A 914 Story |
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A 914 Story |
Z356 |
Sep 9 2016, 12:43 AM
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#1
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Newbie Group: Members Posts: 12 Joined: 3-July 16 From: Scottsdale, AZ USA Member No.: 20,165 Region Association: Southwest Region |
A 914 Story - Part 1
The 914 I purchased last month finally arrived here in Scottsdale. I had Intercity Lines pick it up at the seller's home in North Carolina last Saturday & it was delivered today (Thursday). (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/cimg5.ibsrv.net-20165-1473403403.1.png) It's a 1973 914 2.0. Vin # 4732905540. They say if you can't get a '70/'71 914-6, this year (1973) & model (2.0) has to rank as the next best model to have. And some think it's as good as a 914-6 due to the engine's lighter weight & similar performance! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/cimg9.ibsrv.net-20165-1473403403.2.png) But this car has one more characteristic that makes it very special to me & the reason I bought it. Its exterior color is the very desirable, and somewhat rare, 'Ravenna Green' - color code L65K! And most of you that know me from Rennlist have learned that I am into rare Porsche colors! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif) *** Since I am retired & have all the time in the world, and this 914 forum is in need of more content, I am going to take my time & tell you via a circuitous route, how this day came about & why I decided to buy this particular Porsche. So bear with me, please! **** My first Porsche was a 1968 912 Soft-Rear Targa that I bought back in the summer of 1973 when the car was about 5 years old. I didn't know it at the time but that Porsche would hook me into a world that I have yet to leave! But I didn't know that then. I was 22 years old, right out of Penn & into my first adult job after graduation with GE. Until six months before I purchased my first Porsche, I didn't even have a driver's license...although I had taken Driver's Ed as a Senior in high school. I was a true 'City Slicker' & far removed from the car culture that later has played such a big role later in my life. I quickly crashed that 912, then went to Paris & did other things related to my career. When I came back to the US I got into international banking in NYC & didn't need a car in that city. It was only after I was posted in Miami by Bankers Trust in 1978 that I needed to think again about a car ...and bought a used 1970 911T coupe. The exterior was a little ratty & I naively painted it 'Imron Red' because I thought that was a cool thing to do! After all, planes were painted in Imron, what could be better? I also tossed the original Porsche seats & bought a set of colorful Recaros! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/cimg3.ibsrv.net-20165-1473403403.3.png) What was I thinking? In any case, I decided to move to California in 1984 after my banking career back East. I sold the '70 911T & became interested in a 1973 914 2.0 in 'Sunflower Yellow' that I found in the classified ads of Panorama. It resided in Westchester County & I remembered it as being quite expensive at around $8K. The 914 seller needed the cash to buy a low mileage Concours' 1974 911 Carrera that I also knew well (it was a local NNJ PCA car!), but considered to too expensive at the time! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) The 914 2.0 was in pristine mostly original condition (it was also only 11 years old at the time), so I bought it & then immediately took it cross-country drive to the West Coast. Part of what captivated me about the 914 was a desire to get back to an open roof car! And the Porsche ads of the day highlighted that 'sunny' style, seen here in a similar 'Sunflower Yellow' model in their advertisement: (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/cimg3.ibsrv.net-20165-1473403403.4.png) All I remember about the cross-country trip in the 914 was how hard the upgraded 'sport' suspension felt. Immediately upon arriving in Los Angeles I found a local independent Porsche shop to remove those hard springs & replaced them with the stock 914 2.0 factory set up. The mechanic that did that work for me was named Dave Bouzaglou. And the shop he had was TRE Motorsports, which is still in business although at a new location in the 'City of Angels'. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/cimg5.ibsrv.net-20165-1473403404.5.png) http://www.tremotorsports.com Today Dave is a fellow R Gruppe member who I frequently see at our R Treffens. But he is also my oldest Porsche friend in the West Coast dating back to that time! Perhaps he is now best known for putting together the great 'Targa California' driving event each year: (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/cimg2.ibsrv.net-20165-1473403405.6.png) http://www.targacalifornia.com And most of the time he is driving it in his heavily modified 914! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/cimg4.ibsrv.net-20165-1473403407.7.png) *** Soon after my arrival in Los Angeles, Dave told me about a Porsche group that I had never heard before back East. It was called the 'Porsche Owners Club' & it had a history almost as long & distinguished as the PCA! It was founded, similar to the Porsche Club of America, in 1955. But it basically stayed local to the West Coast! This was their original badge which is today a collectors' item: (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/cimg6.ibsrv.net-20165-1473403407.8.png) In 1985 I spent quite a bit of time at POC events at Willow Springs & Riverside International. Dave & some other POC drivers had an RV which became the 'social center' of our racing weekend. I had great times with these guys at these remote desert tracks all over Southern California! And at one particular POC event at Riverside, I got a bit over-confident & early apexed Turn 2 with my newly acquired 1973 914 2.0. That was 'not a good move', if any of you remember all the turns at that historic raceway which is no longer in existence: (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/cimg8.ibsrv.net-20165-1473403408.9.png) At first, I thought I brought it under control by getting back on the track. But I couldn't hold it. And I went to the opposite side, finally hitting the wall. It was a total loss! So less than a year into ownership of this 914, I destroyed it. I then purchased a slightly used 1984 911SC in 'Guards Red' which kept me comfortably in 'wheels' while I continued living for a time at Marina del Rey on Tahiti Way before I moved up to NorCal. Shortly after that I got into 944s...then into 356s. You can follow the progression of cars that I have owned in my 'signature' below. I honestly didn't start wanting to get back into a 914 until more recent times. But this brief ownership in the 1980's, plus what I learned from other talented 914 drivers I met along the way, made a great impact on my thinking about Porsche cars...and continues to influence me to this day! I'll come back to this theme in a future post. *** Sadly this was the second Porsche I had totaled in 12 years, not the most auspicious start to my long history of ownership in the marque. I had lost the '68 912 just a month after I purchased it - a stupid rookie mistake on a country road just outside Virginia Beach, VA. And now another accident, this time on a track. But I wasn't discouraged. I had enjoyed my brief ownership of the 914. The thing I remembered the most was its great handling...and it's ample & roomy cabin. Like the modern Porsche 718, it had two luggage compartments. And it also made me a lifetime believer in the mid-engine concept that Porsche later perfected with the Boxster/Cayman platform, especially its Spyder versions in the 987 & 981 era & the gt4. I will return to the topic of handling & what an impression the 914 made on me (and many other Porsche enthusiasts) at the time! Hard to believe now, but back in the late 1970's & early 1980's, the 914 nearly dominated autocross & driving events in PCA/POC all across the United States! The 'little' 914 left a potent memory on all of us that lived through that period in Porsche history! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/cimg9.ibsrv.net-20165-1473403408.10.png) There is more to come. I will continue this personal '914 Story' in a future post! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif) Saludos, Eduardo Scottsdale, AZ Current: '15 gt3 PTS 'Signal Green' '73 914 2.0 'Ravenna Green' '70 Porsche 911E Targa 'Crystal Blue' '16 Audi RS7 'Nardo Gray' Past: '68 912 Targa '70 911 T '83 944 '73 914 2.0 '84 911 SC '86 944T '60 B Cab '54 Pre-A Cab '60 B Roadster '64 C Cab '59 Conv D '64 Carrera 2 Coupe PTS 'KoenigsBlau' '65 C Cab 'Signal Red' '90 C4 Coupe '97 Boxster (2) '73 911T 'Signal Yellow' '07 997 C2S PTS 'Signal Green' '12 987 Spyder - 'Aqua Blue' / Red |
phillstek |
Sep 9 2016, 01:13 AM
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#2
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Member Group: Members Posts: 350 Joined: 19-May 10 From: Byron Bay, Australia Member No.: 11,741 Region Association: None |
Great story, beautiful car in my favourite color (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)
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Mhead |
Sep 9 2016, 03:52 AM
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#3
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Newbie Group: Members Posts: 42 Joined: 3-December 06 From: Ma Member No.: 7,302 |
GREAT story ... Can't wait for the next "chapter".
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Porschef |
Sep 9 2016, 04:42 AM
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#4
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How you doin' Group: Members Posts: 2,165 Joined: 7-September 10 From: LawnGuyland Member No.: 12,152 Region Association: North East States |
Welcome, nice story that should continue well here. Thanks for sharing.
Oh, and that Ravenna Green is absolutely beautiful. In fact, it's the second best color for a 914... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) |
JawjaPorsche |
Sep 9 2016, 05:20 AM
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#5
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 3,463 Joined: 23-July 11 From: Clayton, Georgia Member No.: 13,351 Region Association: South East States |
Great read this morning with my coffee!
Your 'new' teener looks great! Nice Score! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) |
sjhenry1075 |
Sep 9 2016, 06:59 AM
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#6
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Member Group: Members Posts: 266 Joined: 22-July 12 From: Stevensville, MD Member No.: 14,709 Region Association: North East States |
What a wonderful story. I spent three years on the west coast, two in San Diego and one in Santa Barbara. You have a beautiful car! Welcome to the group!
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Shadowfax |
Sep 9 2016, 07:25 AM
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#7
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Show us the meaning of haste Group: Members Posts: 509 Joined: 19-January 15 Member No.: 18,340 Region Association: South East States |
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914-300Hemi |
Sep 9 2016, 07:56 AM
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#8
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,356 Joined: 7-September 06 From: San Dimas, CA Member No.: 6,794 Region Association: Southern California |
Great looking car and interesting story.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) |
patrick3000 |
Sep 9 2016, 08:03 AM
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#9
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Member Group: Members Posts: 192 Joined: 19-July 06 From: Maryland Member No.: 6,468 |
Welcome Eduardo and thanks for sharing. Looking forward to the next chapter.
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Dave_Darling |
Sep 9 2016, 09:51 AM
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#10
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914 Idiot Group: Members Posts: 14,990 Joined: 9-January 03 From: Silicon Valley / Kailua-Kona Member No.: 121 Region Association: Northern California |
Interesting. I have personal connections to more than one thing referenced in your tale. For instance, my grandma lives just around the corner from Tahiti Way in MDR. And I have helped Ron (?) out on the #22 four-banger at least once... (OK, it was mostly just loaning him a couple of tools at an autoX, but still!)
--DD |
iwanta914-6 |
Sep 9 2016, 09:56 AM
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#11
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 718 Joined: 26-June 09 From: Minnesota Member No.: 10,510 Region Association: None |
Beautiful Ravenna 2.0! Very jealous!
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napasteve |
Sep 9 2016, 09:58 AM
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#12
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914 driving winemaker Group: Members Posts: 504 Joined: 2-January 13 From: Napa, CA Member No.: 15,327 Region Association: Northern California |
Great story, great car, great color. Thanks for sharing.
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Tom_T |
Sep 9 2016, 10:38 AM
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#13
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TMI.... Group: Members Posts: 8,318 Joined: 19-March 09 From: Orange, CA Member No.: 10,181 Region Association: Southern California |
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)
Great story from a fellow TMI addict! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) .... not retired yet myself, but I can see the crest of the hill! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) Looking forward to parts 2> as well. I'll be in S-dale for a conference 9/26-28 at the Fairmont Princess, but my time looks pretty tight there, otherwise I'd love to (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drooley.gif) over your new 2L! Cheers! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) Tom /////// |
Mueller |
Sep 9 2016, 11:08 AM
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#14
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914 Freak! Group: Members Posts: 17,146 Joined: 4-January 03 From: Antioch, CA Member No.: 87 Region Association: None |
Great write-up, thanks for sharing, too bad about the wrecked cars!
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JOEPROPER |
Sep 9 2016, 11:13 AM
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#15
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The answer is "no" unless you ask... Group: Members Posts: 1,184 Joined: 21-November 15 From: White Plains New York Member No.: 19,387 Region Association: North East States |
That's a nice story! My journey into the Porsche experience is in it's infancy compared to yours, but looking forward to getting to your level. Would love to see some more pictures of that beauty! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smoke.gif)
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second wind |
Sep 9 2016, 11:32 AM
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#16
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 857 Joined: 30-December 10 From: Los Angeles, California Member No.: 12,543 Region Association: Southern California |
Great story.....I new the 912 crash was coming as my first car was a 914/6 forest green which I rolled 11 days after I bought it (1975). Fixed it and crashed again and again. Finally ended up silver with IMRON paint since 18 wheelers use IMRON paint. Drove to and from Denver at least 10 times which was fun. Now in a Marathon Blue 2.0 punched out to 2056. Nice daily hobby and get to retire in a year or so. Your new car is beautiful.
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Z356 |
Sep 9 2016, 01:15 PM
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#17
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Newbie Group: Members Posts: 12 Joined: 3-July 16 From: Scottsdale, AZ USA Member No.: 20,165 Region Association: Southwest Region |
Thanks for the welcoming reception on this forum!
**** A 914 Story - Part 2 If you are reading this post on a 914 forum, the chances are you are already very knowledgeable about the important part that the 914 played in Porsche history. So I will wait to wax poetically about that in later posts. But first, let me continue with my personal history with the 914. I first became aware of the model while in my senior year (1972) at Penn in the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia. One of my wealthy friends there, Richard Carrión of Puerto Rico, bought a new 914. Don't remember much about it... but it was the first time I knew anyone that actually owned a 914! The next year, while working for GE in Norfolk, VA (at their Television manufacturing plant...back when GE still made these!), I got to see many brand new 914s for sale at the small showroom of the Virginia Beach Porsche dealer, Checkered Flag. There I distinctly remember seeing one day a bright green 914 that I thought look positively stunning. The color of that car was 'Zambezi Green', known in German as 'Sambesigrün'. And it made a very favorable impression that lasted over the years...and to the present! *** In 1984, when I decided to buy my first used 914, I wasn't looking for any particular color car..just the condition of the actual 914. But over the years I have become more picky about the colors I want to see in my cars, especially my Porsches. And just over one year ago I received an email from a fellow R Gruppe member that is also a car dealer in Southern California. His name is Paul Kramer & he runs 'Auto Kennel' in Costa Mesa, CA. http://autokennel.com The subject of the email was a 1974 914 he had for sale. And it struck a cord with me...since it was in that same striking 'Zambesi Green' I remembered that new 914 back in my 'youth'. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/cimg6.ibsrv.net-20165-1473448553.1.png) So I called him as soon as I read his message. Unfortunately I was not the first caller interested in the 914! At the top of the list was Patrick Long, who wanted to own a nice example of that Porsche model. In fourth place was my buddy Bob Smith, a fellow R Gruppe from Scottsdale, who is also a 'green' car fanatic & sold me his 2007 997 Carrera S in 'Signal Green' (he was the original owner) back in 2011. Sadly, I was down the list in 12th place & out of the 'running'! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/cimg2.ibsrv.net-20165-1473448553.2.png) * In the end, P. Long decided to pass on it. But by that time Paul's wife had fallen in love with the cute two-seater! And they changed the wheels, did some mechanical restoration needed & never sold it. Paul still kids me on occasion, calling it 'Eduardo's car'. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/cimg9.ibsrv.net-20165-1473448553.3.png) And I have a standing offer to buy it from them when the Kramers are finally ready to sell! But Paul admits it will be hard to get it out of the grasp of his wife's hands! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/cimg1.ibsrv.net-20165-1473448554.4.png) *** Once we sold our home in Carmel this year & found a new place in Scottsdale, my horizons opened up for adding cars to my 'collection'. In the past, I have always been restrained by lack of storage space at any of my previous homes in California (where my wife & lived for over 31 years!). My last garage at our home in Carmel, which we owned for 16 years, was a small tandem which accommodated only two cars! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/cimg2.ibsrv.net-20165-1473448554.5.png) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/cimg1.ibsrv.net-20165-1473448555.6.png) Previously, when we had owned second homes in Nevada & Colorado, we had been able to store more cars...and in pretty nice style too! Nevada: 1965 C Cabriolet - 35K original miles / All original paint & interior. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/cimg9.ibsrv.net-20165-1473448555.7.png) * 2001 BMW Z8 (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/cimg6.ibsrv.net-20165-1473448555.8.png) * Colorado: 1970 911E Targa / 55K original miles / All original paint & interior. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/cimg4.ibsrv.net-20165-1473448555.9.png) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/cimg5.ibsrv.net-20165-1473448557.10.png) *** But we eventually decided a few years ago to sell our second homes & concentrate on just one home at a time. Fortunately, the home we recently bought in North Scottsdale has a three car garage. And we are buying a separate 'car condominium' in something called 'The Toy Barn', just 15 minutes away in nearby Cave Creek: http://www.toybarnstorage.com We are waiting to take delivery of the car condominium in October to start decorating it, plus my three car garage in Scottsdale, with the auto memorabilia I have collected in over 42 years in the hobby! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif) So with the possibility of storage for more cars, I started a serious search for a 914 earlier this summer. That will be part 3 of 'A 914 Story'! Saludos, Eduardo Scottsdale |
Tom_T |
Sep 9 2016, 02:01 PM
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#18
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TMI.... Group: Members Posts: 8,318 Joined: 19-March 09 From: Orange, CA Member No.: 10,181 Region Association: Southern California |
Well Eduardo, I have to plead guilty to encouraging Paul to keep that Zambezi! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)
I just couldn't see them selling it before enjoying some more time with it! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving-girl.gif) They brought it to our PCA OCR Feb. 2016 breakfast meeting where 914s were the featured car for the "Cone Zone" where we had a big 914 turn-out. GPX just did a 914 cone zone at their monthly breakfast on 9/3, where they had 23-1/2 914s turn out too. We probably know several other PCA members from Zone 8 in common, but I wasn't in PCA until `09 - having spent my earlier 914 days & youthful adulthood spending all my spare time playing Rugby. BTW - I also originate from the opposite end of PA - in the city of steel & potholes .... & the Steelers, but Dad moved us all to San Diego for his new job at Whittaker there (was at Koppers in PGH), & he was a Pitt alum. Whereas, I went to USC out here about 2 years behind you at Penn (I almost did B-school at Wharton in mid-80's, went to UCLA instead), & my first 914 exposure was at the SD & LA P-dealers to (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drooley.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) - & then a fellow student & `72 grad got a beautiful Marathon Blue 73 914-2.0 as his early graduation present in Fall 72 (special ordered by hi folks in Aug. & delivered in Nov 72. So being a blue car guy & having my original 73 2L since 12/75 to restore, I'm not a green car competitor for you! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Okay, ready for part 3 .... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif) Cheers! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) Tom /////// |
Coondog |
Sep 9 2016, 03:16 PM
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#19
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 2,089 Joined: 24-September 15 From: Apple Valley Calif Member No.: 19,195 Region Association: Southern California |
You moved from Carmel to Scottsdale................. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)
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sb914 |
Sep 9 2016, 03:39 PM
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#20
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Surf Guru Group: Members Posts: 4,311 Joined: 25-November 12 From: Brookings,Oregon Member No.: 15,191 Region Association: Southern California |
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) ----man I'm jealous (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) nice collection!! Can't wait for part three! |
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