Boxster Look A Like

1963 A.T.S. 2500 GTS 3 Litre Alemano Coupe. Photo from NY Times

This 1963 limited production coupe I think has lots of Boxster cues. The sloping hood, The slightly raised fenders. Check out the vents in front of the rear wheels. Very Boxster. Even the large middle vent in front.

As they say, there are no new ideas.

Boxster Control Arm Replacment in Total Control

My Boxster's front suspension was creaking more than Bernie Kosar's knees. And when it started shaking under heavy braking like it had warped discs I knew it was time to replace the control arms.

First, jack up the car, remove the wheels and turn the wheel to full lock. You will have to turn it the other way to replace the opposite side. The procedure is the same on either side.

Next, remove the clip and plastic nut next to red dots so that you have enough room insert your wrenches.

In the next pic, you can see the 16 and 18mm wrenches in place. Take the nut off but leave the bolt in place.

Next, remove the nut but leave the bolt in place for the track arm.

Now, you can get a fancy Porsche ball joint popper but since you are not reusing the ball joints you can use the old fashioned hit it hard popper. Two whacks and the ball joint popped out as easily as snapping a pain killer pill from a blister pack.

Then, take out the bolt holding the track arm. Then, the bolt holding the arm to the chassis. The arm will come out easily.

To install, start by the chassis and slide in the bolt and catch the nut, do not tighten until all is in place.

Then, install the track arm bolt and nut.

And finally, get a small jack and force, it does not take much at all, the ball joint into the strut housing and tighten. 

Now go through and torque all the nuts. Good luck getting a torque wrench on the ball joint, so, just nice and tight. No need to kill it. 110ftlbs on the track arm bolt and 70 something ftlbs on the chassis bolt.

You can see the finished product. Visually, the old arm looks fine but the ball joint was shot. Loose, torn boot, etc.

I went with rebuilt units from vertexauto.com for $189. Each.

It took me an hour and half working pretty slowly, No need for alignment after this either. It is so easy you are crazy to pay a shop $200 + to install them for you.

High Plains Raceway Trackday

Did my first DE at High Plains Raceway. Wonderful track. 2.6 miles. Lots of blind curves and elevation changes. I drove the SC and loaned the Boxster to a friend. Both cars did well, nothing broke, so a successful outing.

More Reasons Racing Parts Not Installed

Well, we've been in Montreal for a bit of a vacation. Just as all the parts arrived, we headed out.

We stayed in Vieux Montreal. We at Au Pied Du Chochon which is the most over the top restaurant in the world. Seriously, look at the menu.

And we checked out the modern marvel Habitat 67.

But all that does not mean I did not have Porsches in mind. Check out the Boxster spotted in old town. And the collection of 928s, some on jackstands, some where near Marche Atwater. That man has some issues.

Grip That? On Steering Wheels.

I am a boring youngish, oldish sot who hems and moans about those things not original. Those things that go against sound thinking and engineering for a moment of flashy lust. I am not to the point of those that think the catholic mass should go back to Latin, but I am pretty far on the original side of original.

Now, to steering wheels. Why are they changed, I hesitate to use the word upgraded, so often? Simple, It takes only one nut to take a wheel off and swap it out. It gives the owner a false sense of accomplishment that they actually did some meaningful work to their car. One man's opinion here, but it is the same reason lots of people swap out light lenses and add on metal pedals. It is easy to do this. If swapping engines was an easier proposition there would be all sorts of half-breeds driving around. 

Why do I not like 99% of most aftermarket wheels?

A) They are ugly. Period. They may look 'cooler' on their own than the OEM wheel but in situ they look as awkward and out of place as a 12 year old at his first dance with the girl's school from across town and his Dad lurking in the corner as a chaperon. Just look at how wartish the momo wheel looks in the otherwise stock SC above.

B) They are invariably smaller. And this is not always a good thing. Especially for beginning racers. A smaller, thicker wheel invariably encourages a death grip. A more aggressive seizing of the wheel with one's fingers. My karting instructor, after a few laps, saw me stretching my hands and instantly recognized I was holding on too tight. Looser hands, to a point, encouraged smoother driving. And a Porsche at speed, on the track, has a pretty good weight to the wheel in all the cars I have been in, 911, 944, 951, Boxster.

Some driver's I have met search for a smaller wheel to increase the weight because they say it feels better, racier. But this heaviness feels good for a short time. But the penalty in rougher movements. Jerky turn-in. And fatigue are not worth it.

C) Even some stock performance wheels have a yellow line at 12 o'clock. Ugh. Unless you are driving a rally car and making multiple, full 360 degree wheel swings, this is just a boy racerish affectation. If you like a yellow stripe at the top of your wheel, you probably also like flashy exterior badging.

This was, I think, a nice follow up to the below post on driving gloves. You can imagine the acid reflux I endure when glimpsing someone with string back driving gloves gripping a Grant colored wheel. The burn is horrendous. 

Don't believe me. Reinstall your stock wheel for your next track day and see if you don't drive smoother, more relaxed and more energized. Heck, even F1 cars have power steering. 

Everything in moderation, even the feedback and weighting in the wheel of a sports car. 

And just because I railed on them. Doesn't mean they don't have a place. A wood-rim wheel in say a Jaguar or Austin Healy is quite lovely. They match the wood and delicacy of the cars they are installed in. I even once purchased a 1967 MGB from a man who lived in a converted Newport Carriage and owned a gasoline pogo stick that had an original Les Leston drilled rim wheel. It was superb.

Pics from pelican, stuffswap, 7motorcars and seriouswheels .coms

The Unbearable Lightness of Cars

So, there is a lot of chatter about the next gen Porsche Boxster being a turbo 4cyl of exceedingly light weight. 

Yeah, it may be a turbo 4cyl but I doubt it will be of 'exceedingly light' or Elise-like weight as Motor Authority states.

That is because to most people, not just Americans, light cars are unbearable. Considered unsafe. Spartan. Cheap. Because to get to a light weight the Boxster would need to ditch all the PASM, power top, upgrades stereo systems, ditch the carpeting and cargo liners. So on, so forth. And this will never happen.

As USA today noted, drivers want a small car, but they want all the luxury items they were used to having in a full size car. 

Do not think sports car drivers are immune to options or more willing to go without. There is a reason the current 911 is of the same dimensions and weight of the 928. It is because people wanted all the options that the grand tourer offered in their little sports car. If you want a true 911, buy the Cayman, but it is ugly. So a trade off there.

The above inflated art Porsche is not too off the mark, is it?

I consider myself quite a hardcore sports car fan. I love sportiness. I despise cupholders. But my 1999 Boxster is about as stripped out a car as I would want. It has no PASM, no cupholders, no heated seats, no CD changer, no Nav. Any more barren and it would be like a mobile MUJI store. And if I, as a sample of one, would not desire such an automobile there is no way a large enough portion of fans would.

"i would love a small 4cyl stripped out car." You say? Well, chuck up $5,000 grand and buy a decent 914 and drive it in all weathers then tell me if this is what you still desire. You won't. After a month driving this machine the least quibble on your mind would be the shifty shift linkage. It would be how much you missed power windows and a change bin. Good thing we are struggling to get back to the 914's 29MPG. Me proud American.

Finally, on weights. Many people say how cars used to be huge, heavy beasts and todays cars are lighter. This is patently false. Below is a table that shows some old and new cars and their weights. Interesting. The one thing all the old cars had in common? Not soft handling you jokers. A lack of driver distractions or compensation systems. 

Back then, stability control was the steering wheel.

986 Porsche - 2,750lbs

987 Porsche - 3,100lbs (that is worse than the freshman fifteen!)

2005 350Z - 3,212 lbs

1969 Roadrunner - 3,400lbs

1970 Chevelle 454SS - 3,200lbs

2008 M3 - 3,450lbs (it needs a V8 now)

997 Turbo - 3,200lbs

1980 928 - 3,300lbs

1965 Jeep Wagoneer - 3,700lbs

2007 Jeep Cherokee - 4,200lbs

2007 Ferrari Scaglietti - 4,100lbs

1979 Ferrari 400i - 4,100lbs

1970 Challenger - 3,400lbs

2007 Challenger - 4,100lbs

So, there it is. Lightweight cars are unbearable to drive everyday. Who wants to drive a track car in suit and loafers? 

That is all for now. I am off to run on the treadmill and eat a SnackWell cookie. If my car can't lose weight, maybe I can.

Images todayinart.com, pelicanparts.com, porsche

Against the Theology and Geometry of Porsche...

at least that is what Ignatius Reilly would say. 

This gem found on Ebay has me wishing only one thing. That the flames were real and the car was about to melt in a conflagration of plastic, gasoline and bad taste.

Mile HIgh Autocross

I did my first RMR region PCA autocross this weekend. Unfortunately, it was the last one of the year. But great weather. A tight, tricky (hence the event name Trick or Cross) course and no breakdowns made for an enjoyable outing. I drove my SC but let a friend of mine drive the Boxster. As expected, he bested me by just a tick under 3 seconds. 

The Boxster did very well. The SC being bone-stock had a lot of push in the slow speed turnarounds. A lowering would do wonders. But than, it would not be as the Germans designed and American safety standards dictated.

The Covered Car as Muse

Most owners view classic cars under a cover as a bit of a drag. This, I think, is a flawed POV. I keep both my SC and Boxster covered. 

I find a car under cover not unlike classic continental dinner service, a bit of drama and suspense added to something that is usually routine. "Ooh, what delicacy is under that polished dome just waiting for me to devour it."

Driving now is like having a present to open everyday. It is the same reason I ask my dry cleaner to wrap my sweaters in paper. It gives an old item the blush of youth. The bit of occasion. Arrival. Or more apt, departure. 

And the psychological effects of keeping a car under cover are different for a collector car and a daily driver. I keep both of mine under covers. The foul weather 325ix is my bad, submissive partner. It looks like it likes getting leaves and sundry environmental assaults thrown at it. I'm sure it has a 'safe word' set up with Mother Nature if it all gets too nasty, but has yet to use it.

For a collector car, or fun car, keeping it covered in the garage is that extra bit of love and tenderness you can show to your prized possession. You wouldn't put your baby to bed with out her favorite blanket. Would you? No. And like a baby, peeking into the garage to see your possession sleeping away, protected and coddled is quite comforting. I imagine my SC snores the winter and its dirty roads away. 

The benefits of wrapping up one's daily driver under a quality NOAH or Porsche cover is even more profound. The biggest being is that it slows you down. Takes a few minutes to accomplish. It clears your mind and focuses you on the fact that you are going to be driving. Not doing work. Not making calls. This mind-clearing effect is something I also experience when I get ready for a motorcycle ride as I gear-up. As a passionate cook and the grandson of a woodworker I also like to take care of my tools. You don't grab a knife off the rack and hack at some chicken. You take it out of the block, run it over the steel and slice away. And a woodworker knows right away when their tools have been mishandled, ruffed, abused. They splinter the wood.

As you uncover your car it is a pilot moment. Look at the tires. Check for rock chips. Dig the garbage out of the vents and crevices. You're not being fanatical. You're being conscious. Pack up the cover in the trunk. (Do not ever cover your car at work. That is a complete wanker behaviour). Slid in, turn the key and drive.

I can almost envision confetti and horns crescendo cruise-ship like after uncovering the Boxster, pulling out of the drive and heading onto the sea of blacktop that is my commute. A bit Walter Mitty? Sure. But that, as the convict decorator says, is 'a good thing'.

In closing, I will admit, some nights the covering bit is a chore. But then I think how it adds two minutes to my day, slows me down once again. So that when I step through the door, the work day is done(even if I have more work to do) and I can relax knowing everyone is safe and sound.

Porsche Losing Porscheyness

In an article I wrote for 911 & Porsche World magazine I talked about how I liked the first generation 986 Boxster because it "left off everything that could be left off". I would like to expand on this thought a bit.

The vintage car I have linked in above is the 1948 Porsche #1. The one. The first Porsche. A true, glorified VW. What is important to note is the extreme reserve in the design. The lack of anything busy or fussy. And this is at a time when most automobiles had quite a bit of busy, fussy things going one. Look at any 1948 MG, Jaguar, Fiat, etc and you will see what I mean. They were rolling Victorian drawing (and in some case tea) rooms. This first Porsche did what is hardest and stayed pure and clean. The hardest part in designing anything is to leave things off. A house. An ad. A watch. It is easy to add and add. Make bigger and bolder. But that will only lead to a fad.

Now look at the 987 Boxster compared to the 986. The most vulgar of the design changes is the side vent. The ones that feed air to the engine. The new 987 has large, hard edged gashes often pimped with chrome or carbon fiber. I am sure someone out there will say, "It is functional, the engine needs more air so the practical engineers made the vents larger." Maybe. But I also know that they thought the new design made the car seem more muscular, powerful. 

Also notice the redesigned bumpers. Both front and rear now feature deeper creases. More aggressive venting and flaring. Even the wheels are busier by a factor of ten. 

This Boxster to Boxster comparison is a small sampling of where Porsche is going design wise. They are straying ever further from their roots in search of a new, broader market. If I put a picture of the Cayman, Cayenne or new 997 (excepting the base Carrera) the family heritage would be tough to see. Don't even get me started on some of the options Porsche makes available like contrasting seat belts, emblazoned wind screens and aero kits for non GT3 cars.

And Porsche is not the only manufacturer to yield to the pressure, wrongly desired, of new and fancy. Look at the pure Audi TT generation one next to the new, bloated version. The Mercedes SLK today has such a busy snout it looks as if the person who did the makeup for Mr. Mistoffelees designed it. 

This is not to say I do not like progress and new models. I love it. I look forward to new releases like a fat kid looks forward to pizza day at school. It's just that some times, it would be nice to have a well-prepared cheese pizza versus a messy stack of 'the works' that leaves your slice wilting and dripping.

Pictures from canadiandriver and seriouswheels.com

Colorado Foliage Boxster Tour

With the aspens at their prime took a two hour drive up 72 from Golden, CO. This road ends at 119, also known as the Peak to Peak highway, and made our way down to Blackhawk and Central City. Left quite early to avoid the crowds. Great sweeping curves and long vistas that at times can give you a feeling or near weightlessness as you approach.

Lime Rock Show Day Pics

Great day at the Lime Rock show. So, what we have from top to bottom:
A Lola T-70
A 1923 Amilcar. Check out that rear seat suspended out over the back in the boattail.
1949 Tatra. Porsche-like with its rear engine. A V8 though. Very stylish.
1967 911S. Daily driver, found in NYC in a garage. Rough but runs every day.
Rad 1972 Monaco vintage decal on a 1968 911 Targa. I want one of these stickers.
Boxsters all lined up.
1973 Turbo RSR Prototype. 1 of 1.
Two 1951 Porsche 356A. Both gorgeous. The dark blue one prepped for track work.