zuffenhaus blog.

I went to the first meeting I’ve attended in many years tonight.

My wife accompanied me – to my great satisfaction, as I prefer her company to almost anyone’s, she meeting me at my shop after work so we can go directly into the city.

We greet a couple of familiar faces at the restaurant bar, acknowledge a few more, but share no discourse with them.

Everyone collects in the designated room and is seated (nice space, although I thought an Italian restaurant an odd choice for a German marque,) the meeting organizer stands and asks the group if I am in attendance. I am, and signify so. Once identified, I’m asked when I last attended a meeting and am then given two 5 dollar bills, the organizer announcing that he would like to buy me a drink for coming to a meeting after 7 years. (I’m not sure if it has been that long, but I was unprepared for the question and couldn’t think of any I’d attended since 2005 or so.)

There is a raffle, some announcements, a presenter associated with a magazine that has recently been resurrected after some hiatus. I’m amused as the fellow name-drops Bill, the longtime historian – but calls him ‘Billy’ with some familiarity. It’s amusing to me because I’ve known Bill for years and he’s never struck me as a Billy, and I don’t get the impression that the rest of the room recognizes the name, regardless.

There is wine, sporadic dining, several enthusiastic members telling me how great my competitors are (after first asking my opinion of them, of course.) and a bizarre conversation wherein I am informed of a shop that I happen to be an owner of.
This is more or less what I remember.

Driving home, the car smells like old sandwich – it was and has been raining, the car obviously developing leaks which dampen carpet/upholstery in serious need of cleaning.
In addition I have one, possibly two lifters in need of replacement – their clatter audible over the wind noise.

It’s almost 10 PM, my window’s fully down with my elbow out into the night (the other window fully closed, the passenger switch has failed again,) my wife laying across the car into my lap after her long day – my other arm draped over her so I can shift.

We’re listening to Pachelbel’s Canon in D (- I didn’t know it was her favorite piece of music) as loud as old door speakers will allow, over the wind and the slight smell of funk, bouncing as much as driving down back roads to home on suspension more suited to track use than commuting.

It’s the extended moment of driving that justifies the meeting, and the evening.

I’m satisfied.

I’m writing this from the comfort of my home, after eventful air travel back to the Carolinas, another Treffen successfully concluded.

Before the remaining event photos, I thought everyone would appreciate Zuffenhaus rental car return policy – leave no fuel unburnt:

We had 3 miles to go at the time of this photo – it likely stalled on the check-in attendant as we headed for the terminal

Here are the rest of the photos from the event:

(the owner of MS Road & Race)

Thanks to both Chris and Freeman for another great Treffen experience!

Everyone else – stay tuned for East Coast Treffen this fall.

Some more randomness from Solvang.

No, not the challenging aftermarket bumpers/tail – the engine compartment ‘glass inspired by the historic Porsche race engines.

Here are some pictures of what I’m referring to, taken from engine bay of a fellow rGruppe member’s ‘72.

Being the barely-amateur iPhone photographer that I am, I can’t possibly capture the light, texture, and tone of raw engine compartment fiberglass.

Coupled with patinated aluminum and magnesium and yellow cad plated fasteners it creates a stunning, vintage aesthetic worthy of cooling fan whine and gutteral sport muffler sounds.

964 AS BACK DATE PLATFORM

Our visit to SVD got us thinking about the Zuffenhaus 964-based RSR that is now in assembly stage, as shown here:

(please excuse the shop rag – the dust bunnies of our industry)

The 964 is the ultimate back date platform – body panels and lines that do not stray far from the original pen but mechanical system developments that provide for chassis rigidity, functional climate controls, antilock brakes, and effective drivetrain right out of the box.

SVD puts their signature on the 964 chassis as is well documented in the press – a synthesis of the entire era of the 911 with a nod to the early details, but as a back date platform the 964 can become more referential, more historic, more detailed.

On this example a 1990 C2 chassis was used (although the year and driveline are largely irrelevant) and was aged with the obvious deletion of rocker trim attachment points, shortening of jack posts, replacement of tail light buckets, and reconfiguring of front trunk/nose panel to accept the proper long nose latch panel and early fenders.

The details start there for the 964 back date. The Zuffenhaus car replaces the dash core structure with that from a 1972 911 and combines the early and late steering shaft/column assemblies to utilize 1972 column trim and levers. The instruments are reworked to remove the 964/993 idiot light display and use early 911 stage-lit illumination.
The cowl panel is modified for the use of early windscreen washer nozzles. A 1972 oil fill door assembly is worked into the passenger rear quarter and the 964 oil tank modified accordingly to reproduce correctly that single-year feature. The shifter assembly is modified for a 915 boot and knob, and the seat mounts are revised similarly to continue period detail within the cabin.
The 964, while never replicating the driving experience of its older siblings, can reproduce the look and feel of the long hood models – while maintaining the usability of the later models.

ZUFFENHAUS 2.8RSR CALIPERS, comparison.

A client mused upon the possibility of adapting the Zuffenhaus caliper for use on his 910 recently, and during the measuring and brainstorming work it occurred to me that other folks might like to see a physical comparison of the 2.8RSR and early S calipers:

Despite the obvious size difference, the 2.8RSR caliper fits tidily under 15″ wheels and uses the readily available 911 turbo brake pad.

- for those times in life when a flare less than 14″ just won’t do.

Shown with the narrow version, for mere 9-11″ applications…

Have a great weekend, and if you’re lucky enough to be at the Techno Classica, have one for us!