The Planning Party for 2010 is already on the calendar (January 22) and now all we need are a few good men and women to step up and volunteer to host club events. Hosting an event for the first time can be a little intimidating, but we are a very easy going group and will be happy with just about anything that involves cars, people and food. Any extra twists you might add are frosting on the cake.

What exactly is involved with putting an event together? For those of you that have never had the courage to host an event, but think it could be fun, the first thing you need to know is we are all eager and glad to help! That being said there are some simple guidelines involved that will make an event run smoothly without a lot of hair pulling!

1. Let people know! Have the “who, what, when and where” for your event placed on both the web site and in the newsletter at least two months before your event. Make sure to have your contact info, an RSVP date and a “no refunds after date” if appropriate.

2. If you are doing dinner at a restaurant it is strongly suggested that you have a set price for the meal. Make sure tip/tax is included along with any extras the restaurant is providing. It is best to get something in writing so all the costs are clear to all parties.

Engine sizes for several 911 variants have increased in the latest model year to a whopping 3.8 liters. This includes the Carrera S, Carrera 4S, GT3, GT3 RS and most recently the Turbo. While this transition may seem like a natural progression for Porsche in the great “size and horsepower race” that many manufacturers have engaged in over the past decade, the move to 3.8 liters was not always a sure thing. For some it’s hard to remember that it all started 45 years ago with a 2.0 liter flat 6 engine that was “originally designed to be stretched to 2.7 liters”. Then came the 3.3 liter Turbo motor of the late 70’s and later the 3.6 liter 964 motor of the early 90’s. All of these air cooled engines were based on the same cylinder spacing (bore centers) with ever increasing cylinder bore diameters.

Contrary to the expectations of many, in 1992 Porsche was looking to upgrade the 3.6 liter Carrera RS with a more powerful engine. Again the cylinder bore was increased from 100 mm to 102 mm which, coupled with the standard 76.4 mm stroke, increased the overall displacement to 3746cc. This got upsized to 3.8 liters for marketing purposes. The question was how reliable would the new engine be given the minimal cylinder wall spacing in air cooled form. Porsche put the engine to the test and entered it at Le Mans and at Spa, both 24 hour races, where it won both GT classes and proved its reliability.

Band director Tim Reynolds looks over some of Grandma Pat Bauderer’s art work. (Photo C Kugler)Late October can be a risky time for a Car Show in northern Nevada with rapidly changing weather conditions and widely variable temperatures. The opportunity to give back to the community and help a worthy organization was a strong inducement for club member Gilbert Dayao, Gilson Autobody, to sponsor a charity show and shine to help the Spanish Springs High School Marching Band reach their goal of marching in the Main Street Parade at Disneyland during Spring Break 2010. Acting on short notice Gilbert put together a team of car people, band parents, school administrators and even Department of Public Safety staff (DPS/NHP) to organize, publicize and execute a quality car show in 7 weeks. Lead by Band Mom and DPS team member Lynn Brooks, a solid and focused group of 12 people (including our own Rich Wyett) started identifying key elements of a successful show, assigning duties, notifying the local car clubs and securing donations. Raffle and silent auction items were targeted not only from area “car” related sponsors but also from community businesses.

This month’s tech information comes from new SNR/longtime San Diego Region member Bob
McLaughlin. Here’s a few questions that should test even the most proficient Porschefile. See answers on the bottom of page 19 (no cheating).

1. Ferry Porsche broke ground for construction of the Weissach Research Center in the year:
a. 1951
b. 1961
c. 1968
d. 1971

2. Alternators produce 3 phase alternating current. To charge the battery and provide DC current to the vehicle, the current must be rectified. The component most responsible for this is:
a. Regulator
b. Phase Converter
c. ECU
d. Diode

3. Which of the following is not a 356 Engine type?
a. 616/1
b. 546
c. 753
d. 369

4. Production on the 912 began in:
a. January 1964
b. April 1965
c. January 1966

Ken Hollman enjoying the ride in his little red race car. (Photo by C Kugler)Last year I simply had the wrong date on the calendar for my favorite vintage car race. I was surprised to get a call on a Friday morning asking where I was (in my garage, not in Coronado 560 miles away with the rest of the vintage drivers). I ended up making a frantic drive that day to make the event, left my wife at home, and had to cancel house-sitter plans for the following week.

Well, the only good thing I can report is that my calendar skills have improved. Wednesday we left Reno in a caravan with the Hollmans, Watts, and Christensens and drove to Lone Pine for the night. We met the Turnbeaugh’s there and had a great dinner. Thursday we had an easy drive to Coronado where we parked our race cars for the long weekend. On Friday Dean Watts and I were asked to drive Navy VIP’s around the track in our visually identical white 911’s – yes, that quickly broke into a bit of a race contest and our riders loved it. (I had an older gentleman with me and was taking it easy when Dean blew by us. My rider said in a gruff voice, “You’re not going to let him do that are you?” I replied ‘No Sir” and we were off.)

The author negotiates a tight turn during the Autocross in his 2006 Cayman S. (Photo by ML Kugler)The end of October brought the local Autocross season to a close for 2009. SCCA is our main resource for local AX events and this year was more of a challenge for the organization and the drivers as the Stead airport facility had surface “issues” due to an incorrectly applied seal coat last fall. With Stead off the schedule, we used various facilities in the northern Nevada area including Reno Fernley Raceway, Hawthorne Airport and the south lot at the Grand Sierra Resort. We even crossed the state line for a weekend event at the Truckee-Tahoe Airport.

In preparing for the final weekend event I was surprised to see another venue change on the SCCA website, this time back to where it all started: Stead. I kept my fingers crossed for good weather, hoping to end the year on a high note.

We were scheduled for the last afternoon run group so when we arrived Sunday morning the early group runs were half over. Talking to a few of my driver friends while watching the action, it became clear that the surface traction issue that had banned us from Stead in April had not disappeared. The surface was such that car control and finding the limits given the surface would dictate how well we would fare. We taped up the flares and low hanging rear body parts and prepared to do battle one last time.

Fred Schatz enjoys the wines at Convergence Vineyards with Nancy Giannini and wife Marilyn Schatz. (Photo by C Kugler) 6This year’s version of the wine tour occurred on the weekend of Sept. 19 and 20. The weather was ideal as sixteen Porsches left Carson City and headed over the Sierras via Hwy 88. We detoured onto Shake Ridge Road, a wonderful back country Porsche road that winds through wine famous Fiddletown (big Zin anyone?), and into the heart of the Amador County wine region. Our first stop of the day was at Convergence Vineyards, an award winning winery owned by Steve and Jaime Concannon. Steve is part of the Concannon family, longtime wine producers in the Livermore Valley, and an experienced winemaker in his own right. Jaime was having a book signing for her new cookbook and we enjoyed their insights on food and wine pairings. Next we motored to Bella Piazza, sister winery to Villa Toscano, for tasting and a picnic lunch. This winery has wonderful wines and the setting is so fantastic you would think you are in Tuscany.

4th Annual Silver State Concours…

Or, “How I spent Saturday afternoon defending my spotlessly clean car against rogue weather”

Grandma Pat Bauderer shines up her original 1966 911 Coupe before judging starts. (Photo by C Kugler)Rain is nice from the inside looking out – think of Fall colors, cool temperatures, warm fireplaces, and all the SPEED Channel you handle. But rain is not your friend when you want your car to look its best. For those attending the Meet and Greet on Saturday, September 12th in anticipation of showing off their cars for prizes, trophies and bragging rights at the 4th annual Silver State Concours on Sunday, September 13th , rain is what we got…at least for an hour.

So what is this thing you call “concours”? In short, it is a beauty contest – check that, cleanliness contest - for cars. In summary, he or she that uses the greatest number of microfiber towels and Q-Tips wins! But the Silver State Concours is more than that. Held 45 miles south of Reno in Gardnerville with the Sierra Nevada as the western backdrop in the fertile Carson Valley, it’s the premier weekender/getaway in the Zone 7 Concours series.This translates into 2 days of camaraderie, car stories, car-spiffing, conversation and consumption of good food and adult beverage. But you don’t need to be a Q-Tipper to participate and enjoy it.