All the Cars
It’s a hobby, and I enjoy it. Fixing things is satisfying, there’s pleasure to be had from beautiful objects, and I’ve met some lovely people along the way. For balance, though, I do remember a non-car friend once saying (when I opened the garage door to retrieve a jump start pack for her daughter’s Nissan Micra), “that’s not a hobby, that’s a problem”. Bit rude, given that I was being helpful, but arguably fair comment.
Here is the “collection”…
‘59 356A
Behold, a 1959 Porsche 356A 1600 Super.
“Super” is a nice positive adjective, isn’t it? Superman, Supercomputer, Supernova…. So this Porsche “Super” engine, must be something pretty special? Er… no. In this case Super means that, on a good day in 1959, it had a mighty 75 bhp (as opposed to the non-Super variant, which had a frankly feeble 60 horsepowers). Porsche marketing department, version 1.0.
I must be getting old, I really like this car.
'65
A restoration project, just started. More details on that here.
Original colour was dark blue, "Bali Blue". Potentially a nice car, when it's done.
‘69 S
As well as the orange project car I have, for a few years now, been lucky enough to run an 911S that actually works. At least performs some of the normal functions of a car - goes, stops, keeps most of the rain off.
It's a 1969 model, so the first year of MFI, first year of long wheelbase. Previously a race car, now leading a more gentle life. RHD, which makes it fairly rare - conventional wisdom seems to be that Porsche made 32 RHD “S”-es in the 1969 model year.
'70 S
Most of this site is the restoration story of my 1970 911S. You are most welcome to read about it here.
To cut a long story short, the photo on the left is Australian eBay circa 2014. In the centre we have the 2021 "after" pic. And on the right we have Eric Clapton's home movies from 1970...
‘87 928 S4
As above, I must be getting old, I really like this car.
In contrast to the 356, though, this one has a 5L V8. Torque is adequate, even by modern standards. In 1987, this was allegedly the third-fastest (highest top speed) production car on sale in the UK. Countach and Testarossa were better for top trumps, but perhaps a little extrovert for everyday use?
Mine is RHD, manual, PTS "Moss Green" and has the brownest interior I have ever seen. Low mileage and low owners, but one of them was Chris Harris so it probably spent those 3 years doing skids.
928s are seriously under-rated cars, in my view.
1992 G Wagen
Currently with Mercedes' OM603 straight-6 3L turbo diesel. Quite a decent engine, and famously long-lived.
Ignoring those excellent diesel qualities, one day I plan to upcycle it into an EV. Which will turn it from a vehicle that could go nearly anywhere on the planet tomorrow into one that will struggle to get to Cornwall without a lengthy coffee and charge-up stop.
The EV plan is currently stalled, so the G is dieselling around at a relaxed pace.
.
The "Gone but Not Forgotten" Section
.
'95 993 Carrera
One of the many nice things about a 993 is that it's always ready to go. School run? Sure! Alps now? No problem! Not a temperamental car.
Arguably the sweet spot between proper old-school analogue feel and modern usability. And a very sensible size for UK roads.
