40 Years In A Bathtub (Porsche, That Is)

This is the story of 1960 Porsche Roadster # 88302, which I have owned since March 1967.  They call these "bathtub" Porsches because, well, they look a bit like upside-down bathtubs.. 

Here we are in March 2007, so that's 40 years behind the wheel of this little critter.  Now, how does one start thinking of a car as an old friend?  I'm not sure, but it happened to me. 

Video Clips Above:  Dry Creek Road,  Old San Jose Road

Let me set the stage with a quick "mind-trip" to 1967.  It was quite a time...do you remember?

Lyndon Johnson is in the White House, Hubert Humphrey is vice-president.  Dr. Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy are still with us.  Astronauts Grissom, White and Chafee died in a launch-pad accident in January, but the space program continues in full swing.  Jimmy Hoffa goes to jail in March.  Later in the year, Muhammad Ali refuses military service;  Elvis gets married; Jack Ruby, Jayne Mansfield, Carl Sandberg, Woody Guthrie and Otis Redding all pass away.  The Vietnam War goes on, with "draft calls" approaching 40,000 per month.  Scary stuff, indeed for a 20-year old fellow who is only a "part-time" college student..

Photo Above: Test drive with Bob Kraft on Old Almaden Road

Let's forget about that for now, and watch a little TV.  Got to get up to turn that old TV on, and to change channels.  Oops, not Walter Cronkite.  How about the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour?¦ The Carol Burnett Show... Bonanza... Mission Impossible...Batman...Star Trek... The Man From U.N.C.L.E...¦ The Dating Game... The Monkees...Lost In Space...Bewitched...Dean Martin?  All of these in "first run," of course.  The TV Guide has COLOR logos next to programs broadcast in color, because color TV is still something special.

On the weekend, go to the Garden Theater in Willow Glen. See films like The Graduate... Bonnie and Clyde... Cool Hand Luke.  There is no "home video," other than 8mm movies.  

Photo Above: Rick Kotz with his new Fiat 850 Spyder, me with 88302

We're in the 60's, so pop music is simply great.  Buy a few 45's at Campi's music in Willow Glen or over at Valley Fair.  Motown, Surf, Folk Rock, The British Invasion.  On vinyl, radio, and TV, hear the songs that will become "classic" rock.  The Rolling Stones are on Ed Sullivan's in January; in February, it's the Beatles.  Spin the dial on your AM Radio and hear tunes like The Beat Goes On (Sonny and Cher)... Georgy Girl (The Seekers)... Gimme Some Lovin (Spencer Davis).  1967 is the year for the Are You Experienced album (Jimi Hendrix), and for Sgt. Pepper. The Monterey Pop Festival will happen in June, as the "Summer of Love" begins.  In March 1967, there are four "number ones" on the Billboard Survey: Ruby Tuesday (The Rolling Stones); Love Is Here, Now You're Gone (The Supremes); Penny Lane (Beatles) and Happy Together (The Turtles).  It's also in March that our Santa Cruz friends, The Tikis (now known as Harper's Bizarre), hit # 13 nationwide with The 59^th St. Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy).

  



Photo Above: Roadster at Night, c. 1968

So, picture a sunny Saturday morning in early March 1967.  I'm back in San Jose State, have a good part-time job at Larwood Microfilm in Redwood City.  Recently discovered that I am not going to be drafted... "Hooray, I'm going to be around town for my 21^st birthday!  That means, I need a car.

Of course, I have been a "car nut" since age ten or so.  But what to buy?  It has to be a sports car, that's for sure.  On that Saturday morning, I browse the San Jose Mercury-News Classifieds under Sports Cars for Sale, searching for "the car."  Jags, Healeys and Corvettes dance before my eyes.  But I do have a budget - about $2,000 is all I can afford.  What kind of new car would that buy?

Now in 1967, a new VW Beetle will cost you $1,769, a new Austin-Healey Sprite $2,050.  A new Pontiac Firebird - $2,667.  That Jaguar XK-E you've been drooling over will set ya' back $5,870. Way beyond my means.  $16,800 will get you a new Ferrari 330GTS.  But not much more than that will buy you a nice 3-bedroom, 2 bath ranch style house in Willow Glen!   Also, way out of my range.

For some reason, I then focus upon the first "Used Porsche For Sale" in the paper.  The ad reads like this:

PORSCHE 1960 Roadster. excel cond, lo mi. $2250 415-XXX-XXXX 

I think to myself, why not?  How about something different? Porsches are not that common, and legend has it they handle great.  And a convertible!  Just what the doctor ordered to get that Vitamin D!  I dial the Palo Alto number on that rotary phone , speak to the owner, and agree to come up and take a look.

The car impresses me right away.  Small on the outside, roomy on the inside.  Loud. Fast. The owner drives it first, with me as the passenger.  He takes a corner on Oregon Expressway marked "25" at "50."  I am terrified, but kind of enjoying myself as well.  The car is well taken care of - seven years old with just 31,000 miles on the odo.  No rattles. The doors close like a safe ("You DON'T need to slam them," the owner reminds me).

Photo Above: At speed on Old San Jose Road, just north of Soquel, 1968

The owner lets me drive the car down to San Jose, by myself, so I can show it to family and friends.  How's that for trust?  On the way back up to Palo Alto that afternoon, around Cupertino, a light starts glowing on the instrument panel and the temp gauge starts to climb into the red.  I pull off 280 (which was a brand new highway at the time) and call the owner from a phone booth.  He drives down and tells me "the fan belt broke."  He installs a new one on the spot, and thanks me for not "cooking" the engine.  I ask myself, "how often does the fan belt break?"  And, "dare I buy the first car that I see - shouldn't I shop more?"  But, I'm hooked!  It just seems right.  Roll those dice.  I give the owner a deposit, and come back the next day to pick up Porsche Roadster #88302.

That was 40 years ago, this month.  For the first 5 years or so, 88302 was my only car.  It got me everywhere.  I would drive to classes at SJS, and park at about Tenth and San Carlos.  Leave the top down, close the tonneau cover and stroll off to school.  The car sat there for half of the day, and I never worried about it.  Still trying to figure out if I was stupid to do this, or if San Jose was a kinder, gentler place in the 1960's.  Maybe both.  In 1972, I bought a Ford Pinto (don't ask), and 88302 became my "weekend ride."

I later discovered that I own a relatively rare little car.  Porsche built 2900 roadsters between 1959 and 1962.  452 of these (including 88302) had the Super 90 engine.  The Super 90 was Porsche's flagship 1600 cc production motor at the time.  It's a "pushrod," air-cooled engine with beefed-up con rods, main bearing journals, and inlet valves; high compression and 2 extra big Solex carbs.  Given the propensity of old Porsches to rust (they were undercoated at the factory with a mop!), I wonder how many of those 452 Super 90 roadsters are around today.¦

Over the years, 88302 and I have seen lots of California. All the classic routes, including Highway One from Southern California all the way up to Mendocino.  Gold Country, Tahoe, the Napa Valley.  Criss-crossing the State, off the main road whenever possible.  There have been so many sunny weekends over the past 40 years.  I can't think of a better way to have enjoyed them than driving this car.  I hope for many more.  

Some acknowledgements and "Thank You's" are in order here.  Special Thanks to:

Clark Anderson (now of Sonora, CA) for working his mechanic's magic on 88302 for the past 38 years. Clark, my friend, nobody knows these cars like you do!

Tom Brownell (now of  Amsterdam, NY) for giving me a ride to Palo Alto in March 1967 to pick up 88302. Also, thanks for telling me about "the great sports car road between San Jose and Soquel." Tom, I still drive that road, every chance I get.  You're a longtime Healey Driver, but still OK in my book.

Kathy Loop (San Jose, CA) Thanks, Sis, for letting me store 88302 in that spare spot in your garage, far away from the rust-inducing fog of Monterey Bay!

Tim Harper (San Jose, CA)  Thank you, old friend, for co-founding this cool website, Drumtable.com.  You are a man of vision - and follow-through.  "Myspace" for baby boomers - Drumtable is a great idea made real.

There is one person who should thank me for hanging on to 88302.  And he has, many times... My son, Daniel, has had his eye on 88302 for some time now.  Still 2+ years away from your learner's permit, you'll just have to wait.  It will seem like an eternity, but your day will come.  For now, son -just be patient, get in the passenger seat,  fasten that safety belt, and DON'T SLAM THE DOOR!