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While I never had a chance to meet Al in person I did have the rare priveledge of touring his workshop on a Saturday way back in 1990. I had a chance run in with his workshop partner during this time at the pomona Swapmeet. While at the meet a private vendor was displaying several 4-cam components for sale on his lead table and drawing quite a crowd. My Dad and I walked over to see what was creating all the interest. There was a bunch of 4-cam stuff there I'm sure but the only two items that standout in my mind to this day was a complete 4-cam blower housing unit and a complete V-drive with ignitions and the wires wrapped around it. As we looked people repeatedly asked, how much? The owner would point to the housing and say "2,500". Then over to the V-drive, "750.00". We were in Shock! My dad just looked at the ground and shook his head and laughed. "Ridiculous" he repeated several times between chuckles. I could only agree but man looking back on that now; what a smoking deal that was! Hell he probably could have been talked down in price on a package deal. As we were about to walk away I told my father "we could use those parts but not for that kind of money". A heavy-set redheaded guy overheard me and asked if we owned a Carrera. We told him the whole motorless story and about a 912 motor being made ready to go in. He introduced himself as Gary Hemmer with "The 356 Workshop" in North Hollywood and handed me a card. He said they specialed in 4-cams but could help with anything 356 related and if I ever needed help to give him a call. Well after several months of not being able to dial in that 912 engine I gave him a call. He told me what parts I would need and we set a time on a Saturday so he could work on it. Below are five photos I took at the shop hidden in plain sight in a very old rough looking industrial area of North Hollywood. There lay a treasuretrove of significant Porsche race history.I sure wished I would have taken more photos!
There were no push-rod cars in here at the time. all the 356's were carreras. Looking back on this photo knowing what I know now.
I really should have taken more pictures!
That's another carerra 2 under that car cover. The plywood building in front of it on the left was the office. The smaller shack on the right was thier "clean Room" where the engines were assembled.
This was taken inside of the assembly room. A couple of 547's in progress.
This is a shot of the opposite wall facing out toward the shop. They had five or six engines going in here with trays of original 4-cam hardware just back from cad-plating.
You can just make it out here but this is that RSK with the funky tailfins. The white wall to the left had a large industrial shelf just out of the shot here. On this shelf was a red "A" front clip cut at the top of the wheel arches. Gary said that it was the remains of an original GS/GT Speedster. I'm sure that car lives again. You can also make out two more 4-cam engines mounted up high on workstands. The Carrera 2 on the lift had a beautiful silver Abarth GTL parked under it. Simply an amazing collection of hardware under one roof! I only now really appeciate what I was looking at when these pictures where taken. Thanks for reading this! Justin
There were no push-rod cars in here at the time. all the 356's were carreras. Looking back on this photo knowing what I know now.
I really should have taken more pictures!That's another carerra 2 under that car cover. The plywood building in front of it on the left was the office. The smaller shack on the right was thier "clean Room" where the engines were assembled.
This was taken inside of the assembly room. A couple of 547's in progress.
This is a shot of the opposite wall facing out toward the shop. They had five or six engines going in here with trays of original 4-cam hardware just back from cad-plating.
You can just make it out here but this is that RSK with the funky tailfins. The white wall to the left had a large industrial shelf just out of the shot here. On this shelf was a red "A" front clip cut at the top of the wheel arches. Gary said that it was the remains of an original GS/GT Speedster. I'm sure that car lives again. You can also make out two more 4-cam engines mounted up high on workstands. The Carrera 2 on the lift had a beautiful silver Abarth GTL parked under it. Simply an amazing collection of hardware under one roof! I only now really appeciate what I was looking at when these pictures where taken. Thanks for reading this! Justin
Back then we had to be a bit more selective of the shots we took. By the same token we could never detail or car builds like we do now...
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