[alwaysflat6s]

Gents, I enjoyed.. or at least very much appreciated your stories.

I could write a book.. but here is one from 1972:

I had recently moved to San Francisco and was driving back from the Can Am races at Laguna Seca in my daily driver, a 1954 Porsche Speedster- with a freshly built "hand gernade" engine. It hadn't run right since I built it but I was mostly focused on making it OK on the street. I was married and this out of control engine build had changed the car from something she enjoyed driving into an unruly beast.. that wasn't even making much power!

We stopped and visited friends after the race [we lived in Monterey prior to SF]. It was a good excuse to visit and we expected a much nicer drive after the race traffic thinned out. We took Highway 1 all the way, but there was still a lot of traffic. About 10 minutes North of Santa Cruz the exhaust suddenly got very loud. I pulled over to inspect it and realized that the weld was coming completely apart between the headers and the muffler! I grabbed an old Army blanket I kept handy to protect my hand and wrenched it completely off so it wouldn't fall off. Now it was realllly loud. As soon as I accelerated I realized why this engine hadn't been making the power I had expected. It had what was then called a "California legal muffler" and had been strangled all along. So.. the car was suddenly transformed and just amazed me. With all the traffic and virtually no patrolling at night I was passing cars in groups! I had felt stupid for putting so much money and time into the engine build but now it was pure joy.

At some point the traffic faded away and it was just the occassional overtaking. I then realized I was coming up fast on a new 911 [911s didn't expect old 356s to fly past them]. I just stayed into the throttle and was gone.. almost. I then realzied the 911 driver either wanted to play or had a point to prove. Soon he was up close.. and then past me [with my low slung lights I didn't dare drive much over 100]. I immediatly cut my high beams and driving lights and decided to just pace him at a discrete distance and let him do all the work of trying to see into the darkness. It seemed obvious as the speed built up that he didn't expect me to remain there. He gave it one good goose... I stayed with him.. and finally settled in at a steady 110. We ran tandum until we reached Half Moon Bay. There the highway changed into 4 lanes with a new traffic signal.. on the Red.. So...

I pulled up next to him on the left [but couldn't see him that well out of the tiny slots for side vision with the top up]. We sat there quietly and finally it went Green... I SHOT off - wanting to demonstrate just how FAST and old Speedster could be! I was WOT in 4th gear and it was fantastic feeling this thing being the animal I had hoped for... [can you say "140"?]... When I realized that the highway behind me was suddenly full of flashing lights! I threw it in neutral and braked to a stop on the shoulder.. waiting for them to catch up. Soon all I could see was a bright white glare as they all had their spotlights on me. I got my papers ready.. glanced at my wife [I swear there was steam coming out of her ears. She said not a word.] It seemed forever that I waited for this impending disaster. I couldn't understand why they hadn't come up to the car by now and I couldn't see a thing for all the lights.

Suddenly I detected movement near my drivers door. [Please understand.. an old Speedster has no windows. Just side curtains that you remove after the top is down or the door wide open- so you are peering through a narrow slit on the side of the car. I opened my door- and the lower edge of the top was an inch or two below my eyes, so you don't just look out. I then went through the little dance you have to do in one of these things... slipping slightly down in the seat, bending my head sideways as I stoop down and then out in order to see much of anything. So I do this.. and... and.. I realize that in the darkness out there stands the 911 driver! No PD- just him!! He is looking at me..and smiling [WHY is he smiling at me???] and then I notice something shiny he is holding in his hand. For all the darkness and harsh glare of those lights I'm having trouble adjusting my eyes figuring out what he is holding.. no.. wait. He is holding a bright shiny POLICE BADGE! I'm sure my eyes bugged way out at that point. He then said "I told them I egged you on for miles and it was all my fault. Now put it in gear and get out of here as quietly as you can- right now.]

For weeks afterwards I would suddenly break into an uncontrollable smile.

This has always been my favorite memory. I'm smiling writing this.