A 37 year dream

[LeeM]

It was 1975 and I was about 10 years old.

 

You know how it is sometimes, when one particular day in your life just stands out for some reason.

 

I imagine we were heading out for yet another mind numbing family outing, as myself and my older brother sat in the back of the XR Ford Falcon wagon rolling a cigarette or two that he had stolen from dad's tobacco pouch. I have no doubt I was staring at him for being so daring with mum and dad in the front seat, or I was staring out the window into oblivion realising just how boring the day was bound to be as we headed up into the hills to see my parents friends.

The only thing I had to look forward to at that house was hanging out with my brother as we bashed tennis balls against a wall, climbed a rocky garden wall or ogled their teenage daughter as we drank 'boys beer'! (Coke)

About 10 minutes into the 30 minute drive, I was staring out the back of the old wagons' open rear window, which is when I saw 'IT'.

I was fixated on the red car that was slowly catching up to us, as ignored my brother who was constantly asking what I was looking at.

As it slowly passed us, even at 10 years old, I knew it was something special.

The curves, the colour and no doubt the beautiful blonde in the passenger seat and the smug git driving it with a Cheese cutter hat and fingerless mesh tan gloves on.

I asked my dad as it drove by 'What sorta car is that?' 'A Porsche son. Just a glorified Volkswagen really'. I replied, 'I will have one of them one day'. My brother (as brothers do) just laughed at me and said 'You wish'!

Most of all, it was the sound that grabbed me which has stayed with me for 37 years.

Even now I still get taken back to that day in '75 when I hear a flat 6 engine purring along at the speed limit, or on the gas, and watching as the rear end of a 911 squats down under power and disappears into the distance as I mumble to myself, lucky bastard!

Since that day as a 10 year old, I have lusted after a Porsche every single day that i can remember, yet reality sunk in when I was old enough to understand how much they cost to buy, but I've always said to myself,  'One day'!

 

Fast forward to 2009ish, I found the old Volksys and bought my first, a 63 Beetle that was low to the ground and just looked cool. It was cheap and I was bored not having a fun car for the weekends,

  Quite a few cars were bought and sold inbetween then and now including a Karmann Ghia and a ratty splitty bus, then my last VW, a nice 1958 Beetle which I regrettably sold to pay some bills due to a lean year with being a contractor and the ATO deciding they wanted my cash more than I did!

  A few months went by, and I was hankering for a toy to drive on the weekends again, I started looking at the classifieds for VW's again.

 I did the usual Carsales and Ebay website thing that we all do with an imaginary budget and typed in Porsche 911.

To my surprise, there were some cars that were 'kinda' in my price range (aka, not much!) but it had planted the seed of Porsche ownership. After speaking with a mate on here who is well versed with the Porsche marque being a top mechanic, I was more than keen to look around and stretch the budget a bit more

 Just a day later, I stumbled on an ad that was local and well within my budget, but I'd never heard of a 912, but it looked like a 911, so i thought it was a misprint by the seller, a wrecking yard.

I called them straight away and it was still available, so I jumped in the van and headed down there to have a squiz.

I should mention that I hadnt told my better half about this yet, but she's pretty cool with my acoustic  guitar acquistions, but this would take some sucking up!

 

Upon inspection, it looked pretty good but did need some work which I was prepared for, and I pointed them out to the seller who hadnt noticed some much needed repairs.

I made a stupid offer, $3500 less than the asking price, as to be honest, I didnt think I would be able to buy it anyway because I hadnt worked for a few months due to an operation with zero income, and the missus would probably just laugh at me and point to the dishes that needed to be done and say 'Keep dreaming'!

 

Later that night, I plucked up the courage to mention the 912 to the missus.

I nearly fell over when she said 'Yeah go for it'! Errrrr, WHAT THE??

 

I rang my 78 year old mum in Queensland when I got it home, and she said to me 'Do you remember that day when you first saw the red one that your dad called a Glorified Volksy'? 'Yeah mum, like it was yesterday'

 

It';s taken 37 years, but I now own a Porsche and I coudnt be happier

[Uncle]

Awsome little tale that I know each of us has in our own kind of way Lee. It took me 34 years after getting a Matchbox 911 at 4 years old.

 

Thanks for the read.

[Ben C3.o]

Great story Lee.

[tazzieman]

Outstanding , passion + commitment personified.

[_Tony]

Great story.. the thing that most sticks in my mind as a kid with these cars was the sound and the beautiful lines. Even as i got older and started driving, pulling up to a 911 at the lights, i would roll the window down, turn the stereo off and just listen to the motor. Funny.. i still do that now

[Kerry]

Great Story Lee!

Don't mind a 75 911 myself!!!

Kerry

[Vas]

I just love a great story like that.

Well done Lee. 

[TINGY]

Yeah similar thing for me too, Porsche curves get me every time............and that sound.............

[Caver]

Terrific story Lee, thanks!

 

For me, back in the late '70's, I used to see, every day, a 356 parked in a backyard, slowly being overtaken with long grass.  It was over the fence from the parking area for work.  I always wondered why it'd be left there to rot and I have no idea what became of it.  Having had a succession of VWs, an Alfa, Citroen...I finally joined the "family" 34 years later!  Something happens and you just decide inside....today's the day! 

[jnr356]

for me it was 1972,we were in germany

my old man took us to his old work,which he left in 1958 to come out to oz

the place was maharg,the largest vw & porsche dealer in munich(when my old man worked there ,there was 100 apprentices )

as we drove into the carpark i couldn't believe my eyes 100's of porsches that all seemed to be different colours

memory is etched into my mind and i was only a little tacker

[CarreraG50]

For me it was Dad's barber, when we went for a haircut he would have PORSCHE photo's all over the walls.

I can remember him talking to Dad, saying they were as fast as a Ferrari but reliable. I can remember

thinking, when I grow up I'm getting one of those (still havent grown up, just grown older). Even at school other kids would say when I grow up I'm getting a Ferrari, Lambo etc, for me it was always a PORSCHE.

When I was 19 I tried to trade my XU1 on a 911T, it was immaculate and $21,000, trade in offer for my Torana, $4000. Needless to say I couldnt make up the shortfall, but did enjoy the test drive........

[michel]

lee great story

 

mine is similar... a long long dull drive replete with flatulent labrador, similar age looking through the tail gate of a brown hq kingswood wagon nth of collector....late autumn poplar leaves falling on the old hume late afternoon, when a deeply distrubing vision  began to form..bright orange hued thing  making an ever fast pace towards me

 

as it squatted down and got more speed I was left with an indelible image of this curvalicious orange rump lost in a flurry of leaves...on asking dad was told that was a porsche son....26 years later bought a 912

[wasserkuhl]

This is what its all about.

 

I remember when I was 5 years old in the Porsche Dealer Chateau Moteur, in Adelaide.

 

I was just silenced by these unusual cars...............I remember just staring at the periscope headlamp washers(don't know why, just thought they looked cool).

 

The pascha interiors.

 

The Yellows , reds and greens that seemed so different to any other car.

 

Hooked.

 

It was a pale yellow 928 with a pascha interior that had me lost for words, I strongly urged my Father to buy the 928 instead of the Carrera 3.0.

 

He bought the 3.0.

 

Some just don't get it.

 

I didn't get the 911 thing until about 2 years ago.

 

Now................I am addicted. Clearly.

[Russ]

i think mine was getting a ride in a 914 when I was 15, and trying to buy a '72 Targa when I was 19, and the deal was pretty much done but at the last minute the price changed..

 

only took me another 10 years to get a 911!

[9fan]

I caught the bug later in life at 21 when I got to help put together a new engine in Jim McEwens old car (911 3.0 RSR) and got to drive it around Calder bedding in brakes etc between races. What a BUZZ !

[T-Man]

Lee, that is a wonderful recollection.

Really enjoy hearing how owners became connected.

[MB911]

When I was 8 years old my neighbour, who by my dad's description was a bit of spiff (old man talk for a tool I suspect), purchased a new green 911 (about 1978 so an SC possibly).

 

He knew I loved cars and took me for a drive, just heaven. Saw the 944 released in early 1980's and it grabbed me as well. Fast forward to 2011 and the 944S2 became part of my garage. Love it, but the 911 fever has returned from 1978..............

[withers]

Great story Lee!

[roodog911]

Love the story Lee,

 

Really similar to my experience. It would have been about the mid '70s and I was around 8 years old growing up in Melbourne. My Mum and I were on the bus going to Box Hill and as we pulled up at the bus stop, I saw this green car across the road.

'What car is that Mum, the one that looks like a frog?'

She replied 'I have no idea, but lets take a look.'

As we crossed the road I was just fixated on this car. Then we walked around it and to this day I remember seeing the 'Porsche' reflective strip across the back. I said to my Mum, and she remembers this as well,

'Its a Porsche. I am going to have one of them one day'.

 

It took me about 35 years, but now I have one and that line from Risky Business springs to mind

Porsche. There is no substitute.

 

Cheers Antony

[LeeM]

When I was 8 years old my neighbour, who by my dad's description was a bit of spiff (old man talk for a tool I suspect),

..

A spiff back in the war days, as my mum used to tell me, was a 'geezer' that was a bit dodgy and used to sell stuff on the black market. He could get things you couldnt get like chocolate, silk stockings, alcohol etc etc 

 

Cheers for your stories too

[SteveF]

Fantastic story Lee. Thank you. I remember my first drive in a 911. It was a viper green early 70's model. I was working a car yard helping out and was asked to take some one on a test drive. Of course I jumped at the chance and got to take it for a spin. What a cool car. Loved the noise. Loved everything about it. I still want one.