2003 meetings

Gatwick Aviation Museum Meeting - September 2003

One of the aircraft was being resored to an airworthy state. One of the Shackletons is the only in the uk that has live electrics and because of this the guns and bombs still work, so we were asked not to touch any levers or buttons or we might find ourselves at 20,0000ft and walking towards the escape hatch! But can you just imagine what it might have been like crammed in a tight space with 13 other people while shooting down planes and bombing subs!!!!!!!

Some of the people there included: Simon Watson (GTS), Adrian Clark (SE), Jeremy Napier (GTS), as well as a whole load of new faces but most importantly Jon Jeffryes who orginized the meeting at Gatwick Aviation Museum which may soon be gone as well as the rest of Charlewood which might be replaced by a new runway for Gatwick airport.

Cameron Fox (Age 10)

Here are some pics to give you a flavour of the day.

Above Pics from James Sweeting Below Pics from Angus

Perfect Design 90's on Rob Burrels GT

Guards Red is still a favourite colour

Great turn out

Rude pipe. Sounds Great

Nice colours

My 928 is in AFN so I brought the backup Werks1 built RS2

Autocar Porsche Trackday August 2003

There were about 40 people on the track day. We all had to pass the infamous noise test but this was fine even for some quite loud cars.

After what seemed like ages, but with plenty of car talk and nice sandwiches off we went. Id asked about gas - when we get there they replied.. On our run round to the pits - I RAN OUT - its happened to me now so many time I know the symptoms. I waited for a marshall and they towed me to the gas point and for a quid a litre I filled up. Lesson - fill up more often. I wonder how many times Im going to do this.

Then, open pit lane. An old colleague of mine whos a track day buff was there and took me round for ten laps or so to show me the ropes. Incredibly helpful.

Its a lovely circuit. Very forgiving. You would have to be a muppet to damage your car here which is brilliant. I would go again anytime. Theres one bad corner but as long as you treat it with respect the rest is great.

Open pit was good and bad. I think people felt it would have been better if people were ability grouped. But in any case it was quiet at times and the track never felt crowded. Just a couple of idiots in Minis who didnt know where to overtake.....

I had one grass moment exiting a bend without as much grip as I thought and too fast. One of the other 928s spun. A 911 went off into the grass with much smoke. And a boxster overtook me in a poor place and then immediately spun off in front of me on the next bend. I clapped as I went past.

We all got a run in one porsche - too many people. Fortunately we were early and I got the 996 turbo. 2 laps and then a hot lap with an instructor. Its a shame there were so many people. I would have liked to get in the Cayenne. There wasnt a GT3. Id have liked to try that too. I bated the Porsche boys about getting a V8 upgrade from the Cayenne to the 928 and they seemed to think that electrics aside it would be too tall for the 928 bay.

Jonathan Palmer turned up in his helicopter and made straight for the three 928s. "I had one - it was a fantastic, really fantastic car" he said and chatted for a while.

996 turbo test

My impressions are mixed. Its totally different to the 928. Its more like my mates new M5. Its a little dead in terms of feel. I crunched the gears. The gearing is utterly different and light. The steering is too light for me. The handling is unbeatable but also deadened.

I enjoyed the fast lap. But I was left with the feeling that I wouldnt actually want one. That Id prefer a 95 GTS manual with zero miles on it anyday.

I suppose thats good for my pocket but ultimately it must be bad for Porsche and I think it goes some way to explain why 993s are holding their value better than 996's

All in all Ive got mixed feelings but the 996 turbo is not a GT car - and it doesnt have the brute factor - its all been edited out. Shame really. Perhaps a GT3 is the answer. Havent driven one of those so we shall see.

I really enjoyed the drive home. I pushed the 928 on the M1 and M25 and it sliced through eating up the miles. I confirmed to myself that my old 89 was better to drive than a 996 turbo. Wow. Thats an amazing conclusion from the day.

Angus