Between 265 & 485 SQ/FT The 12-Gauge Garage
- Thread starter Jack Olsen
- Start date
Workspaces sized between 265 and 485 squarefeet.
Nothing. If he's speeding by would you remember what his license plate was? It's very clever, I've seen combinations like these with 1, I, L, and Ts many times.
Great to see you back doing your stuff Jack, hope your finger heals well.
Great to see you back doing your stuff Jack, hope your finger heals well.
Lyndon
Well-known member
Well I'll be a monkey's uncle.....
- I'd never thought of that before. Even trying to repeat it slowly is ****** near impossible...... 
If that's what it's all about - Congrats to you Jack.
Lyndon
At the end of another long day.
Exactly. I saw a guy driving in Chicago years ago that had a plate like MMWMWMW.
Same reason. Plus with the plates font it looked just like up and down zig zags.
jbmatth
Well-known member
That is very clever and something I'd not heard before. It is better than a custom plate that says "NO TAG" so then whenever a ticket is written of a vehicle without a tag you get a letter in the mail.
JB
JB
A long, long time ago, back when cars still had wooden wheels, my grandfather the drugstore owner would take a clipboard handed to him by a hurried delivery driver and just scribble PAID across the invoice. Sometimes that worked out for him.
OP
Here's my interesting (and unusual) car-related event for the week.
Porsche held a (very quick) contest, asking for 'genuine petrol heads' to make a video explaining why they should be chosen to come to Suttgart to have Porsche factory driver Patrick Long coach them for two days, in preparation for a second trip to Europe (this one in southern France) for a track event where they'd be driving a 'new model' of Porsche.
Here's the video of Patrick Long explaining it:
The contest was only open for 6 days. I entered.
And (somehow) got chosen.
And the whole thing moves quickly. I found out on Friday that they'd be flying me out this Wednesday.
Me to wife: 'Where's my passport?' Wife to me: 'You do know it expired three years ago, don't you?'
Here's what I learned. You can get a passport renewed in a day if you know how to do it.
Big sigh of relief.
I'm going to have two 8-hour days with Patrick Long this weekend. I'm also getting to tour the museum there.
I'm still pinching myself.
They've warned me that they lock up my phone at the Weissach test facility. But I'll report what I can.
Porsche held a (very quick) contest, asking for 'genuine petrol heads' to make a video explaining why they should be chosen to come to Suttgart to have Porsche factory driver Patrick Long coach them for two days, in preparation for a second trip to Europe (this one in southern France) for a track event where they'd be driving a 'new model' of Porsche.
Here's the video of Patrick Long explaining it:
The contest was only open for 6 days. I entered.
And (somehow) got chosen.
And the whole thing moves quickly. I found out on Friday that they'd be flying me out this Wednesday.
Me to wife: 'Where's my passport?' Wife to me: 'You do know it expired three years ago, don't you?'
Here's what I learned. You can get a passport renewed in a day if you know how to do it.
Big sigh of relief.
I'm going to have two 8-hour days with Patrick Long this weekend. I'm also getting to tour the museum there.
I'm still pinching myself.
They've warned me that they lock up my phone at the Weissach test facility. But I'll report what I can.
rlitman
Well-known member
Damn that's awesome! Congratulations!
Yes, passports can be renewed same-day in the right circumstances.
Yes, passports can be renewed same-day in the right circumstances.
Nolift911
Well-known member
That's fantastic Jack - I thought of entering also but it was a short turn. Congrats - I met Patrick briefly at the Rolex a few years ago, good guy. Hope you get to spend some time with him.
Totally jealous!!
Enjoy, drive it like you stole it and of course we need a full report.
Totally jealous!!
Enjoy, drive it like you stole it and of course we need a full report.
sbosecker
Well-known member
Jack,
Congratulations!
I have to do the quick passport renewal thing myself (It's a job requirement) so I'm familiar with the process. In fact I just did it last month. In Atlanta finding the place and then entering the building to start the process of renewal was much like when Will Smith went for his interview in Men In Black.
You left out the part about the "extra fee" (Ha!) but, yes - as you found out, it can be done.
Have a great time!
Edit: As far as weird passport facts... Did you know you can have more than one US Passport? I used to have to have a Russian Visa - These take a while to acquire and renew. Obtaining said visa requires that one's passport is in the hands of the Ruskies for a couple of weeks. Since I am required to have a passport for work, I needed a second passport while this exotic document was being processed.
Having two passports surprises even most ICE personnel.
Best regards,
Scott
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Excellent!
Now, I'm smelling "718" all over this junket. Could you tell them, while you're there, I mean, in a diplomatic way, that Americans are stupid and count cylinders, even many of their customers, and that four cylinders is a mistake? And that the problem of there supposedly not being enough differentation between Boxster/Cayman and the upscale cars is not to kick those cars down the ladder? Oh, and also, if they won't learn the lesson of the dwindling sales as they kept improving and enlarging the 944/968 motor, maybe they could take a lesson from Acura and not take years of established model name and flush it down the hopper? And that while many rabid sports car fan boys follow their every move and would follow them to the gates of hell, a lot of their customers actually aren't paying strict attention, and don't remember the first 718? (Hmmm, the similar lesson there was Ford bringing out a retro T bird so late in the game that few new car buyers remembered the first T-bird?)
I mean, diplomatically, of course.
Crossing my fingers for your 718 driving party! (Please don't let it be an SUV, please don't let it be an SUV...)
Now if only they'd pay for shipping to take your car to Weissach...
.
Now, I'm smelling "718" all over this junket. Could you tell them, while you're there, I mean, in a diplomatic way, that Americans are stupid and count cylinders, even many of their customers, and that four cylinders is a mistake? And that the problem of there supposedly not being enough differentation between Boxster/Cayman and the upscale cars is not to kick those cars down the ladder? Oh, and also, if they won't learn the lesson of the dwindling sales as they kept improving and enlarging the 944/968 motor, maybe they could take a lesson from Acura and not take years of established model name and flush it down the hopper? And that while many rabid sports car fan boys follow their every move and would follow them to the gates of hell, a lot of their customers actually aren't paying strict attention, and don't remember the first 718? (Hmmm, the similar lesson there was Ford bringing out a retro T bird so late in the game that few new car buyers remembered the first T-bird?)
I mean, diplomatically, of course.
Crossing my fingers for your 718 driving party! (Please don't let it be an SUV, please don't let it be an SUV...)
Now if only they'd pay for shipping to take your car to Weissach...
.
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Outlawmws
Well-known member
This is SO cool and I'm very happy they picked the RIGHT GUY, to go! Awesome, Awesome, AWESOME!
Way to go JACK!
Way to go JACK!
OP
Thanks, guys.
Squankum, I also thought the 718 Boxster/Cayman was the most likely, given that they don't name the model -- and that they're willing to let a guy like me do the driving. A journalist friend of mine said that's probably not the case, based on the current status of the 718 program.
But it's possible he's mistaken. And honestly, hustling Boxsters around the Weissach test track for 16 hours with Patrick Long would still be a pretty awesome weekend.
But... it could be the new 991 R model, which they're debuting at the Geneva show in March. And it could also be a Cayman GT4 variant.
Long shots, both. But the 991 R is a GT3 with a manual, skinnier tires and no aero -- which would be a lot of fun to throw around a little.
But we'll see. If it's a new SUV variant, it'll still be fun. I'm not going to complain.
Squankum, I also thought the 718 Boxster/Cayman was the most likely, given that they don't name the model -- and that they're willing to let a guy like me do the driving. A journalist friend of mine said that's probably not the case, based on the current status of the 718 program.
But it's possible he's mistaken. And honestly, hustling Boxsters around the Weissach test track for 16 hours with Patrick Long would still be a pretty awesome weekend.
But... it could be the new 991 R model, which they're debuting at the Geneva show in March. And it could also be a Cayman GT4 variant.
Long shots, both. But the 991 R is a GT3 with a manual, skinnier tires and no aero -- which would be a lot of fun to throw around a little.
But we'll see. If it's a new SUV variant, it'll still be fun. I'm not going to complain.
slik560
Well-known member
All they had to do was look at this thread and the website and the choice was obvious. Say hi to Patrick for me.
redisthefastestcolour
Well-known member
Congratulations!
Have a great time in Germany!
I've visited PORSCHE about 10 years ago, it was very interesting to see, how a 911 was built and how they have tested the engines. But best of all, was to drive with a professional test driver on the Weissach track.
After one hour the tires have been totally worn.
Have a great time in Germany!
I've visited PORSCHE about 10 years ago, it was very interesting to see, how a 911 was built and how they have tested the engines. But best of all, was to drive with a professional test driver on the Weissach track.
After one hour the tires have been totally worn.
BoostAddiction
Well-known member
This is great- I expect a full writeup on your return!
Hemihead2
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Congrats, Jack! Looking forward to the stories of the weekend.
rlitman
Well-known member
Yeah, that's one reason. Another would be because some countries will not stamp your passport with a visa if they see a visa from certain other countries.
BTW, expired passports are technically still valid as both proof of identity and citizenship; they're just not valid for travel purposes (if if less than 10 years expired, they REALLY help the renewal process). As such, they're what I've always presented to employers when such proof is required.
OP
Went to get the passport and a 'technical problem' meant it wasn't ready. About 15 minutes after the place officially closed, they got the thing made.
Frustrating, but still -- the passport is in hand with 23 hours to spare.
Frustrating, but still -- the passport is in hand with 23 hours to spare.
BBChevro
Well-known member
Congratulations Jack
sbosecker
Well-known member
Jack has his passport in hand now so he's golden but there's one other passport oddity worth mentioning about our German friends.
I arrived in Munich in late August with my passport that was due to expire in January (5 months away). As I passed through immigration via, the "Crew and Diplomatic Personnel" line, the immigration official mentioned that my passport was about to expire. I replied that it was going to expire in January and she followed that with a declaration that they didn't allow entry to anyone with a passport that had less than 3 months of validity.
This surprised me and, when I returned home 48 hours later, I filled some paperwork to my Corporate leaders to see what that was all about. The reply from the big boys was that didn't apply to me but it would to the regular tourist. I suspect that it has something to do with not needing a formal Visa for a tourist visit of 3 months or less.
So had Jack's passport not been expired but still had a couple of months left on it when he got his invitation from this NATO ally....
He may have had issues upon arriving in Germany.
Best regards,
Scott
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Brompty
Active member
Bearing in mind that Porsche is officially the world's most profitable car manufacturer (the profit the company makes on each car sold is ridiculous), you advice may be taken with an appropriate pinch of salt.
"I arrived in Munich in late August with my passport that was due to expire in January (5 months away). As I passed through immigration via, the "Crew and Diplomatic Personnel" line, the immigration official mentioned that my passport was about to expire. I replied that it was going to expire in January and she followed that with a declaration that they didn't allow entry to anyone with a passport that had less than 3 months of validity."
This is very normal across Europe as visits can easily be longer than 3 months.
TRS63
Well-known member
Jack, I know that you might be crazily busy here with the Porsche stuff but I am living in the middle of Stuttgart so if you have a bit of free time, don't hesitate to send me a PM, would be a pleasure to share a beer with you
Antoine
Antoine
OP
Thank you, Antoine. I was out by Weissach the whole time, and they had me busy from morning to midnight the whole time.
OP
And here's my write-up. First, I'll include the link to the Porsche 'microsite,' which will update every Friday with a new episode.
http://www.porsche.com/microsite/911-r/usa.aspx#home
The short version is this: The 'new model' I got to drive is the 991 911R. It has 500 hp and a 6-speed manual. It's lighter than the GT3 RS.
Here's what the weekend was all about. Big power. No wing. Old-school 6-speed transaxle. And it went on a diet.
The 'challenge' is a series of training exercises for me and (a German guy named) Alven with Patrick Long, building up to (next month) getting to drive one stage of the 'Tour de France Automobile' hillclimb that was won by the original 911R model.
The only American to become a Werks Driver for Porsche and also a very generous and gracious guy.
The real purpose of my visit was to put together a set of online promotional clips for the 911R. So in one sense, the weekend was spent making a commercial. As such, it's important to point out that the version of me in the clips is fictional. I'm pretending to be a driver who's happy to learn what understeer is and how to heel-and-toe downshift. In reality, I've been heel-and-toeing for 16 years. But fact and fiction are two different things. The point is to introduce the 911R, not to introduce me.
But the other part of the reality of this weekend was spending two days with the motorsports, GT program, and marketing people from Porsche at the Weissach R&D facility -- which we all know as the hallowed grounds where for decades Porsche's great race cars have been tested and developed. It's also the place where an inch-thick stack of approvals (and non-disclosure agreements) had to be signed so that I could see some of the things I saw and actually drive on the legendary test track.
Here's my 'mugshot.' I'm not sure how I got the designation 'creative,' but I'll take it.
Because of the nature of shooting this kind of thing involves a lot of waiting for the camera crew to set up the next shot, maybe the most memorable part of the weekend was the idle time spent with Patrick Long, and also a guy from the GT program who had overseen the development of the 911R, and also one other Porsche-employed driver (who wasn't part of the on-screen drama, but helped with the coaching and filming). It would be one thing to get a few minutes with these guys as part of a press event or factory tour, but it was another thing altogether to just hang out and talk with them through a long day and then a long dinner afterwards. I can only talk about some of it, but to get two driver's impressions of the current race scene, and what it's really like to drive Le Mans, and what it's like to drive with and hear about other drivers, some newand up-and-coming, some underrated, some overrated, some nice, some not. And to also hear about the development of the 911R project from an internal point of view. It's something I'll never forget.
The lanyard you get for the track gate to open at Weissach.
This was the track map I made for myself. On the flight out, I spent time going through lap videos with this. I think the person in front of me was probably annoyed by my simulated use of his seat-back for the throttle and brake -- but he didn't complain.
There were also moments where I wanted to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming -- when they tell you that a shot is going to take a while, so they're bringing out a GT3 RS out so you can kill some time driving it on the test track. I don't know how many non-professionals have ever been allowed out on that track (I think Leipzig is where that sort of thing is usually done) -- but right now, I think it's safe to say that I'm one of the few people who can tell you what driving the new 911R and the GT3 RS back-to-back on the Weissach track is like.
I still can't believe it all happened.
This is the final part of the project -- running a stage from the 1969 Tour de France Automobile, which was won by a 911R back in the day.
If anyone has any questions, I'll answer them (as much as my NDA with Porsche will allow, at least). And I'll also write up more specific impressions about the 911R soon.
http://www.porsche.com/microsite/911-r/usa.aspx#home
The short version is this: The 'new model' I got to drive is the 991 911R. It has 500 hp and a 6-speed manual. It's lighter than the GT3 RS.
Here's what the weekend was all about. Big power. No wing. Old-school 6-speed transaxle. And it went on a diet.
The 'challenge' is a series of training exercises for me and (a German guy named) Alven with Patrick Long, building up to (next month) getting to drive one stage of the 'Tour de France Automobile' hillclimb that was won by the original 911R model.
The only American to become a Werks Driver for Porsche and also a very generous and gracious guy.
The real purpose of my visit was to put together a set of online promotional clips for the 911R. So in one sense, the weekend was spent making a commercial. As such, it's important to point out that the version of me in the clips is fictional. I'm pretending to be a driver who's happy to learn what understeer is and how to heel-and-toe downshift. In reality, I've been heel-and-toeing for 16 years. But fact and fiction are two different things. The point is to introduce the 911R, not to introduce me.
But the other part of the reality of this weekend was spending two days with the motorsports, GT program, and marketing people from Porsche at the Weissach R&D facility -- which we all know as the hallowed grounds where for decades Porsche's great race cars have been tested and developed. It's also the place where an inch-thick stack of approvals (and non-disclosure agreements) had to be signed so that I could see some of the things I saw and actually drive on the legendary test track.
Here's my 'mugshot.' I'm not sure how I got the designation 'creative,' but I'll take it.
Because of the nature of shooting this kind of thing involves a lot of waiting for the camera crew to set up the next shot, maybe the most memorable part of the weekend was the idle time spent with Patrick Long, and also a guy from the GT program who had overseen the development of the 911R, and also one other Porsche-employed driver (who wasn't part of the on-screen drama, but helped with the coaching and filming). It would be one thing to get a few minutes with these guys as part of a press event or factory tour, but it was another thing altogether to just hang out and talk with them through a long day and then a long dinner afterwards. I can only talk about some of it, but to get two driver's impressions of the current race scene, and what it's really like to drive Le Mans, and what it's like to drive with and hear about other drivers, some newand up-and-coming, some underrated, some overrated, some nice, some not. And to also hear about the development of the 911R project from an internal point of view. It's something I'll never forget.
The lanyard you get for the track gate to open at Weissach.
This was the track map I made for myself. On the flight out, I spent time going through lap videos with this. I think the person in front of me was probably annoyed by my simulated use of his seat-back for the throttle and brake -- but he didn't complain.
There were also moments where I wanted to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming -- when they tell you that a shot is going to take a while, so they're bringing out a GT3 RS out so you can kill some time driving it on the test track. I don't know how many non-professionals have ever been allowed out on that track (I think Leipzig is where that sort of thing is usually done) -- but right now, I think it's safe to say that I'm one of the few people who can tell you what driving the new 911R and the GT3 RS back-to-back on the Weissach track is like.
I still can't believe it all happened.
This is the final part of the project -- running a stage from the 1969 Tour de France Automobile, which was won by a 911R back in the day.
If anyone has any questions, I'll answer them (as much as my NDA with Porsche will allow, at least). And I'll also write up more specific impressions about the 911R soon.
Grizz1963
Well-known member
What a great update to wake up to here in England.
That sounds just brilliant Jack.
I am really pleased for you to have been chosen for this project and the obvious benefit you have gained so far for your personal life, driving and development of your car back home.
Privilege can be earned..... You certainly have.
That sounds just brilliant Jack.
I am really pleased for you to have been chosen for this project and the obvious benefit you have gained so far for your personal life, driving and development of your car back home.
Privilege can be earned..... You certainly have.
E12-535iTurbo
Well-known member
Very very cool Jack. Well earned I'd say although there are many out there with the same dream and lifestyle of course. It's a lottery ticket and you won it by hard work but most of all by sharing your journey. So please keep sharing and who knows where it will take you after this.
Brompty
Active member
Wow, great write up even though you are obviously constrained by what you can say at this point. The car is fabulous.
Are you going to be in Europe for the whole period of the build up to the race? If so, how is Mrs O. taking all this?
Are you going to be in Europe for the whole period of the build up to the race? If so, how is Mrs O. taking all this?
Beenman
Well-known member
Dang!! The 911R..... 
Boosted1
Well-known member
That's awesome Jack! Thanks for sharing the details. The 911R sounds cool. I hadn't heard of that model before.
Bob Heine
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Thank you so much for taking us along for the storybook ride of a lifetime. Gonna be hard to top!
matt_i
Well-known member
500bhp from a natural aspirated flat 6 at 3100 lbs, wow. I see an 8500rpm redline