The Flying Corkman
Mel Nolan is smiling. Dressed in a neatly ironed shirt with the outline of a Porsche embroidered on the chest, he rises from his seat and extends his hand, the smile turning to a laugh.
“Another drink over here,” he calls to a barman, before gesturing to the stool opposite him. Even beside the window the light in this southern Irish pub is low, but the spotlight is about to shine on white-haired Mel, as he heaves a heavy box up beside him, layers of newspaper cuttings, old photographs and programmes inside.
Memories spill onto the table, scattering like a dropped pack of cards, and his eyes dance as his fingers reach for a black and white photo of a man sitting astride a motorbike. Clad in leathers, his face partly hidden by a helmet, is a much younger Mel. A Mel who was better known at the time as The Flying Corkman.
In the early Eighties, Mel Nolan was one of the quickest men on earth. Aboard his “crazy, home-built motorcycle”, the industrial chemist set two world records and, after registering 207mph on the speedometer, has kept a tight hold of the Irish Land Speed Record for nearly 40 years since.
“For the past seven years I’ve been a total Porsche fanatic but before it wasn’t like that,” says the 73-year-old. “Before that, I was a biker – and not an ordinary biker but one who loved to race, build new engines, do new things and develop new engineering and new products.”
Having entered – and won – his first motorbike race at the age of 25, Mel filled his home with dozens of hillclimbing and sprint trophies before a powerful mix of mechanical curiosity and ambition propelled him into the record books.
“The bike started off as a road bike – a Honda 750 with a top speed of 118mph – but my friend, Dennis Collins, and I started to work on it. Bit-by-bit the speeds built up to 207mph an hour.
For the past seven years I’ve been a total Porsche fanatic but before it wasn’t like that.
“The bike started off as a road bike – a Honda 750 with a top speed of 118mph – but my friend, Dennis Collins, and I started to work on it. Bit-by-bit the speeds built up to 207mph an hour.
“It took some getting there – it felt like a lifetime’s work – but we had fantastic fun and by the end of 1981 we’d set the world land speed records for a 1,000cc bike over distances of a mile, and a kilometre. We had to pull out all the stops. I believe it was the first turbo and nitrous motorcycle ever run in Europe.”
With three records under his belt, Mel took a back seat from riding and moved into an organisational role. Having developed a love of drag racing, he put his infectious enthusiasm to work, drawing crowds of 10,000 onto the streets of Ireland for the country’s first ever drag race. After a brief stint back in the saddle – “It was killing me to see our Irish riders being beaten by the English, who’d been drag racing for years, so I developed a bike with nitrous oxide and rediscovered my competitive streak” – Mel hung up his leathers at the end of the Nineties. Seven years ago, he pointed his passion in the direction of Porsche.
“I’d wanted a Porsche from a young age and when I bought a Boxster S a few years ago I just felt totally at home. It was like sitting on my sofa, but a sofa with astounding handling,” he laughs. “On the twisty roads of Ireland I could keep up with anything, even cars with a lot more horsepower.”
It was like sitting on my sofa, but a sofa with astounding handling.
The Boxster was followed by a 996 Turbo X50, a 3.2 turbo-bodied Carrera, and eventually a 997 Turbo. All three sit side-by-side in his garage. All three present the perfect excuse to be an active member of the Porsche Club of Ireland.
As organiser of the southern region, Mel’s never been busier. “Some clubs have five or six events a year; by the end of 2018, we’ll have held 58. The camaraderie is fantastic: there’s always something to do and somewhere to go in your Porsche. We’re a very proud club,” he says, pointing at his shirt where the club logo is stitched.
“Motorcycles are a part of me – I’m still heavily involved in drag racing – but there’s a lot of love in my heart for my Porsches. It wasn’t until I’d driven one that I realised a car could feel like being back on a motorcycle. They’re raw, they’re fantastic, they’re happy machines.”
They’re raw, they’re fantastic, they’re happy machines.
As he sips his pint and wipes the froth from his top lip, Mel’s eye falls on a recent photo of his 1984 Carrera on the table in front of him. Mel Nolan is smiling again.
Pour consulter l'article original et complet, cliquez ici.
Air-cooled Munich
A Porsche event in the fancy-schmancy city of Munich? Immediately clichéd images come to mind, right? Please put down all prejudices and press the reset button. The last Sunday was cool. So much in advance. It was even “air-cooled”. After the highly successful Porsche Event “Luftgekühlt” took place the last 5 times in sunny California, the initiators around the two-time Le Mans winner Patrick Long decided this year to take the step to Europe. The event had its European premiere in July in rainy Oxfordshire in England. Last Sunday was Munich’s turn. Finally in the home country of Porsche. In late summer temperatures and bright sunshine, Porsche enthusiasts met in the Werksviertel Mitte, in the east of the city. The location could not have been better chosen. Centrally located in the Werksviertel, the Werksviertel Mitte is the starting point for the new urban lifestyle in the east of Munich. Remodeled industrial buildings and numerous new buildings provide architectural exclamation marks and a metropolitan area of tension, which is unique in Munich in this form. Here you will find apartments, loft offices, art and concert halls, clubs, workshops, bars and restaurants.
A perfect day for fans of air-cooled Porsche sports cars
Relaxed and cheerful people from all walks of life, cool music and of course breathtakingly beautiful, air-cooled Porsche sports cars under the bright sun. The best ingredients for a perfect Sunday. We congratulate the organizer for this very successful party and wish a repeat in the next year. Of course, we also brought a few pictures of the exhibited and parked cars.
Relaxed and cheerful people from all walks of life, cool music and of course breathtakingly beautiful, air-cooled Porsche sports cars under the bright sun.
Text and pictures: © Markus Klimesch, Elferspot Media GmbH
Pour consulter l'article original et complet, cliquez ici.
Tunnelrun 2018 – Triangle of Madness
The fourth edition of the legendary Tunnel Run was again a feast day for Porsche Petrolheads. Organized by the guys of Onassis Porsches Agency, hundreds of enthusiasts came together again in a “Triangle of Madness”. Three starting points, three squads and one final destination with a grand final: Amsterdam
The great pictures of the guys from SSSZphoto.com tell the story.
We all like international flair that makes this scene to a very special one. And even more, we all like to be on the road with our rides. So whats more close then combining all of this in our event? Onassis Porsche Agency
Many thanks to the guys from SSSZphoto.com for these great pictures!
Copyright © SSSZphoto.com
Pour consulter l'article original et complet, cliquez ici.
A 993 Turbo built in 2018
Porsche Classic builds a classic 911 using genuine parts
The design of the 993-generation 911 Turbo is based on an original bodyshell, and the vehicle’s appearance is just as unique as its history: Painted in Golden Yellow Metallic, it references the 2018 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series. The black wheels are highlighted by Golden Yellow design accents, while the seats and interior trim are finished in black with Golden Yellow details. The bodyshell features the characteristic side air intakes of the 993 Turbo S that were also available as an option for the regular 911 Turbo in 1998. Developing 450 horsepower, the classic sports car will celebrate its world premiere at the Porsche Rennsport Reunion in Laguna Seca (USA) on September 27, 2018. The collector’s item, which is limited to use on private tracks, will then be auctioned off by RM Sotheby’s at the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta on October 27, 2018. The proceeds will be donated to the Ferry Porsche Foundation, a non-profit organization established this year to mark the “70 years of Porsche sports cars” celebrations.
A spectacular contribution to “70 years of Porsche sports cars”
“Project Gold” showcases the comprehensive skill of Porsche Classic in fascinating fashion”, says Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board responsible for Sales and Marketing at Porsche AG. “This project clearly demonstrates our strategic approach. Although we are starting a new chapter in our sports car history with the Porsche Taycan, the story of how the company evolved is no less significant. On the contrary, this Golden Yellow 993 demonstrates how incredibly passionate we are about the tradition of our brand.”
“Project Gold” represents Porsche Classic’s spectacular contribution to the “70 years of Porsche sports cars” celebrations.
With this anniversary in mind as well as the forthcoming market launch of the Taycan as the first purely electric Porsche sports car, the experts at Porsche Classic came up with the idea of constructing a completely new vehicle based on an existing genuine type 993 bodyshell, showcasing both tradition and innovation. The experts were able to rely on a selection of over 6,500 genuine parts that Porsche Classic offers exclusively for 993 generation models. Overall, the Classic division currently stocks some 52,000 parts, which can be sourced via Porsche Classic Partners and Porsche Centers around the globe to repair and restore classic Porsche cars.
The 911 Turbo references the 2018 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series
Construction of the unique vehicle took approximately one and a half years. The bodyshell was first put through the corrosion protection and painting process applied to today’s series-production vehicles. The collector’s item was then assembled and tuned by Porsche Classic specialists at the Porsche restoration workshop in Stuttgart. A brand new 3.6-liter twin-turbo flat-six engine developing 450 hp was installed, delivering the performance the vehicle originally had when it was in production. The manual transmission and all-wheel drive were also sourced from the Porsche Classic range of genuine parts. The hand-stamped chassis number follows the last series-production model of the 993 Turbo which rolled off the production line in 1998.
The exterior and interior elements were coordinated with the workshop’s dedicated Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur experts who were responsible for creating the 2018 911 Turbo S Exclusive series, which was limited to 500 units worldwide. To complement these elements, the designers at Style Porsche worked on the color gradients and positioning of badges as well as other interior details.
The 993: A sought-after collector’s item
The 993 remains a sought-after collector’s item to this day, and is considered a particularly sophisticated and reliable vehicle. It was the first 911 to feature a redesigned aluminium chassis, giving it exceptional agility at the time. The 911 Turbo version of the 993 was also the first to have a twin-turbo engine, making it the lowest-emission standard automotive powertrain in the world in 1995. The front section is lower-slung than on the earlier 911 models, thanks to a switch from round to poly ellipsoidal headlights. Hollow-spoke aluminum wheels, a first for any car with aluminum wheels, were another innovation of the all-wheel drive 911 Turbo version. Only 345 units of the 911 Turbo S with its 450-hp performance-enhanced engine were built.
1. The vision
A classic body is the starting point for a vehicle that will ultimately become a truly unique piece – assembled in the Porsche Classic workshop and individualized by the sports car manufacturer’s designers. Porsche Newsroom accompanies the “Project Gold” right from the start throughout the individual production steps. The series starts with “the Vision”.
2. The refinement
Back then, hollow-spoke aluminium wheels were an innovation in the automotive industry. Today, high-tech meets craftsmanship. When adding the finishing touches to the black rims as part of “Classic Project Gold”, the top coat of black paint is precisely removed using a laser, thereby mapping out the golden lines of the design. The Newsroom offers a glimpse behind the scenes of this extraordinary work step.
3. The craftsmanship
Created by the designers at Style Porsche – implemented by the experts from the Porsche Classic workshop. The seats and interior fittings are painstakingly covered with leather by hand in the dedicated saddlery, where the precise finish is rounded off in black leather with gold appliqué detail.
4. The coating
The bodyshell is treated by cathodic dip painting at the Porsche plant, which gives it the same high-end body coating as current series models. This process takes just a few hours but construction of this unique vehicle takes around one and a half years in total.
5. The marriage
The bodyshell and engine are combined at the Porsche Classic Factory Restoration site via a procedure also known as the “marriage”. The specialists from Porsche Classic installed a completely newly built 3.6-litre six-cylinder biturbo engine with an output of 331 kW (450 hp).
6. The reveal
Based on an original bodyshell and original spare parts, Porsche Classic has built the last 911 Turbo with an air-cooled engine – 20 years after the end of series production of the type 993. Inspired by the design of the type-991 911 Turbo S Exclusive series, the vehicle is painted in the extraordinary Golden Yellow Metallic colour.
Source: Porsche Newsroom © 2018 Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG
Pour consulter l'article original et complet, cliquez ici.