Région PCA Region
RSR Rendez-vous May 1997
I got to track my car last night for the first time this season. I am pumped about this summer’s DEWs. Continuing in the long standing tradition (actually, I began last it last year, but hopefully it will be a tradition sometime in the future) here are a few hints and tips for new and not-so-new “trackies”. Also I may be able to save you a few bucks along the way.
Continue reading “Rendez-vous June 1997 – Turbo or not Turbo”
RSR Rendez-vous September 1997
How Much Is A “Used” Tire Gauge Worth?
Early Saturday morning of the July Driver’s Ed. I checked my tire pressures. It’s sort of a ritual I go through. The left rear tire showed 14 lb. less than I expected. Off with the wheel and oh-oh, two blistered patches smack in the middle of the tread with the carcass visible! I couldn’t see them before because the car was parked right on the area where the tire had gone bad. It’s scary to think what could have happened had I gone out without noticing. My $7 tire gauge almost certainly prevented an expensive incident.
Continue reading “Rendez-vous September 1997 – Check your tires!”
RSR Rendez-vous October 1997
More 996
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Road and Track did a “First Drive” of the new 911. The author is a 911 fan of long standing. I think he damned it with faint praise. If you haven’t seen the article, the new 911 not only has Boxster underpinnings and face but the dash is the same as well. In all about one-third of the new 911 is Boxster.
What got my attention was the fact that the car is “smoother, quieter and softer” than the 993. Another clue was the fact that the 18 inch Continental tires squealed in even moderate cornering. What? Tire squeal from a 911 that isn’t skidding? Tell me it ain’t so! On 18 inch diameter rims yet!!! A cruise on the “net” brought a translation of an article in a German Auto magazine which was even more depressing!
Continue reading “Rendez-vous October 1997 – Why a 996 is NOT a Porsche!”
RSR Rendez-vous November 1997
Checking your oil on a 964 or 993
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Does seeing your oil level gauge in the red zone while driving your 964 or 993 bug you as much as me? I though I’d pass on something I learned about checking the oil level on these cars which may surprise you.
Contrary to older 911’s, the dip stick on the 3.6 litre engine is next to useless. The darn thing is too long and follows a twisted path to the remote oil tank. As a result, the oil gauge is a more reliable indicator of the amount of oil in the reservoir. That’s why Porsche put it there in the first place. Here’s how to check and adjust your oil level correctly:
Continue reading “Rendez-vous November 1997 – Checking oil in a 993 and Instructor training”
RSR Rendez-vous December 1997
AGM
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I’ve just come back from the AGM. Held at the Casino de Hull. Nice place .. fancy building, beautiful grounds with a huge reflecting pool, lights, fountains and vistas. Dinner was fun. If you had black lettering you were having the roast beef, red you got salmon. Clever. The food was good, or, as good as it gets when you try and serve 250 odd people at the same time. Don’t try this at home, trust me!
There was the usual speech making, no, make that unusual, the speeches were mercifully short. Nifty door prizes and various awards. I was astonished that Howard Weld (That’s Doctor Weld actually) handed me a plaque. Go figure, a dentist passing out plaque. Usually they remove it using a fiendish torture instrument that uses cosmic rays (or something) to heat a thingamajig (sorry for the technical terms) hotter than the surface of the sun to burn it off..along with collateral mouth flesh.
Continue reading “Rendez-vous December 1997 – AGM @ Casino de Hull”
RSR Rendez-vous February 1998
Firstly, a brief note to thank all our Rennsport friends who helped cheer Louise and I up through what was a very tough month of December. She’s doing fine now after a couple of very close calls. Those cards, gifts and cheerful calls really helped. For those who don’t know, Louise had major surgery in early December. That went fine, the sticky part was the infection she got while in hospital. Let’s say it was a lousy way to end the year but a great way to start a new one. She’s mending fast and she’ll be behind the wheel at every track event this summer. Since that’s under control, I’m back at my regular Rendezvous post again. Sorry I missed last month …!
Continue reading “Rendez-vous February 1998 – Winter blues & the sailboat!”
RSR Rendez-vous April 1998
Bubbles, tiny bubbles.
Recent warm temperatures (this is written in February after all) made us all think about spring. You know, that time of year when the tulips and Porsches bloom. Of course by the time you read this me may be buried in snow and we’ll all be figuring ways to turbo charge our snow blowers but I digress..
Most of you know that I’m “into” tires. Of our annual Porsche related expenses, tires are at the top of the list. I’m always looking for the best traction and wear. Something that adheres to Mt-Tremblant’s particular surface is high on my list.
Continue reading “Rendez-vous April 1998 – Tire grip with gum!”
RSR Rendez-vous June 1998
Automobiles Lauzon Hosts Rennsport:
What a great way to start the season. Automobiles Lauzon invited Rennsport for their official unveiling of the Porsche 996. They put on a fantastic evening with wine, hors d’oeuvres and even a jazz combo. The real stars were the cars of course. There were seven Boxsters, some with hardtops, and one convertible with a roof rack (a very clever piece of engineering by the way) carrying what else, a Porsche Mountain Bike!
Under wraps were four 996 coupes awaiting the moment. In front of a crowd of more than 100 Rennsport members the covers were lifted and we were treated to the new 911 in all its glory dazzling under theatre lights installed for the occasion. This was a classy production!
RSR Rendez-vous December 1996
Well, here we are at the end of a great season. The AGM was a delight and the door prizes were really nice. I wanted the Le Mans Video, I wanted the Boxter model, I wanted ….; I swear that there were almost as many prizes as participants but Louise and I didn’t win. When Howard (of Talon Tire) said something about being his best customer and asked me to make the drawing for the tires I figured “heh-heh at last, I win the tires”. I didn’t. It looked like Michel Galarneau had a tear in his eyes after he got a standing ovation from the crowd of over two hundred for making this year the best ever. It was a very touching moment, seeing the efforts he and Nicole made being applauded. Me? I had tears in my eyes when I found out that two snifters of Cognac cost 17 bucks!
RSR Rendez-vous January 1999
Shame on me!
Here I am red faced. Our Editor has slapped my wrist for being late with RSR Rendezvous. Sheesh. I’m gonna demand a pay raise if he wants me tobe punctual. Howard is of course correct and I missed a deadline inNovember. I think I already apologized for it though.