Oh how I miss my little blue Porsche

It was a dark, rainy, slick and stormy night and I’m on my way to the SF international Airport to pick up my red headed girlfriend, Paula, a TWA Stewardess. I was in a hurry; we hadn’t seen each other in about a week.

So, I was really getting it on, doing about 84 in my little 1956 blue Porsche 356 A. I had just cleaned and waxed the shiny coupe; wanting to impress you know who.

It was October, 1964 and her 707 International was early coming in from Johannesburg S A; I was running late, we were both looking forward to seeing each other; when you’re 26-28 years old it was a lot more than just “seeing” each other.

I noticed a red glow from the dash and instantly I was engulfed in an awful, smoky stench with brown haze behind me, and then came a screechy sound of grinding metal. Pistons trying to swap sleeves, valves screaming for some cool air. Crank shaft self-destructing.

Seems those little, flat 4 cylinder rear engined air-cooled motors needed lots & lots of air, not old wipe rags full of cleaning wax stuffed in the air intake box. Ka-blooy! There were bits & shards of hot metal everywhere, Cars heading south behind me on the old Nimitz Blood & Guts freeway (101) were slipping & sliding all over.

I managed to steer off onto the right shoulder near the Cow Palace and flag a cab to the TWA hangers.

After the long and silent tow back to Pacific Heights, we dropped the sick little car off at my German mechanics’ shop on O’Farrell. Somehow, our late date turned out to be memorable experience, a real classic. Must have been the left over aroma of danger adding spice to the Irish Coffees?

Back to the Porsche. It took a whopping $ 375.00 repair and a vow to get something a little bigger (A brand new seafoam green ‘65 Buick Riviera GS) was in order to keep up my relationship with Paula who clearly enjoyed a more comfy ride.

I sold the Porsche a few days after it was fixed for the staggering sum of $ 3,500.00. About $1,000.00 less than the new green Buick.

Now, almost 50 years later, I hear they're going for upwards of $ 200.000.00 Oh, well, there’s hardly anything left over after 50 years that I still own, let alone a collectable like the 356 A except the painting I did of her a few years ago.

Paula? Last I heard she was seen hopping aboard a brand new 747-400 to Singapore with a guy named Howard.

Seriously, man, WHO KNEW?

Jack Pumphrey

inkyarts@comcast.net

Click Here for More Information