My Photography Project, know any original owners? Options

[brer]

Hey guys, I'm taking on a photography project and am looking for original owners of totally original cars.

When I bought the Frog the gentleman had owned it since new, and had tons of stories. We've all met people like this and bought their cars.

If possible, I'd like to meet and talk to them.... and possibly prepare an article for publication on them, their car and their life with it.

I really want to hear these stories, and I have no doubt that I'm not the only one who would.


I'm not really expecting a huge response, but I wanted to put the word out there.

If you find a gem, or know of some guy sitting on something, BEFORE you wash it and bring it home let me know and maybe we can capture a piece of the cars history on tape and in photographs.

Or maybe you know someone, or even someone here is the original owner of a perfect 914 or 911? Lets hear about it!



What kind of car......... I want to be clear that not just any old car will work for this project. They must be 100% original. No restorations. They must be the original owner, not purchased in 1985. I'm talking drove it off the dealership floor.
The car can be weathered and showing its age, maybe even looking past its prime. But if you are like me you can look at an old worn car and see the beauty of its originality shining from under all that dirt and rust then you know what i'm talking about. Above all the owner must love their vehicle enough to never want to sell or be rid of it. Maybe they drove it around the world!

I'm ready to travel within California and Arizona, beyond that I'll have to wait for a magazine to show enough interest to help out. I will also offer my word that owners privacy will be respected and any and all "secrets" will not be divulged, particularly when relating to the whereabouts of rare or desireable vehicles.


Comments and suggestions are welcome, just please dont jump on my project. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)



Thanks in Advance.

[EdwardBlume]

I don't think my 914 story is what you are looking for... but here goes:

My Dad bought my 74 914 2.0 in 1976 from Lompoc CA near Vandenburg AFB. I was 6 years old. It was originally delivered to Oklahoma City, OK and likely came to CA via an Air Force person. My Dad was a WWII vet from being a navigator on a B-24.

My folks were split up, so as a kid, every Saturday I'd wait out by the curb and wait for my Dad to come. Sometimes it was the Jeep (49 CJ3?), sometimes it was the RV, sometimes it was his Ford Ranchero, but when it was the 914 - the joy, the pride, the special feeling of a cool car, and being with my Dad.... it was good times when I needed good times. The car was also built for just two. My Dad was my best friend when I was growing up.

We drove it all over the central coast, Santa Barbara, even a trip to Sacramento once. The original Blankput 8-track went out, so there's a Pioneer 8-track in it now. I fell in love with the sound of the horn, the sound the doors make when they close, the way the engine sounds, and everything about it. I've been reading the same Haynes manual for 22 years!

The car started having FI problems in the mid 80's and sat. In HS my Dad let me take it hoping I could fix it, but I couldn't. I pushed it all over town. The love for it is very deep. While it was running, girls would ask for a ride, but the car wouldn't start unless they got up off the seat! I got stranded all over Santa Maria. Eventually, the issues were too much for me to handle so.....

I started bringing dates back to my Mom's garage where we could make out in the non-op 914. I liked it. I know every dent, every scratch, every nick of the windshield, and every detail of the car since 1976.

I finally gave up and returned my 914 to my Dad. It sat barely covered for 10 years on our family farm.

When my Dad died in 1997, my sister called me and said that all the cars (my Dad never traded in a car) were going to the wrecker. I said NO to the 914- that's mine. She was right when she said it would take more money to fix than it was worth. True to everyone on this earth except me.

With my then fiance, now wife and her folks, we loaded up the 914 on a Uhaul and brought it to San Jose. It has become a symbol of my Dad and the best part of my childhood.

When I first got it home, it had major rust, DOA rust under the battery. This was repaired through major surgery (and money). I realized I needed to learn more about 914s to keep it going, so my wife and I bought an AX car to build and learn. We have. We've also parted out a few cars over the years. The problem was that the AX car took all my time, money and energy. I also bought a 993 too! I kept putting it off because I didn't want to mess up my Dad's car. I knew I needed to learn more, but I also know that I need to restore this car as much as I can myself.

I sold the AX car about 3 years ago to go to grad school. As I get closer to finishing, I have begun taking the car apart. I have 100% confidence now to do it right.. and about 50% of the money (but we'll will find a way).

As I take this 100% stock car (except for the Pioneer 8-track) down to the frame, I'm thinking about what I'm going to build it up to be. I'm thinking a slightly modified 2.0 with FI, more chrome here an there, a couple B-24s hidden around, and perhaps a longer version of this story.

Now I tell my 3.5 year old daughter stories where a 914 always comes in to save the day.

Strangely enough, 914s have always been a good omen for us. On our way to look at our first house, we saw 5 914s on the way there including one across the street.

We found out a year later that we bought the house Jeff Bowlsby (914 LE / harness / etc) lived in when he was a kid and it was new.

My love for 914s runs deep, but not deeper than family, etc. However, my 914 will be art when its done, and yes it will be driven too.

Here's the details -
1974 2.0 Olympic Blue - 2.0 Fuchs - appearance package except black bumpers.

Your post makes me want to start trying to find old pictures. They are in the family somewhere.

Take Care !
Rob