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Living up to the name
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: 15 minutes from Barber Motorsports Park!
Posts: 885
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Introducing Youngsters to Porsche-love
My sister and her three kids (20M, 15F, 10M) were at my house for Thanksgiving, along with my husband's niece (15F). None of the drivers knew how to drive a manual transmission. Until today!
Call me crazy, but I love my car so much that I really enjoy sharing it - especially introducing young folks to the Porsche-love. So I got out the Porsche, took the three drivers out one at a time to an empty lot near my house, put them behind the wheel, and after a brief orientation, taught them each how to launch in 1st gear. With the shopping craziness today, none of the large lots I'd normally use was available. So there wasn't room to really work through the gears. They all did great! Only the eldest stalled, and that was after we'd come to a stop and he forgot to take the car out of gear before taking his foot from the clutch. The youngest fellow was really wanting to give it a try, and I told him if he could reach the pedals, I'd teach him also. He's not ready yet, but I'm sure in the next year or two he'll sprout up and be tall enough to reach. He wanted a ride, so I took him to the lot, put him in the driver's seat (car was off), helped him depress the clutch, and let him learn how the shifter works. After talking with them all, I'd say the youngest one is the car nut of the bunch. Holly went first, and she was definitely the smoothest. She has her learner's permit and will get her license next June:   Next came Hannah. She's got her learner's and has her eye on a Mini Cooper for Christmas. She was soooo scared on her very first launch, but with a few more tries, she mastered it well enough, and was so proud of herself!   Then it was Andrew's turn. Too short to reach everything, but he enjoyed sitting behind the wheel and learning how it all works:   Finally, Jordan, the eldest. He had the most "unlearning" to do, but was also a quick study:   They were not any harder on the clutch than I am at the track  much gentler, really, and none of them rode it at all. A few bumpy starts, but hey...1988 Porsche 911 $XX,XXX New clutch $??? Smiles on their faces - PRICELESS!
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2008 911 (997) C4 Carrara White The sweet old 1988 911 GP White has gone to a new owner "Keep your head in the clouds and your right foot mashed to the floorboard!" ~Village Idiot |
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11-28-2008, 03:52 PM
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This is one of the many bonuses we get, owning a Porsche!
I've had a couple of buddies of mine driving mine: I asked one of them: -So, you'll take it from here to the storage, OK? He said: Really?... ...Are you serious? .... Really? After repeating this a couple of times, with me confirming each time, we switched places... What's beautiful, is the respect they all share for the car!! -As did I, on my first drive. I was in complete AWE!! You can't have much fun, without sharing it! |
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11-28-2008, 04:06 PM
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Registered
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 915
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I have a long way to go but I like the way you think!
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Gone 92 C2 82 Euro SC race car 993 C4S 3.8 84 Euro Carrera |
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11-28-2008, 04:20 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 2,359
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Wow! Geat way to inspire the youth.
I have owned mine for nearly 4 years and my wife has yet to drive it.
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82 911SC Coupe Chiffon / Chocolate 9.5 JEs, 964 Cams, SSIs, Dansk Exhaust, CIS (SOLD) |
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11-28-2008, 05:54 PM
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Living up to the name
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: 15 minutes from Barber Motorsports Park!
Posts: 885
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Quote:
I've only had my 911 since July. I have not been shy about letting other folks drive it. I had the pleasure of absolutely making one young man's day at an autocross last weekend...he is definitely a 911-owner-to-be, even moreso now. Just getting to drive it made him SO. HAPPY. It's hard to beat the buzz of making somebody else THAT happy! Strangely, my husband has not driven it beyond what's required to move cars around in the driveway and garage. The kids asked him today why he had never driven it, and he confessed he was afraid to hurt the car because he was sure it would just break my heart if anything happened while he was out in it. Awww! I'd be more insistent if I thought driving it meant much at all to him, but honestly, he is just not a car person. Also, after riding shotgun the 850 miles trip back when I first got the car - mind you he's 6'4" 275 lbs - I think he has somewhat less than happy associations with it! It all seems like too much trouble and fuss to him. He's happier in a mushy, cushy, more modern automatic. The greater effort it takes to drive the Pcar is just not worth it to him. I don't see this as a bad thing. I would hate for the car & driving it to become any kind of issue between us. NO CHANCE of that here! This is actually one of my favorite things about this car. It's MINE ALL MINE Edited to add: But I really do love to share it!
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2008 911 (997) C4 Carrara White The sweet old 1988 911 GP White has gone to a new owner "Keep your head in the clouds and your right foot mashed to the floorboard!" ~Village Idiot Last edited by VroomGrrl; 11-28-2008 at 06:19 PM.. |
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11-28-2008, 06:16 PM
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1.367m later
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: small farm town Iowa..........at last
Posts: 6,357
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I'd bet those kids remember that day for the rest of thier lives. Too cool !!
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non velox ad propitiare, verisimile non oblivisci If it's not The Original Automotive Innovations and Restoration, then it's just hot AIR. |
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11-28-2008, 07:26 PM
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AutoBahned
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they have nose rings in Alabamer?
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11-28-2008, 07:33 PM
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Living up to the name
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: 15 minutes from Barber Motorsports Park!
Posts: 885
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Quote:
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2008 911 (997) C4 Carrara White The sweet old 1988 911 GP White has gone to a new owner "Keep your head in the clouds and your right foot mashed to the floorboard!" ~Village Idiot |
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11-28-2008, 09:04 PM
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I feel the love too. I've tossed the keys to a few (trusted) friends as well. They can't believe it when I say it's just a machine. I know they'd feel worse than me if anything went wrong. But its a priceless experience for many of them and gives them the opportunity to say, "oh, ya, I drove a Porsche once..."
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1984 Carrera Coupe = love affair 1997 Eagle Talon Tsi = old girlfriend (RIP) 2014 Chrysler 300 AWD Hemi = family car "Lowering the bar with every post!" |
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11-28-2008, 09:21 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 353
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The first rides I gave were to a friend, his wife and their kids. The boy's first question, "Is the engine of this car in the back?". Not too many eight year olds around here would think to ask that. His sister got in the back seat and with a big grin on her face proclaimed, "This is a sweet ride!".
Took both kids and mom for a little ride around the neighborhood. Didn't get much above 25 because it was all residential but just the engine noise from 0-25 with the top down had them squeeling with delight! 
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Carrera 3.2 - "Faster, Stronger, Better" |
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11-28-2008, 09:32 PM
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I've found ( and others ) that my SC isn't that easy to stall at launch. at worst kind of just bucks and goes. I've let select friends/relatives drive it. I tell them, " it's just a car, you can't hurt it ". the SC is a tough beast. now the '66 2.7L ( soon 3.0) is a different story. I like people to have a little 911 seat time before they do that one.
mca: I'm building my 3.0 with JE's and a cam similar. does that mean I just need a Dansk to sound like that! sweet! Last edited by haycait911; 11-28-2008 at 09:42 PM.. |
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11-28-2008, 09:38 PM
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Good for you, I throw out my keys all the time too. The best experience was my own son and I taking a road trip together; he drove and loved every minute of it. He couldn't get over the twin turbos.... ha, ha.
Another buddy of mine has a neighbour that details cars and he just loves Porsches; so I've had him take my cars out for a spin when I'm over there visiting. The last time we were wondering if he was gonna come back? ha, ha. He went and washed/polished the car and brought it back sparkling clean. Fun stuff, good on you girl. |
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11-28-2008, 10:40 PM
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hey Rob. feel free to throw your keys at me anytime! you should come down for one of our fun runs sometime. you can always crash at my place.
Porsche owners meet in Penticton,B.C. Sunday. |
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11-28-2008, 10:53 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Posts: 765
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Quote:
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Bill 87 911 Targa 06 Toyota Sequoia |
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11-29-2008, 06:31 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Usa
Posts: 5,573
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Oh that cracks me up, at our house, Steve can't keep me out of the cars! Love them to death.
VROOMGIRL - you are an A-1 Very Cool Lady indeed. Every one of those kids has now told all their friends that they got to drive a Porsche! Get them hooked young and 911's will stay on the road forever (because the young crowd will covet, buy, restore and DRIVE them!). Good on you! angela
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Hello http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/1102514-we-lost-amazing-woman-yesterday.html |
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11-29-2008, 08:00 AM
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I have still never had a drive of my fathers '88 CE... The car had to be put in storage 2 years ago as he needed a bigger car and just has no room, I passed my driving test last year (I am 18 now)... The car has been in the family longer than I have (he is the original owner). I can remember it as far back as my memory goes.
And you think you lot have it bad  Some day.. |
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11-29-2008, 08:32 AM
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likes to left foot brake.
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kids dig Porsches.
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11-29-2008, 08:51 AM
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Living up to the name
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: 15 minutes from Barber Motorsports Park!
Posts: 885
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Quote:
Gosh I hate to think about that car just sitting in storage. They need to be driven! When I was talking to the kids after we finished a turn for each, they started going on about WHO GETS THE CAR WHEN I DIE. Kids! They know I don't have any kids of my own and are now jockeying for a spot in the will next to "The Porsche goes to....." Point being, tell your dad you want to learn how to drive it while he's still here to show you how to treat the car right. Maybe that'll work?
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2008 911 (997) C4 Carrara White The sweet old 1988 911 GP White has gone to a new owner "Keep your head in the clouds and your right foot mashed to the floorboard!" ~Village Idiot |
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11-29-2008, 10:16 AM
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Living up to the name
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: 15 minutes from Barber Motorsports Park!
Posts: 885
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Quote:
Maybe yall can help me give a better answer to my niece's question, "It seems like a lot of trouble, why wouldn't you just drive an automatic??" I asked her if she'd like to come to the track with me sometime and see some of the benefits first hand and she was really stoked about that, so I'll get her out there sometime next season. In the meantime, all I could come up with for benefits of manual transmission: better control of the car in general, better control over throttle power in particular, and improved fuel economy as an effect of that. Not to mention - MORE FUN making the car go VROOM! I feel like there are probably some better answers, though.....
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2008 911 (997) C4 Carrara White The sweet old 1988 911 GP White has gone to a new owner "Keep your head in the clouds and your right foot mashed to the floorboard!" ~Village Idiot |
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11-29-2008, 10:23 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: CT
Posts: 317
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how old is holly?! haha im 23 and she can drive my 911 anytime!
but on a serious note i let my good buddy drive it once he loved it, stalled a few times but once he got the hang of it perfect, did i mention i didnt have an option i was too drunk to drive and he was sober haha
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86' 911 coupe |
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11-29-2008, 10:28 AM
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Black bastard
1984 Porsche Carrera
Eagle Talon TSi AWD
Chrysler 300 AWD Hemi
912 SWB
1967 porch 912
1974 w/89 Look Porsche 911 Cabriolet 2.7 L Rebuil
993 TT
Shape shifter, Excellence magazine 11/2010.
lil' black
1988 Chevy Camaro IMSA GTO/Trans Am series spec.
Andy Porterfield's last race car.
