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Porsche Club of America
The Northeast Region

For those of you that I have not had the pleasure to meet yet I would like to dedicate my first article to introducing myself. For those of you who are already my friends, I know you will keep reading for if nothing better it may give you some ammunition for later.

My wife and I own two older Porsches. I have restored a 1971 914 and my wife drives a 924S. The 914 is the first Porsche we purchased. I had almost completely restored a dune buggy that Tobey’s father sold to me before we were married. All I had left to do was the interior, carpet, console and parts that were hard to find in better condition than I already had. I was getting board and needed something else now that all the mechanical repairs were done.

I have always loved cars and a Porsche had been a particular dream of mine since I was a teen. I was originally looking for a 914-6 but soon realized that they were even more rare in the northeast than I had originally thought. I came across my 914 in Auto Hunter magazine in April of 1995. We drove to New Hampshire to look at it. Tobey was all for me getting a new project car. I think she wanted me out of the house a little more. She had no clue what she was setting her self up for.

Immediately after I got it in the driveway I started to work on it. It needed new brakes and the suspension needed work. A year later Tobey was able to “network” through the Hair Salon, go figure, and found a new engine for me. That little favor cost me. This engine was a couple of hundred dollars cheaper than the one I found. 

I had joined the PCA with the intention of gaining parts and finding parts suppliers. Each month I would read through the newsletter looking for vendors and what I was finding was that the events that the club was sponsoring looked like something I would enjoy. And I hoped Tobey would enjoy too.

We began the following year with the Newcomers Meeting and the Drivers Ed Ground School. I went to the Auto-X school by myself. Our first event was the Spring Ramble that went to the Equinox in Vermont.  We were hooked. I think it was driving my Porsche in snow. Within two years of purchasing our first Porsche we joined in Rally’s, Auto-X’s, one track event (my car did not enjoy the track as much as I did!) and a couple 914 & 356 tech sessions.

In 1997 an opportunity to buy another Porsche fell into my lap. A co-worker was selling his wife’s 924S (she wanted an SUV) and he gave me an offer Tobey wouldn’t let me refuse. This car has become the “racing” Porsche and the 914 is relegated to our touring car. Since the purchase of the 924 it has gotten many upgrades to make it more competitive (thanks Dennis, Steve and Rick). We Autocross as often as we can and I have been back to NHIS. I can say this car enjoys the track as much as I do. I expect to make more track events this year (yippee!) and maybe not just to NHIS.

For the last two years I have served on the board as Treasurer.  It has been a great opportunity to meet new people and learn more about the club.  The biggest challenge with this new position won’t be making sure the chair people are on schedule with the events but writing this column.  It is a new challenge for me and I hope you can all bear with me as I learn a new skill.  I hope it is as easy as it was teaching Tobey righty-tighty-lefty-loosy.