feb 2014 grapevine newsletter
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February 2014
Golden Empire Region
Porsche Club of America
The Grapevine Newsletter
2
Hear it through the Grapevine
Zone 8 Concours at the Omni
Pres. Tom Brown is on his Soapbox
GEM donation to MARE
GEM, Region of the Year !
Featured Stories Pages
Golden Empires Wins Region of the Year 4
Tom Brown is back on his SoapBox 6
Zone 8 Concours in Palm Springs 8
Golden Empire Region’s 2013
Charitable Donation to MARE 10
Arizona Auction Porsche Results 20
Porsche Werks Reunion added to Legends Autobahn 23
Local Social Outings
GEM Bugs Out at the Bugseum 11
Luncheon at Tammy and Spencer’s 11
Event Calendars
Zone 8 2014 Event Calendar 8
Our GEM Event Calendar 9
Members Project Pages
Introduction to our new Projects Profiles 18
Tech Sect and Product Review
Uncovering the PDK mystery 28
Review of Bluetooth Radio Device Tranzit Blu 16
Out of Town Events
So Cal Literature and Restoration Tours 12
Festival of Speed 2014 17
Miscellaneous Out of Town Events 23
Monterey Week, Feature Marques 24
3
Social Coordinator
Tammy Harris
Webmaster
Anton Khatsanovich
Newsletter Editor
Michael Thomas
gemgrapevine@gmail.com
Autocross Co-Chairs
Greg Fullmer and
Charles Rook
Safety Chair &
Insurance Coordinator
Mike McGregor
Membership Co-Chairs &
Communication Co-Chairs
Loren Stumbaugh and
Anna Stumbaugh
PCA Membership While our cars are very exclusive, our club is not.
Did you know that you can add a family member
or other interested person as an affiliate
member, at no additional cost? The family or
affiliate member must also be 18 years of age or
older.
For all of the details contact our Membership
Chair:
Loren Stumbaugh
Porsche Club of America
Golden Empire Region
Membership Chairman
Loren7025@gmail.com
Porsche Club of America
Golden Empire Region
Board Members and Chair Persons
Please join us online at our newly remodeled
Website and on our Facebook Group page.
http://gem.pca.org/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/
PCA.GoldenEmpireRegion/
And please send any Newsletter comments
or content contributions to :
gemgrapevine@gmail.com
Secretary
Spencer Harris
Treasurer
Betsy Wadman
President
Omar Olivas
Vice President
Linn Christopher
Past President
Pat Wadman
4
Way to go Golden Empire !!!
The little Region that could ! The Golden
Empire Region was awarded the Region of the Year
award at the Zone 8 President’s dinner in Palm Springs.
This was no insignificant recognition. Our Region is the
second smallest region of the 13 that make up PCA
Zone 8. And GEM still managed to impress the judges
enough to take the honor. And it all came as a total
surprise to the group of us who were present at the
dinner. Smiles, laughter, and tears ( oh Betsy :)) were
all expressions of joy gushing from the GEM tables that
evening.
On the following page is the introduction given at the
Award’s Banquet by the emcee, Mark Shevitz. He
stated several reasons he believes our tiny little Golden
Empire Region prevailed that evening against others
much larger regions.
Our region’s President, Omar Olivas has also presented
5 Excellence in Action Awards. These awards were giv-
en to several members as recognition of their contribu-
tions to our GEM group this year. Congratulation is in
order to every member of our Golden Empire Region
of the Porsche Club of America.
It’s not the car, it’s the people !!
5
Here's what I read out Tuesday night… Thought we might share them on the next newsletter...
Facts about the Zone 8 2013 Region of the Year:
· Has members that display a lot of enthusiasm for the club and the region
· Many members attend almost every event, either as a participant or a volunteer, or both
· The energy in this region is palpable, it is quite vibrant and dynamic
· The Board of Directors is motivated to improve the region; the region’s core has been reinvigorated, they are motivated in a way that hasn’t
been seen in several years
· They created a new website and new newsletter during 2013
· They have a full calendar that includes a Concours, several Autocrosses, driving tours, monthly dinners, weekly breakfasts and other social
events,
· Their events frequently see 20% or more of the membership attending.
· This is a very diverse and full calendar compared to previous years
· They have a long standing charity program that raises over $4000 a year
· If you go to one of their events, you will say “I’d be happy belonging to that region”
· In short, they exemplify the teamwork and sense of family that makes this club; they demonstrate that it is about the people
· All this and they manage to do it with only 107 total members
The 2013 Zone 8 Region of the Year is: Golden Empire!!!!
Quick breakdown of the 107 members as of 1/21/2014:
We had 19 new members join in 2013 and 5 new members already in 2014!!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Golden Empire Region Excellence Award Winners
Keys to GEM success in 2013
Tammy Harris – for ensuring our calendar was full of fun events the entire year
Anna Stumbaugh – for ensuring our calendar was full of fun events the entire year
Mike Thomas – for creating our fantastic newsletter and moving it straight to a monthly publication
Anton Khatsanovich – for creating our new web site that is now considered a benchmark in Zone 8
Linn Christopher – for being our most vocal advocate
Category Count
Affiliate member 6
Family member 37
Primary member 64
Total 107
Facts about the Zone 8 2013 Region of the Year:
· Has members that display a lot of enthusiasm for the club and the
region
· Many members attend almost every event, either as a participant or a
volunteer, or both
· The energy in this region is palpable, it is quite vibrant and dynamic
· The Board of Directors is motivated to improve the region; the region’s core has been reinvigorated, they
are motivated in a way that hasn’t been seen in several years
· They created a new website and new newsletter during 2013
· They have a full calendar that includes a Concours, several Autocrosses, driving tours, monthly dinners,
weekly breakfasts and other social events,
· Their events frequently see 20% or more of the membership attending.
· This is a very diverse and full calendar compared to previous years
· They have a long standing charity program that raises over $4000 a year
· If you go to one of their events, you will say “I’d be happy belonging to that region”
· In short, they exemplify the teamwork and sense of family that makes this club; they demonstrate that it is
about the people
· All this and they manage to do it with only 107 total members
The 2013 Zone 8 Region of the Year is: Golden Empire!!!!
Quick breakdown of the 107 members as of 1/21/2014:
We had 19 new members join in 2013 and 5 new members already in 2014!!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Golden Empire Region Excellence Award Winners
Keys to GEM success in 2013
Tammy Harris – for ensuring our calendar was full of fun events the entire year
Anna Stumbaugh – for ensuring our calendar was full of fun events the entire year
Mike Thomas – for creating our fantastic newsletter and moving it straight to a monthly publication
Anton Khatsanovich – for creating our new web site that is now considered a benchmark in Zone 8
Linn Christopher – for being our most vocal advocate
Category Count
Affiliate member 6
Family member 37
Primary member 64
Total 107
6
Southwest Soapbox
By Tom Brown
Zone 8 Representative
2014 has started off with a bang! Our second an-
nual Zone 8 Weekender was an amazing success,
combining a driving tour, a Concours and the Zone
8 Awards Banquet in beautiful Palm Springs. Our
host venue was the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Re-
sort which provided a gorgeous spot for the com-
peting Porsches, as well as a fun venue for a deli-
cious dinner. Our emcee for the evening was Mark
Shevitz, PCA’s National Parade Emcee. His warm
wit and sharp tongue made for a very entertaining
evening as we distributed awards, appreciation
gifts and door prizes. Mark does a fantastic job
with the microphone, truly turning any club event
into an exciting yet family gathering.
Jeff Zwart was the special surprise guest speaker
for the evening. For those of you who don’t know
of him, Jeff is famous for both his photography
and film making skills (having made a career out
of producing advertising for Porsche and other
large companies) and for his racing skills (seven
time Pike’s Peak Champion, to name a few acco-
lades). In fact, most interviews with him either
start or end with the interviewer stating something
to the effect of “I want to be Jeff when I grow up.”
Believe me; you’d recognize the Porsche print ads
and TV commercials he has produced. In addition
to his delightful story-telling, we were the first to
see a couple of new videos he produced, one on
his latest Pike’s Peak win, and one about his 356
Gmund Coupe (which you’ve seen on the cover of
Pano). Thank you, Jeff, you were a terrific addition
to the event.
A very important part of the evening is our tradi-
tion of recognizing the best of the best for the
year. The 2013 Zone 8 Enthusiast of the Year,
from the Los Angeles Region, is Colleen Stein. Col-
leen has only been a member of PCA for three
years, yet she jumped in with both feet and has
never looked back. She regularly attends Concours
events around the zone, both as an entrant and a
judge. She has chaired many LA region events.
She always volunteers at every event she attends,
she engages new members, participates with most
of the regions in the LA area, and is always bub-
bling with enthusiasm. Thank you, Colleen, for
everything you do to make this club great.
Please also join me in congratulating Golden Em-
pire Region, the 2013 Zone 8 Region of the Year.
Golden Empire had a terrific year with a wide vari-
ety and large number of quality events which
speaks highly of the health of the region. The
sheer number of members that attend most every
event (and volunteer at them) is incredible. This
region is very strong and dynamic, and is channel-
ing its energy into a lot of fun events. Both Col-
leen and Golden Empire are very deserving of
these honors!
I would also like to thank Don Roof, national Re-
gion Web Coordinator, for hosting a web and
newsletter seminar for our zone webmasters and
editors. Finally, I am reminded to give a warm and
appreciative thank you to our sponsor,
Auto Gallery.
Tom Brown, Zone Rep, with 2013 Zone Enthusiast of the Year
Colleen Stein and previous Zone Enthusiast of the Year winners
Paul Young, Suesan Way, Vince Knauf, Skip Carter, Bev Gould
A Message from our Zone 8 President Tom Brown
7
The zone’s first club race of the year,
our California Festival of Speed, is coming up
quickly. Mark your calendars for the first
weekend of April, the fourth through the
sixth. Those of you who attended last year
know this event has grown leaps and bounds,
and this year will prove to be no different. In
addition to an incredible weekend of racing,
the “festival” aspect of this event will be big-
ger and better than ever. We will have even
more vendors, a food truck court (better
food!), and of course the Porsche Concours
and Corral. Parade laps, driving simulators,
mini-autocross, swap meet, cars for sale, it
will all be back. This year’s timeline will fea-
ture the 4 cylinder Porsches along with 928s.
(If you want your car in the show, please con-
tact Bruce Herrington, bherrington@telis.net).
On Sunday, the plan is to ask the vendors to
bring in all their customers and demo cars for
our “Super Car Paddocks,” which will show off
a variety of exciting and modified exotic cars.
Mark your calendars now, don’t miss out on
this fantastic weekend. For more information,
email: info@calfestival.org. To volunteer
( W e n e e d y o u ! ) e m a i l :
volunteer@calfestival.org
Looking farther down the road, PCA is bring-
ing the Werks Reunion to the Monterey
Historics week. This Porsche only Concours
and Corral will finally give Porsche and PCA
the spotlight they deserve during this annual
tradition of automobile excess. The Werks
Reunion will be held on Friday, the same day
as the BMW club’s Legends of the Autobahn.
(I hear that Concorso Italiano is moving to
Saturday, so they will no longer conflict.)
Bring your Porsche and be there, it promises
to be a great event! (As if you didn’t already
have enough reasons to go to Monterey in
August...)
Visit the Auto Club Speedway Website
Visit PCA Zone8 / Festival of Speed Website
View of the 2013 Legends of the Autobahn
8
The Zone 8 Concours at the Beautiful Rancho Las Palmas Restort in Palm Springs
And a good time was had by all :)
9
11 Sat AZ Autocross - Bondurant Road Course
18 Sat Zone 8 Banquet, Palm Springs
Zone 8 Concours, Palm Springs
Zone 8 President's Meeting, Palm Springs
18-19 S-Sun SDR Time Trial, Chuckwalla
20 Mon Martin Luther King Day
1 Sat AZ DE, Bondurant West
8 Sat SBR Concours Judge's School
8 Sat OCR Driver's Clinic, El Toro
9 Sun OCR Autocross, El Toro
9 Sun SDR Autocross, Qualcomm
15 Sat AZ Autocross, Bondurant Skidpad
17 Tue President's Day
22-23 S-Sun SDR DE/TT, Streets of Willow
1 Sat LA Lit Meet, Airport Hilton
2 Sun All Porsche Swap Meet, Phoenix Club
8-9 S-Sun SDR Performance Driving School, Qualcomm
9 Sun Daylight Savings Starts
9 Sun OCR Autocross, El Toro
15 Sat SDR Concours Judging School
15 Sat AZ Autocross, Bondurant Road Course
17 Mon GPX Day Away from Work, Streets of Willow
29-30 S-Sun PCA Club Race, Thunderhill
29 Sat SDR Autocross, Qualcomm
4-6 F-Sun California Festival of Speed, Fontana
5 Sat Zone 8 Concours, Fontana
6 Sun OCR Autocross, El Toro
11-13F-Sun Long Beach Grand Prix
13 Sun CAI Concours
19 Sat SDR Autocross, Qualcomm
19 Sat AZ Autocross, Bondurant Skidpad
20 Sun CCC Autocross, Santa Maria
20 Sun Easter
26 Sat SBR Gimmick Rally
26 Sat SGVR Concours
3-4 S-Sun SDR DE/TT, Chuckwalla
3 Sat SAR Concours
4 Sun OCR Autocross, El Toro
10-11 S-Sun GGR TT/Club Race, Buttonwillow
17 Sat SBR Autocross, Camarillo Airport
17 Sat AZ Autocross, Tempe Diablo
18 Sun GPX Zone 8 Concours
24 Sat SDR Autocross, Qualcomm
26 Mon Memorial Day
1 Sun OCR Concours, Lantern Bay Park
1 Sun OCR Autocross, El Toro
7 Sat Friends of Steve McQueen Car Show
15 Sun Father's Day
15-21 S-Sun Porsche Parade, Monterey, California
28 Sat SBR Street Survival School
29 Sun OCR Autocross, El Toro
19 Sat SBR 50th Anniversary Celebration
26 Sat CCC Autocross, Santa Maria
27 Sun OCR Autocross, El Toro
2 Sat SDR Concours
9-10 S-Sun Laguna Seca Pre-Historics
14-17 T-Sun Monterey Historics
17 Sun Pebble Beach Concours
24 Sun OCR Autocross, El Toro
1 Mon Labor Day
13 Sat SBR Detail Clinic, Lavaggios
19-21 F-Sun Coronado Speed Festival
20-21 S-Sun PCA Club Race, Miller
20 Sat CCC Autocross, Santa Maria
20 Sat SBR Autocross, Camarillo Airport
21 Sun OCR Autocross, El Toro
27-28 S-Sun PCA Club Race, Willow Springs (TT)
27 Sat RR Timeline to Arrowhead
6 Mon GPX Day Away from Work, Streets of Willow
12 Sun SBR Concours
13 Mon Columbus Day
19 Sun OCR Autocross, El Toro
25-26 S-Sun SDR DE/TT Chuckwalla
1 Sat SAR Concours
2 Sun Daylight Savings Ends
4 Tue Election Day
11 Tue Veteran's Day
14 Fri Test N Tune, Buttonwillow
15-16 S-Sun SDR TT/Club Race, Buttonwillow
16 Sun OCR Autocross, El Toro
27 Thu Thanksgiving
7 Sun OCR Autocross, El Toro
Abbreviations
AZ — Arizona Region of the Porsche Club of America
CCC — California Central Coast Region
CAI — California Inland Region
GER — Golden Empire Region
GGR— Golden Gate Region
GPX — Grand Prix Region
LAR — Los Angeles Region
LVR — Las Vegas Region
OCR — Orange Coast Region
RR — Riverside Region
SAR — Southern Arizona Region
SBR — Santa Barbara Region
SDR — San Diego Region
SGV — San Gabriel Valley Region
DE — PCA Drivers Education track event
PCA — Porsche Club of America
2014 PCA Zone 8 Events
10
The Golden Empire Region of the Porsche Club of
America is proud to be associated with M.A.R.E.
(Mastering Abilities Riding Equines) as our club’s
charitable organization. Each year GEM is honored
to make a donation to this wonderful local group.
From GEM events and gathering throughout the
year, we are pleased to present M.A.R.E. with a
$4,000 donation for 2013.
I have listed below a short paragraph taken from
the M.A.R.E. Website that states their mission:
“With the belief in the healing power of the horse,
Diane Hopkins, Mary Literilla and Dorothy Evans
broke the trail for special needs children and
adults in Kern County, allowing them to experience
freedom of movement, freedom of spirit & free-
dom from judgment. Today, M.A.R.E. continues to
provide “hope on horseback,” for exceptional
equestrians in Kern County. M.A.R.E. is
where miracles happen one stride at a time.“
The Golden Empire Region of the PCA would like to
take this opportunity to thank M.A.R.E for their
affiliation with our group. Thanks go out as well to
all of the GEM membership for their generosity
and support of this wonderful organization.
Another example of how
It’s not just the cars, It’s the people.
M.A.R.E. — Golden Empire Region’s Charitable Organization Click this Link for more pictures of MARE
GEM’s $4000 donation to MARE
11
A Golden Empire Region’s Saturday Afternoon
We end Saturday’s drive with a fantastic Lunch at Tammy’s and Spencer’s Once again, Thanx for your Hospitality
After GEM’s donation to M.A.R.E we found plenty of things to Bug Us at the Insect Lore’s Bugseum in Shafter
12
Now in its 31st year, over 1,250 people attend the annual Porsche and Vintage V-W Literature, Toy/Model, & Memorabilia Swap
Meet at the Los Angeles Airport Hilton Hotel. The meet has over 225 tables with tens of thousands of collectibles - posters, sales
literature, toys, models, factory gift items, press kits, technical literature, small trim items, and accessories for Porsches and
vintage VW's. The meet is held in two huge ballrooms on the main floor of the Airport Hilton, 5711 W. Century Blvd., Los
Angeles - very close by Los Angeles International Airport. The public is admitted at 9:00 a.m. for $10 each at the door.
"Earlybird" shoppers are admitted with the vendors at 7:00 a.m. for $30 at the door. Special discounted room rates are available
from the LA Airport Hilton directly at 310-410-4000. Please ask for the special room rates under the "group code PVV."
Click Here, Porsche Restoration Shop Tours
Open House Tours of So Cal’s best Classic Porsche
Restoration and Sales Outlets
Click Here, Los Angeles Literature and Toy Show
Literature and Memorabilia Show for Porsche and Vintage V Ws
Saturday,March 1, 2014 Los Angeles Airport Hilton, 5711 West Century Blvd, Los Angeles Ca
Just off the 405 by the Los Angeles International Airport.
Showtimes: 9:AM Public admitted for $10
Porsche Happenings in Southern California Area
Saturday, March 1, 2014 Literature and Toys Show
Saturday, March 1, 2014 European Collection 4P-7P
13
SoCal All-
Porsche Swap
and
Car Display,
Sunday 8:am – March 2nd, 2014
Located at the Phoenix Club,
1340 Sanderson,
Anaheim, CA
Bring whatever money you have leftover from the
Literature Meet, your Porsche, Porsche friends and
join us for a celebration of Porsche! Breakfast and
lunch will be available, so plan to spend the day
soaking in the glory that is Porsche.
The All-Porsche Swap & Car Display will again be
held on the day after the Lit Meet on Sunday, March
2nd at the Phoenix Club in Anaheim. It’s located at
1340 South Sanderson, Anaheim, CA 92806. This will
be our fifth year here and the site is working
well. See http://www.thephoenixclub.com/ for de-
tails on this German American Club.
Event sponsor, 356 Club of Southern California Will
have indoor vendor displays in the FestHall with
11,500 feet under one roof! Outdoors, we have
about 2 acres of room for more vendors, swappers
and large grass soccer field for car corrals. We’ll
have plenty of parking available to Porsche people
within 50 meters of the main entrance.
This event will take us back to a simpler time in a
very unique setting; to a time when the Internet was
not your primary source for used Porsche parts; a
time when the local Southern California Porsche
owner's gathered each winter to swap, fender fon-
dle, see old friends and appreciate the breed. There
will be vendors dedicated to our Porsche hobby
and plenty of swap space will be available. If you
have a car for sale, bring it and put a sign and infor-
mation sheet in the window and sell it.
Each car coming in for Porsche display parking will
make a donation of $20, so pile as many of your
friends in the car as you can! The gates open to the
Porsche parking on the grounds of the Phoenix Club
at 8 AM. Seeing all the Porsche's parked there will be
incredible! The walk-in gate will be open at 8:00 AM
and admission will be $10. Breakfast and lunch with
a German flavor will be available from open to close.
Be sure you stop by the Bierstube to finish off the
day. For those wanting to stay in the area of the
Phoenix Club on Saturday night, we suggest the
AYRES HOTEL ANAHEIM, 2550 E. Katella Ave-
nue, Anaheim, CA 92806 (714) 634-2106.
Porsche Happenings in Southern California Area
All-Porsche Swap and Car Display
Sunday, March 2, 2014, 8:AM
Located at the Phoenix Club, 1340 Sanderson, Anaheim, Ca
The Phoenix Club
1340 Sanderson, Anaheim, CA
Sun, Mar 2, 2014
Open at 8:am
Click Here for Map
Click Above for more Info
14
February 2014
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 Bakersfield
Golden Ox
Breakfast meet
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Bakersfield
Golden Ox
Breakfast meet
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Drive to
Simi Valley, Ronald
Reagan Library
16 17 18 Senor Pepe’s
Social Meeting and
Dinner
19 20 21 22 Bakersfield
Golden Ox
Breakfast meet
23 24 25 26 27 28
March 2014
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 Los Angeles
Literature and Toy
Meet Restoration
2 Anaheim, Ca
All Porsche Swap
Meet & car Display
3 4 5 6 7 8 Riverside, CA
Walter’s Empire
100 Gimmick Rally
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Bakersfield
Breakfast Meet &
Autocross setup
16 GEM Minter
Field Autocross
17 Willow Springs
Streets of Willow
DE and Autocross
18 Senor Pepe’s
Social Meeting and
Dinner
19 20 21 22 Bakersfield
Golden Ox
Breakfast Meet
23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Bakersfield
Golden Ox
Breakfast Meet
30 31
15
April 2014
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 Fontana, CA
Festival of Speed
6 Fontana, Ca
Festival of Speed
7 8 9 10 11
Long Beach Grand
Prix Weekend
12 Breakfast
Long Beach Grand
Prix Weekend
13
Long Beach Grand
Prix Weekend
14 15 16 17 18 19 Bakersfield
Breakfast
20 21 22 Social Meeting
and Dinner
Location TBA
Announced
23 24 25 26 Bakersfield
Breakfast
27 28 29 30
May 2014
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 Bakersfield
Breakfast
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Bakersfield
Breakfast
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Bakersfield
Breakfast
18 19 20 Social Meeting
and Dinner
Location TBA
Announced
21 22 23 24 Bakersfield
Breakfast
25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Bakersfield
Breakfast
16
From The ediTor’s desk
Building a Community
As most of you know by now, I recently bought a 1971 911 T Targa.
I have been in the market for the right fixer-upper. And when I
stumbled onto this little treasure I couldn't pass it up.
I wasn't too surprised to find the little car’s dash was cracked and
the carpet in need of replacement. I wasn't too surprised to see
blemishes in the paint and areas of the body in need of attention.
And the fact that the car had to be towed into a repair shop to get
it running was almost expected.
But what did surprise me was the interest and enthusiasm that this
little car generated throughout the membership of our group. I
posted my little Porsche on the GEM Facebook site. And within
minutes several of you had responded to my questions regarding
what you thought of the car and the owner’s asking price. Several
members were quick to offer their assistance to examine this little
barn find. One member even offered to help me purchase it. That
kind of surprised me.
When the wrecker came to haul the little Targa out of the owner’s
garage and off to the boys at German Dreams for a pre-purchase
inspection, several members actually went down there to check
the car out for themselves. This kind of surprised me too.
Soon comments about the car’s condition began being texted to
me. Members were telling me all about mechanical issues being
discovered with the engine on this little car. And later that day
when Mr. Stumbaugh texted me with a full break down of the VIN
number and a little vehicle history. I was totally taken by surprise.
What surprised me the most about this little car really wasn't the
car at all. It was the way our GEM community responded to the car.
It generated enthusiasm throughout the membership. It instantly
became a community car. I was not expecting to find so many
members excited by this local find. They were happy for me, and
happy that our Club has grown by one more little vintage Porsche.
When I attended the Webmaster and Newsletter seminar in Palm
Springs, one thing was brought up. The Newsletters, the Websites,
and Social Media such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are not
used to Just communicate among the membership. It is used to
build a community around a common interest, A little car. This
spirit of community is what has brought our little GEM region to-
gether and help become Zone 8, Region of the of Year.
Well done GEM !!
Michael Thomas
Newsletter Editor
I would like to take this opportunity to encourage all of you to be-
come involved online. GEM has a newly remodeled website.
Anton Khatsanovich, our new webmaster has done a phenomenal
job with the new website design. Anton and I recently attended a
webmaster and newsletter editor seminar in Palm Springs. The
instructor displayed
many of the websites
within our Zone 8 terri-
tory. Our GEM website
was undeniably more
well laid out and easier
to read and navigate
than any others shown
that day. Anton’s web
design was one of the
reasons I believe GEM
won Region of the Year. Click this link, gem.pca.org and check it
out !
Our GEM Facebook page is another great way which participate
online. When a new issues of the Grapevine is finish one of the
first places you’ll find an access link is on the GEM Facebook Group
page. Go to Facebook.com. Once on Facebook try searching for
PCA.GoldenEmpireRegion. Sorry guys, no hyperlink this time.
And I also want to take these final few lines to congratulate those
members who recently were awarded one of the five Golden Em-
pire Region’s Excellence in Action awards. Tammy Harris and Anna
Stumbaugh won for keeping our events calendar full last year. Linn
Christopher for being GEM’s greatest advocate. Anton Khatsa-
novich for his amazing website design. And me, Mike Thomas for
some nonsense about a newsletter.
I will take this forum to thank all of you for presenting me with this
award honoring my work with the Grapevine
newsletter. I didn't see this coming and it
really means a lot, thank you.
Again, It’s not the just the Car :))
GEM’s Online Social Media
17
Get ready for Southern California’s
biggest Porsche Event of 2014 !
Registration is now open.
It can be done online
MotorSportReg.com
Porsche Happenings in Southern California
Friday thru Sunday, April 4 thru 6, 2014
Visit the Auto Club Speedway Website
Visit PCA Zone8 / Festival of Speed Website
18
Golden Empire Region
Member’s Porsche Restoration Projects
Since Greg Fullmer was the inspiration for this idea I will start with his 356 Coupe.
Above are photos of Greg’s 1962 T6B 356 Coupe. This is a project the Greg has been waiting to get started for sometime. Greg stated
this is a former daily driver of his. He is in the process of restoring it to an Out Law 356, and making it his daily driver again. He says this
little 4 cylinder, carbureted engine is original. And has all the power needed to push it around a track quickly. I believe it was Greg who
stated he hopes to have it in the paint shop this summer. Rick Higdon and he have a pretty good job already of getting it ready for paint.
I love these old 356 Coupes and can’t wait to see it fly around track soon. Awesome Greg, I looking forward to see how it progresses.
Next we have Loren Stumbaugh’s 1970 911T Targa, turned blue flower box, turning back into a gorgeous driver. This 911T of Loren’s is
unique because it has a Sportomatic transmission. The Sportomatic is a manual gearbox that replaces the clutch pedal with micro-
switches and vacuum actuators. The driver is able to run through the cars gears without ever having to depress the clutch pedal.
If I remember the story correctly, this little 911 has been know about for sometime. I believe it was Pat Wadman who came across this
years ago. The previous owner left it outside, uncovered. I hear it was pretty rough shape when Loren rescued it. Loren says it may be a
while before he’s finished with it. This will be the perfect car for you Loren after a knee surgery. Just hope it’s your Left knee :)
And as most of you know, I recently have purchased my own project car. It is a 1971 911T Targa. 88,000 on car, and engine rebuild at
53,000. Spotted in a neighbor’s garage, this little Targa has sat for five years with the fuel in it. The batteries are both shot and the orifices
in carbs are plugged up. George and Eddie at German Dreams are working their magic to bring it back to life. My plans are to restore it to
a reliable, attractive, and fun daily driver. Hope to have it running by the middle of March. Will be fun to take it through the AutoX track.
Brainstorm !! So many of us GEM members have Porsche Restoration Projects in the works. I thought it will be fun to follow the pro-
gress of these projects. Then each month or so we can profile one of the member’s restoration progress.
Some of the GEM members are restoring their Porsches to concours show quality. Other members intend to build Porsches to perform
better on track. And a few members like myself just hope to have a reliable and presentable daily driver.
We would love to feature you Porsche restoration project but I need photos and a brief written statement telling us about Porsche.
Please mention the cars year, model, engine type and any other notables about it. Also any story about the cars history, how you came
about it, and what you hope to do with it. Should be a popular feature I’ll need a little help from all of you with this one.
In the upcoming March issue of the Grapevine we will feature a terrific 356 barn find story submitted by Spencer Harris. It will be the
perfect inaugural Porsche restoration story ! I am going to start now with a brief introduction to some of the our member’s projects.
Note the large
vacuum cylinder
mounted on the
left side to the
Sportomatic
19
Moving on to El Presidente’s collect. Omar has all kinds of Porsches. From his 2008 Cayman daily driver to his assortment of three 944s.
There’s even a 914 in the mix as well.
Omar likes to name his Porsches. So let me introduce his three 944s. The Goodwill car, McGregor car and the Egg-Roll parts car. Pictured
below is his Goodwill car. As the name implies, Omar purchased this 1984 944 from the vehicle lot of the Goodwill Industries.
It was spotted by another GEM member Linn Christopher. Omar was on vacation in Mexico when Linn told him about it. Omar talked
Linn into bring the car home for him while he was in Mexico. The car is a pretty nice original interior. It only needed a little mechanical
work on the engine. Omar climbed in and took care of that. Happy to report this 944 is once again running well. I believe the next por-
tion of this project will be to bring the original paint back to life. It’s not uncommon to see him pull into our Saturday morning breakfast
in this. I even expect to see doing laps around our autocross at Minter Field the middle of March ……..
Oh Oh, Stop the Presses !! Word is out that after a year since purchase, this car just passed smog and was registered. Even a new pair of
shoes. Omar says it’s now time for the spit shine . Way to go, that’s what bringing them back to life is all about !! Enjoy now …….
Next is Omar’s 1983 McGregor car. It was purchased new by follow GEM member Mike McGregor.
Mike acquired other Porsches and then sold this 944. Over the years it came to rest on a lawn in Oildale. It was spotted by Steve Kittrell.
Steve brought that to the attention of Omar. After some successful negotiation with the owner Omar soon hauled the 944 home. Omar
was telling the membership about his recent 944 find. Mike McGregor look at it one day and said “That’s my old car.”
Omar has stated that he plans on building a track car out of this one. I don’t recall the details, but I believe this ‘83 944 has some original
performance features that came on it when new. Funny how cars just kind of make their rounds here in Bakersfield.
I think this is a good place to introduce the 1973 914, better known as “The Fridge”. It’s the body kit that lines the bottom of the car. And
the interior looks new.
This 914 was originally found and purchased by still another GEM member, Robert “Doc” Altvatter. He found in the homes back up on the
back side of Hart Park. He purchased it but didn't keep it long. It was offered to Linn Christopher who bought mostly to keep within the
club. Omar saw it and fell in love. He bought it from Linn. It is a great looking little 914. The body kit gives it lowered look. I see Omar
helmet in the front seat. I’m sure this will have some track time on in March as well …..
And finally, there is Omar’s 2006 Cayman. He purchased a turbo kit from this from TPC racing last fall. He stated that in terms of
autocrossing he has progressed to a high evel as a driver. Now it is time for the Cayman to be
enhanced. And what an enhancement, the low boost turbos and racing exhaust system should
increase horsepower from 295 to a total 460. WOW. I have a Cayman and can’t wait to
experience what 460 horsepower feels like in that little car.
Golden Empire Region
Member’s Porsche Restoration Projects
20
Porsches, Porsches, Porsches
Results from the January Auction in Arizona
Last month the Grapevine went to Arizona to preview the lineup of Porsche for sell from three of the big houses. In this
month’s issue we have the results. I think you will be pleased and surprised to what your vintage Porsche may be worth.
Just keep in mind that many of these, especially those from the higher end Gooding and RM auctions achieve their sell
prices through Concours quality restorations. And I believe we a couple of Concours quality restoration underway here
within the membership of the Golden Empire Region.
21
Lot 34 — Sold at $143,000
1968 Porsche 911 L
Lot 135 — Sold at $269,000
1965 Porsche 911
Lot 110 — Sold at $165,000
1972 Porsche 911 S
Lot 5 — Sold at $189,750
1959 Porsche 356 A Convertible D
Lot — 17 Sold at $92,400
1973 Porsche 911 E Targa
Lot 41 — Sold at $132,000
1952 Porsche 356 1500 Coupe
22
Why Porsches are So Valuable September 9, 2013 by Pepper Girl
The iconic Porsche 356 sports car was launched in 1948,
bearing the distinction of being the company's first full
production car. Since then, the Porsche brand has grown
to become one of the largest purveyors of luxury in the
world. Driving a Porsche is aspirational, giving drivers the
feeling of racetrack-quality power and handling ability on
the street. As a result, from an investment standpoint this
brand is seen by many to be more valuable than many
competitors. Porsche cars are built for speed and luxury,
and many even increase in value with time. It's interesting to take a closer look at how these values measure up.
What Sets Porsche Apart
Prices aren't set arbitrarily, and Porsches retain their value well over the years for a reason. Many were originally designed for
both road and racing purposes, and since their inception Porsche cars have won over 24,000 races worldwide. This includes
100 class wins at Le Mans. When you buy a Porsche, you're buying the highest quality of racing technology with a classic pedi-
gree. The technology used isn't cheap, nor are the materials used in a Porsche's construction. Classic Porsches can skyrocket in
value. For example, Porsche 550 Spyders are now selling at over $3.5 million dollars, while an iconic 917 is worth $4 million
and up. The rarity and reputation of these classic race cars is just part of what makes them so valuable today.
Price Comparison with Other Luxury Brands
Pricing on new Porsches is comparable to other luxury brands with the same level of quality. A recent comparison in Car and
Driver magazine found the pricing of a 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera to fall right in the middle of competitors like the 2012 Chev-
rolet Corvette ZO6 and 2013 Nissan GT-R. The most basic trim level of the Corvette retailed for $76,500, with the Porsche com-
ing in at $84,300. When looking at the latest Nissan GTR listings, the numbers climb higher, and Car and Driver listed the
starting price on this model at $92,500. And in this same comparison, the Porsche came out on top for its smooth handling
ability and a 0-60 time of 3.6 seconds.
Prices Fluctuate in Different Markets
The price of a new Porsche will also vary depending on the country you're making your purchase in. Porsche prices are sky-
high in countries like Australia, where drivers must pay import duty, state, and federal taxes. When purchasing a $260,000
sports car, an Australian driver would actually be paying $90,000 to the government, according to Australian Porsche spokes-
man Paul Ellis. In comparison, Porches can be seen as a bargain in countries like the United States, where the same car would
cost only five figures. Factors aside from taxes which can cause this price discrepancy include specification standards and rari-
ty. These global market factors affect all cars, not only Porsche. For example, Alfa Romeo Giulietta prices at
carsales.com.au show a starting price of $25,000 AUD, while the exact same car is priced at closer to $28,000 AUD in the UK.
Porsche is a staunchly independent brand that has always remained true to its racing aesthetic. Most classic models only grow
in value, and brand new Porsches fall right in line with competitor's prices while blowing them out of the water on road tests.
In the end, there are many factors that determine the value of a Porsche.
23
Upcoming Activities Out of Town
24
The Porsche Club of America is set to begin a new tradi-
tion in 2014 with the inaugural Werks Reunion. The
new, premier Porsche event will take place on Friday,
August 15, during the world-famous “Car Week” on Cal-
ifornia’s Monterey Peninsula.
For 2014, PCA will host a dedicated event to celebrate
Porsche automobiles on the very same fairways. Expect
a breathtaking array of Porsches, from rare classics to
customs, race cars, current models, and everything in
between. PCA will host the event with participation from
Porsche Cars North America. National PCA Sponsors will
also be present with exhibits and displays. Werks
Reunion is open to all and tagged as “A Porsche Gath-
ering” for a reason: PCA is inviting other Porsche clubs
to join in the fun! Werks Reunion is intended to be a
new way for all Porsche owners to mingle during Mon-
terey’s annual auto extravaganza. As a result, the Por-
sche Owners Club, Porsche Racing Club, 356 Registry,
356 Club, Early 911S Registry, R Gruppe, 914 World,
and all Porsche clubs and registries are welcome.
In years past, PCA co-hosted Legends of the Autobahn
at the Rancho Cañada Golf Club. Membership in PCA is
not required. Porsche owners looking to compete will
have the choice of entering their cars in either the peo-
ple's choice or concours categories. Special, one-of-a-
kind trophies are being made just for this event. Other
Porsche owners will have the opportunity to include
their car in the display only Porsche corral. All will be
treated to a stunning display of more than 500 Por-
sches, access vendors, and enjoy the camaraderie of
fellow car enthusiasts. The 2014 show will feature the
latest Porsches, special vehicle presentations, celebrity
guests, and a surprise or two.
Photos from the
2013 Monterey
Legends of the
Autobauhn
Announcements From Monterey Car Week
25
The Featured Marques of the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance
Monterey Week is heating up. Last month the Monterey MotorSports Reunion announced it’s featured
marque for 2014 will be Maserati. The Pebble Beach Concours ‘d Elegance has also listed this month
100 Years of Maserati will be topping their featured marques this year. Other automotive marques featured
this year will be: Ferarri’s 250 Testa Rossa, 1929 & 1930 Ruxton Automobiles, Tatra from Czechslovkia,
the Rolls-Royce Phantom IV and V, Steam Cars, and European Motorcycles.
Maserati 100 years
Steam Cars Coachwork by
Fernandez & Darrin
Ferrari
250 Testa Rossa
Ruxton by
New Era Motors
Tatra Automotive
Czechoslovakia
Rolls-Royce Phantoms IV & V
26
Tranzit BLU HF is an FM transmitter device. It is one of those de-
vices that allows your cell phone to stream music or make hands-
free telephone calls through the radio system of you car. Most of
the newer cars have this capability now built in them. But many
earlier vehicles have no way to do this without replacing the en-
tertainment system.
FM transmitter devices have been around for years. With the use
of cables, the FM transmitter plugged into the vehicle's power
outlet and then into your cell phone. An FM channel would then
be selected on the car’s radio. The FM transmitting device would
be tune to the same channel and WaLa ! You have music stream
from your cell phone throughout the car’s entertainment system.
However, this system works but it has many draw backs. The
quality of the signal varies as you drive. One will usually find it
necessary to change radio channels frequently to continue provid-
ing clear, static-free sound. And the cables draping within the car
is a nuisance to say the least.
Enter Tranzit BLU HF. This device connects any cell phone to any
vehicle wirelessly via Bluetooth. NO balky cables connecting the
phone to the car. But where this FM device truly shines is in the
quality of sound that it streams into the car’s entertainment sys-
tem. The sound quality is very clean and static-free. There is ever
a need to change a channel on the car’s entertainment system as
one drives. Even in the middle of cities where the more common
wired transmitters produce horrible static interference, the
Tranzit BLU delivers static free stream of music, provide turn by
turn verbal GPS and clear telephone calls.
The clear sound is accomplished by a cabled connection directly
into the vehicle’s radio antenna. Nothing is connected to the
Porsche’s fiber optic MOST information system. The device itself is
mounted out of sight under the dash. No wiring is exposed. And
uses a cell phone app to configure the device.
A small push-button is mounted discretely anywhere. This button
provides control feedback to your cellphone. You can change
songs that are streaming through your entertainment system.
The button can be used initiate any of your cell phone Voice
Recognition commands. Telephone calls and can initiated and
terminated via this control button. Again, no wired connection to
the cell phone.
And finally, a small microphone is mounted discretely, close to the
rear-view mirror. It provides clear audible communications with
the person you are speaking to on your cell phone. It is also used
to control your cell phone via voice commands.
I had the Tranzit BLU system installed by Advanced Mobile Securi-
ty on Buck Owens Blvd here in Bakersfield. They did a wonderful
installation job. It’s not unusual to find Ferraris, Porsches, and
Lambos parked in their service bays. The cost for the unit in-
stalled in my Cayman was $279. However Best Buys lists these for
$169 if you install yourself. There is also a unit with fewer fea-
tures priced as low as $99 on Amazon.
I tell people when I found the Cayman it had 95% of all the fea-
tures I was looking for on a Porsche. The one thing my Cayman
didn’t have was a Bluetooth or Auxiliary Input feature to stream
music, use GPS, and make phone call while I drive. With the
Tranzit BLU HF I am now able to perform all of this completely
wirelessly. Guess you could say Tranzit BLU has made my Porsche
Cayman 100% complete :)
A new feature of the Grapevine is going to be product review. Good or bad, we can share our
experience with these products with the membership.
Product Review Page
Click the image above to visit the
Tranzit BLU website
27
2015 Porsche 911 Targa
Makes It’s Debut at the Detroit AutoShow
Back in 1965, Porsche invented the 911 Targa as a mat-
ter necessity. Believing that a finicky National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration was prepared to outlaw con-
vertibles, the innovative automaker created the half-open
car as a way to keep wind rushing through owners' hair.
Though far removed from those formative days, it seems
as though the 2015 Porsche 911 Targa has come to
the Detroit Auto Show with a new-school version of some
old-school tech.
At the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS)
in Detroit, Porsche is introducing two new models to the
911 range: the 911 Targa 4 and 911 Targa 4S. These
models are the first to combine the classic Targa concept
with cutting edge, innovative roof technology. Just like
the legendary original 911 Targa of 1965, the new mod-
els feature the distinctive Targa roof bar, a movable front
roof section, and a wraparound rear window. But unlike
the classic 911 Targa, the roof segment can be opened
and closed at the push of a button. The fully automatic
roof system stows the Targa top behind the rear seats.
Both 911 Targa models exclusively come in AWD ver-
sion, featuring the wider rear track and body, and the
same Porsche Traction Management (PTM), found in all
911 all-wheel-drive models. It is an active all-wheel-drive
system that helps to ensure the optimal distribution of
drive power for optimum traction in most road scenarios,
whether on long straights, through tight corners, or on
surfaces with different friction-coefficients.
The combination of the wide body, the Targa bar, and the
wraparound rear window results in an extremely sporty
a n d l o w - s l u n g p r o f i l e .
The 911 Targa 4 is powered by a horizontally opposed
3.4-liter 6-cylinder engine with 350 hp. Equipped with
the optional Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) and Sport
Chrono package, the 911 Targa 4 accelerates from zero
to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and is capable of a top track
speed of 174 mph (175 mph with the manual transmis-
sion). The 911 Targa 4S delivers 400 hp from its 3.8-liter
horizontally opposed 6-cylinder engine, and accelerates
from zero to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds when equipped with
optional PDK and Sport Chrono package. The 911 Targa
4S is capable of reaching a top track speed of 183 mph
when equipped with a manual transmission and 182 mph
w i t h P D K .
The 911 Targa 4 will have an MSRP of $101,600 while the
911 Targa 4S model will have an MSRP of $116,200.
Both cars also have a destination charge of $995. De-
liveries of the 911 Targa in the U.S. are scheduled to
begin this summer.
Click on this Photo to View Video Demonstration
28
Rummaging through the parts bin to build several cars out of
the same basic bits is nothing new and, in rare cases, can even
result in cars with distinct personalities. Por-
sche’s Boxster, Cayman, and 911 don’t suffer from sharing a
multitude of body, chassis, and powertrain components. Now
Porsche’s transmission engineers have moved parts-sharing
down to the micro level to reap two transaxles from one blue-
print. The world’s first seven-speed manual gearbox is an off-
shoot of the seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic introduced
three years ago for the 997-series 911. Both are available in the
2012 991-series 911 Carrera and Carrera S.
Porsche and ZF have been collaborating on the design and de-
velopment of these transaxles—code-named the DT11 (PDK)
and the MT11 (manual)—since 2003. From the start, the two
companies planned on sharing the maximum number of parts
and manufacturing tools. Credit ZF engineer Dr. Michael
Ebenhoch with inventing the twofer shift kinematics.
Each gearbox is comprised of three aluminum castings—a front
section, a rear section, and one removable cover. While those
castings are different to suit each transaxle’s functional distinc-
tions, roughly one-third of the internal parts are common [see
above]. The main shaft, output shaft, differential, some of the
gears, and the -synchronizer mechanisms are shared. The PDK
’box has two input shafts versus the manual transaxle’s single
shaft. A drive flange added to the output shaft sends torque to
the front axle in four-wheel-drive models.
While the manual transaxle is lubricated with 3.5 quarts of hy-
poid-gear oil, the PDK requires two types of lubricant. Gears and
shafts run in 3.7 quarts of hypoid-gear oil. Another 5.7 quarts of
hydraulic oil keep the PDK’s wet clutches and control circuit
happy. Naturally, the PDK trans is the heavier unit. Including its
lubricants and oil cooler, it weighs 256 pounds. The manual
transaxle weighs 189 pounds, not counting its clutch compo-
nents.
Breaking a long-standing tradition, the new 911’s top speed
(ranging between 178 and 189 mph) occurs in sixth, not top,
gear. The overdrive seventh-gear ratios—0.617:1 (PDK), 0.711:1
(manual)—help maximize highway mileage while minimizing
driveline commotion. Third- and seventh-gear ratios are specific
to each gearbox; the rest are shared between the two transax-
les.
Click Photo to play video demonstration of
Porsche’s Doppelkupplung Transmission
Inside of Porsche’s Doppelkupplung Transmission
29
30
A Love Letter from Top Gear’s Richard Hammond to Porsche
Why Richard thinks the 911 GT3 in the best car ever invented
31
I would like thank the following sources for information used throughout this publications. I suggest that
all of you visit their websites and subscribe to their publications or attend their functions. Even buy a car :)
Motor Trend Magazine motortrend.com Flat-six News flatsixnews.com
Car and Driver caranddriver.com Auto Blog autoblog.com
MotorWeek motorweek.org PCA PCA.og
Sports Car Market sportscarmarket.com PCA Zone 8 zone8.pca.org
Motor Authority motorauthority.com Porsche USA Porsche.com/usa
32
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