Looks like I'll be in CA from 2-12 thru 2-25, staying in Westlake Village for some training. My dad may be joining me for the weekend, as he has an old navy buddy in Lompoc he wants to visit, but Dad is 83 or so, and doesn't travel well, and would want me around.

On the off chance that he decides NOT to make the trip, anyone up to being my tour guide for some or all of saturday or sunday? If there is any autocross action, it'd be fun to see some 914's in the cones. If not, I'd be willing to provide lunch if we can find: 1) a running 914 to travel in, 2) a nice ride up along the coast or along some twisties, <hopefully both...> and 3) a place that sells a good burrito.

Any takers? Any suggestions for some car fun in this area for that weekend if I end up picking up a mental rental? Any good guitar shops in that area?

You "need" to check in with Kundensport (Aaron is a 914 guy). They have two factory GT's in the shop right now. One is quite remarkable in history etc.

They are just up the road from Westlake in Camarillo.

Your just down the coast from Santa Barbara, and if you go any direction on the coast that is the way to go, if you make it to Lompoc, you wil pass Santa Barbara and Ventura both of which are worth doing.. You do not want to go South unless you have a specific destination just LA/OC and alot of freeway traffic.

Any burrito in Ca is better than the upper mid-west. I worked in Montana 6 months, nasty mexican food reditions, awesome flavorfull beef though, I lived on Steaks and Buffalo!

that is what I was just thinking Eric...very cool people and nice shop.

If you come up a bit farther, to Santa Maria, you can stop by & see Jonathan at GPR, and Cap'n Crusty at West Coast Garage. Lightning Joe's Guitar Heaven is in Arroyo Grande, and if you're a true guitar fan, you can't not go by & drool.

Dave,
Me and the family will be down that direction after the 20th... Doing family stuff mostly... Got a housesitter to handle my elderly dog... She is pretty arthritic these days.

Obviously it's 1/2 way up the state but Yosemite is unlike anywhere else.

I am willing to meet with you if you want to go for a road trip in my 914-6 on a Saturday or Sunday. I'm currently doing the tour guide thing in a 914 LE for someone from Kansas. We're having a blast. Feel free to email me: clarkd22@hotmail.com

I often go to cars and coffee which is a great Porsche and other awesome car experience.

I'm usually available for guests. However, I go to LA every other weekend and may not be around on one of the 2 you're here. I'm in Santa Maria, where we have our own particular BBQ style, and we're right in the middle of the Santa Barbara County wine country. There are 4 or 5 local craft breweries, too. PCA CCCR is having an event on the 13th, a brisk drive followed by a brunch. My Porsche is inop, but I may go anyway, if I'm in town.

The Cap'n

Just got back from California. I'm ready to return now. It's colder than a brass nut cup here and I have the first cold I've had in years! Dave, Do not sit in the hotel. Enjoy every minute of the warm sun. Get a rental car and battle the traffic and see some stuff.

Thinking about stuff to do near where you're gonna be. Car stuff!: The Mullin Museum, Oxnard, and the Murphy Museum right across the street. Go online and check it out. The Petersen Museum in LA. The Nethercutt Museum in Sylmar (warning: dress code, no jeans!). The NHRA Museum in Pomona. The Saturday AM gathering at Autobooks/Aerobooks in Burbank. February 19th (9 to noon) is Alfa Romeo crazies day. Jay Leno is often present at these morning get togethers, and the cars are sure to be interesting.

The Cap'n

Edit! There's also the Justice Brothers Museum in Duarte, just off the 210 where it meets the 605. On your way to Pomona, site of the Wally Parks NHRA museum. Google it!

Cap'n I think I saw that book store close

Their website has scheduled events, and I've not read or heard about it closing.

The Cap'n

My buddy told me the store moved two blocks away...

could be....what's the web link?

The Santa Barbara PCA is cruising down to the Peterson Museum on the 26th, a day too late. I'm in Lompoc. Come help me finish this 914-6 conversion.
Bee Jay

Talked to dad and he's thinking this trip is a bad idea right now for him, so.....

ITS ON!!!!!!

I'll have a look at locations over the weekend and get back to a few of you about connecting for some 914 fun.

Any new ideas of things to do, or offers, keep'em coming!

Sent a note to socalstuttgart about transportation for saturday. we'll have to see how much time he has, and how much fun can be smashed into one day. That guitar shop looked goooooooood. BeeJay- whatcha got going sunday, and can you provide transportation from westlake to your place and back? I could bring some garage cloths...

I just got you message. Shoot! I'm booked up on Saturday. Sunday is an autocross at El Toro airfield I've never been there but I'm going to use my GPS from irvine, CA

I'll be available as a tour guide Monday if you'll still be around. I would love to do it. The LE is gone but I still have my 914-6 and my 930!!

So the 19th and 20th are my days in town with some time on my hands. SocalStuttgart has offered up some time in his 914/930 (weather dependent) for saturday the 19th. Any autocross action in the area for the 20th? I'd love to bum a ride if I could, but would be willing to just hang out and help out with cars/car guys for the day if thats another option for the 20th.

OK, so sunny CA has not been so sunny for me. Its been overcast and raining since I've been here, today included. But there were a couple bright spots.

Dean (socalstuttgart) came by with his -6 conversion. Its a beast, but in a very good way. Still needs a little finishing, but its around 85% amazing, and when its done. it should be a serious contender for COM. We had to cut the day short from our planned route, but may try to connect again next wk one or 2 evenings.

KUNDENSPORT

OH MY GOD. This is why we had to cut our drive short, we spent way, WAY to much time hanging out with Aaron and Hans. Amazingly cool guys, and what a shop and stories to tell. I could hang out with Hans for days and just shoot the breeze. Some of the engine and machine work Aaron does will make you cry. In a good, uber-cool way. We had a great discussion on T-IV and turbos, and general engine theory.

I emailed ahead to be sure someone would be there, and it would be OK to stop by on a saturday. Hans sent me back a reply, asking that we confirm the trip. I called friday noon, leaving a msg that we would be there around 10am. Dean picked me up around 9:30, we got to the shop around 10. Aaron was there, and not aware of our visit, but gladly showed us the shop, what we could take photos of, and what not. There was some pretty cool stuff going on there. Hans showed up shortly, and the 4 of us, (interrupted now and then by real paying customers) shot the bull till 1:30. I kept trying to leave, explaining I didn't want to take up their whole morning, and each time they found another cool something or other in another corner of the shop or storage building to show us and talk about.

Call ahead. Visit these guys. Be respectful of their time. They need to earn a living too.

Bummer Dean and I only got as far as ventura, but I did get to see the pier, hwy 1, some ocean, and have a fish taco on the pier. Not the burrito I was looking for, but if we can get together, maybe for a mulholland run, perhaps we can find the elusive burrito.

Thanks Dean, Aaron, and Hans.

It's sunny today! Just got off the phone with Dave and I will pick him up in a couple hours...

No idea what we might be up to, but its gotta be better than studying, laundry, or looking out the window when you should be studying or doing laundry, seeing the sun (finally) and knowing you don't have a car.

Oh dear lord... poor Dave.

Shut up Eric!!!

We had a nice chat in the lobby of his hotel... Yopu's appointment took too long for us to do any real damage. Too bad Dave didn't get to see the autocross at El Toro... That would have been FUN!

Dave, you should rent a car. Their pretty cheap for a day and some of the places will deliver and pickup.

Good thing you didn't have a whole day with Rob. He's a bad influance.

He's right Dave... Sandy spent the evening with Eric and me at RRC last year and in the morning she was awarded the 'That Guy' Award. Legendary behavior caught on film that will be used for bribe money should she ever run for office or win the lottery.

I got her mind off of school with Oly and Lena jokes then we added a little ETOH and the rest is the stuff of legends

Poor Sandy... We probably killed enough brain cells that she should consider dropping her Masters program and go to secretarial school

Sorry Sandy...

OttoX914, Conedodger, Yopu...

Yea, the evening didn't shake out as I might have liked, but hey, bidness is bidness, and I was not going to trump the mighty yopu for who is most important that day... It was still fun to spend some time with Rob and catch up on a little club gossip, both 914world and MAC club from back home. Rob was a vital member of that club in MN before I discovered it, and apparently moved into a position similar to the one he held with the club before he abandoned ship for warmer climes.

With last weekend being the NBA all star game, ANY rental car was hard to get anywhere near LA. I made a few calls but didn't want to pay the prices they were asking. There is still hope, socalstuttgart (Dean) and I were going to try to connect for another ride in either his -6 or the 930. Hopefully tue or wed pm will work out, as I'll need to hold thru open to pack and study for my "final" on friday.

Odd thing about cars around here. Nancy has a Pacifica and a TT. I've seen one Pac, and no TT's at all. Dad drives a LeSabre, I've seen only one of those. Only 914's seen were Deans and those found at Kundensport. But more Mercedes, BMW, and Audi coupes and sedans than you can shake a torque wrench at. Not much for old American Muscle either. A few 911-ish Porsches, Lambos, Ferraris, and toss in a Bently here and there.

Still, better car watching than back home, where seeing anything with out rust or a plow on it this time of year is enough to get you excited.

That pic makes me cringe- I had a loose fitting short sleeve shirt on and put a tighter pullover on when the sun went down- makes me look like I'll never fit into a 914 again.

I want to thank Dave and Eric for introducing me to Hans and Aaron! I can learn so much from those guys! Plus thank you Dave for plotting out the best, most scenic, twisty drive I've ever had the pleasure to enjoy! Plus the company wasn't bad either! Dave and I had a great visit if not too brief. I wish I had a 914 buddy out here like him! Here are some photos and a video from our excursions:









Video
Thanks again Dave, it was fun!

Dean and Rob- thanks for the visits while I was there. To bad time and weather worked against us at every turn. And speaking of turns, thanks Dean for a turn at the wheel of the 930 and the Zombie. That 3.6 and the fresh trans are an amazing combo. 2nd best shifting 914 I've ever had the pleasure to drive. I got home to -6 degrees. And I thought CA was a little cold...

The Zombie and a couple other mid engined cars from Kundensport.

...the 930. Grocery getter below 3k rpm, HOLD ON from 3500 till you lift or shift.

What I came home to...

Happy and sad at the same time.