Thought I would share all the old photos I have of this car and some old memories before I even start to forget.
This was taken shortly after my dad had bought it from the wrecking yard in either late '68 or early'69. Its up on some sort of wooden frame so he could fit his VW transmission and engine in to get it up and running.
Still in the same spot; on the patio of the house he was renting at the time. That's my grandfather messing about in the engine compartment. My mother is sitting in the drivers seat. you can see even then that rusty primered corner of the door that my father and I would repair together some 17 years later. Check out that knarly 40HP VW engine just waiting to go in! Doesn't quite live up to the carrera emblems on the fenders.
It Runs!! My father worked at Western Talc during this time and he drove this car regularly to work. Its pictured here at the plant parking lot next to some sort of large storage container.
A road trip to San Diego. Thats my mother; I think just 24 there and just dating my dad at the time. Checkout all the Brand new 911's on the lot for 1969!
My father's memory is fading so he can't explain this picture. It actually had a 356 engine in it at some point. It must have been a loaner because there were no signs of it anywhere growing up. Look at the Vice-grip on the reverse light. I just had victor Miles restore it so its days as a tool caddy are over!!!
OOOPS! This happened while it was parked. My father would car pool some days to work. It was sitting on the street in front of his co-workers house which also happened to be at the base of a hill. A single mother with six kids parked her station wagon up this hill and forgot to set the parking brake. It soon rolled down the hill and nailed the right fender cue-balling this poor out matched car into the middle of the street. When My father arrived the the lady was very sorry and apoligetic. He soon learned she was uninsured and was just getting by in life. So he felt bad for her and didn't persue the matter. I've been told it was actually more smashed in before this shot was taken. Fortunately this did not get into the chassis. I've looked it over several times for any deformation. He pulled this fender out by secruring the car to a tree ; put two eye bolts in the fender with big washers(holes next to the headlight opening) hooked a chain to them and yanked it out several times with an old ford tractor we still have. "shadetree time"
For not being a bodyman at the time he got it pretty close! That's my little old grandfather again; been gone since '77.
Headlight bucket back in and ready for another fight!! Love those homemade nerf bars.
AHH!! The summer of '79. the summer of love; for me! I was 8 and this is when I fell in love with this car. My dad bought another 40HP VW motor to get her up and running again. I remember going with my dad to buy the engine. I remember this car with its tail end way up in the air in the middle of my dads workshop. I spent all my free time watching and poking around the car. I can remember even then thinking it was very similar to our 911 daily driver but much smaller and more primitive even though I didn't have a word to describe it then. My dad was an extremely slow worker (probably whare I get it from)and being a little kid with no patients made the anticipation of going for a ride very painful! I'm sure I drove him nuts asking when was it going to be done every five minutes. It finally did happen though! I don't remember it being powerful or super fast just really small and loud. (stinger pipe with no muffler) I thought it was the coolest car ever! I can still remember several trips in it. Shortly after my dad stripped it to bare metal; the crank broke so he just parked it in the yard and the body rusted over. Wish I would have taken a picture before I started cleaning it in '87.
Here is a shot of me, my old pal benjy and the car just off to the right. My memory of this time was very exciting and magical in a way. The old AM radio was on the entire time in my dads shop. To this day if I hear "the sultains of swing" by Dire straights," Reunited" by peaches&herb or "heart of Glass" by Blonde to name a few; I am transported right back there! The smell of old bad gasoline will take me there too!
Thanks for taking this trip into the past with me!
Back to Welding!!!!!
Justin
