Back in the early ’70’s I worked at a Porsche dealership in Boston and watched as the price of German cars was headed north due to the rising value of the German mark against the US dollar and changes required by the EPA. Big bumpers, door guards and emission requirements added to the costs of every car everywhere. The new 914 quickly went from a starting price of $3995 to $6995 in just 5 years. New 911’s that had a base price of $8600 in 1970 but started at $15,000 by 1977. Compare those numbers with Pony cars that started the period with Mustangs at $3800 and Camaros at $3500. By 1977 they were only higher by about 15% ($4300 and $4000 respectively). For a driver looking for a sporty car it was a tough sell unless they could be educated in a hurry. I remember when the first new 911 arrived that had a MSRP (base price before shipping and any options) of $9995, we thought the game was over. A Z-28 was half that amount and the goal of most buyers was to keep their car payment under $100, tough to do using those numbers. Cars have never been cheap but over the years while we haven’t been paying attention they have really become a major expense for every family, not just rich single guys looking for a super car. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal prompted the above review. Edmunds.com, as quoted, reported that the average monthly car payment in the US is a record $754 per month. The report went on to say that 18.9% of all buyers pay over $1000 per month to put that car in the driveway, plus the cost of insurance and various taxes. What happened? Data shows that the average auto loan today is $42,113 compared to $39,977 a year ago and that’s just the average, some are higher. Interest rates on auto loans have declined in the last year from 7.4% to 6.8% but those zero interest loans from a few years ago are long gone. Used car loans start at 11% so it looks like cash is king nowadays. Six year loans are common now, while we couldn’t go beyond 48 months back in the day. Most cars then wouldn’t last that long. Those kinds of numbers are causing drivers to keep their cars longer than ever before with the average age of cars on the road at 12.6 years. Even with high parts and higher labor rates, $700 per month will cover a lot of repair bills, so used cars look like great value. Just keep throwing money at it and keep it on the road. With the higher costs of cars everyone needs more insurance to cover the risk of accidents. As I reported last year a slight bumper cover scuff is no longer $1000, it’s $10k and four weeks to repair. Insurance rates are up over 32% in the last two years and that’s if you haven’t crashed or been caught speeding. Do I have to mention the annual car excise tax in Mass? Excise taxes are based upon the original cost of each car without any options. The tax is $25 per $1000 of value but that value is reduced in the first 5 years to 10%of original base price. For old cars like a couple in my garage I pay the $5 minimum. For newer cars like the Audi RS4 (2001) the bill is less than $70 per year. When I get those bills I can’t get the check mailed fast enough. A new Porsche, like a 992 ,even after the 5 year depreciation window, would carry a $330 per year excise tax bill into the future. No wonder there are so many expensive cars driving around with NH plates on them. The price to play has never been cheap but it’s always been worth it. As they say, ” you can’t take it with you”. We made it this far, now’s the time to drive fast and take chances.
https://porschenet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/NERegionLOGO-e1675987585693.png5661000Ryanhttps://porschenet.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/NERegionVectorLogo-siteicon.pngRyan2025-02-10 08:40:252025-02-10 08:43:56Four Speeds and Drum Brakes: New Cars and New Prices
Need a mid-winter taste of your favorite car? Come to Herb Chambers Porsche of Boston!
Join us on Sunday February 9th starting at 10am and ending at 12pm (Address is 1172 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, Mass.) for coffee and munchies and a whole lot more, courtesy of Mr. Chambers, Sales Manager Peter Wienstroer. Look at cars, meet your friends and, once everyone is there, we will talk about upcoming PCA events and we will catch us up on the latest Porsche news.
And who knows what else? Weather permitting take a test drive.
The event address is: 1172 Commonwealth Ave. Boston. Please RSVP below so we can plan food (and, very importantly in January, we will have your email to contact you if the event has to be cancelled or postponed due to snowy weather).
Growing up in southern California in the fifties everyone referred to Las Vegas as Lost Wages. Driving east to see family at Christmas time we drove through once and even stopped to look into one of the 4 or 5 casinos on “the Strip” to see all the flashing lights and people pulling the handles of the “one armed bandits”. The main road through town was only two lanes as the US Interstate system was still years away and side streets were still hard packed dirt.
As the years rolled by and the city grew into the gambling center of today nobody ever thought about cars driving over 200 mph down that same street but they do today. It’s called Formula 1.
As the years rolled by and the city grew into the gambling center of today nobody ever thought about cars driving over 200 mph down that same street but they do today. It’s called Formula 1.
Number one son, Rob, with more Hilton Honors credits than the Hilton family, invited the family to join him to watch practice and qualifying the week before Thanksgiving. The hotel was on the F1 course and the night sessions were a sight to behold. The course was just a series of crowded streets until 3 in the afternoon when the barricades went up and the course went hot. It had taken over 2 months to set up a system that would turn the city streets into a race track in less than an hour and would take 2 months to take it all away when the racing was done. Because of the potential heat and the European time difference (where the largest audience lives) the action was always at the end of the day with the actual race starting at 10 pm.
We were there to experience the event, not to actually watch the race because when a car goes past you at over 200 mph you really don’t see much. Especially 38 floors up. Rob had also snagged tickets to a showing of Wicked a day before its national release so we all had lots to do. There were outdoor concerts, F1 displays and plenty of F1 gear to take home. Of the 300,000 who showed up, at least 3/4 of them were wearing the uniform of one of the 10 teams on the grid.
Because of limited visibility, the plan was to leave town before the flag dropped, return to Phoenix and watch the race on the home screen that was as big as a garage door. The in-car cameras can’t be beat and there were dozens more on the course. Most importantly we wouldn’t be trying to leave town the next day with everyone else on the two lane roads that lead back to Phoenix.
The travel to and from Vegas on Rt 93 reminded me of the way driving across country was before the Interstate highway system connected cities across America. When cars were slower and roads were just one lane in each direction passing was a real skill. A driver had to practice timing a lot to know when a space in the oncoming traffic would allow for a safe pass. Passing trucks was even tougher because they reduced visibility even more than high spots or curves. The answer, if you knew the road, was to get on the gas hard (we’re talking VW buses here), run up on the vehicle ahead, take a look to see if the lane was clear, if it was, pull out and pass, if not , hit the brakes, hard.
Cars today are so powerful that drivers don’t need to plan ahead. They just pull out, if it’s clear , hit the gas and they pass the car ahead. No skill and very little judgement required. The highway department that maintains Rt 93 even made it easier as they have signs posted announcing passing zones. Every ten miles or so there will be a “passing zone” which is a mile or so where the road becomes 3 lanes, one on the other side and two on your side. Not only makes passing slower trucks and campers easy but keeps drivers from trying sketchy passes because they know that a passing zone is coming soon. Takes all the fun out of it. Nowadays we’re just trying to stay out of the way.
https://porschenet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/RBR-F1-Car-jpg.webp480640Luishttps://porschenet.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/NERegionVectorLogo-siteicon.pngLuis2024-12-21 10:25:412024-12-21 10:26:29Four Speeds and Drum Brakes: F1 in “Lost Wages”, Nevada
The annual NER Concours was held on Saturday, October 5, at The Elms in Newport, RI with beautiful sunny weather. The Concours coincided with the fifth Audrain Concours and Motor Week activities that took place October 3-6, culminating on Sunday, with an international Audrain Concours d’Elegance held at The Breakers, the former summer residence of Cornelius Vanderbilt II.
The Elms was the summer residence of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Julius Berwind of Philadelphia and New York. Mr. Berwind made his fortune in the coal industry. In 1898, he engaged Philadelphia architect Horace Trumbauer to design a house modeled after the mid-18th century French chateau d’Asnieres (c.1750) outside Paris.
The NER Concours included two categories: Full and Werks. The Full category used traditional judging sheets, examining Porsche exteriors, interiors, storage compartments, engine compartments (where viewable), and wheels/wheel wells. Each entrant started with a perfect score, with point deductions for soil or uncorrected blemishes. The entrants, in class, were ordered in descending point order. First place and two runner-up trophies were awarded per class.
Participants in the Werks category prepared their cars for the Concours, however unlike traditional Full or Parade style judging, Werks judging considers not only the appearance but also the history of the car, its usage by the owners, and overall aesthetic appeal. Werks judging creates a somewhat more relaxed environment and encourages participation by a wide variety of interesting Porsches. At PCA Werks Reunions in Monterey and Amelia Island, everything is found from highly authentic restored cars, Le Mans winning race cars, outlaw & hot rod style Porsche builds, and unique original cars.
This year’s Concours had almost 200 Porsches on the lawn, between 103 Concours entrants and 95 spectator Porsches. Porsches began arriving at 7:00 am with volunteers, followed at 8:00 am by entrants and spectators. George’s Food Truck was ready for all the early arrivals with hot coffee and tasty breakfast pastries for purchase, followed later with delicious lunches.
Volunteers quickly got to direct the parking of Concours entrants in ther respective classes, supervised parking of spectator Porsches to the designated area, setting up the registration and scoring area, and hooking up the P/A system. By 9:30 am, a judges meeting run by Head Judges Paul Whooten for Full and Ceileidh Segal for Werks assembled the judging teams and provided final instructions.
Thanks to the many NER member volunteers, judge teams were able to begin the judging at 10:00 am. The awards ceremony commenced shortly after 1:00pm.
The Concours trophies consisted of 7 ½” tall rectangular inscribed glass and base and were presented to recipients by NER President, Glenn Champagne. He and Betty Mae Mosley, NER Secretary, spent all day helping make the Concours function by assisting in numerous capacities.
Mark Shane, NER VP Admin, was instrumental in facilitating the parking of spectators all day. All their help was very much appreciated.
Several special trophies were presented by some of the sponsors. Rick Lavigne, of Quonset Motor Sport, selected Sonny Roussel and his pristine 1971 white 911 for his special sponsor’s award. Grenon’s of Newport awarded a “Spirit of Speed” award to Gina Catalano and her 1974 yellow 911 Targa, presented by Ceileidh Segal. Glenn presented the Cayman Island Tourist Office special trophy to Earle Assanah for his immaculate 2020 Cayman 718 GT4.
Complete Concours results are reflected in the accompanying tables. The high quality of Porsches entered in the Concours was only in keeping with the impressive surroundings of The Elms and the gorgeous weather. Whether attendees were participating in the Concours or parking their Porsche as a spectator, an elegant time was available to all. Many thanks to the numerous volunteers who allowed this event to function with timely precision, particularly to those who shared their enthusiasm and expertise by serving as judges for the Full and Werks categories.
Several special Porsches were on display including a Carrera GT, two 964 Turbos S flat nose Coupes, a tribute Mark Donahue IROC winning 1974 RSR, a Lola/Porsche race car, 2018 911 GT2 RS Manthey, 2024 992 GT3 RS and Kim Saal’s Concours winning 1958 356 Coupe.
Special gratitude goes to key volunteers who were instrumental in the execution of another fine NER Concours including Bob Hinrichs (Concours Vice Chair), Sterling Vernon (motorsportreg, t-shirts, scoring) Paul Whooten, Rick Boyer (spectator parking), Ceileidh Segal, Patricia Collins (registration), and Roberta Melchar (registration). A special thanks goes to those who helped on Friday to set up the lawn including Bob Hinrichs, Pat Burke, Luis Lebrun, Pete Johnson, Fred Johnson, Tony Miraglia and Bill Cambra.
Lastly, the ability of Concours attendees to leave their Porsches on the lawn of The Elms until 6:00 pm after the conclusion of the Concours to visit nearby Audrain exhibits, including the Audrain Concours entrant display on Bellevue Avenue, Motor Village and the Audrain Museum was very helpful due to difficult Newport parking. We hope to see everyone at next year’s Concours!
NER would like to thank Dave Melchar and the volunteer crew that put on this amazing event!
OK, keep it quiet but this year we are planning a sneak attack on North Country Region and following a course that takes us onto some of the most scenic roads in Southern New Hampshire.
We do this rally in honor of the late Charlie Dow and his wife Martha – longtime, active NER and board members and all-around Porsche enthusiasts. Their kids will be attending so come and say HI!
Plan for a day that starts at 9am and ends around 2pm. Follow this link to register. Note that you will need to open an account at Motorsportreg if you have not already. And when you register you will need to provide a “fun team name.”
https://porschenet.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/DowRally22-jpg.webp4451200Luishttps://porschenet.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/NERegionVectorLogo-siteicon.pngLuis2024-08-22 21:59:582024-08-22 22:07:55Drive with us at the Annual Dow Rally!
The vintage car season in New England always starts with a drive down to Carlisle, PA for the annual PCA All Porsche Swap meet. The warm up for that is the West Coast Porsche Literature Meet held at the Los Angeles Hilton the end of Feb. Since that is a plane flight out it isn’t really possible to take a lot of parts and pieces out to sell and that limits my purchasing power because I hate paying for checked bags on the return flight.
There is not much of a restriction when it comes to loading the car for the road trip south. Once the popup tent and a couple of small flat tables are in, there is a lot of room with the seat backs folded down in the Audi.
I really do have to continue emptying the garage and I have discovered the secret of how to do it. For the last few years I have just watched the WTB (want to buy) listings on a few Porsche sites and when I see a need for something in my garage I shoot off an email with a price and off it goes. Those WTB listings have dropped off the last year or so which tells me that guys either have all the parts they need or they’re on that highway in the sky. The secret is to go where people are still looking for Porsche parts and then price everything at half its value. That way even if they don’t need a 356A louvered engine cover they’ll buy it thinking that they can resell it for a profit. Note to self: let it go, it’s been to Carlisle twice and never found a new home.
Years ago a few of us would load up the parts and roll out at midnight on Friday. Six hours later we’d be at a truck stop on Interstate 81, pouring brown gravy over biscuits and sausage just a couple of miles from the Fairgrounds gate. It was a road trip we all looked forward to for years. As the years rolled along we traded the truckers breakfast for a steak dinner with friends from the South and began driving down on Friday afternoon. That way we were in better shape to stand around for 6 hours the next day selling parts and the return run was an easier drive too. This year I found myself making a solo run down the interstate in the RS4. It actually took a little of the pressure off to drive like an old guy. With plenty of horsepower coming from the K24 turbos I could drive it like a motorcycle. Double digits here, triple digits there and back to normal speed. Great fun.
Brother, Bill, was always up for a two hour drive from Silver Spring, MD so getting him to bring the Speedster was easy. The fact that it usually won the 356 Class at the Porsche Display was another draw. This year was no exception, he won again, but the threating weather did keep some of his competition home in the garage. His white Tub looked great in a sea of newer P cars including some with four doors. I have always said that 90% of life was just showing up and this was another example.
With heavy clouds most vendors put up their pop up tents but they weren’t needed which is unusual for Carlisle. The PCA Region that has organized the show for 47 years claimed that the number of sellers broke all records and I know that the buyers were spending money. I sold at least half of the parts that I took and while it was tough to do, the only thing I bought was food.
It was fun to see people face to face that I talk to during the year, even those that live only a few miles from me. We have lost a fair number of car guys over the last few years, guys that have made major contributions to the hobby. I guess we’re all seeing that off ramp in the distance and checking in with friends means more than ever.
Even Cars and Coffee gatherings have gotten big turnouts the last few years. Telling stories or selling parts, is always better in person.
As many do, I glance over the obits in the Boston Globe on weekends just to see if anyone I knew left the party early. When I see big write ups I’m always surprised at the interesting lives that so many have lived. These are the kind of folks that would’ve been nice to know when they were living but now they’re gone. I don’t read any that were vintage car people like my friends. Maybe their kids just didn’t put that part into the story. Besides how exciting would the section be if it talked about swap meets, long car rides and standing around in parking lots for hours ? It still seems like fun to me, I guess old habits last a long time. Let’s keep that up for as long as we can.
https://porschenet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Swap-Meet-jpeg.webp3511032Luishttps://porschenet.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/NERegionVectorLogo-siteicon.pngLuis2024-06-04 21:14:072024-06-04 21:17:11Four Speeds and Drum Brakes: Still Swappin’ Parts
166 Porsches, 304 new-to-me car-loving friends, and a stunning location represented my first-ever NER Annual Spring Ramble; it was held at The Lodge at Spruce Peak in Stowe, VT, April 26-28.
During the planning stages of this year’s event, I signed up to shadow the infamous Dennis Friedman, who has chaired the Ramble for the past eight years along with his wife, Carol. On site I planned to play emergency backup to Larry Levin and Peter Moll, co-chairs of this year’s event. They were a pair beyond compare—they ran a perfect weekend!
The Lodge at Spruce Peak was impeccable. From valet Justin’s welcome at the door, to senior conference services manager Jennifer Sinclair’s attention to our every event detail, to our cozy rooms with killer views—the location was beyond my expectations.
The rumble of Porsches from every era reverberated through the Stowe hills all day Friday, but in the evening we gathered for a welcome reception sponsored by Porsche of Warwick. With nametags helping ease the anxiety of meeting new folks, I sat by the fire on the outdoor patio and heard stories from many attendees about past Rambles. The number of repeat drivers—some of whom said this was their double-digit return to the event—truly impressed me.
Before heading off to bed, I snuck in a trip to the garage simply to drool over the astounding collection of cars our group had brought together.
The next morning kicked off with breakfast in the Tamarack Ballroom with the all-important safety advice talk by Peter. Anticipation was high for the upcoming Ramble and he most certainly outdid himself on his trip route. With almost 150 miles on the outbound route that wound around and into the heart of Lake Champlain, the views alternated between idyllic farms, gorgeous lakes, and the Green Mountain range. Throughout the route, Porsches in rear and side view mirrors made this back country parade unique enough to stop farmers and tourists in their tracks.
Arriving at our lunch spot at the DoubleTree Hotel in Burlington, I was at the back of the pack—as the Sweeper Car should be—doing my volunteer duty. As we pulled in, the lead cars were already exiting a lot that featured a rainbow of Porsches. The ballroom was abuzz with reunited friends and excited first timers, all sharing stories of what they saw along the ride.
The choice of return route could be expedited by a more direct path, or a rambling one that checked in at over 100 miles through Vermont 125 and Route 100. Circling the Breadloaf Wilderness and running through multiple state parks, this part of the ride proved to be my personal favorite. Smooth, winding roads through rural landscapes made my heart—and my engine—soar with happiness.
Saturday evening’s cocktail reception and dinner once again proved that the Lodge had a killer chef—the food was delectable! Sponsored by European Performance Engineering in Natick, Mass. (as it has done every year), there were stories of past rambles, first-timer reactions (all so good!), and well-deserved heaps of praise for Peter and Larry throughout the dinner. On top of the exciting announcement of next year’s location (Mountainview Grand Hotel in Whitefield, NH), the evening proved a great way to cap off a wonderful weekend.
I can hardly wait to do it all again next year!
By: Doreen Manning
Bonus: Check out more of the event here, with photos provided by our very own Larry Levin!
https://porschenet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GT3-jpeg.webp20001197Luishttps://porschenet.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/NERegionVectorLogo-siteicon.pngLuis2024-05-15 20:03:582024-05-18 17:32:15Ramble Wrap Up
Winter in New England has always been a time to fix things if you’re a car enthusiast. We call them projects but the fact is that with the race season over every driver needs something to keep them busy in the colder months. I had pushed the Puddle Jumper into the corner of the garage back in Sept after it ate a pressure plate on the way to the 356 Registry Holiday in Blowing Rock NC and had to be dragged home (thanks Cliff). The engine came out back in Nov so that I could get to the damaged pieces. Taking things apart is always the easy part, putting them back together is the hard part.
The engine is held in place with only four bolts and two of them are a little tough to reach. They have been in and out so many times that once a wrench is in place they practically fall out. It’s getting that wrench in place that is the contest. Like every big job, the secret is to just do a little bit at a time. Since I’m the only one in the garage, when I set something down like a tool or a part, it is still there when I get back to it. An hour at a time works just great at my age.
Once the engine was out, the clutch cable and housing was easy to replace since I finally had the correct length cable. The clutch fork and throwout bearing also had damage and had to come out. It took a while to get the replacement pieces together (thanks to Vic, Jeff and jBugs) as the car is 67 years old. Of course “while I was there” (famous quote) and waiting for the big brown truck I had plenty of time to replace the fuel filter, rattle can the transmission hoop where it had been scraped on something and replace the paper heater hoses. The final adjustment on the clutch cable was done at the pedal cluster under the dash and that required that the drivers door be open as far as it would go. That was a problem since the left side of the car was tight up against the wall in the garage so I can get 7 cars in a 4 car garage.
I overthought that for a few days and decided that the best way would be to put the rear wheels on the wheel dollys so that I could push the rear of the car easily. That worked great but did require that the Big Dog be moved out of the garage and that Blackie scoot up close to the door. A good reason to take the Turbo out for a spin.
The tough part of this final adjustment was just getting to the end of the clutch cable. Back when this car was younger I think there was more room under the dash or maybe I wasn’t as wide. To put wrenches on the end of the cable that was at the end of the center tunnel meant that I had to lay across the door opening and seat base with my head near the brake pedal. Getting into position also required that I had the tools needed to clamp the cable in the down position, a pair of needle nose vice grips, 2 10 mm wrenches to lock the end nuts together and a couple of lights to be able to see it all. I also needed to install a new pedal buffer (see “while I was there” above) and adjust the pedal stop. Part of the problem is getting all the tools and parts needed within reach, a reach that is pretty restricted. I only had to get in and out three times. Thank goodness for Aleve, but I should’ve taken them before the job not after. It does seem to take a lot longer to get things done. There are four small barrel bolts that hold the cables and rods in place for the heating systems on these old Tubs. It’s always the last thing to hook up under the car and usually to takes just a few minutes. That’s if I have all the tools needed within reach. Of course this time I needed a 10 mm open end wrench, a 9 mm wrench, a pair of needle nose plyers, a long screwdriver and a long narrow punch to line up the hole on the barrel sleeve for the cable end to go into. Nothing wanted to just “fall together” this time. It took 4 trips to the tool box, two pairs of gloves and nearly an hour to be able to say I was done. Good thing my hourly repair rate is low.
The big part of that job is done and a test drive will have to wait until the weather is better so it was off to Pearl (the Audi RS4) to fix a dead fog light. I have been driving Pearl for 20 years and have had a variety of fog lights in place. It was delivered with just regular 55w bulbs in place and as LEDs came to market I have tried a few. The lights seem to last fine but the electrical connections get old and corroded and need attention.
The wiring and ballast units are down low in front and get wet a lot. When one goes out I just pull off the small grill and inspect the plugs and they usually come back to life. This time there was no power to the right side light and since I didn’t have time to check the connection on the left (the source) I just put it back together and left it on my “fix it list”. I don’t like to drive a car with a light out so I just didn’t use them for the daily ride to the train station. One morning I just hit the switch without thinking and both fog lights came on
I know that the cars talk to each other at night but I have never had them get together and fix one. That is not a complaint but maybe I should print the “fix it list” where they can all see it better. It was a small fix but a fix none the less. Be thankful for little favors.
https://porschenet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/356Interior-jpeg.webp436470Luishttps://porschenet.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/NERegionVectorLogo-siteicon.pngLuis2024-04-07 15:26:232024-04-07 15:32:514 Speeds and Drum Brakes: Large & Small Fixes
