I’ll admit, I love the idea of camping much more than I love actually going camping. My wife, on the other hand, loves camping. She’s definitely the driver of weekend trips to spend time in the great outdoors for our family. However, I think all of that could change if she’d agree to going camping in a Porsche 911!

I happened on this story on the PorschePurist.com blog. It seems that one couple from London decided to step outside the norm and take a 7 week camping trip for their honeymoon. If that wasn’t unusual enough, they determined to make the journey in a “classic” Porsche 911. They settled on a Porsche 993 series, and Chris, the husband of the camping duo, found a reliable steed to carry them off into the camping sunset.

All totaled, they traveled 5,000 miles through 12 countries over the course of their 7 week honeymoon trip. Most of the time they camped. Pretty incredible.

You need to check out the full story at PorschePurist.com: Can You Go Camping in a Porsche 993?

[Source & Image: PorschePurist.com]

The caption on the site says it all: “Porsche. Engineered for Magic. Every day.” How true is that?!

I stumbled across the Porsche Every Day site a couple of days ago after watching a couple of cool new commercials they’ve been running on TV. The site is a collection of stories from Porsche owners and how the ways they find their Porsches magical every day. It looks like each of them have video of the owner included.

I found the site to be very intriguing and love the many different ways people find magic in their rides. My favorites are the ones involving driving their cars on a regular, even daily, basis.

Most interesting takeaway from the site is a random fact… 70% of every Porsche ever built are still on the road today.

Check out the site here: PorscheEveryDay.com.

[Source & Image: PorscheEveryDay.com]

I love stories like this. Partly because they hit so close to home and I know what’s it like to realize a nearly lifelong dream of owning a Porsche.

Erik, who won our little On The Job Gift Pack Giveaway, emailed me some great news last week. Here’s what he had to say:

Just a small note…I’ve been a subscriber to your site for quite some time. I follow it and many other Porsche-related blogs & sites on the Interwebs. I’ve been a long-time subscriber to every Porsche-specific magazine, and an avid reader of many Porsche related books. I’ve even become knowledgeable enough about 911′s to help an acquaintance or two buy their own. I’ve drawn pictures of Porsche’s since I was a small boy which prompted an ongoing correspondence in the 80′s with Tony Lapine, the chief designer at Weissach at the time.

But, I’ve never owned a Porsche… until last Saturday! The stars between Stuttgart and myself finally aligned. A Polar Silver 1996 911 Carerra 2 sits in my garage now. 44K miles and it’s 100% stock. It’s perfect… and it’s mine. Now I know how you came up with the name for your website.

I’ve attached a picture, but it’s not a very good shot since the car has had very little time to sit still…I’m guessing the On The Job gift pack will come in handy as I get some grease on my hands learning the nuances of my first Porsche.

The picture above is Erik’s car.

I love stories like this. Partly because they hit so close to home and I know what’s it like to realize a nearly lifelong dream of owning a Porsche.

Thanks Erik!

My wife first stumbled across Route 30 Classics a few years ago while on a bike ride in the area with some friends. As soon as she told me about it, I was ready to roll that day, but it took another year to actually get back there. Unfortunately it ended in a failed attempt to get through the doors.

Route 30 Classics is a little over an hour out of Portland, Oregon, on the Columbia River Gorge right off I-84. The name of the town it’s in is Mosier. There really isn’t anything there other than a couple of restaurants (that happen to be very good) and the Porsche Ice Cream Shop as I’ve come to call it.

About a year after my wife told me about Route 30 Classics, we ended back up in the area for a soccer game for my son. I’d had all sorts of intentions of getting there for a blog write up in the Giveaway Porsche, but never made it, so this provided the perfect opportunity to take advantage of a heck of a long drive for a middle school soccer game. After the game, we made our way over to one of the restaurants, right next door to Route 30 Classics.

We finished dinner and walked next door to get ice cream along with some pictures of what was inside this Porsche time capsule. It had CLOSED in the time it’d taken us to eat dinner! Big time disappointment.

We FINALLY made it to Route 30 Classics, while it was open, when my wife and I went to Hood River for our anniversary. Hood River is along the Gorge as well and just a few miles away from Mosier. Needless to say, it was worth the multiple attempts to get there.

When you walk into the place, it feels a bit old and run down. There are shirts and other Route 30 Classics trinkets you can purchase, as well as a few Porsche accessories. What I found extremely cool were all the pictures along the walls. Different write ups on the place, celebrities that had visited and pictures of various Porsches throughout the years. This picture and note from Jerry Seinfeld’s visit to Route 30 Classics was my favorite:

The wide hall through the middle of the place leads to a garage/shop sort of space in the back. It’s roped off, but had a couple of nice older Porsches in the back. A Porsche 914 and what looks to me like a Porsche 911 Targa (correct me if I’m wrong). Both appeared to be in great condition from a distance. The place was pretty dark, so the pictures are a bit on the dark side.

They also have a big display case with all sorts of Porsche models and miniature cars. Between that and the Porsche posters on the walls throughout, it felt like I’d been transported back to my room when I was a kid. I didn’t get a chance to meet the owner, but maybe I will when I get back to the place.

Route 30 Classics is definitely worth the visit if you’re in the Portland area. It’s right off the freeway, and the Gorge on a sunny day is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Lots of water falls, hiking trails and scenery to take in.

Here’s a link to the Route 30 Classics site if you want to take a peek: Route30Classics.com. Not much there, but some great Porsche pictures on the Cars page.

I ran across this old press release and photos about Porsche No. 1 as it was headed to Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance a couple of years ago. This is great history lesson on the first Porsche ever build (and driven) way back in 1947/48. For those of you who don’t know the history of the first ever Porsche, this is a must read.

Great pictures too!

Atlanta, August 5, 2008 – Porsche No. 1, the one-of-a-kind, two-seat sports car Dr. Ferdinand ‘Ferry’ Porsche developed and built after he searched and was unable to find the car of his dreams, makes its North American Concours d’Elegance debut when it joins other notable and historic vehicles August 14th at California’s famed Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

This occasion is a happy one as Porsche No. 1’s first North American trip, to Porsche’s 50th Anniversary celebration at the Monterrey Historics in 1998, was thwarted when it was damaged in Chicago on its way to California. This trip also is special as it helps commemorate Porsche’s 60th anniversary. Before arriving at the Pebble Beach Golf Links®, Porsche No. 1 had a starring role in Porsche Cars North America’s 60th Anniversary celebration at its Atlanta corporate headquarters.

Affectionately called Porsche No. 1 by the Porsche family and thousands of the brand’s loyal followers worldwide, this legendary sports car and the lynchpin of Porsche’s design philosophy began life in June 1947 as engineering project Type 356 in the Porsche design office in Gmünd, Austria. Officially known as Type 356-001, Ferry Porsche’s design concept took shape through the leadership of Karl Rabe, Porsche’s talented chief designer who worked alongside Ferry’s father to develop the original Volkswagen (VW).

In post-war Germany and Europe where resources were few yet the desire to rebuild was strong, the Porsche team diligently started building the innovative sports car. Starting with a hand-built tubular steel frame, engineers fitted already existing VW components including the suspension, headlights, clutch, gearbox, cable-operated brakes, worm-gear steering, and various small parts. VW parts were a natural choice due to the early VW-Porsche relationship and because of VW’s key role in the post-war rebuilding effort after British military officers brought VW’s Wolfsburg factory back online in 1945 to fulfill car demand and to stimulate the nation’s economy.

The basic Volkswagen air-cooled, 1.31-liter flat-four engine put out just 25 horsepower at 3,300 rpm, so the skilled Porsche team enlarged the bore from 70 to 75 mm, increased compression from 5.8:1 to 7.0:1, and added slightly larger inlet valves and ports and twin carburetors, boosting output to between 35 and 40 horsepower.

The engine and transaxle were fitted into the frame in such a way that the engine ended up positioned in front of the rear axles with the transaxle trailing behind, making this a true mid-engine design. Mated to a four-speed gearbox, the drivetrain proved to be both lightweight and reliable.

Erwin Komenda, who along with Ferry Porsche and Karl Rabe formed the foundation of the fledgling car company, penned an aerodynamic and easy-to-build open roadster design. Friedrich Weber from Gmünd, one of just three of the company’s body artisans, formed each of the car’s aluminum body panels by hand, beating the then rare sheet metal and massaging it into shape over the wooden body buck Komenda had designed. The result was as shapely and beautiful as it was functional, with minimal protrusions to upset the aerodynamics or its visually graceful lines.

As with every Porsche since, form followed function on Porsche No. 1. The interior featured a bench seat to accommodate a third passenger if needed, a simple dash with only a tachometer (a speedometer was added later), a locking glove box, and map pockets on the leather door panels. An ample luggage compartment and the fuel tank were placed under the front hood, and the mid-engine layout provided space for a spare wheel and tire and battery behind the engine and above the transaxle. Finally, a frameless and low twin-panel front windscreen provided wind protection while accenting the sports car’s gentile lines.

The unique roadster weighed merely 1,290 pounds, and thanks to the modified engine it could reach a top speed of between 84 and 87 mph. In May 1948, Ferry Porsche himself set off on the first long road test, driving from Gmünd to Zell am See, Austria. During the rigorous test drive over some of Europe’s most spectacular climbs, the rear torsion bar suspension failed but was repaired en route. Through this car’s entire test period, this proved to be the only mechanical failure.

Journalists tested the car on July 4, 1948, and Robert Braunscheweig, editor of Switzerland’s highly respected Automobil Revue, concluded, “This is how we imagine modern road motoring to be, where the advantages of modern springing and the resultant driving comfort are combined with the adhesion of an equally modern, low and handy sports car.” On July 11, with Herbert Kaes at the wheel, Porsche No. 1 won its class in the Rund um den Hofgarten local race in Innsbruck, Austria. Just as today, testing and competition proved to be solid underpinnings for the company’s commercial and motorsports success.

Soon after, Porsche ramped up production of the 356 sports car at the company’s tiny factory in Gmünd, abandoning the complex steel tube frame in favor of a stamped floor pan. The engine also was repositioned behind the axles to provide more interior space and room for a rear seat. Not too much later Porsche moved its production operations in 1950 to its current home in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen.

After passing through the hands of several owners, Porsche No. 1 was reacquired by Porsche AG and became a centerpiece in the Porsche museum. As Porsche nears completion of its new museum alongside the Porsche factory in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Porsche No. 1 will be prominently displayed in a way befitting the historic car that shaped all future Porsche vehicles.

Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, Ga., and, Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd. (PCC) in Mississauga, Ontario, are the two separate importers of Porsche sports cars and Cayenne® sport utility vehicles for the United States and Canada respectively. They are each wholly owned, indirect subsidiaries of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. These two subsidiaries combined, PCNA and PCC employ approximately 250 people who provide Porsche vehicles, parts, service, marketing and training for its 200 U.S. and 12 Canadian dealers. They, in turn, provide Porsche owners with best-in-class service.

[Source & Images: Press.Porsche.com]

I’m always on the lookout for good Porsche stories. Some of them can be pretty inspiring and it’s cool to see what kind of memories are built around the brand we love.

Nick, one of our younger PorschePerfect.com readers, has been emailing me about a trip he planned to take to see his grandfather and the hope to drive a Porsche for the first time. He’s only 15, and his dream has come true. Funny enough, that’s the age I was when I drove my first Porsche (you can read about it here: My First Time).

Above is a picture of Nick in his grandfather’s 2004 Porsche 911 Cabriolet. Here’s Nick’s quick rundown of his first drive:

This summer, my dream of driving a Porsche came true when my grandpa (a Porsche enthusiast) bought an ’04 Carrera Cabriolet. It has Sport Bucket Seats, Tiptronic w/Paddle Shifters, and leather everywhere.

My grandpa never once hinted he would let me drive it, but on the last day of my vacation, he asked me if I wanted to… I said no…ya right! How many 15 years olds who aren’t even legal to drive, can say they’ve driven a Porsche? Well now I can!

The seats were snug and hot in the Florida heat, the newly put on top went down in seconds, and even though there was no chance in hell I’d go over 70 MPH, I put the spoiler up. The suspension was perfect! Softer than the 997 I had ridden in a couple months before, and it felt harder then the 944 my dad had for a weekend last year.

Driving as a passenger going 125+ on the freeway in a 997 was the best Porsche-related experience I ever had…until I eased my foot on the accelerator for a Sunday drive in a Porsche.

Thanks for sending this over Nick!

Here’s the second press release I came across at Porsche Cars North America. Some great milestones over the past 60 years.

Porsche Marks its 60th Anniversary Year With a Road Trip Past Major Milestones

ATLANTA—August 13, 2010—Over the past 60 years, the Porsche family tree has spread strong and deep roots in American soil. During this time, the company’s product portfolio has also grown, from just one model—the legendary 356—to 30 current variants, including the new Panamera four-door sports sedan. In addition to product milestones, countless other markers have signaled PCNA’s U.S. achievements, from early victories on the country’s most famous race tracks to major sales successes and awards.

Today, as Porsche celebrates its 60th anniversary in America, let’s revisit some of the highlights that have distinguished Porsche’s journey. Here are just a few annotated events from Porsche’s American history book, beginning with one man’s passion for a singular German sports car.

• 1950: Austrian turned New Yorker Max Hoffman, who already established a successful European import business with his Hoffman Motor Cars, introduces the first-ever Porsche 356 to America. Hoffman knows that American servicemen who served overseas in WWII developed a passion for European sports cars. While Ferdinand “Ferry” Porsche hopes Hoffman might sell five Porsches a year, Hoffman explains: “If I cannot sell 5 per week, then I’m not interested in the business.”
• 1950: The first three Porsches arrive on American soil. Two are delivered to a gentleman racer who would become the patron of American sports car racing, Briggs Cunningham. The third remains with its importer, Max Hoffman—who goes on to win the “Most Interesting Car” award at the 1950 Watkins Glen Concours d‘Elegance in September.
• 1951: Fellow Austrian Expatriate Johnny von Neumann, owner of Competition Motors in Los Angeles, introduces Porsche to Southern California after a visit to Hoffman in New York City. Von Neumann counts many celebrities as clients, including James Dean, and helps turn California into the single largest market for Porsche.
• 1952: The birth of today’s Porsche logo occurs when Dr. Ferry Porsche visits Hoffman in New York City.  Porsche sketches the crest for the state of Baden-Württemberg with the black prancing horse from Stuttgart’s coat of arms.  He adds the word Porsche across the top.
• 1953: An exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art opens featuring 10 automobiles, including a 1952 Porsche 1500 Super.
• 1954: The first Porsche appears at the New York Auto Show, marking Porsche’s entry into the mainstream American car culture. Max Hoffman is now selling 11 Porsches per week, totaling 30 percent of all of Porsche’s global sales.
• 1955: The Porsche Club of America (PCA) is established after only five years of Porsche in America.
• 1956: The first Porsche Parade is held at the Washingtonian Hotel in Maryland just outside the nation’s capital.  Sixty-four PCA members attend.
• 1958: The first vertical-drive inline German engine was displayed at the New York Auto Show.
• 1959:  Porsche of America Corporation (PoAC) was established in Teaneck, NJ after it became evident that a single corporate entity was needed to import, service and market the German marque. Nearly 50 percent of all Porsches manufactured were being imported to America by this time.
• 1960: Porsche claims overall victory at The 12 Hours of Sebring with its 718 RS 60 racecar. This marks one of the first substantial American victories for Porsche.
• 1963: The venerable Porsche 911 is introduced marking a new era of performance sports cars in America.
• 1968: Porsche achieves first overall victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona with the Type 907-8.
• 1969: More than 100 new Porsche dealerships open simultaneously in the U.S. as part of a planned marketing campaign heralding the popularity of the brand.
• 1969: Porsche partners with Volkswagen to build the 914.  250,000 units were sold in the U.S. over its production run.
• 1971: The first-ever Porsche driving school, a precursor to the current Porsche Sport Driving School, is held in Long Island.
• 1974: The remarkable Porsche 911 Turbo is introduced making an already-capable performer even more accomplished. The 911 Turbo has remained Porsche’s halo car ever since.
• 1979: Actor Paul Newman wins second place at LeMans in a Porsche 935 Turbo. Newman’s fascination with Porsche and racing garners new enthusiasts and further establishes Porsche as a serious sports car.
• 1983: Porsche places 1-2-3 at Daytona filling the winners podium for the first time in America.
• 1983: The Porsche 928S is the fastest car sold in North America.
• 1984: Porsche Cars North America is established and remains the sole importer of Porsche vehicles for the United States.
• 1996: The Porsche Boxster is introduced with U.S. demand exceeding all expectations.
• 1998: Porsche introduces water-cooled engines in the 911 after 35 years.
• 1998: Porsche Cars North America moves its office from Reno, NV to Atlanta, GA.
• 2000: Porsche wins the GT Class in the American LeMans Series.
• 2002: Porsche puts the “sport” into sport utility and launches the first-ever Porsche SUV, the Cayenne. The Cayenne becomes the best-selling Porsche in America.
• 2004: Porsche introduces the Carrera GT super car with a mid-engine 5.7L V10.
• 2006: The Porsche RS Spyder LPM2 claims class championship in the American LeMans Series.
• 2009: The four-door Porsche Panamera is introduced with resounding success and tops the Cayenne as best-selling Porsche in America.
• 2010: The largest Porsche dealership in North America, Jack Daniels Motors in Upper Saddle River, NJ, opens it doors, featuring 25,000 square feet of space and a showroom that can present 30 models.
• 2010: Nearly 2000 Porsche Club of America members attend the PCA’s 55th Annual Porsche Parade in St. Charles, IL.

About Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, Ga., is the exclusive importer of Porsche vehicles for the United States. It is a wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Dr. Ing.h.c. F. Porsche AG. PCNA employs 213 people who provide Porsche vehicles, parts, service, marketing and training for its 199 dealers. The dealers, in turn, provide Porsche owners with best-in-class service. Throughout its more than six-decade history, Porsche has developed numerous technologies that have advanced vehicle performance, improved safety and spurred environmental innovations within the automotive industry. The company continues to celebrate its heritage by adding to its long list of motorsports victories dating back to its first 24 Hours of Le Mans class win in 1951. Today, with more than 28,000 victories, Porsche is recognized as the world’s most successful brand in sports car racing. PCNA, which imports the iconic 911 series, the highly acclaimed Boxster and Cayman mid-engine sports cars, high-end Cayenne sport utility vehicles and the four-door Panamera Gran Turismos, strives to maintain a standard of excellence, commitment and distinction synonymous with its brand.

[Source & Image: Porsche Cars North America]

This is probably going to seem a bit strange, but I ran across 2 cool press releases today that I found to be pretty interesting. Rather than try and do some fancy re-write, I’m just posting them up in their original form here.

The first is a look at Porsche’s representation in art, film and music in America.

Porsche Cars North America Celebrates its 60th Anniversary with a Look into the Cultural Rearview Mirror

ATLANTA—August 13, 2010—-American automotive enthusiasts have been passionate about Porsche since the nimble German sports car first arrived on U.S. soil in 1950. As a testament to its immediate appeal, American demand ensured that over half of Porsche’s entire global production was allocated to the U.S. just a few years after its debut. Since then, America’s passion for Porsche has only grown. Along the way, “The Coolest Brand in America,” as Kelley Blue Book recently called it, has inspired the devotion of generations of drivers—and earned a recurring role in American culture.

While American automotive enthusiasts have always rallied around Porsche for its dominance on the world’s great race tracks, it is the brand’s multitude of American film appearances that helped establish the brand as an object of desire.

Movies like Risky Business certainly contributed. No other movie has ever captured the grueling trials a teenager is willing to endure to repair a beloved automobile as when Tom Cruise inadvertently deposited his father’s pristine 928 into Lake Michigan. Only a few years later, a 356A Speedster was the setting for one of the silver screen’s most romantic scenes, featuring Cruise and Kelly McGillis in Top Gun. Porsche also accompanied more eclectic couples: Diane Keaton and Woody Allen drove her brother’s 911 in Annie Hall.

Other prominent Porsche movie moments included the opening scene of 2000’s Gone in 60 Seconds where a brand new 911 is stolen straight from the showroom floor and driven through a plate-glass window, only to shame another driver a moment later during a street race. On the slower side, even Reese Witherspoon had the good taste to drive a Boxster—even if her Legally Blonde wardrobe couldn’t live up to her choice of automobile.

Porsche has also been celebrated in song.  Despite the title of Janis Joplin’s “Mercedes Benz,” her friends did all drive Porsches. And, Joplin actually owned a 1965 356C Cabriolet that she had painted in ‘60s psychedelic fashion. The car became quite famous in its own right and can still be seen on display at various art and auto museums throughout the country. Porsche also inspired Will Smith’s early hit “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” in which he tells the story of a teenager sneaking his parents’ Porsche out for the evening.

It wasn’t long after its U.S. debut that Porsche design inspired the attention of the art world. In 1953, just three years after Porsche’s introduction to America, the Museum of Modern Art included a 1952 Porsche 1500 Super in one of its exhibits. Today, the Porsche Design subsidiary works with some of the leading brands in the world, influencing products such as high-performance ADIDAS running shoes. Another example is Tag Heuer, the respected high-end watch company, which produces several Porsche-inspired timepieces. And, with gaming now firmly entrenched in American culture, kids of all ages can race their virtual 911GT3 on Forza Motorsport 3, with the specially-designed Porsche steering wheel firmly in hand.

Fame has never been a prerequisite to Porsche ownership—but a genuine love for driving has. That’s why Porsche has always created a special bond between owners, whether they are high-profile or everyday enthusiasts. Stars with a passion for the brand include the legendary Paul Newman, an active Porsche racer in the early 1970s, who also owned several models. In fact, Robert Redford once gave Paul Newman a wrecked Porsche as a gag gift because he was tired of hearing about Newman’s racing experiences. Newman promptly had it crushed and deposited in Redford’s living room.

As a six-decade veteran of America’s love affair with the automobile, never has Porsche proven its real character more credibly than on the race track. Porsche has won more Rolex Series races than any other manufacturer ever, having claimed its 58th class victory in April 2010. It has also won more GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge races than any other manufacturer both in overall and class victories. In 2008, Porsche was the most successful manufacturer in the ALMS Series.

“The American chapter of our history book started with one man’s vision and passion just 60 years ago,” said Detlev Von Platen, president and CEO, Porsche Cars North America. “Since then, hundreds of thousands of Porsches have been delivered to U.S. owners, a real testament that automotive passion is alive, and thriving in every corner of the country.”

About Porsche Cars North America, Inc
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, Ga., is the exclusive importer of Porsche vehicles for
the United States. It is a wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Dr. Ing.h.c. F. Porsche AG. PCNA employs 213
people who provide Porsche vehicles, parts, service, marketing and training for its 199 dealers. The dealers, in
turn, provide Porsche owners with best-in-class service. Throughout its more than six-decade history, Porsche has
developed numerous technologies that have advanced vehicle performance, improved safety and spurred
environmental innovations within the automotive industry. The company continues to celebrate its heritage by
adding to its long list of motorsports victories dating back to its first 24 Hours of Le Mans class win in 1951. Today,
with more than 28,000 victories, Porsche is recognized as the world’s most successful brand in sports car racing.
PCNA, which imports the iconic 911 series, the highly acclaimed Boxster and Cayman mid-engine sports cars,
high-end Cayenne sport utility vehicles and the four-door Panamera Gran Turismos, strives to maintain a
standard of excellence, commitment and distinction synonymous with its brand.

[Source & Image: Porsche Cars North America]

This is a great story I read on a NY Times blog. It details the adventure of one Porsche fanatic from driving a 1961 Beetle, pretending it was a Porsche, to the acquisition of the gorgeous 1965 356 pictured above. Definitely worth the quick read here: Memories of a Porsche 356.

[Image: Fred Heiler]

Man, with all this video footage from Goodwood, I’m really wishing I would have made it out to the event. Unbelievable how many amazing cars were there.

This video details the history of and behind a Porsche 550. Number 001 to be exact. What a car!