Australian Road Tripping the US in a newly purchased Carrera 3.2

[stewartjp]

Hello Everyone,

I have started this thread to share my first Porsche and first US experience with you.

In two weeks time my brother and I will fly into LA and pick up an 85 Iris Blue coupe I purchased from a fellow Pelican Back in January -it's my first Porsche.

We will drive the car 5000 Miles up the west coast to Canada and back down to LA before it get shipped home to Australia.

We will be attending Bonneville Speed Week and Monterey week. If anyone sees us along they way please stop and say hello.

The support of fellow pelican's has been invaluable already and our hosts have sold me a great package of spares and delivered them to the warehouse.

Here are some photos of the car in the warehouse awaiting our arrival.





Cheers

Stewart

[p911dad]

Sounds like a fantastic trip!

[patz]

Buy a AAA membership, now. By the time you get here you can upgrade to the premium card. 100 mile tow, trip interruption insurance OR on your vehicle insurance get an extra rider.

Good luck, have fun.

[ClickClickBoom]

Congrats,
From LA, go straight up HWY 1, world class scenery, do it non weekend. Stay in Monterey for a night or 2 and go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row, hit the 17 Mile Drive, have lunch in Carmel at the Hogs Breath. See if there is a race at Laguna Seca. Continue up the coast to Santa Cruz, drop me a PM, and if I am home I will take you on a mind melting local tour of the infamous Boulder Creek G.P.
Continue up the coast to Pacifica, hit the Gorilla BBQ for lunch, San Francisco, nuff said. Go across the Golden Gate, visit Marin for a bite, head up Hwy 1, see if you can overnight in Searanch(http://searanchlodge.com) continue up Hwy 1 to Arcata, it's a cool coastal logging town with great vistas.
The U.S. Is like AUS, the distances are vast, I have driven through Nevada and not seen another car for 3 hours. The old Route 66 is nostalgic and a once in a lifetime addition to the trip. Remember to stop in Windslow, Arizona and stand on a corner(Eagles song, https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LfeNhwnO8hw).
Oregon Pelicans can take it from here.
Eric
P.S. Get a Seve Wong Chip for your car fast quick upgrade will make the drive more fun.

[Dpmulvan]

Lucky bastard!!!!!

[Eric Hahl]

Right on! Sounds like fun trip. Enjoy!

[86 911 Targa]

Stop in at the town/winery Harmony.

Population 18.

Cheers,

Gerry.

https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=&oq=harmony+california&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GUEA_enUS570US570&q=harmony+california&gs_l=hp...0l5.0.0.0.10204...........0.I6MX0lJLo8k

[stewartjp]

Thanks Guys!

ClickClickBook, if I am in your area I will drop you a note.

I can't wait to share photos of the trip as it unfolds.

[McLaren-TAG]

Congrats on the car. Sorry you have to make the drive on the wrong coast but I guess it will have to do.

[Mike-S]

Sounds like a great trip, something I've thought of doing myself as we have friends in Monterey who have offered to find me a suitable 911 coupe...

Bringing the car back here to Melbourne afterwards?

[stewartjp]

If you get the chance I am sure it will be great. Talk about good friends!

Yep, it will be coming back to Melbourne. I have joined up to PCV and hope to be fairly active.

[jsoderbe]

Hi Stewart,

nice trip you have planned! I wanted to do the same, but I had problem to get the insurance. How did you resolve that?


Regards,

Johan

[Coastr]

Great work! I drive a US import car myself so you'll need to buy new headlights or endure endless ribbing.

I suggest when you come back down divert through Yosemite National Park and drive back down the 395 to LA. It will be hot at this time of year through the 395 if you don't have AC but the scenery is much better than the 5, and you'll be done with the winding coast routes by the time you've driven it once.

You can also swing inland in Oregon and check out Crater Lake and that area. Nice and deserted and again different from the coast.

Have fun. I'm a 10% chance of getting to Monterey myself, if that happens I'll post back here.

[bugstrider]

If you cruise through Seatle, Washington, I would recommend hitting the Boeing Museum if you like aviation related things, if so plan on several hours lost to wandering around and looking al all thing of flight. The Pikes Market is also worth a visit, although parking can be a pain.

If you find yourself in Sacramento, California, a run to Lake Tahoe up US-50 is also a scenic run, but it all depends how far inland you want to go. I second everything ClickClickBoom recommended as well.

We spent six weeks in Oz at the beginning of the year. New Years in Sidney the road tripped up to Brizzy then to Cairns. Great trip, great people, beautiful country...

Enjoy your stay,
Cheers Trev

[4495]

Sounds like a great trip. We'll be in Carmel and Monterey but it will be at Christmas so we'll probably miss you.

Hopefully we'll have a mass shooting while you're here in the states so you can see how quickly we get over the grief and forget all about it. USA!!

[NYNick]

Sounds like a great trip but 5000 MILES? How long are you taking to do that?
My wife and I just did 2600 miles in 3 weeks (in France no less) and it was a lot of driving.
Safe travels! What a gorgeous part of the world!

Nick

[word]

Sounds like an awesome road trip, and I love iris blue cars! Might want to check up on the Bonneville Speed Week though...I heard that its been cancelled due to poor conditions?

[RL technical]

Look toward to seeing it over here in melbourne, I'm an active pcv member who competes in track days., I also have a 3.2 carrera 84 so might see you down the track some time. Very nice colour but those sugar scoop headlights have to go.

[stewartjp]

Thanks Guys,

Word - I heard about Bonneville - That is very disappointing news!

jsoderbe - I went through a fellow Pelican he is an insurance broker in Arizona. I am happy to share his details with anyone who wants them.

I also am planning to register the car using Arizona's 90 Day no resident registration and failing that using a friends address in Phoenix. I will keep you guys updated on how this goes.


Coastr - Agreed about the sugar scoops, the price of H4's is so expensive at the moment though they may have to stay for a little while. I am trying to find a cheap(er) second hand set but haven't managed yet.

[spence88mph]

Wow, what a plan. I've done a bit of your route, American roads and people are first class, HWY 1 is like the great ocean but with decent places to stop and no speed cameras . Also try to get to Canepa when you're around Monterey. I'll be in LA for the Majority of Sept, PM me if you want a beer, would love to see the 3.2.