It seems to me that we should start planning a 914 event... for all the various groups of 914 owners around the country to attend.

Not Parade, though we might get a special mention.

So... it's really not that far off. Any ideas? I think that we can safely avoid any blocks of rooms at a Hilton.

-Rusty

Are we looking at 2010 (based on 1970 being the first model year) or 2009 (based upon when the first production models were actually shipped). It certainly seems like we should commemorate the anniversary!

1969 - 2009

This could be huge!

I'll get Scotty on the drums, DR Evil and I on the guitars and Sir Andy on the vocals singing some tasty Ramstein toons!

How about picking one place in the center of the US, and planning one big get together?


We need someplace with some twisty roads.....


Any suggestions?? If we start planning NOW, maybe we can get a bunch of 914 people to come.

I vote for Cincinnati as a base. Twisty roads to the north, south west & east. Indiana, W Virginia & Kentucky with minutes of Cincy. Oh, and there's Rabbit Hash too! And, several serious tracks in the area if anyone wants to get squirrely!

We have some good people in that area that may wnat to try to pull it off.

Unless they're teaching "new geography" in the schools... it's tough for me to imagine Ohio being the center of the country. LOL

The exact geometric center of the US is in Kansas. But there aren't too many twisties there.

We do need somewhere central, IF we do this, it needs to be somewhere that everyone would feel like they could attend, and not favoring a particular location.

I also found out there is a Stuttgart, Arkansas.


Pat.. are you willing to start organizing it?

No, Ohio (southern Ohio) is not the center of the country. But, it does have the attributes that some are looking for....and it's somewhat close to the center.

Look, I lived in Kansas (the center) for a while. There isn't a twisty in the entire state. It's flat! Oh, I could tell you about things I did in Kansas in the 60's, but that was then & Kansas hasn't changed - it's flat. Don't get me wrong - I loved it, but it was pretty boring.

I suggested Cincy because that's my old stomping grounds. Did innumerable rallies when I lived there (most of my life). Excellent Porsche roads are everywhere in the area. Tours & rallies are so damned much fun (provided the local police are informed).

It was a suggestion, that's all. I'll probably be living there again by the time 2009 arrives, assuming this real estate "bubble" goes away.

Think it would be a good place to have the event. I'm sure others think other places would be better. My 2 cents.
Pat

Clay,

When I chaired the '93 Parade concours, I swore that I'd never get "involved" again. In the 20 years prior to that I'd done everything, and I mean everything, that PCA offered. Name it - I did it. Regional president - 4 years, VP - 2 years, newsletter chair - 4 years, rally chair - 1 year (that was disastrous), concours chair - can't even count the times, autocross chair - 2 years. And, then the Parade in '93! In Cincinnati, July, heat & humidity! Twelve months of prep!

Can you spell "burnout"?

After that event, I swore I'd NEVER get involved again, except as a participant. I would NEVER be involved with a concours, unless I could go & show. I would never do anything with rallies, unless I could work a checkpoint. I'd never participate in an auto-x, unless I could just show up & run.

I've more than paid my dues to Porsche, PCA, et al.

Thanks for the offer, but there are better people. And, however they want to make it work is fine with me. Just want to play these days.

Be happy to participate, though. And, I'd love to work a rally checkpoint! That's the one thing left that I haven't done. I'd even provide donuts!
Pat

At last, something I know. Stuggart: highest point is about 10 feet higher than it lowest point. Mostly rice farming.
North, above Fayetteville AR at Rogers, AR the elevation is mountainous and lots of lakes and very near the center since Kansas is about 100 miles.

Cooley

Hey Mike, good to read ya. Hope all is well.

Yes I am done now and I'll shut up.

Great idea, could be huge. Here's my input if you want:

For credibility, it would be nice if the PCA and even the factory could be involved. Maybe open to other mid-engine products for additional sponsorship.

A good argument could be made for the Ozark Mountain Region, maybe in the late fall...

But I like the Wisconsin/Minnesota/Illinois/Iowa area for these reasons:

1. Great roads around the Mississippi and in Wisconsin.
2. Concentric center of North America, not just the U. S. (insert Maple Leaf here).
3. Really nice in the fall, like October-ish.
4. It's near me, and I'll help organize.

Another thought:
Although twisties are great, most of us drive them regularly. I would like to have it at a race track where we can really run if we choose.

Hence, I propose... what if... in a wild dream...

Road America at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

Click to view attachment

Only one problem with those locations guys.... a good majority of the members here are from the land of fruits and nuts... otherwise know as Kalifornia.

Would be awfully tough to get the west coasters all the way out here.

There are MANY MORE and better places for 914's 40th year honors other than a central location USA. Sometimes you gotta drive to have all the fun that everyone thinks up in each of their own mind.

Best place in America is where you know the fun is. Normally which is where each one owning a 914 lives. Do a multi state rounder salute and everyone interested is a final part of the whole thing. North, South, East and West.

Each area SHOULD celebrate, catch hi lights on video and on the BIG DAY 9/14/09 have it all gathered into one big movie for a DVD that each member could own, say for $9.14 with proceeds going to St. Jude Childrens Hospital or something like that. No memorial funds because 914 is about living. Just a personal opinion.

However,
Ramble (term owed to former 914' eers Ed V and John D that 911 is now using) , there has never been a USA Ramble, 914 wise, in the Smokies, that I know of.
West Virginia and PA has some wicked curves too. Guess all states have them.

BTW, thanks for warm greeting via Glendora detour. :-))

Mike Cooley

Okay out on a limb here, but since the last time I saw Kansas it was flatter then an 11 year old girl, how about Colorado? It is a little more west, but there are some beautiful twisty roads, beautiful Aspen trees turning during September... There is also a lasrge number of 914 owners in the Denver area... Just a thought..

& I'm interested. Should be in Kansas- dead centre & I've never been there. Also, no altitude sickness for carbed cars.

How about Missouri or New Mexico. They have mountian twisties

I like Cooley's idea. We could essentially have a big multi-way videoconference call- kept up for two or three days. Feed it some vids of outside events when no one is there to interact, have a big finale dinner, y'know. It can probably all be done over the net. And, we could have some technical malfunctions too!
Everyone has a suggestion close to home, so here is mine:
pilgramage to PCNA in Atlanta to confront NARPicism for the finale time and insist that Porsche recoginze the VW components in the car.

I like it. It'll take me about 10 minutes to get the teener hooked up to the rear of the camper van and I'll be ready!

If we want to celebrate 40 years of 914 Heritage, with 1969 as the starting point, let's have the festivities run concurrently with the 2009 PCA Parade that is slated for (as I understand) Colorado (Vail area I think). The Westies have to get over the mountains, and we on the other side need to cross the plains, but WTF, when we get to our destination there will be lots of Porsches, great roads, beautiful scenery and lots of PCA activities that we can participate in if we are so inclined.
Pehaps we can get some "official" PCA and PCNA recognition for the 40th Anniversary of the 914s' existence.

The Colorado and Utah 914 contingent seem to be extremely enthusiastic, knowledgeable, helpful, friendly, courteous, and above all else, have extremely deep pockets Oh, they also possess great organizational skills, witness the Red Rocks/MOAB Classic successes. My vote is for a Colorado "40 '14 Fest" or a "40 Jahre of 914" homage.

I won't get to close to the PCA folks. Most 914 owners are not members and if your not a member and don't pay the big bucks to get into the Parade they won't even let you walk the parking lot at Parade. IMHO this need to be independent of PCA and the Parade.

I like the idea of several events around the country on the same weekend. SE in Atlanta, etc, etc, etc. We would be able to get a much better turn out.

Perfect Kansas last week in Sept.
coincides with SCCA National Championship SOLO II. Ya'll can cheer for Me and JP and Britt.

I don't know how many of you guys have been here to Northwest Arkansas, but we have some amazing roads here...there are sportbike groups that come from Colorado to ride here. Lots of Hotels (thanks to Walmart) lots to do...

Especially if some of the 914 gang can manage their celebration spot to be one like this link on that 2009 9/14 day. What's more appropiate for the little German roadster celebration than partying in spirit with http://www.minneapolisoktoberfest.com/

Cooley
PS why wait till 2009. Celebrate 914 anniversaries every year.

Knoxville,TN!!!!
Run the Tail Of The Dragon, and if in the fall, everyone can see a REAL football stadium! ( LOL )

Jeez, who is eletist now?

I've been in PCA about 4 years now, and get only positive reception with my little NARP. I'm sorry your experiences have been different, but I beleive that most PCArs have overcome their "inadequacy" issues now.

It would be interesting to test the idea that "most" 914 owners are not in PCA. Most of the 914 owners I know are. Do I feel a poll coming on?

At the very least we need to get started on something like a commerative dash plaque.

Perhaps instead of a geometric center a location central to the greatest number of 914 owners if we can quantify that sort of thing might be more appropriate.
This would probably put the location closer to say... Red Rocks Utah in September... Say 9/14/09?

I was agreeing with the regional events part...

nothing against PCA

Click to view attachmentI think the ConeDodger is on th something here. Moab 09/14/09. We know lots of the Kalifornians can make it that far. They did last year.

If we had roads like that here in the River City, with the teen girls yacking on the cell, the teen guys texting while they drive, the air-headed, latte-drinking bimbos steering with their knees chatting on the phone, and the "blue hairs" wandering all over the road in their Buicks.....jeez, we'd have dozens killed every day if they had to drive on roads like that w/o guardrails. Neat roads , but can they compare to Kansas?

BTW, that pic could go in a 914 calendar.

Paul

9/14/09 Is a Monday... I can't take it off.

Look I got nothing against PCA members but if we're going to run this as a PCA event we'll all have to be members and we're all not.

If we don't join up with PCA anyone can be involved, if we do run it thru PCA only PCA members can participate. What don't you understand about this?

I wouldn't be so quick to discount PCA.

We wouldn't need to run it as a full-open PCA event, but there is a "sub-organization" of the PCA called the 914 Special Interest Group (914SIG).

As I understand how things work, if we can plug into a local region, there is the opportunity to get under the umbrella of PCA insurance by working through the SIG. PCA membership encouraged (of course) but not required for individual participants.

Clay Perrine knows far more about this than I do... perhaps he will chime in.

The 40 bucks it takes to join PCA is FAR cheaper than each participant's share of the event insurance is likely to be. You'd have to be a FOOL to run an organized event like this without insurance. The Cap'n

I'm glad we have two years tto work out the details....

Sure you can, just call in well.....or bored. Better yet, make yourself employee of the month with a day off as the prize.

Moab 9/14/09 sounds great to me.

I live 110 miles from Stuttgart ...

I think it's the right place to celebrate !

Don't you want to join ?

for me it's a little less than 200 miles

Gustl

Stuttgart it is!

The insurance thing is a MAJOR consideration. Even more so if we're running multiple/simultaneous events outside of a single insurance umbrella. MAJOR, MAJOR insurance bucks involved.

It's serious, because if only one person screws up & destroys property (or worse) and all participants could be found liable, as well as the World for sanctioning the events.

I think it would make sense to explore the 914SIG/PCA avenue. Heavy insurance available w/PCA. And, the 40 bucks it costs to join PCA (I'm a 34 year member) would be a drop in the bucket to the costs to insure this/these events by the World.

Sometimes it's a viable option to prostitute ourselves, if you catch my drift?

Pat

Some great suggestions going on. Stuttgart sounds like a cool idea but why....because of the name only?I personally think multi events held at or near real tracks would be more appropriate. Mid Atlantic could easily be done at VIR or Summit Point. Both have nice areas outsid eof the actual tracks to enjoy I personally would LOVE to go out West but it just isn't financially feasable As for prostitution...I dropped PCA a couple years ago because I got little out of it BUT if it could make these events happen I'll definitely pony up

You asked for it....poll coming. I'm curious.

Event Insurance is getting rather expensive. A recent one day open track event (not a race) was $850 and we have paid more depending on the track and level of coverage they require. This was in addition to our paying $5 per year/member to the National Shelby club just so we can tie into their policy.

Do you need insurance to have a BBQ and a drive thru the country? Why not think about smaller scale events but more of them. We would get a much higher turn out.

Where is the "load your 914 onto a cargo carrier" smiley?

my teener is good enaugh to do 200 miles without a trailer

Gustl