10 Years of American Motoring – Audi/Morris/Porsche
Discussion
Thanks for the comments folks.
With the clock counting down to our departure, 32 days to be exact and with house packing almost done I should be able to bring this completely up-to-date.
With a job related to the U.S manufacturing sector I had a grandstand seat as the U.S economy began to melt down following the banking crisis of 2008.
With that in mind and determined that I wasn’t going to follow some of my neighbour’s under the wheels of the 06.42 train to Penn Central Station I decided to convert some of my dwindling savings into hard assets and seek some different automotive therapy.
Late 2009 the Mini went up for sale.
Now looking quite good.
Though I never could get the Smiths tachometer to work properly.
Or get very comfortable in the rare Cooper S recliners that came with the car.
Despite the recession there were still plenty of folk in NJ with some cash to spend so the Morris found a new home relatively quickly.
Full disclosure about the engine’s condition resulted in me sourcing a 12G940 big valve head in the UK as part of the deal. As the buyer had some proper fast cars he sensibly decided to keep the 998cc block and go a different route.
Stolen image of 12G940 head,. Original picture deleted along with all receipts.
This deal taught me three important lessons.
1. Some people will buy a car without a test drive. This was to become quite common in what was to follow.
2. Heavy hand luggage and T3 Heathrow don’t mix. Why are the gates so far away?
3. U.S Customs officers have zero sense of humour.
Bought by the heir to a Swiss cheese making fortune I assume the car is now still residing alongside his Lotus collection in western NJ.
Hopefully in pampered luxury and being fed a regular diet of Castrol 20W50 and Toblerone.
With the clock counting down to our departure, 32 days to be exact and with house packing almost done I should be able to bring this completely up-to-date.
With a job related to the U.S manufacturing sector I had a grandstand seat as the U.S economy began to melt down following the banking crisis of 2008.
With that in mind and determined that I wasn’t going to follow some of my neighbour’s under the wheels of the 06.42 train to Penn Central Station I decided to convert some of my dwindling savings into hard assets and seek some different automotive therapy.
Late 2009 the Mini went up for sale.
Now looking quite good.
Though I never could get the Smiths tachometer to work properly.
Or get very comfortable in the rare Cooper S recliners that came with the car.
Despite the recession there were still plenty of folk in NJ with some cash to spend so the Morris found a new home relatively quickly.
Full disclosure about the engine’s condition resulted in me sourcing a 12G940 big valve head in the UK as part of the deal. As the buyer had some proper fast cars he sensibly decided to keep the 998cc block and go a different route.
Stolen image of 12G940 head,. Original picture deleted along with all receipts.
This deal taught me three important lessons.
1. Some people will buy a car without a test drive. This was to become quite common in what was to follow.
2. Heavy hand luggage and T3 Heathrow don’t mix. Why are the gates so far away?
3. U.S Customs officers have zero sense of humour.
Bought by the heir to a Swiss cheese making fortune I assume the car is now still residing alongside his Lotus collection in western NJ.
Hopefully in pampered luxury and being fed a regular diet of Castrol 20W50 and Toblerone.
Edited by Whatty on Sunday 10th August 11:20
Been really busy the last couple of days, packing household items, endless document shredding, selling off surplus stuff etc.
Anyone want a shotgun?
Throughout my Morris Mini adventure I was also trying to suppress the need for a 911.
Just before I bought the Mini in 2008 my neighbor and now a good friend bought one unseen on Ebay and had it shipped across the country from Seattle.
1976 911S – 56k original miles, repainted so prob. a California car originally and now with an antique china like patina. Zingy 2.7 runs like a champ, boringly reliable.
Not a garage queen. I’ll expand on this definition a bit later.
So while throwing money at a Mini I was also burning a lot of midnight oil disappearing down the virtual rabbit hole of the 911 air/oil cooled variant forums if only to try and talk myself out of actually buying one.
Rather than waste precious time preaching to the choir about what is fairly common knowledge I’ll be brief.
Wanted a pre-1973 – couldn’t afford a decent one and I don’t do spanners.
1974-77 – the ‘middies’. Lot of horror stories about the 2.7 engines in the U.S being buggered by Federal Government imposed emission equipment.
1978-1989, SC’s and Carrera’s. I struggle with the whole 80’s Guards Red yuppie image.
1989-1994, 964 Carrera 2 & 4. Better looks to my eye but heavier and getting more GT-like than its predecessors.
Wanting to tick the ‘Had an 911’ box, while also remaining relatively solvent and happily married, a relatively short quest led me to a surburban driveway in NJ and this.
1991 Carrera 2 – 54k miles, 2 owners, lots of bills, one unhappy seller.
Thanks for reading.
Anyone want a shotgun?
Throughout my Morris Mini adventure I was also trying to suppress the need for a 911.
Just before I bought the Mini in 2008 my neighbor and now a good friend bought one unseen on Ebay and had it shipped across the country from Seattle.
1976 911S – 56k original miles, repainted so prob. a California car originally and now with an antique china like patina. Zingy 2.7 runs like a champ, boringly reliable.
Not a garage queen. I’ll expand on this definition a bit later.
So while throwing money at a Mini I was also burning a lot of midnight oil disappearing down the virtual rabbit hole of the 911 air/oil cooled variant forums if only to try and talk myself out of actually buying one.
Rather than waste precious time preaching to the choir about what is fairly common knowledge I’ll be brief.
Wanted a pre-1973 – couldn’t afford a decent one and I don’t do spanners.
1974-77 – the ‘middies’. Lot of horror stories about the 2.7 engines in the U.S being buggered by Federal Government imposed emission equipment.
1978-1989, SC’s and Carrera’s. I struggle with the whole 80’s Guards Red yuppie image.
1989-1994, 964 Carrera 2 & 4. Better looks to my eye but heavier and getting more GT-like than its predecessors.
Wanting to tick the ‘Had an 911’ box, while also remaining relatively solvent and happily married, a relatively short quest led me to a surburban driveway in NJ and this.
1991 Carrera 2 – 54k miles, 2 owners, lots of bills, one unhappy seller.
Thanks for reading.
Edited by Whatty on Sunday 10th August 12:19
Edited by Whatty on Sunday 10th August 12:20
Edited by Whatty on Sunday 10th August 13:24
Edited by Whatty on Tuesday 12th August 09:47
Edited by Whatty on Tuesday 12th August 11:51
Edited by Whatty on Tuesday 12th August 12:04
Edited by Whatty on Sunday 1st February 09:36
Roo said:
Interesting reading.
Many thanks, and keep it up.
No problem, thanks for reading. Looking at your website I see the 2015 Mustang - if they'd brought out that out two years ago I might just have been a convert to the Church of Detroit.Many thanks, and keep it up.
Found this the other day while killing time at the local BMW/Fiat dealer.
Not sure what the list price was new but this looked like value to my unlearned eye. Even with the 'girly' V6 a manual gearbox version looked like good fun.
Might just have to back and blag a test drive if time permits.
28 Days or 686 hours to go before departure.
Lacking the cajones of Mike-the-neighbour I really didn’t fancy exchanging a s
t load of cash, for a car unseen, only to receive a load of st in return.
Not that I haven’t in the past. The memory of an impulsive long distance BMW 2002 purchase still haunts me.
Deciding to inspect the underside my shiny 1972 ‘new’ purchase in 1991 I suspected my jack must be faulty.
Not so. Jack go up. Jacking point go up. Rest of car stay down.
Education, its an expensive thing.
With that in mind and suppressing the normal buy-the-first-one-you-see urge I saw the 2010 New Year in scanning the interweb for things 964 shaped.
While my military experience spans only 3 short years in the Air Cadets and 4 Richard Holmes books I know that:
‘Time spent in reconnaissance is never wasted.’
So the mission brief was:
964 Coupe or Targa
2WD preferred over 4WD
Documented history and condition trump colour/mileage
While Porsche didn’t make a huge number of 964’s in comparison to the SC/Carrera era my New York Metro area hunting ground yielded three potential cars in quick succession.
A suspiciously shiny and over detailed Guards Red C2 Coupe, a short test drive of which convinced me that a oil cooled 911 was the place to park some of my savings for a bit.
On closer inspection a rust bubble under the rear window suggested that beauty was only skin deep and no amount of Mother’s or Meguiars was going to seduce me.
Left that one for the next bloke.
The second candidate was a rather sorry looking example in black parked outside a condominium complex on the Jersey side of the Hudson River. The pool of oil underneath was probably visible from the Manhattan side.
January in Jersey is not the best time of year to go car hunting. So cold I’d often look down to check I was actually wearing trousers I was reluctant of get out of the TT to even look closer. But, having called the owner to announce my imminent arrival I braved the elements to confirm that no two panels were actually the same black and there had been a lot of parking by touch.
Retreat to TT’s heated seats, exit stage right for hot chocolate.
Cheers.
Whatty.
PS. Mr Silent, your question will be answered as the timeline continues.
Lacking the cajones of Mike-the-neighbour I really didn’t fancy exchanging a s
t load of cash, for a car unseen, only to receive a load of st in return. Not that I haven’t in the past. The memory of an impulsive long distance BMW 2002 purchase still haunts me.
Deciding to inspect the underside my shiny 1972 ‘new’ purchase in 1991 I suspected my jack must be faulty.
Not so. Jack go up. Jacking point go up. Rest of car stay down.
Education, its an expensive thing.
With that in mind and suppressing the normal buy-the-first-one-you-see urge I saw the 2010 New Year in scanning the interweb for things 964 shaped.
While my military experience spans only 3 short years in the Air Cadets and 4 Richard Holmes books I know that:
‘Time spent in reconnaissance is never wasted.’
So the mission brief was:
964 Coupe or Targa
2WD preferred over 4WD
Documented history and condition trump colour/mileage
While Porsche didn’t make a huge number of 964’s in comparison to the SC/Carrera era my New York Metro area hunting ground yielded three potential cars in quick succession.
A suspiciously shiny and over detailed Guards Red C2 Coupe, a short test drive of which convinced me that a oil cooled 911 was the place to park some of my savings for a bit.
On closer inspection a rust bubble under the rear window suggested that beauty was only skin deep and no amount of Mother’s or Meguiars was going to seduce me.
Left that one for the next bloke.
The second candidate was a rather sorry looking example in black parked outside a condominium complex on the Jersey side of the Hudson River. The pool of oil underneath was probably visible from the Manhattan side.
January in Jersey is not the best time of year to go car hunting. So cold I’d often look down to check I was actually wearing trousers I was reluctant of get out of the TT to even look closer. But, having called the owner to announce my imminent arrival I braved the elements to confirm that no two panels were actually the same black and there had been a lot of parking by touch.
Retreat to TT’s heated seats, exit stage right for hot chocolate.
Cheers.
Whatty.
PS. Mr Silent, your question will be answered as the timeline continues.
Edited by Whatty on Tuesday 12th August 12:01
Edited by Whatty on Tuesday 12th August 12:03
Last post looked a bit too wordy so I’ll try and inject a few more pictures into the next bit.
Back to the suburban Jersey driveway and the 56k mile white Carrera 2 which I found in the online classifieds on the Porsche Club of America website.
Alongside the Pelican Porsche, Rennlist, Autotrader sites etc the PCA site was now required breakfast reading over my bowl of cornflakes or Weetabix (when I could find them).
Knowing by now that the 964 was fast becoming the soup de jour 911 Stateside, especially in 2WD form, I wasted no time responding to the ad when the owner listed it.
A very slow week passed as the owner was away on business but a quick drive up the Garden State Parkway the following Saturday found me trembling with a mixture of cold and excitement as he backed out of his garage.
While he made a passing reference to being the second owner, the first being Bruce Springsteen’s dentist, I leafed through bill after bill for a variety of big jobs including a new DMF and clutch, Bilstein HD coilovers and myriad bills for remedial oil leak repairs.
While he took a quick spin in my digital age DSG TT I looked over the last century analogue 911 and while I tried really hard to find fault with the body it was all looking rather good bar the chrome D-90’ rims.
The only real fly in the ointment was the interior.
Here’s the picture he sent me.
Cobalt blue with white piping. Well it was different.
And in fairness his camera was in need of some adjustment regarding colour saturation.
And I couldn’t be too picky knowing that a pack of 964 hunting wolves were probably closing in.
Rather than show my hand too soon I asked him to bring it to my local ‘shop’ for a Pre Purchase Inspection stating that I was prepared to meet his asking price.
]
Back to the suburban Jersey driveway and the 56k mile white Carrera 2 which I found in the online classifieds on the Porsche Club of America website.
Alongside the Pelican Porsche, Rennlist, Autotrader sites etc the PCA site was now required breakfast reading over my bowl of cornflakes or Weetabix (when I could find them).
Knowing by now that the 964 was fast becoming the soup de jour 911 Stateside, especially in 2WD form, I wasted no time responding to the ad when the owner listed it.
A very slow week passed as the owner was away on business but a quick drive up the Garden State Parkway the following Saturday found me trembling with a mixture of cold and excitement as he backed out of his garage.
While he made a passing reference to being the second owner, the first being Bruce Springsteen’s dentist, I leafed through bill after bill for a variety of big jobs including a new DMF and clutch, Bilstein HD coilovers and myriad bills for remedial oil leak repairs.
While he took a quick spin in my digital age DSG TT I looked over the last century analogue 911 and while I tried really hard to find fault with the body it was all looking rather good bar the chrome D-90’ rims.
The only real fly in the ointment was the interior.
Here’s the picture he sent me.
Cobalt blue with white piping. Well it was different.
And in fairness his camera was in need of some adjustment regarding colour saturation.
And I couldn’t be too picky knowing that a pack of 964 hunting wolves were probably closing in.
Rather than show my hand too soon I asked him to bring it to my local ‘shop’ for a Pre Purchase Inspection stating that I was prepared to meet his asking price.
]
Edited by Whatty on Wednesday 4th February 06:09
Euromotors Garwood NJ,
Every town in NJ seems to have at least one independent car shop specializing in German, Swedish and British fare.
I was a faithful customer of Euromotors from 2005, with the owner Vic, originally looking after our 2002 Mercedes ML320.
He routinely serviced it while patiently listening to me bh about its crap build quality and leaking power steering pump (MB USA eventually repaired it in the name of goodwill at eight years old, even refunding the money I’d spent with the indie.)
August 2014.
There's always a variety of cars awaiting attention.
Dropping by last week I snapped a few pics of stuff that might interest the PH massive.
MB 190E – very flat paint but otherwise sound.
82K miles.
Very straight looking body suggests the mileage is genuine.
This AH 3000 has been sat here since 2005, possibly longer.
Bar lots of rust in the foot boxes it’s pretty complete.
Thinking of a Sebring Replica I did make a casual enquiry a few years back about it being for sale. Still time to get into my shipping container.
Saved the best till last.
AMG MB SLS or is that MB AMG SLS
A former AMG Experience track day car it was awaiting shipment at Port Newark to a new owner in South America in 2012.
Sadly Hurricane Sandy got to it first, flooding it up to where Whatty Jr’s head is.
Despite the flood water it still smells great.
Commissioned to get it running by the shipping company the shop started stripping it but work ceased when there was some confusion as to who was actually paying for its refurbishment. Running or not the owner doesn’t want it.
Unlocked and unloved its now sat for nearly two years, its future uncertain.
Every town in NJ seems to have at least one independent car shop specializing in German, Swedish and British fare.
I was a faithful customer of Euromotors from 2005, with the owner Vic, originally looking after our 2002 Mercedes ML320.
He routinely serviced it while patiently listening to me b
h about its crap build quality and leaking power steering pump (MB USA eventually repaired it in the name of goodwill at eight years old, even refunding the money I’d spent with the indie.) August 2014.
There's always a variety of cars awaiting attention.
Dropping by last week I snapped a few pics of stuff that might interest the PH massive.
MB 190E – very flat paint but otherwise sound.
82K miles.
Very straight looking body suggests the mileage is genuine.
This AH 3000 has been sat here since 2005, possibly longer.
Bar lots of rust in the foot boxes it’s pretty complete.
Thinking of a Sebring Replica I did make a casual enquiry a few years back about it being for sale. Still time to get into my shipping container.
Saved the best till last.
AMG MB SLS or is that MB AMG SLS
A former AMG Experience track day car it was awaiting shipment at Port Newark to a new owner in South America in 2012.
Sadly Hurricane Sandy got to it first, flooding it up to where Whatty Jr’s head is.
Despite the flood water it still smells great.
Commissioned to get it running by the shipping company the shop started stripping it but work ceased when there was some confusion as to who was actually paying for its refurbishment. Running or not the owner doesn’t want it.
Unlocked and unloved its now sat for nearly two years, its future uncertain.
Edited by Whatty on Wednesday 4th February 06:22
Back to 2010 and the day of the Pre Purchase Inspection duly arrives.
Busy at work I’d asked the shop to only call me if the car didn’t come up to scratch and that I’d drive over to meet the owner and continue negotiations at an agreed time if they felt it worth buying.
Half expecting my phone to ring at any moment I duly arrive to find the car up on the lift and the owner sat patiently in the shop’s reception area working on his lap top.
Bar a noisy alternator bearing the car got a clean bill of health, I got my cheque book out and one week later my garage looked like this.
Note the snow. Jersey gets a lot. The roads get a LOT of salt in return.
This winter was particularly bad.
NJ town ordinances dictate ‘Thou shalt keep thy own sidewalk clear of snow and ice for the benefit of those stupid enough to leave the warmth of their own home’
Snow shoveling is the biggest cause of heart attacks in American men.
Essential kit. Ms. Whatty test driving the neighbour’s new AWD self propelled snow blower.
Fortunately I'm not American but it was her turn.
So while waiting for the snow and ice to melt I sat indoors trying to make flat six engine noises while pushing my best Christmas present ever around the dining room table.
Actually I didn’t. Porsche 901 1:18 scale by CMC. Far too nice for playing with. Incredible detail. Everywhere. Crap pic fails to do justice to the interior.
Cheers, Whatty
Busy at work I’d asked the shop to only call me if the car didn’t come up to scratch and that I’d drive over to meet the owner and continue negotiations at an agreed time if they felt it worth buying.
Half expecting my phone to ring at any moment I duly arrive to find the car up on the lift and the owner sat patiently in the shop’s reception area working on his lap top.
Bar a noisy alternator bearing the car got a clean bill of health, I got my cheque book out and one week later my garage looked like this.
Note the snow. Jersey gets a lot. The roads get a LOT of salt in return.
This winter was particularly bad.
NJ town ordinances dictate ‘Thou shalt keep thy own sidewalk clear of snow and ice for the benefit of those stupid enough to leave the warmth of their own home’
Snow shoveling is the biggest cause of heart attacks in American men.
Essential kit. Ms. Whatty test driving the neighbour’s new AWD self propelled snow blower.
Fortunately I'm not American but it was her turn.
So while waiting for the snow and ice to melt I sat indoors trying to make flat six engine noises while pushing my best Christmas present ever around the dining room table.
Actually I didn’t. Porsche 901 1:18 scale by CMC. Far too nice for playing with. Incredible detail. Everywhere. Crap pic fails to do justice to the interior.
Cheers, Whatty
Edited by Whatty on Wednesday 4th February 06:25
astirling said:
Enjoying this thread. 964 looks lovely!
Thanks, the 964 was indeed lovely.In fact it was a bit too lovely really. And this is where the Curse of the Garage Queen enters the story.
For a 19 year old car it was pretty well perfect. From the complete tool kit to the unblemished carpets (even the over-mats had over-mats) the car was without cosmetic fault. Not a door ding, dent or scratch and in New Jersey that’s more a negative than a positive.
NJ - the Garden State. It’s an automotive jungle down there.
With a population of 13 million people, we’re all fighting for the same bit of road and the same parking space, preferably within 10 paces of our office or ‘retail experience’.
Factor in a high number of uninsured immigrant drivers who,s last car was perhaps a bullock cart and you begin to see how unblemished bodywork is a rare thing. Anyone who has driven in the States knows that often the act of driving is secondary to another activity. Drinking coffee, reading a book, breastfeeding etc.
Quote : ‘ The sun was in my eyes but I thought the light was green’
The van driver who hit Ms. Whatty’s ML320 saw his Ford written off.
In fairness to the badly-built-in-Alabama Benz its sheer bulk probably saved her from serious injury.
But I was determined that while the previous two owners had only racked up a miserly average of 2800 miles a year the 964 was going to see a bit more action in my custody.
First job, off with the disco chrome D-90’s & rock hard Dunlop's, on with some easily sourced 16” Cup 1’s & Yokohamas while the hunt began for some Cup 1’s in 17”.
While the previous owner had (unknowingly, another story) had his shop fit Bilstein HD’s to the car just before selling it I thought it only right to swap the original springs for H&R Green’s.
Actually I didn’t think I just followed the sage advice of the Rennlist 964 gang.
Subject to U.S Federal regulation ride height North American 964’s sat a bit higher than their Euro counterparts.
So, going down.
Spot the not-deliberate mistake?
Cheers, Whatty
Edited by Whatty on Friday 6th February 16:14
J8 SVG said:
Wheels on back to front?
Yep I did indeed have my staggered wheels arse about face. In my defence I had just had a near death (well sort of) experience.
Returning to an earlier picture.
Note the angle of the silver dustbin back left.
Built in the 1920’s my garage was cunningly designed with the floor sloping down on all four sides to meet at a small central drain point.
Whether this thoughtful detail was provided by the architect to just make oil changes easier or more likely for wet Model T Fords to drip into remains to be seen.
Expert jackista's can probably see where this is going.
Always short of time at weekends and in a hurry I nipped into the garage to swap disco D-90s for Cup 1s.
Much like my earlier jack fun with the Bimmer 2002….
Jack went, car went up, jack then rolls down sloping floor taking now wobbly Das Auto with it.
Funny in hindsight, scary as f
k in reality. Future safe jacking guaranteed by removing back wheels from jack.
Let’s be careful out there.
Cheers Whatty
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