Moments of motoring epiphany

[JB-L]

(Or events that changed your life or direction).

I thought it would be good to share our milestone moments. So here goes with my moment(s).

Mine begins on an early Sunday morning heading Northbound on the M1 from Junction 14 in my company car. I am in the middle lane at slightly(!) above the speed limit, when I check my mirrors I notice a black car approaching at a considerable rate of knots in the outer lane. I slow slightly to catch a better look when the driver in front of me pulls out into the black car's path.

So I am treated to the sight of a black IB 911 slowing alongside me, the driver that had pulled out into it's path, realising the error of his ways pulls back into the middle lane.

The driver of the 911 then dropped a couple of gears and absolutely floored it.
The 911 squatted down at the rear there was the sound of tearing calico (a cliche I know), and it disappeared very rapidly up the road.

Me I was left Mr. Toad like still driving and going "911, one day I'm gonna get me one!"

[impmad2000]

I never wanted a 911, unlike many here.
I was in Scotland with a friend in his early 911, watching the tour of mull rally. Anyhow, on the return journey, he chucked me the keys and said, you drive. I still see clear as the day, the drive up Glen Coe, and run across Rannock moor. The rest, as they say, is history!!
Tim

[911hillclimber]

My 'moment' occured driving one sunday morning to Prescott Hillclimb in our MGB GT , wife on board.

There is a delightful short cut that twists through about 1/4 mile of curves and it is a favorite for many on route to the hill by Gotherington.

Cruising along (it was a B GT after all) there was a near thunder of a 911 tearing up behind us, flash, another rasp and a full tilt 911 posatively raced by us.WOW, that was impressive, except another came very very hot on it's heels, non other a very well known 911 specialist in his white racer in hot persuit shaking the B GT close to the country lane edge but what a sight, what a sound, what a 'must have' feeling.

That was in 1987.

In mid '88 I had my roached out LHD 73T on my drive.
In 1990 I did my first hillclimb in it and in 1991 i too drove that country lane in my 'race' trim 911 to Prescott Hill.

Clear today as it was then.

[Glenn75S]

I have had a few moments....

When I was 13 we went to a local pub for Sunday Lunch, there was a red Turbo bodied targa parked outside the pub, I was amazed by teh car.

During 1995 I was fortunate enough to help develop the Porsche boxster, and managed to do some NVH testing at Weissach on the Boxster engine, also got to see the 996 engine on its first day of testing (Still have the air intake manifolds from that engine!) Walking around the factory got to see a 993GT2, the engineers were great guys...knew then I was hooked!

1999 I bought a 1990 Carrera 2, 2004 I got a 1975 911S..........

Had to sell the 75S last year, and have spent the last year thinking about what to get next......

.......easy decision another 911

[Bob_Salmon]

About 21 years old - into motor cycle trials and the nearest thing to a car we could afford (married with our first and the second one due shortly) was a copy of Motor Sport every month.

Jenks in his regular column, writing - and I have to paraphrase - about cruising the autobahn at 100mph (mph sticks in my mind) and being able to adjust his speed up or down to avoid traffic build-ups he could see developing miles ahead.

Porsche - one day I would own one. I did/do but it took a long time.

Bob

[Bootsy]

I'd always loved the shape and used to be an a avid reader of various Car Magazines my father took. It was the guards red images of the early 80s that struck me and as a young boy turning into a teenager I made a promise to myself on my 13th birthday that I would have a 911 by the time I turned 25

Years passed and various VWs later I was aware of the fast approaching 25th birthday and sold a Karmann Ghia and a 1957 Beetle to fund my first Porsche, a 1972 911T in Sepia Brown (now owned by Ron Vincent) thus keeping my teenage promise good!

[Gary71]

I was aware of the fast approaching 25th birthday and sold a Karmann Ghia and a 1957 Beetle to fund my first Porsche, a 1972 911T in Sepia Brown

What was it like as a new car then Bootsy?

[Bootsy]

I was aware of the fast approaching 25th birthday and sold a Karmann Ghia and a 1957 Beetle to fund my first Porsche, a 1972 911T in Sepia Brown

What was it like as a new car then Bootsy?

Cheeky sod! That was in 1996 so the car was actually a year younger than me. Looked better on it mind you!

[Gary71]

My abuse is weak as I'm also the same age as my car...

[myatt1972]

Strange, my cars are a year younger than me to.
Ive admired the 911 for years but they have always been out of my league, 1st gen Rx7's with rotary engines have been my thing.
About this time last year I had a call from a friend saying that there were some interesting cars at a house he was clearing, I put a bid in and got the cars, still cant believe my luck. Havnt driven the 911 yet but its been fun pulling it apart should be fun putting it back together to.

[964RS]

Keith will like this.

Bought this as a horrible shed. Restored it, subsequently crashed it and used the insurance to buy my first 911.......then the slippery slope begun...

[myatt1972]

Ahh, a thing of beauty, thats very nice.
Can you remember the reg as I have a friend who keeps a log of sorn, on the road and scrapped, I will assume this car would be in the scrapped pile if you did a proper job.
Series 3 by the looks of her

[Winston Teague]

I read Jenks' A Passion for Porsches years ago and from then on I thought I wanted a 356. Later, on holiday in California, we saw a couple in use. I particularly remember a silver coupe pulling up on Sunset Bvd. while we were cruising 4 up in an old scabby ( but not too bad in the dark) Alfa Spider. From then on I knew I needed one. Had a quick go in a friends T6, to convince my ever tolerant wife it could be a practical daily modern. Bought the third car i viewed from Richie at KK. They all seemed a bit horrified when I arrived by train to take it away! 200 miles later I was home and smitten. But then DSJ was a better judge than I will ever be. Thanks Dennis.
W

[smallspeed]

i was born in the back of a mk1 lotus cortina on marston ferry road, oxford in June 1978. Since then cars have been about all i've been interested in

porsches have always been my childhood dream car, and i've not really grown up so.. at the age of 25 I brought a Boxster which I thoroughly enjoyed for a year and a half, then at the age of 28 I brought a 964. I kept that car for 2 years then sold it to help my sister start her own business.. ..she's promised to pay me back by buying me another 911 one day, but I'm not sure she's got a good handle on whats going on with the prices of the air-cooled cars!

[KS]

1) Seeing a guy drive to work every day in his Lotus 11 in about 1963 – too cool for words
2) Driving Autocavan's 2.1-litre rallycross Beetle in 1975 – my first fast Beetle experience
3) Commuting to London in a Dodge Hemi Challenger in 1979 – at 7mpg, expensive, but fun
4) Going round Goodwood in a Porsche 934 in 1981 – and am about to write about the same car 29 years later
5) Crossing the finishing line at Santa Pod at 203mph in 1995 – in the passenger seat of an 1800bhp Camaro Pro-Mod
6) Sitting alongside Jimmy McRae on a rally stage, c.1986
7) Driving a Lola T300 Formula 5000 for a dozen or more laps of Goodwood c.1998
Just all too much fun