screws or other debris would not get under my little more camber on the front left wheel (drivers' accelerator or brake pedal and jam them during side). After much time passed it was decided to the race. It was getting late and I went home to accept what we had (-2.3 degrees each side) and discover the the exciting results of the wedding after this race we would swap out to other camber shower. strut mounts that would give us another -.4 de- grees) which would give us a -2.7 degrees for each The next evening was a scheduled "Monday front wheel. We then focused on the rear rotors before the race" last chance to work on the car. which were wearing close to the minimum thick- Almost all the crew folks were present. Aaron, ness. The brake pads were removed, caliper bolts Paul D., Jeff, myself and; it was a special treat removed, calipers came off as well as the old ro- as our Florida preparation mentor, Paul Reyn- APRIL 2012 Page 27
A Race Car Named #50
olds, had returned back to snowy Rochester need- sets the emotional tone for the start of the racing season ing a racing "fix". We had to adjust toe (toe-out for and the mutual respect the dogs have for each other. the front and toe-in for the rear) which allows for aggressive turning into corners. We also adjusted the passenger rear wheel to match the camber of Gentlemen, (and Jeff), it seems we have anoth- the driver's rear wheel (-3.3 degrees). The wheel er like mind associated with #50. Tom (Lyons) it came off, spring plate bolts loosened and special was a pleasure to meet you and your lovely "magic" applied. The task was completed success- lady, and I look forward to meeting up again fully. In addition the latest SFI approved roll cage through the season. Unfortunately home com- padding was added to the cage that hadn't been mitments preclude me from going to Lime Rock, covered in our last sessions. Finally we weighed but the guys have prepped the car well and I the car with me (the driver) in the car as per Club Racing rules require and then corner balanced the car. To our surprise we were "right on" for corner balancing and overall weight; a small miracle which saved us a ton of time. We enjoyed each others company, ate our subs for dinner and parted ways knowing that the car is completed and ready for battle at Lime Rock this Friday and Saturday's race.
All in all, there were 37 separate tasks that needed to be accomplished which culminated in #50 being ready for this race weekend. I would pit (no pun intended) the #50 crew, all volunteers , against any pro crew. They are an amazing group and kudos to their significant others that have supported this endeavor and put up with our late nights hope Lou keeps it shiny side up. (especially, Linda, my wife of 40 years who has put up with my racing habit for a long time!) and time It was great to see our guru (Paul R) back at the away from them. 'house. Lou does have an amazing team, for sure, but it's important to note that the leader So Tom, that's the end/beginning of the journey. Let creates an environment where we not only want the racing begin!!!! Good luck with the article for to help, but we are made to feel that what we do Flatout! is important, valued and that he (Lou) is as hap- py to have us on board as we are to be there. Regards, He's quite the guy. Seldom have I met as loyal, humble and generous man as he is. Lou Stay safe all, and I'll catch up with you at WGI Lou, Tom.
I agree. You have an amazing team. I will incorporate this Mav latest note into the article I showed you and get it all wrapped for the April issue of Flatout which will be ready by the weekend. I am looking forward to covering the racing So the car is ready. All that work is finally finished and season as well as the race prep season. Best of luck to all it’s time to drive hard. I hope to provide racing updates this weekend. I'll be looking for the dogs at the spring DE. on car #50 so read future Flatouts and follow the story. Lou, it has been a real pleasure learning and reporting on the dogs. Best of luck to you and the team at Lime Tom Rock.
I got the following note from Mav (Paul Dewing) that kind of Tom APRIL 2012 Page 28
Niagara On The Road
NIAGARA ON THE ROAD of the new venue. By Rich de Asis Participating in an advanced/open track format allowed all of us to come and go for the two days without the con- Chief Instructor straint of run group schedules. This particular sold-out event featured quite an impressive array of machinery including a former 1991 Dalara F1 car that was formerly The much awaited debut of Niagara Region’s On the th driven by J.J. Letto and the Robertson Racing Ford GT Road program kicked off Monday, April 9 when about 15 that podiumed LeMans last year. Seeing and hearing cars headed south to Virginia International Raceway, in both cars on track provided quite an aural and visual Danville, Virginia for David Murry Track Days. Previous treat. and current participants of Niagara’s HPDE program made the trip Monday to participate in a two day open track format to one of the more iconic racetracks on the On both days we took lunch right in the paddock as we Eastern seaboard. do for quite a few of our participants at Watkins Glen. These much needed breaks were useful to discuss and de-brief our on track sessions as we all sought to improve The premise for our On the Road program is rather our on-track performances. straightforward. It affords participants an opportunity to visit other racetracks with the support and camaraderie of track buddies they know and have done HPDE events At the end of the first day, it was fun to see our group with. It helps mitigate a certain amount of intimidation enjoy the hospitality of the Oak Tree Tavern and Restau- factor visiting a new track by yourself, while offering a rant right on premise. In truth, not unlike the good times support mechanism on and off track, especially on a long and camaraderie we enjoy at the Seneca Lodge in Wat- road trip. kins Glen after a full day on track. From a culture per- spective, the overall experience enjoyed by our partici- pants was not unlike that we have come to enjoy when at our home venue.
Most of the gang arrived late Monday afternoon where we proceeded to set-up camp in the paddock, all eagerly awaiting the next two days. First morning was greeted by bright sun and cool temps as we gathered for the drivers meeting. First order of business after the meeting was getting a number of our contingent up to speed on VIR. Quite a number of our gang had never been to VIR so those with experience with VIR did a number of lead- follow exercises to get them familiarized with the track; another useful feature of our On the Road program. It allows drivers unfamiliar with a new track to quickly learn Continued on next page the new layout, thereby maximizing what they can get out APRIL 2012 Page 29
Niagara On The Road
Continued from previous page any) of other regions and or car clubs are doing; all done without substantial financial risk to our Club. Already
looking forward to the next road trip! VIR itself is an impressive facility. The aforementioned
Tavern on premise, our hotel, and the track itself set amidst well manicured rolling grounds. The track is just a …..A few comments from some of our participants; tad shorter than Watkins Glen, very fast and very tech- nical. The late Paul Newman has been quoted saying VIR as being near heaven on earth. An added bonus and “I had a great time. It was good to get exposure to anoth- treat for significant others who accompanied some of us er track. A good experience…I think the event itself and for the trip included a full day at the spa and resort, also our participation went well.” …Tom K. on premise.
“First of all thank you for all the work you did to organize The organizing party (David Murry Track Days) couldn’t the trip and event for us as well as providing lunch and have been more welcoming to our group. Mark Taylor, showing us VIR rookies around the track. David Murry’s partner, gave the Niagara contingent quite a shout out by welcoming the Niagara group the very first morning and sharing with all the participants how and I really like the track. VIR is a very nice facility, physically why we came about to the venue. During the same meet- very attractive. The only real negative was the dust ing however, we did receive some sad news that David kicked up by the wind from the unpaved paddock. I can't Murry’s father had passed away the afternoon before the think of anything to improve on so far as "On the Road" event. Many will recall that David was our guest speaker goes. Having a group of Niagara friends to hang with and last Fall. Though David himself couldn’t be at the event, drive with made going to a new track a much more enjoy- the entire organization was very open and gracious to able experience. Niagara being there. The event was a good one as well. Lots of track time, courteous drivers, support, wide diversity of cars made it All in all, interesting and fun. I found sharing the car and having the first someone to ride with on the trip made a big difference. I Niagara would recommend that to anyone considering going a On the distance to a similar event.”….David I. Road Pro- gram seemed to “I must express my thanks for your hospitality towards me work very while at VIR last week both with regards to allowing me to well, as put my kit in your trailer but also to the lead-follow and originally ride you gave me on the track. Your kindness made a envisioned. great event even better for me. I knew that VIR would be Having friends traveling along the same trip proved useful an awesome track but it was even better than I'd imag- to Ken Buschner who experience trailer tire issues on the ined.” ….David P. way down. No sooner had we gotten to our first waypoint in Carlisle, PA, Ken pops a trailer tire. On the return trip, Dave Irish also had a similar trailer tire issue. Having “Only comment - let's do it again !! Thanks for your efforts friends around to lend a helping hand or tools proved - it was great fun.”… Gene R useful and facilitated the repairs quickly (well, at least in
David’s case J ) “Well, …. I could just say I had a great time and be done
with it…having a great time would be an understatement We are looking at other potential venues and future dates …Thanks for inviting me to be a part of the first “Road where we can take what we learned from our first On the Trip” of your Porsche Club! If I had missed it, I would Road trip and have that lesson benefit future participants. have missed one of the really fun times I’ve had on a This program is a great addition to what we’ve been able track!”….Fred B. to accomplish with our HPDE program already. It adds a different element to our overall program that not a lot (if APRIL 2012 Page 30
WGI Opening Day
Opening Day at Watkins Glen Sunday morning the 22nd started out as one of the gloom- iest days I’ve seen in a long time but at least it wasn’t By raining. That’s what I thought. When I checked my iPh- Tom Lyons one I had a voice mail from Rob Dean telling me that it was raining in Buffalo and asking if we wre cancelling the event. I retuned his call and he told me that it was still You’ve got to be freakin’ kidding me. SNOW in the fore- raining in Buffalo but he had just talked with Bill and the cast!! That’s what we were dealing with and it looked event was on. In fact Rob and the two other cars from like, for the the Buffalo area were most of the way to Rochester al- second year ready. in a row, that opening day at WGI was Babs and I hopped in our car around 8:40 to head to going to be Eastview Mall, the meeting place for the event. It wasn’t cancelled raining but it might just as well have been. It was a mis- because of erable, cold drizzle that makes you want to go back weather. Bill home, take a hot bath, and climb back into bed. We were Schicker and secretly hoping that the turnout was going to be small I have been and maybe Bill would ‘the hell with it” and we could all go watching the back home. forecast all
week. It started out Nothing could be further from the truth. Between the really scary Niagara region Porsches and the GVC BMW club we had and we both almost 30 cars. On this day we were going to Watkins thought, oh Glen. well no sense drag- ging every- At the appointed time, Bill started the driver’s meeting. one out for He turned the “podium” over to Jennifer Bischoff Webb, this event President of PC Zone 1, who said a few words about the because it’s upcoming Porsche Clash. Volunteers are still needed. only going to Gifts are available for volunteers. Go sign up. (More on get can- that later in this issue of Flatout.) When it was my turn to celled any- way. As the week wore on the forecast got better and better and it was looking like we might just get this event in after all. Bill gave the “GO” signal on Saturday the 21st and Sue Reesen sent out the e-mail to interested parties. I was getting giddy with the prospects.
talk I explained the driving rules: 1.) headlights on; 2.) you are responsible for the car behind you; 3.) keep up. I also went over the route that Babs and I were going to lead. Days before the event we dredged up a route we had used a few years ago. We reworked the beginning part of the route to accommodate the Rt 251 detour in Victor. We did not follow the entire route and warned APRIL 2012 Page 31
WGI Opening Day people we may have to adjust on the fly. How prophetic not get to go because of the fog. I had heard earlier that those words turned out to be. Our first deviation because Finger Lakes didn’t get their laps the day before because of detour happened in the village of Penn Yan right near of fog. This was getting serious. I was starting to think I the potty stop (Byrne Dairy). While trying to maneuver could write a book narrated by a dog. I’d call the “The Art around the first detour we hit another detour a block away of Racing in the Fog”. Naw, that’s not going to go any- forcing us the turn around and cut through a parking lot. where (full apologies to Garth Stein ;-) We finally got started the right direction taking Rt 54 down the east side of Keuka Lake. Babs was reading the route directions when we hit a snag. I had something Our luck had improved. The fog started thinning out, the mislabeled on the instructions. I made a quick decision (I grandstands were now completely visible and it was our panicked) and turned up towards the wineries overlook- turn to head out on the track. ing Keuka. While not exactly what we were hoping for it was certainly headed in the right direction so we kept going. Further into this route we hit one more detour. Once out on the track things went as you’d expect. While Lucky for us the turn it forced us into was exactly where we didn’t get to drive as fast as I was hoping (GPS said we needed to go. We continued on towards the track. our top speed was 76 MPH) it was still a lot of fun. Be- cause the weather had been so miserable, and to make the event more palatable, WGI gave us a free passes to come back another day for another set of laps. I’m think- ing maybe we could get out on the track the weekend of the NRPCA 50th party. We’ll have to see if we can make When we got to the track Bill and his group was not there that happen. yet. I called him and he said he as about 10 minutes away so we waited patiently (or not so patiently in some cases) for his arrival. Bill and his group arrived about five minutes later and we headed into the WGI campus and towards our staging area.
Once we got our cars staged we found out that there were just two groups ahead of us then it would be our turn on the track. We were to head out on the track after
the Corvettes finished their turn. So what do you do on a frigid day while you waited? We headed into the new classroom area in the garages where they had HEAT! It might have been the only warm place for 10 miles. Needless to say it got crowded. As we stood there get- ting warm we watched the fog. When we first got there you could just barely see the grandstands on the front straight. We were thinking that it was possible we might APRIL 2012 Page 32
Tech Inspection
Tech Inspection at Ekstens inspectors, Hank Beamer and Mike Zotter, showed up. They were now ready to pump some cars through the By shop. Tom Lyons
For anyone doing a DE the tech inspection is required to It was a very slow day driving for Smart Parts today so I prove track worthiness. For those not doing the DEs the asked my boss if I could leave a little early. No problem inspection can be used for NYSI or to just come and was his reply. I beat hang out with other Porsche folks and see the underside is out of there at of several different cars. Jim was expecting attendance 3:15 and headed to to pick up after 5:00 when many people get out of work. I Ekstens. I got there guess they weren’t as lucky as me and couldn’t get out about 3:30 thinking I early. was going to have to
wait until inspection starting time of 4 before I could get my car looked at. Nope. I didn’t have to wait at all. Jim Arendt was already there with wrench in hand. I pulled my car in and we had the wheels off and the inspection done almost before any- one else showed up. He checked the car all over including No there’s your problem items for NYSI which was the rea- son I was there to- day. I stopped do- ing Drivers Ed events (DEs) a few years ago. Not that I didn’t enjoy them. I LOVED them but I worry about the age of my car and how much it would cost me if I broke something. Now I go to the tech inspection for my NYSI and to get pictures for Flatout. I still go to the DEs when I can but again, I am looking for material for Flatout rather than the driving part.
Shortly after I got my NYSI sticker applied a few other APRIL 2012 Page 33
Porsche 911 Named 2012 World Performance Car
Top international automotive media makes the 2012 Porsche 911 their first choice ATLANTA - April 5, 2012 - The seventh-generation Porsche 911 has been named the 2012 World Performance Car. The announcement was made at the 2012 New York International Auto Show, at a press conference hosted by Bridgestone Corporation. The Porsche 911 was one of 34 new-for-2012 vehicles selected for the annual awards program. The World Performance Car honor is awarded each year by an international jury panel comprised of 66 top-level automo- tive journalists from 25 countries around the world. Jury members are appointed by the World Car Steering Committee on the basis of their expertise, experience, credibility, and influence. Each juror typically drives and evaluates new vehicles on a regular basis as part of his or her professional work. Through their respective outlets they collectively reach an audience of millions of automotive consumers in every corner of the globe. "We are honored that the 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S was chosen by this distinguished group of jurors as the 2012 World Performance Car," said Detlev von Platen, president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America. "For just the seventh time in almost 50 years the iconic 911 has been revised to the point of being a new-generation, and winning this award from a global team of world-class journalists is excellent validation for the work and dedication of everyone at Porsche." Lower, wider, longer, more powerful and more efficient than its predecessor, the all-new 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera has been refined from the ground up. Delivering 350hp and 400hp respectively, the 3.4-liter 911 Carrera and 3.8-liter Carrera S boxer engines are available with a seven-speed manual gearbox or the seven-speed dual-clutch Porsche- Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) automatic. When fitted with the Sport Chrono PDK, the Carrera can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds, while the Carrera S reaches 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and reaches a top-track-speed of 187 mph. Inside the cabin of the new 911, numerous comfort, convenience and ergonomic features create an environment that al- lows drivers to fully focus on the road ahead, while also appreciating new available audio and communications systems by companies like Bose® and Burmester®. Both driver and passenger benefit from almost an inch more front leg room for increased comfort. The elevated center console allows for faster shifts. The 2012 Carrera has a base Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $82,100; the 911 Carrera S has a base MSRP price of $96,400, not including a $950 destination charge. This email was sent to All Region Newsletter Editors by Wendy Shoffit and the National Porsche Club of America, Inc. You may opt-out of receiving emails from PCA National by updating your PCA membership record at our web site. Read the PCA privacy policy. APRIL 2012 Page 34
Where The Hell Are We ???
Are you ready for a yet another new challenge? Over the course of the coming 10 months I will include a pic- ture in Flatout from a club event from 2011. Your job is to try and figure out where the hell we were.
Each month at the bottom of the picture of each event will be a mini form. I am using the mini form to help me tabulate the answers. Fill out the mini form and copy and paste it into an e-mail and send it to me at tom- [email protected]. I will collect your answers and score them. At some point before the fall dinner I’ll tabu- late the answers and determine the winner. If there are multiple people with the same score the winner will be pulled from a hat and announced at the fall dinner. The contest winner will get a MAJOR AWARD! The mini form will look like this.
Your Name: ______
Your email: ______
Where the hell are we: ______
Name of the event: ______
Date of the event: ______
(1 point is awarded for each correct answer. That’s 3 points per picture, 30 points total) for the year
So you think you have the rules down? Well then let’s begin.
SMALL PRINT WARNING!!!!!!!
Contest is for Niagara Region PCA members only. Only one submission per member per month will be accept- ed. Submissions will be accepted until the next month’s Flatout is available on-line. Void where prohibited, your mileage may vary ;-) This months picture on next page APRIL 2012 Page 35
Where The Hell Are We ??? Continued from previous page
So, Where The Hell Are We?? March Entry
Fill out the form below and copy/paste it into an e-mail to [email protected]
Your Name: ______
Your e-mail: ______
Where the hell are we: ______
Name of the event: ______
Date of the event: ______
APRIL 2012 Page 36
Where The Hell Are We ??? Continued from previous page
So, Where The Hell Are We?? April Entry
Fill out the form below and copy/paste it into an e-mail to [email protected]
Your Name: ______
Your e-mail: ______
Where the hell are we: ______
Name of the event: ______
Date of the event: ______
APRIL 2012 Page 37
Technically Speaking!
Hey Niagara Region,
Pedro is looking for topics to write about and asked me for help. He needs topics that can be applied across the Por- sche line not specific models. Topics like brakes and oil, which we already covered, are excellent choices. Do you have a topic you’d like to know more about?
If you do have a topic send me an e-mail at: [email protected] and I’ll get your request to Pedro.
Lets help Pedro help us.
Tom Lyons
APRIL 2012 Page 38
Technically Speaking! Worst Case Scenarios? by Pedro P. Bonilla GCR PCA
Scenario 1: You’re going on a trip and you need to leave your Porsche parked at the airport (or anywhere else) for a couple of days. When you come back you go to start it and the battery is completely dead. No problem, you think, you’ll call AAA and get them to come by and give you a jumpstart, but when they arrive you realize that you can’t open the front trunk because ... the car’s battery is dead! What to do? Before you panic, there are steps that you can do now to prevent this from happening to you in the future (more about it later).
Scenario 2: You have an early Boxster or Carrera and you just laughed out loud from reading Scenario 1, because your car’s trunk is not electrically operated so that can’t happen to you. What you may not know is that the cable used to un- latch the trunk in your car is prone to breaking at some point and you could end up with a limp latch and a closed trunk! If you have a Boxster your worries just doubled because you have two trunks. Who’s laughing now?
Before you panic, there are steps that you can do now to prevent this from happening to you in the future (more about it later).
Keep in mind that your 986/996 remote key is programmed to enter into a battery-saving Standby Mode after five consecutive days of inactivity. To some, this could be confused with having a dead car battery because none of the remote’s buttons will unlock the car. Unlock your car the old fashioned way, using the key on the door. If you see lights inside then your issue was the remote control’s battery-saving Standby Mode. If that’s the case, press the key button on your remote to reactivate the remote. You are now good to go. If you don’t see any lights on the inside you probably have a dead battery and need to read on.
Porsche devised several ways of solving this situation for you, depending on the model year you have.
For the cars with electrically operated trunk lids (with a switch next to the driver’s doorsill) the easiest way to solve the problem is to recharge the battery a bit. You can use a 12 volt adapter connected to a donor battery through your cigarette lighter (12 volt) outlet. Also, on the fuse box (driver’s footwell) there is a red emergency prong. Pull it out about ½ inch and attach the positive (red) clamp of the jumper cable from the donor battery to its copper sides. The negative (black) clamp of the battery’s jumper cable attaches onto the door latch striker (ground). Note: When you attach the negative black clamp of your jumper cable coming from your booster battery to the exposed door latch striker the car’s alarm will be triggered. Turn the alarm off by locking and unlocking the car at the door lock.
APRIL 2012 Page 39
Technically Speaking! Depending on the condition of the car’s battery you may have to leave the connection in place for up to 1 hour in order to get enough charge to pop the trunk lid. When recharging this way, make sure all of the electricals are turned off including lights, radio, radar detector, GPS, etc. This connection is only good enough to get the trunk lid open. DO NOT try to start the engine with this connec- tion in place.
If the battery is completely dead and will not take a charge with the previous method, there’s an alternate way to open the trunk.
Boxsters (all of them), Caymans (all of them), and Carreras (from 1999 on) are equipped with an emergency re- lease cable to open the trunk(s) in case you’re ever facing Scenario 1 or 2. The problem is that the aforementioned emergency cable is not located in an easy position to reach it. The factory didn’t want to make it too easy for crooks to break into your trunks. This is not even mentioned in the Owner’s Man- ual.
So, where is this lifesaving cable? On US 986 and 996 cars, the front trunk’s cable release is next to the right front (passenger’s side) headlight assembly. You’ll have to take out the headlight to find it.
Continued on next page APRIL 2012 Page 40
Technically Speaking! Continued from previous page
On US 987, 997 and Caymans the front trunk release cable is in the left (driver’s) wheel well so the left front tire needs to be removed as well as three plastic fasteners so that the wheel well liner can be pulled back.
Continued on next page APRIL 2012 Page 41
Technically Speaking! Continued from previous page
The rear trunk’s cable release for Boxsters is in the left rear (driver’s side) bumper, just under the left tail light.
But what does this cable look like? It’s a shinny, steel-braided cable about 1/16 (0.06) inch in diameter with a loop on its end.
Continued on next page APRIL 2012 Page 42
Technically Speaking! Continued from previous page
My recommendation is that you reroute this cable (986/996) to a place that you can easily reach in case you’re ever faced with Scenario 2. Some people reroute the loop to the car’s tow hook opening in the front bumper so that they can easily fish it out in case of need by just popping out the plug. On my car I rerouted it to the right fender’s turn signal / sidemarker with a zip tie. That way I can just pop the sidemarker and have access to the cable in an emer- gency.
On the 987 Boxster, 997 Carrera and C7 Cayman you may want to add an extension to the existing cable in the left front wheel well so that you don’t need to remove the liner in case of an emergency.
Now you can travel without worries knowing that you can get back into your car even with a dead battery.
To learn more about the emergency release cables and Porsches in general, please visit my website at www.PedrosGarage.com.
Happy Porscheing, Pedro © 2012 Technolab / PedrosGarage.com APRIL 2012 Page 43
GriotISMs Submitted by Jim Arendt
For years our customers and associates have heard many "isms" about Griot's Garage. Our name, pronounced Gree-oh's Garage has lended itself to be used in what we've come to call 'Griotisms'. Here is a list of the most common we hear. Enjoy. Griotesque (Gree-oh-esk) Adjective. Stemming from the phe- nomena of Griot's Garage. Very modern looking, either red, black or white in color, high quality, capable of lasting an entire lifetime and is efficient.
Griotage (Gree-ahge) Adjective. Meaning a Garage designed and styled after that of the Griot's Garage style.
Grionnoyance (Gree-oh-noy-ence) Verb. Being anally picky, insanely attentive to detail, almost to the point of annoy- ance to your car guy friends and/or spouse.
Griother Half (Gree-uther Haf) Noun. The spouse of a car crazy Griot's Garage customer.
Griotual (Gree-oh-choo-al) Noun. A ritual performed customarily or automatically that only a Griot's Garage customer would embrace. Example: To wash and squeegee ones garage floor on a regular basis is a griotual.
Grecessive Compulsive (Gree-ses-iv Compuls-iv) Adjective. Specifically obsessive about the finish of ones automo- bile paint.
Griotcratic (Gree-oh-cratic) Adjective. Neither DEMOcratic nor Republican and mostly a car crazy guy interested in the politics of the automobile industry. The Griotcratic drinks motor oil for breakfast and breaths exhaust fumes from the time they wake up until the time they retire for the night. And then, they dream about racing.
Grioted (Gree-ohd) Adjective. Someone devoted to the use of Griot's products.
Griotllucinate (Gree-oh-loos-en-ate) Verb. To envision Griot's Garage products in your garage.
Griotfeit (Gree-oh-fit) Noun. Cheap copies of Griot's Garage products. Fake. False. Phony. Usually without guaran- tees.
Griotation (Gree-oh-ta-shun) Noun. The life cycle of washing the auto, washing the wheels, drying, claying, polishing, waxing, detailing the undercarriage, interior, and the engine bay. One full cycle is a Griotation. For the most thorough of Griotations, the wheels are removed, detailed and remounted for true text book results.
Griotus Interuptus (Gree-oh-tus In-te-rupt-us) Adjective. Someone with multiple kids and a million things to do on any given weekend. They must always plan for the "Griotus Interuptus" or having to drop everything and tend to some other 'more urgent' matter. Griother Halves just don't get it sometimes!
Cargoyle (Kahr-goil) Noun. An automotive spin on a non-water draining gargoyle found as decoration on buildings from the 19th and 20th centuries. You'll find Cargoyles featuring the car in our logo around our new flagship store and corporate headquarters. APRIL 2012 Page 44
TRI-REGION TOUR TO SARATOGA AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM We have a totally unique opportunity in Niagara Region this year. As many of you have read, the Porsche Factory Museum transported a number of vintage race cars to the states in late 2011. The cars were dis- played last October at Rennsport IV held at Laguna Seca in California in one of the biggest Porsche events on record.
To our good fortune, a number of the Porsche vintage race cars are currently on display at the Saratoga Automobile Museum in Saratoga Springs. You can view a sampling at http://saratogaautomuseum.org/ porsche_ss/. The Porsches are only here for a short time. In fact, they will be heading home to Stuttgart on May 31.
CNY Region, Finger Lakes Region and Niagara Region are planning a tour to the Saratoga Automobile Mu- seum to view these cars in person before they leave the country. The group will originate in Buffalo and work its way across the state, picking up members as it advances. We will stop for lunch at The Village Ristorante in Middle Grove, just before arriving at the Museum. The Museum tour itself will take 1-2 hours, at your dis- cretion. Then we will be free to head back home.
Please plan to join us for this rare look into Porsche’s racing history right in our own back yard.
TOUR TO SARATOGA AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM
When: May 26, 2012 Saturday
What: Tour with CNY, Finger Lakes and Niagara Region members to view the Porsche Vintage Race Car display at Saratoga Automobile Museum, Saratoga Springs.
Where to 9:00 AM – 9:15 AM at the DeWitt Service Center on the NYS Meet: Thruway (just west of Exit 35 on eastbound side). 9:30 AM – Depart for next stop.
OR 10:45 AM – 11:00 AM at the Indian Castle Service Center on The NYS Thruway
11:10 AM – Depart for Lunch and then Museum.
RSVP: Tom Lyons @ [email protected] for lunch and Museum ticket reservation. Watch for information about overnight accommodations for those that need them. APRIL 2012 Page 45 APRIL 2012 Page 46
2010 PorscheHistoric 911 Posters Turbo APRIL 2012 Page 47 APRIL 2012 Page 48 APRIL 2012 Page 49 APRIL 2012 Page 50 APRIL 2012 Page 51
MEMBERSHIP 2012CHALLENGE
Help Niagara Region reach the 400 member mark by the end of 2012
RENEW & RECRUIT
Renew your PCA membership on a timely basis. Recruit new members. Grab some business cards at any club event and pass them out to other Porsche owners:
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As a ‘thank you’ for being part of Niagara Region in 2012, all primary club members will receive a complimentary limited-edition 50th anniversary golf shirt! Show your club spirit by choosing a yellow, red, or black high-quality shirt featur- ing our 50th anniversary logo embroidered on the left chest.
Here’s the “catch” – you must attend a club event to pick yours up – it’s that easy!
Get involved / Get a shirt!
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Picture Page
Opening Day—WGI Opening Day—WGI APRIL 2012 Page 64
April Fools Puzzle Page 65
N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E N I A G A R A R E G I O N P O R S C H E C L U B O F A M E R I C A Click on ad to visit website
www.niagarapca.org
Please support the businesses that support us. Click on the links below to visit their websites.
Trubee, Collins & Co., Inc.
Eksten Autoworks So, if you gonna dream, dream big. Seneca Lodge
Advertising Rates for FLATOUT T-Shirt Express Bill Schicker found a seat in a
GT. Niagara Hobby Single Issue Full Year Smart Parts Full page—$125 Full page—$350 Look at that smile. Bernstein Jane must Global Wealth Man- 1/2 Page—$100 1/2 Page—$275 have had to pry himagement out of there with a crow bar. 1/4 Page—$80 1/4 Page—$225 AutolLinc Sports & Classics
1/8 Page—$65 1/8 Page—$175 The Tint Shop
Business Card—$115 Martens Garage Proxy Floor To place an ad please contact Sue Juby at:
Tel#: (585) 321-0304 Address: 95 Alton Way W Henrietta, NY 14586 e-mail: [email protected]