Had a great day today !
I talked to the original owner of a car I've owned for more than ten years.
The car is a 1970 914 6
It was also owned by a member here who was active for a long time.
The original guy bought it at Rusnak Porsche in Pasadena and was kept it for several years.
It still has its original engine and transmission and I have all the parts.
He was a member of POC
The car was serviced at 'Scientific Automotive' ......anyone familiar?
The original owner is now 96 years old and was very happy to hear about the car.
He remembered very specific details.
This is a first for me and despite the cars condition and past damage I'm thrilled.
Rory

Rory, I never looked that closely at your car, but I'd have thought it to be original paint.

Cool story.

Rory - you told me about this one but had it stored away. Nice collection you have going. How far along are you on the GT build.

Hey Joe
This is another car.
It's been in a garage since I got it.
The car that you've seen is originally orange.
Rory

Cool story
Porsche Scientific in Pasadena on Walnut. They moved their shop a few years back. Went once to see but I prefer doing my own work.

Hey Mark
You know what they say about cost and time......triple both.
I've made some progress. My biggest issue is paint and surface rust removal.
I'd love to dip it but the longs are closed and stiffened so the mufflers would dissolve.
I've driven a sand blasted 356 across the country. Every time you shut the door more sand would appear. What to do ?
I love the process and the fabrication. It's just too slow.
Plus, I managed to break my fibula in December......doesn't help.
I hope spring and summer will be productive.
Rory

Every rust removal process is a compromise. Our shop takes the shells to a blast company. I have still not decided what I will do with my own car.

See you at Hershey.

We soda blasted a 356 once and it works great for paint removal. Washes off with water and dissolves so no sand in longs. The guy we used came to us trailer full of gear.

I grew up in Pasadena. My black 914 came from Bozzani.

My Great Aunt worked there and used to bring home those miniature Wiking plastic cars for me.

Ghias, buses, bugs, squarebacks....I wish I still had them......

You still have to neutralize the soda - washing bare metal with water and scuff the metal.

My car has a lot of paint removed but a lot of flash rust from years of structural repair/sitting. I have a feeling that a lot of hand sanding with power tools is in my future.

Scientific Automotive was founded in 1956 by Roger Bursch in Pasadena.
Everyone's heard of Bursch exhaust, which Roger innovated on the 356. The exhaust end of the business was sold to his partner, who continues mfg in Pasadena today. Nice piece of history with your 9146 !

Rory,
That must have been cool to talk to the original owner. My car was owned by a friend of mines secretary. Never met her. You have quite a collection going. It only takes forever if you do the rust repair yourself. Hehehe. Don't forget the washer bottle cap for Hershey.

Double post

He's 96 and remembered details of the car? That says it all.

I was lucky enough to meet the original owner of my car at
the service counter of the Porsche Dealer we both bought the car from.
He traded it in for a 911 and I bought it.
He traded the car in late 1972 and I bought it in early 73.
He was a nice enough guy, but didn't know which end of a screwdriver to hold.
At least I knew he never touched the car himself. It was serviced by the Dealer.
I bought it with less than 24,000 miles on it. He passed a number of years ago..

I also got to talk to the original owner of my /6. I found the guys name and address in the owners manual and sent off a letter to him. This was back in the snail mail days of 1986. About 2 weeks later I got a post card back from him with an invitation to call. I made the call and spent about an hour talking to he and his wife. They had excellent recollections of the car and were able to answer many of my questions. About a month later I unexpectedly got a small package from him with some photos he took of the car near the Golden Gate Bridge and the story of a tour they made with the car from Texas up into Oregon. Also in the package was the original bill of sale for the car and the original window sticker.

I used to mail him a short note every once in a while updating him as to the restoration status. He seemed very interested.

My wife took the car last summer to a nearby town and was approached by the original owner, another woman who immediately recognized it as eventhough it now has 5 lug Fuchs, a black painted rear Porsche panel and GT engine grill. She took pics and reminisced about what a fun car it was.

I am friends with both the second and third owners, both males and know it's mechanical and body work history. I regularly visit the second owner who still regrets selling it. Since putting a 6 in it along with just about every inch of the car modified unfortunately he cannot afford to buy it back.

Finding original owners (or close to it) can be very cool.

In addition to Porsche's , I like British cars. Last Fall I picked up a very tired (but original) 1964 MGB. I found many old receipts in the car going back to the 1960's.

On a whim, I mailed a letter to the address shown on the receipts. This is what I received:

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Car in current condition:

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cool story Bill, thanks for sharing!

Hi Rory,


Hey that 914 looks pretty familiar...

Hope you feel better soon so you can get back to it..

Take care,

Cool