Carrera Motors---Bill Russell

[Steve Heinrichs]

Mr. Russell has asked questions on the Registry Forum and really received noclear answers. It seems that he wants to validate a 4-cam motor he is interested in.

He can get the answer here and I hope he reads the other thread here on this topic generally and also asks here.

Steve Heinrichs

[JTR70]

Thanks Steve! maybe he'll see your very nice offer...

[Steve Heinrichs]

See Jacques' post on the R Forum. I resent the continued unmoderated defamation, but, hell, it helps my case.

Setting that aside, the ebay motor was 90781 not 90786.

Please not that, often, the internal numbers were not sequential----so subtraction does not provide assurance.

Steve Heinrichs

[356JAGER]

Steve,
It appears as though the opinion of one 4 Cam guru, is that the authenticity of engines purporting to be 'matching numbers' doesn't really matter. Wonder if his clients feel the same way ? What say
you, oh 'evil one' ?

[Steve Heinrichs]

Well, I would say that at $250,000 per motor or motor, it would be good to not have a fake. But, gee, that is just me.

Lots of the inside crowd knows many of the specific motor numbers for a particular car but they do not know how to verify a fake or maybe do not want to know. Lots of resistance to transparency, it seems.

Guess that makes me evil.


Steve Heinrichs

[Steve Heinrichs]

Per motor or more.

Steve

[356JAGER]

Resistance to transparency seems to be contagious in some locales.

[Carrera GT]

The Registry is unfortunately lacking on real depth of reliable factual information when it comes to specific history, pictures, or details. The information there comes from multiple personal opinions that are skewed by mostly USA private owners of cars they have owned past and present over the years...subject to one body shop to another, and from American Vendor "experts" that have past down the right and wrong so many times - primarily from disregarding and not studying the factory's history, facts, data, and their books...usually because a profit first got in the way.

Although, there is a mechanics side of the Registry that is helpful to many do-it-yourself owners - with that there is a lot of personal satisfaction to have accomplished different mechanical projects along the way. Perhaps this is the popularity that exists.

However now - with the rising presence and prices of early Porsche across the World it has become a matter of who has done the heavy lifting on many-many areas of the now - just as equally important to many, documentation stuff - otherwise known as the nitty-gritty homework to provide specialized content on meaningful data including (but not limited to) chassis numbers, motors, gearboxes, colors (in and out) etc., etc. and etc.


The Registry "operators" seems to have a deep seeded, stubborn ignorance to the fact that vintage Porsche owners have a unique connection to their car's spirit or soul - and very much want to know the history of what, when, where, and why on how their car was created and originally delivered - almost like an adopted child later wanting to know all about their real birth parents.

This part of the human spirit towards what they own can never-ever be denied.

-Michael Doyle-

[jacques]

Hi Michael
My view is that Porsche owners would like to enjoy their cars and drive them. My goal is to facilitate the restoration of functionality. and BTW the term "evil one" is a mark of endearment.
cheers
jacques

[Carrera GT]

Hi Michael
My view is that Porsche owners would like to enjoy their cars and drive them. My goal is to facilitate the restoration of functionality. and BTW the term "evil one" is a mark of endearment.
cheers
jacques

Hi Jacques,

Yes, of course, I certainly agree that Porsche owners enjoy driving their cars - they appreciate them in many-many ways. I'm sure they highly appreciate your skills to keep them going.


And Porsche AG - past & present - makes them for people to enjoy the driving of a fine German sports car. And they also made a Museum - with the finest vintage Porsche displays in the World - and a fabulous Archive-Records department as well.

Enjoying Porsche ownership is not (and should not) be just one sided only. That would be very narrow minded by some otherwise.

As to your endearment to "evil one" - I don't really get that? Perhaps it is a one-sided term...beats me. Can you explain?

Michael Doyle

[jacques]

Hi Michael
If it were up to the factory the 356 and the 4-Cams would have gone the way of the Dinosaurs great for Museums but not much else. Ok i put my foot in my mouth with the "Evil One" but that is how his friends refer to my son Chris since he is a very good strategist in their game playing. I meant it not as a personal judgement but a characterization of the opinion that many hold.
j

[Carrera GT]

Hi Michael
If it were up to the factory the 356 and the 4-Cams would have gone the way of the Dinosaurs great for Museums but not much else. Ok i put my foot in my mouth with the "Evil One" but that is how his friends refer to my son Chris since he is a very good strategist in their game playing. I meant it not as a personal judgement but a characterization of the opinion that many hold.
j

Jacques,

Interesting that you speak on behalf of the Factory. From my understanding, it happens to be that their 4-cam engine cars ran from the mid-1953 550 Spyder series on into the 904/Carrera 2 models through late 1964. That's a 12.5 year span of time. Quite successful and meaningful I would say.

Not only me and other collector enthusiasts, but a number of Porsche family members have recently acquired for their personal collections many 4-cam model Porsche cars - proudly driving and displaying them today - in the Stuttgart/Zuffenhausen Museum and on the Road. Even Wolfgang Porsche drives his personal Irish Green Carrera 2 coupe to many Vintage Porsche and Club meets today.

On the other note - I'm still puzzled, perhaps intrigued(?) about your "Evil One" thing...and how that relates to this discussion?

Good always to hear from you.

best/Michael Doyle

[Jack Staggs]

Hi Michael
My view is that Porsche owners would like to enjoy their cars and drive them. My goal is to facilitate the restoration of functionality.

I agree 100%, and thank you Jacques.

[jacques]

Hi Michael
When in the early 70s i started to work on 4-Cams i went to the factory and the racing department and had little luck with parts or info. I am very grateful to persons like Steve who had to go on archaeological expeditions to mine the data we now have. What saddens me is that 4-Cams are unobtainable now so many will not experience first hand their potential. In the Registry-Forum i suggested that Bill check with Steve hence the reference to "evil one" to assist him in qualifying potential candidate engines for his car. believe he is still on a quest for a suitable engine.
j

[Carrera GT]

Hi Michael
When in the early 70s i started to work on 4-Cams i went to the factory and the racing department and had little luck with parts or info. I am very grateful to persons like Steve who had to go on archaeological expeditions to mine the data we now have. What saddens me is that 4-Cams are unobtainable now so many will not experience first hand their potential. In the Registry-Forum i suggested that Bill check with Steve hence the reference to "evil one" to assist him in qualifying potential candidate engines for his car. believe he is still on a quest for a suitable engine.
j

Jacques,

Yes, it is my view too that Porsche 4-cam and Carrera cars have, for the past 25 years or more, been unobtainable to many enthusiasts - but that has not deterred anyone to be any less interested in these cars whatsoever. In fact, it has increased interest and enjoyment levels to all time highs. Porsche 356 model owners can and do appreciate the 4-cam models in quite a few ways - because reading, writing, seeing, talking, documenting, and having discussions about them is great as well. By example, look at the Spyder 550 & RS60/718 threads on this 4-cam category web-site. Hundreds and thousands of views and contributions. And how many own these cars..?

Also, I'm somewhat puzzled - to be helpful, could you please expand a bit on this other part ...because on one hand you indicate being "very grateful" to Steve (H.) --- and on the other hand you reference him to being the "evil one". Thanks again.

Michael Doyle