I ALWAYS DREAMED OF OWNING A PORSCHE from the day I saw my neighbour, the dentist, pull up in a brown 911 circa 1980. Then in the winter of 1986, I bought a wool jacket with a Porsche crest on the front and the letters “PORSCHE” across the back.
Two years later, for my 30th birthday, I placed a deposit on a bright red Porsche 944 from a leasing company in Oakville. It was an exciting day until I received a phone call from a local car leasing company in Stoney Creek, whom we dealt with for our company vehicles. He said, “Chris a beautiful 1987 burgundy 944 Turbo just arrived. A single owner with only 8,423 kilometres on it.” I said, “I can’t afford a Turbo besides I just placed a $1,500 deposit on a 944.” He said, “Come and take it out for a test drive and we will make it happen.” The 994 Turbo was like night and day compared to a non-turbo.
Well, he made it happen and a few weeks later I was driving out with this beauty.
The following year I joined PCA UCR and met many wonderful people. Over the years I attended many driving tours, came third in several rallies, first and second in UCR Concours events, and even first in a New York regional concours event. The club makes owning a Porsche extra special.
I ended up getting remarried to a beautiful woman I met on a business trip in Hanover, Germany. Prior to getting married we travelled across the Atlantic Ocean several times per year. One year we attended a Porsche golf weekend up in Collingwood and I won the longest drive. The presenter said, “Before I hand out the trophy for the longest drive, I think we should give it to your girlfriend, Petra, who flew all the way from Germany to be here this weekend.”
Three children later, one’s life changes and I stopped attending the monthly meetings and the Porsche was driven less and less. Our daughters are in their 20s now and our son just received his driver’s licence. One thing that hasn’t changed — I still own my 1987 Porsche 944 Turbo with only 61,000 kilometres, and this year will mark 33 years in the PCA UCR club. Life is great.
Maybe it was buying that Porsche jacket all those years ago that started it all. </>
If you’re interested in the Porsche 924, 944 or 968, join the Special Interest Group. Contact Roger Stopford at roger.stopford@gmail.com
