NOTES FROM THE PRESIDENT
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February 2008 

Dear Members 

The second newsletter is heading out to you.  There is some great information and articles included in it for your enjoyment.  Thanks to Barbara Von Gehr and Wolfgang Leitenberger for keeping the newsletter and website up and running.  

Last year went by quickly.  There were several events held that made membership fun.  We had a great MBR sponsored dinner at Allegros Pizza in the Barnyard.  Turn out was about 60 members, making it a tiny bit tight.  Then the dinner at the golf course clubhouse in Pacific Grove.  Great fun and great layout.   Thanks You Sandy Verbanec for connecting us.  That was great. 

The Christmas party at the yacht club was attended by over 60 MBR members.  The yacht club is a fantastic place for our Christmas party and we want to return again this year.  This event always fills quickly.  Your club covered much of the cost for the event, as we really want you to come out and share it with us.  We could not ask for a better location for our Christmas Party, and thanks to MPYC’s Jerry Stratton, it was, once again wonderful.  Jerry was our sponsor!!  We are very thankful to Jerry for his willingness to host the Christmas party.  Madeline, my esteemed wife, managed the event on the front end.  Sandi and Rick Verbanec took on the greeter responsibilities and Ginger Mutoza did a stunning job with the gift exchange.  Thank you all for such fun.

The 2008 Ed Havey Big Sur Run.  I am not even going to try to get the number right as to how many times we have made this event happen.  Somewhere in the teens.
The day dawned with a forecast of liquid sunshine. And liquid it became.  But a little thing like rain did not deter many MBR members from making the drive.   Once again, we get to thank Dave Terdy for a spectacular morning drive to Big Sur.  42 people attended the breakfast run.  And about 20 cars. That is absolutely amazing!
And when we got there it rained Boxsters and Caymans. The folks at The Big Sur Lodge served up some great vittles and a cozy atmosphere with good coffee, juices and a warm fire. MBR folks are the best of the best. A unique group.  There is no other region that would turn out the way that MBR folks do.

The Concours in Paradise was a huge success.  It is held yearly in the summer at Carmel Valley Park.  Look for highlights and information from our distinguished Concours Chairman, Dave Aliotti, elsewhere in this newsletter.  David enlists members to assist in this effort, so if you want to help out, please contact David. 

 In 2007 at the concours, we catered the lunch.  Was really glad to see that the catering gave Dave and Nancy a little breathing room.  Dave even brought his car.

 David Loop has been the past sponsor for the concours and important contribution to your car and our events.  David Loop European is a great place to take your older 911.  911’s up through the 1989 Carrera. 

For 2007, Porsche of Monterey sponsored the concours.  Monterey Bay Region has enjoyed a renewed and healthy relationship with our local Porsche Dealership.  Porsche Of Monterey.  The Lithia Group owns the dealership.  They also own that other dealership too.  BMW. 

Watch for information and details for July and the 2008 concours at Carmel Valley Park.   

The lead folks at POM are Porsche fanatics and owners as well as MBR members.  POM has access to all Porsche parts at discount prices to all PCA members!  Yes, from the legendary 356 right up through the current models.  All you need to do is tell them that you are a member.  I am told that if you are searching for a new Porsche, that POM is the place to go.  You wont get a better price elsewhere on your new Porsche.  And POM services all years of Porsche. 

Debbie Hale and Bill Reichmuth hosted a wonderful wine tour on August 4^th.  It was great fun!!  For us it was the first real drive in the 356 in 20 years.  Still getting the bugs out of it.  Each time I drive the car it gets to be more fun.  There are some great pictures on the MBR website of the wine tour.  Check it out.

 Coastal Driving School aka CDS had a very successful event at Laguna Seca Raceway.  Aka Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Monterey Bay Region and Loma Prieta Region of PCA sponsor CDS.  The event was under the umbrella of Cherry’s Jubilee.  Cherry’s Jubilee is part of the Salinas Valley Memorial Health Care System.  The event sold out within 2 weeks of opening.  As a result of this partnership, Coastal Driving School will be donating approximately $12,000 to SVMHCS/Cherry’s Jubilee. We are very excited about this community effort.  The money represents 100% of the net proceeds from the event.

And speaking of Coastal Driving School. We have accepted the date of Wednesday March 19^th 2008 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  Mark your calendar and wait for more information.   

And look for us again at Cherry’s Jubilee 2008.  There will be expanded DE responsibilities this year.  That means more track time than before.  Dave Terdy has agreed to assist me with registration at the event.  Madeline is working diligently on packets and David Loop has joined out instructor Corp group. 

Dean Craig and Monica Nathan hosted the Halloween Rally.  As well as the 24 hours of Le Mans party.  Great race viewing. 

The rains are still with us and the days are getting longer..  Yes!!  It has been a winter of hunkering down in front of a warm fire working in the garage and get those things done that will make the next season safe and fun.  The 911 has served me well this year and the last several years at almost every venue and track that I took it to.  It will be receiving a new and larger heart er.. engine this winter as well as some safety upgrades.  David Loop was a tremendous help with some issues that I had with an early 911 engine that I built.   And Dave Aliotti bailed me out when I needed to pull the Dilivar cylinder head studs from my engine.  He provided me with the correct tools to get those studs out of the engine case.  Dave is your local Matco Tool distributor.  I chased him down in Monterey in his truck and he provided me with the specialty tools needed.  And at a fantastic price too.  Dave is a great resource for all of us if we are doing some of our own work.  Or just for great tools at a great price.  

Oil for your Porsche!  This is a very serious issue.  Especially for those with older cars.  You MUST NOT put the current off the shelf oils (yes, Mobil 1) into your engines if you want to keep your car running.  Yes, running.  Changes in the formulas have taken out zinc and phosphorous. The main additives that protect you engine from wear.  I have seen this effect first hand.  It is ugly and very costly.  We are talking $10,000 for a rebuild on some engines.  Camshafts and lifters cannot take the stresses and engines are wearing out.  There are very few oils out there that can protect your engine if it has flat tappets in the valve train.  This is an EPA thing and mandated by the government mostly to protect catalytic converters and the environment.   

Most newer cars have gone to roller tappets and the multi valve engines that do not have the spring pressures associated with the design concepts.  I have switched all of my vehicles to either Brad-Penn (Bradford Pennsylvania) or Swepco (Southwest Petroleum Co) oils. 

Talk to your service advisor right away to assure that you are safe with the oils that you are using.  Both Davis Loop and Porsche of Monterey are aware of the problems associated with this issue and are ready to assist.

I look forward to seeing you out there in your car and ask that you come and participate at the events that your region sponsors.  Meeting some of the nicest folks in this area and having some fantastic times will very pleasantly reward you. 

Most important here is that it is a Porsche and they are made to be driven in whatever fashion that you desire.  But driven nonetheless. 

Thanks You  

Steve Taty
Monterey Bay Region President.