CARRERA PANAMERICANA IN A PORSCHE 911

Excellence magazine has done it again in issue #213. They’ve profiled a Porsche owner who is a true enthusiast and racer. He is Walt Sikes, a competitor who chose the early 911 as his weapon of choice. Check out his pair of 1965 build 911s.

Here’s an excerpt from my article (Thanks Greg Brown and John Kirikos!):

“It’s 60 degrees and a perfect fall day in San Francisco. In two weeks time, one of Walt Sikes’ 911s we are testing nearby will be south of the border at the 2012 Le Carrera Panamericana. It promises to be a hot race over seven days and 2,000 miles of rustic roads, where his Porsche will be slipping and sliding next to 1000-foot cliffs.

But tomorrow is not today. And on this early October afternoon Sikes’ pair of 1965 build Porsches are in cooler and safer environs. One looks stock, the other is anything but. As if to emphasize that fact, Sikes has been eagerly demonstrating how to spin the tires of his rally prepared multicolored 911 on a deserted stretch of asphalt east of the Bay Bridge.

When it’s my turn, I make like a pretzel, climb over the roll cage, and strap into the tight race seat. Everything about the modified cabin reflects the sports purpose for which this 911 was intended. The suede covered steering wheel is smaller than stock. Modern rally instruments sit where an ashtray and radio would be. Headphones offer relief from the schizophrenic racket of big carburetors and a sport muffler.”