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Porsche 924. (Source: Bing.com Images)
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While the "Family" Mustang was a better
car all around, I still fondly remember my Dad's Porsche...
Yeah, it may be a STIR-RETCH! But once again
I'm Swimming in Synchronicity, or is it synchromesh? Since after all there's
some racing cars from Weissach going round 'N round le Circuit de la Sarthe
right now! Although Thar 919 Hybrid's 'lil 4-banger's gotz' a whole lotta more Giddy
Up!
Although this story is more about the car,
nevertheless it's also related to my Father Tomas Senior, since after all it's
what day today? When I'd typically have been off gallivanting 'bout Portland
International Raceway for an IndyCar race; but I digress...
At the height of his "Cool" factor;
Hey! Uhm, insert Fonz' pronunciation here? As obviously Dad's still cool,
especially when 'Ol Huey Lewis croons 'bout Square's being Hip; Hya!
Thus the car in Questione was a brand
spankin' new 1977 and-a-half, or as European designation of 1977.5 silver with
black interior Porsche 924. Which reportedly was not only Porsche's first water
cooled car produced, but also has the distinction of being the first front
engine rear wheel drive vehicle and first ever automatic transmission; for
which Pops' opted for, which was a 3-speed "Slushbox."
As it's funny what our memories retain, eh?
Since I still vividly recall the silver paint and black vinyl front bucket
seats, black door panels, etc. today, four decades later; whilst having
completely forgotten it was billed as a 2+2 Coupe, and even worse yet totally
don't remember that as a Wee' lad, I sat in the back seat; Huh? Which I'm told
were miniscule at best.
When I asked Pops' what he recalled 'bout the
car, he was pretty non-committal, other then immediately recalling the time the
mechanic forgot to replace the valve cover cap after an oil change, which
promptly caused hot oil to spew everywheres' in a smelly, hot, Smoke-On
emitting cloud from underneath the bonnet!
Whilst my future Mum was less ecstatic 'bout
the Porsche, noting the following issues with his 924. First telling me it was
continuously Tinny sounding, along with always smelling of burning Oil.
Worse yet was the ridiculous $500 repair to
fix the windshield wipers, which required removing the radio! For which the
factory Dealership then broke the radio! And refused to repair it!
Also the "Eyes" were always going
Catty-wompus! Oh, you mean the retractable "Pop-up" Headlights,
right? Yeah, you'd see other cars with theirs going spring-spring-spring down
the road, whilst you'd have to sit on them to make them retract...
Presumably the burning Oil smell was attributed
to that Cluck-up by the mechanic? While I'm no engineer, et al, but I've read
that Porsche utilized two harmonic balancers to smooth out the normal
vibrations four cylinder lumps' inherently produce, so might the tinny sound
been a byproduct of this?
Joe Walsh
"My Maserati does 185,
I lost my license,
Now I Don't Drive"
VIDEO: Life's been Good
Speaking 'O Sounds, what I recall most, was
never having any lengthy conversations in the car, since typically the sunroof
was off, presumably during our brief, sunny summers!
And why do I still remember the black cloth
bag in the hatchback's trunk for putting the removable sunroof panel in? Or the
black plastic wind deflector on the leading edge of the roof's hole?
Along with us Rockin' out to one of two well
played 8-Track tapes; EUREKA! Y'all recall 8-Track tape cassettes, right? As we
seemed to gravitate between Joe Walsh or the Little River Band, to which my
Hipster Dad introduced me to.
As the song Life's been Good is Joe Walsh's
highest charting single, reaching No. 12 on the Billboard, on his album But
Seriously, Folks, released in May, 1978.
While I tend to recall that it was the Little
River Band from Down Under that got more "Play-time" in the radio's
8-Track, as I still remember the novelty of the radio's face-plate swiveling
inwards for the 8-Track's insertion nestled in front of the automatic's T-handle
selector in the center console.
Think we wore out the State side's version of Diamantina
Cocktail, which
I'll let Y'all look-up what that is Mates!
VIDEO: It's a Long Way There
As I won't even try explaining the dichotomy
of LRB's album releases Stateside, other than my introduction to the band was
Thar first Top-40 single It's a Long Way There, which chimes in at 8:38, whilst
Joe Walsh's Life's been Good is 7:57.
Hmm? It's
interesting to Mwah how songs could routinely span 6-8mins duration during the
1970's - when we had longer attention spans, Pre-computer/Cell Phone era, as
imagine listening to an 8min song today?
Meanwhile, it's always bemusing to Mwah what
Pops' holds back, since while querying him on the 'Ol 924, he volunteered
without prodding that it was the replacement to the 914; Uh huh. And when I
told him I'd always liked the 944, he said yes, that's a more powerful version
but it was also costlier; Correctomundo!
As I won't debate the merits or panning of it
by Porschephiles', or try explaining its history, other than over 150,000 were
produced during its twelve year production run as a vital income stream for
Porsche.
While this chassis was the basis for the 924
Carrera GT racecar the late Peter Gregg was supposed to race in 1980 at Le
Mans, which I've previously chronicled here in Nofendersville.
While the renown Doc Bundy drove a 924 to an
SCCA National Championship in his rookie season, along with claiming the GTO
Class victory at Le Mans...
As thanxs for the memories Pops', and Happy Father's Day, Y'all!