Today at 6:47 AM
To
Mark Mead Baillie
Today at 11:27 AM
OK you asked for it!
Beautiful T’giving ’68 back from 6MO TDY Itazuke AB Japan Pueblo Response on Hiway 1 below Big Sur to San Luis O. Top stowed .Waved hello to a CHIP and ticketed for crossing white line. Left soft window ’68 with bro in law as flew for step dads funeral in Salinas Aug ’72 and he was racing a girl in Brussles NATO HQ and got hit in left rear. Barely broke in with 25K as had left at home in ’69 with my ’55 Speedster back to Germany. Then had it sent over when German’s wouldn’t allow me to license daily use as OLD VEHICLE. USAA said Targa had frame damage and totaled it. Had the ’63 sent over and is under 3rd rebuild. Got it as 2nd Lt getting wings soon in Waco May ’63 and making 1st Lt Sept fror $4200 near year’s pay. Ate beans 4 months but worth it last 51 Years. With all 3 in ’68 Sumter SC training crews at Shaw AFB, my CO asked me if I came from money. I just said no, I’m single.
So good choice; usually OK to take what you can get at right $ but 78’s mid years last 911 ’74- ’83; Peppy torquey pre 964 began loading nice things on. Dorly 69-74 was selling sports cars to GIs just off Bitburg AB gate. I’d take them to S’s hill rd above Philippscheim and demo then they drive back. Advice was take a big comfy family car over and leave it here with .25 Esso US Gas coupons so a 911 T coupe was something. Her boss in Holland had taken on a shipment of T’s gone bad at the dock and was selling then for same $4200 .in ’71 as my ’63 356. Sold a bunch and when we were home in summer ’72 wandered in Wester Mts Monterey and mentioned she’d sold 11 so far that year their jaws dropped. More than their year’s allowance at about 1/2 cost. with no tax. Had to export in 6 months tourist plates so we’d drive to Lux 30 min away and change to to $3 GI plates and be tax free. Aw youth! Excess 3Ltr BMW bodies were fitted as the nice, non LUXUS Bavaria which became the mid 70;s follow on to the late 60’s 2001-2002 4 cyl USA rage. Great family car. Would stop at 134 MPH on A Bahn with the auto for her never learned shift. 4 speed’d get to 135. rev limited. Became wasted on US 55 mph even across Texas open spaces. Over years settled
on her a Realtor’s Cad STS’s in 90’s , Hers ’11 now I get the ’07. with 80K but got a cute red 6 cyl ’08 Eclipse Spyder convert nice wx car right now reminds me of Speedster with comfort. auto, radio, heated seats.power top. Hit the gas and hold it in line from the trorque to left . Recall reaching back and raising little cowl top on the ’55 Porsche one handed in a tropics down pour. Memories, corner of my mind. Don
Today at 11:39 AM
I drove a “burnt orange” ’68 911S Targa soft-back window from 1974-1987. Original owner brought it over from Germany : as you may know, ’68 was the one year the 911S was not exported to the States, so it was very rare here. Sold it to a kid who drove down from Sacramento to meet me at a BART station where he took the car and I his $2,500. Had I known then that today the asking prices were to top $100k…
To
Mark Mead Baillie
Today at 1:33 PM
Was delivery delayed fix as horrible 911L air pump made it damn lean backfire but new CA emissions rqt met that year . Switch to early transistor electronic ignition was a help. Cleaner Platinum plugs came in then too. Worst? I brought the Bitburg AB Goon home in ’69 Sept and drove all over 30 days and few days prior to going back horrible sound of road chains clanging. Hydraulic rt chain tensioner failed at 20K miles. Finally found a local guy knew how and over stayed 4 days until he’d started with my $1500 check and step dad drove it home later. Was in our garage when Dorly and I came home to marry in May ’71. Fired it up and took her to Castroville Sat PM fresh AChokes $1 a doz and CHP ticketed for expired plates! Got them Monday and Tue May 25, her birthday! drove to Carson City for $20 20 min JP marriage. Folks came along eventually in 65 Falcon Cpe I bought Sept 67 to get to S Carolina and my Porsches and all went to Tahoe Top Of the Wheel Polynesian Harvey’s Resort . Had the Mai Tai mugs for year as planters. I knew I’d a winner when she saw BIG BERTHA slow rolling giant slot wheel and eyes grew big.
http://www.hagerty.com/valuationtools/HVT/VehicleSearch/Report?vc=911068
…I’d of course kept it.
On Monday, October 20, 2014 6:47 AM, Mark Mead Baillie <mmb@deMeadville.com> wrote:
Still have this ’78 Targa conveyance for those “non-traffic” excursions: