Porsche

We took to Bauhaus to celebrate 70 years of Porsche sports cars at BierGruppe 001 on June 8th, 2018.

Porsches + Beer = BierGruppe. This simple formula is one we’ve supported for years now, and for 2018, BierGruppe employed it with great effect celebrating Porsche’s 70th birthday.

Bauhaus Brew Labs hosted the party at their brewery. Originally built in 1905 by Crown Iron Works Company, the large industrial atriums and glass-roofed brick buildings of the former foundry gave the event a decidedly european feel.

The event was organized by Luis Fraguada and Chad Person. Both Chad and Luis have been integral parts of our local Porsche community for years, and BeirGruppe showed just how well they know our community.

The party was set to officially begin at 5:50p – an homage to the 550 Spyder we assume. We pulled in around 5p to get ourselves situated into our space.

This little one waited patiently while we organized the cars into place. Her name is Lucia, she’s a 3 month old German Shorthair. She is the best.

Speaking of the best, the boys at BierGruppe lined us up with prime real estate for the night. Cheers fellas!

Our space at the beer fest was anchored by our 311RS EZup track tent.

A 991 GT3 fits beneath the 10×20 aluminum frame nicely, with plenty of room up front and behind for activities. EZup did a great job with the build.

Want a 311RSxEZup instant shelter for yourself? Let us know.

Parked near our booth was the new R2 from Runge Cars. Chris brought the car as a work in progress to highlight what his cars are made of, quite literally.

This R2 is the most radical yet from Runge – and the first to be powered by a flat six. The sub-2,000lb R2 will have more than 285hp from this air cooled 3.6L mill.

The R2 wears beefy 295 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s in the rear. The Sport Cup 2 will be perfect for the R2. We’d love to give it a workout on track, Chris!

A cool side-by-side comparison of the R2 and the CupSport. The 993 is small, but the R2 is tiny.

Elsewhere around the event the Porsches were piling in.

We had a special guest from Chicago – Safari 02 from The Keen Project.

Leh Keen builds these ridiculously cool G-body based Safari 911s down in Georgia. For most Minnesotans, this would be the first time seeing one of Leh’s Safari 911s.

We had the pleasure of “getting it dirty” prior to the event and cannot say enough good things about the car. It takes everything you throw at it and is happy doing it.

On the other end of the spectrum, this super clean 1989 Speedster was shining in the setting sun.

This trio of air-cooled 911s – a 1973 911S, 1979 911 Turbo, and a 1997 993 Turbo S, belong to a friend of ours. It’s always a treat to see what he will bring out.

The Light Ivory 911S is a personal favorite of ours. It’s so simple and pure.

Kris and Glen (pictured) had their cool Porsche projects on hand.

The 996 brotherhood was out in full force as usual. Great to see people embracing these cars and putting their own touches on them.

Every kid loves a GT3.

The beers were flowing like wine as folks enjoyed an unprecedented selection of Porsches here in MN.

As the party raged on, we put down the cameras and turned our attention to the festivities.

We’d like to thank all those involved in making BierGruppe 001 happen. It was the perfect way to celebrate Porsche’s 70th birthday and we appreciate being included as part of the celebration.

BierGruppe was just the start of a great Porsche weekend for us here in Minneapolis. Penny’s Coffee was hosting it’s own Porsche celebration – Motor Place the following morning in Linden Hills. Our coverage from the Motor Place is coming right up.

Photos courtesy of Peter Lapinski & Alex Bellus.

Finally! Having missed each of the four previous Luftgekühlt gatherings, Luft5 would be our first time experiencing the spectacle that is Luftgekühlt.

And boy was it a spectacle.

As described on the Luftgekühlt website:

“The Luftgekühlt brand is the brainchild of two-time Le Mans class winner Patrick Long and noted Southern California creative director Howie Idelson.

A true Porsche happening, Luftgekühlt is an experiential car culture event centered around a tightly curated list of historically significant or interesting cars, both race and street.”

Each of the previous Luftgekühlt events had been held at a unique location. 2018 would be no different.

Luft5 was held at the Ganahl Lumber Yard in Torrance, CA. A seemingly odd location choice, however with the team behind Luftgekühlt it should come as no surprise we were in for a treat.

The cars were incredible. And so many of them! 600+ air-cooled Porsches. To do the event justice we’ll save complete Luft5 coverage for another journal entry.

Luft5 would be held on April 22nd. And for us, the timing could not have been more perfect. Two weeks prior to the event, we had completed work on one of our winter projects – the 993 311RS CupSport 3.8. The moment the car hit the ground we knew…

“This thing should be at at Luftgekühlt.”

No small feat considering Luft5 had been sold out for months, not to mention we’re based in Minnesota, roughly 2,000 miles away from California.

However, thanks to the gracious owner of this 993 CupSport along with the creative logistical work by Roy Sewell at Beacon Shipping Logistics, the idea didn’t seem all that far fetched.

The final hurdle was cleared with help from a friend. A few messages later and it was done – we had the green light from Patrick. The CupSport was a go for Luft 5!

We arrived at Luft5 for load in at 7a. And who is the first person we see? None other than Larry Chen. Larry has been a friend for years now, since 2009 Super Lap Battle at Buttonwillow actually!

Having photographed most of our milestone cars, it was fitting we find each other in front of the CupSport.

The lighting in and around the Ganahl lumber yard was unreal.

The CupSport is all about refinement. Factory-level look & feel, with modern day grip and chassis development. Details are plentiful, weight is minimal.

For instance, the magnesium center-lock Speedlines we run on the CupSport look similar to their 5 lug counterparts, however they weigh ~50lbs. less.

Looks stock. Is not. The 993 311RS CupSport 3.8.

We’re excited to share more about the 311RS CupSport program as development continues. Until then, please don’t hesitate to contact us to discuss the program or to reserve a build slot.

We’d like to extend a special thank you to Patrick Long for his consideration, as well as those who made our wild cross-country idea a reality. Each of you made our year and it was an honor to be a part of Luftgekühlt, thank you.

Photos courtesy of Larry Chen.

We’ve partnered with Brainerd International Raceway to create the 311RS Paddock. A home base for our testing, track support, and driver development.

For years, this covered space has functioned nicely as our working space at BIR. The concrete is flat, there’s power, and most importantly a hose for car washes nearby. Visually however, the structure needed to be spruced up.

We saw this as an opportunity to partner with BIR to improve the facility while creating an identity for ourselves at our home track.

The process began with a thorough cleaning. From there the poles were refinished with satin white and the bare corrugated steel was coated with satin black. We used Sherwin Williams Emerald exterior paint for both surfaces for a lasting finish – thanks to the recommendation from our neighbors at New Town Painters.

And voila – the 311RS Paddock at BIR. Some elbow grease and a few coats of paint really transformed the structure.

The following weekend we had our first opportunity to utilize the 311RS Paddock. The space houses 7 cars without hampering workflow. A successful first test.

It’s awesome to have a place to call home at the track we grew up driving. Our next event is the 14th-15th of September with PCA and the 311RS Paddock is filling up quickly – drop us a line to reserve your spot for the weekend.

There is not much else like summer at Road America. For 2017, we made the trek 5hrs east with 6 Porsches in tow. And we’re happy to report the event was a success.

Please enjoy Peter Lapinski‘s killer photo set and accompanying notes from our time in Elkhart Lake, WI.

Road America would be the first time on track for this car since our trip to Smokies in April. The setup performed well during our time in Georgia, the only change being a flush of Castrol SRF brake fluid. Together with Girodisc’s PCCB rotor conversion & Pagid brake pads, the setup is built to cope with the huge braking zones of Road America.

Cold pressure check prior to the first session with red.

Luis and his 991 GT3 by 311RS made their way from Chicago to join us for the event.

Those E88s get us every time.

Next to it, Tom’s 311RS-prepared 997.1 GT3. Road America would be the second track event for the car under our supervision. It was great to drive at BIR, but there is nothing like a GT3 at Road America.

Both of these 991 GT3s run a modified version of the 991R diffuser. Road America would be a good testbed for the (hopefully) improved aero.

Ryan made the trip with his 930 – just under 5hrs from door to door. Is this the best road trip car of all time? We think yes.

On-track is where the action was. These two had many nice battles throughout the event. A well-driven 997 GT3 is not easily left behind.

Of course everyone is a winner if they’re driving a 311RS-prepared GT3.

As part of our driver development program, Ryan is in & out of the cars throughout the event keeping each driver on task.

For a few of the guys it was their first time at Road America. The download following each session is equally as important as what we install on track. “You’ve got to use the entire track, just as you would finish an entire beer.” I believe was the discussion here.

Somebody listens well…

For others, it comes naturally.

Bruce was absolutely crushing it all week with his 991 GT3.

He was running an updated chassis setup for the event. Tire wear would indicate we were within range. His only feedback -“I need 200hp more!” Soon enough, I’m sure.

Dial #411 (or 612-547-9311) for more information.

This car is at home on the long, flowing layout of Road America. The wider 19″ BBS & Michelin tire setup on #411 allows the driver to explore his limits with loads of confidence, seen here pushing into the carousel.

And mid-carousel.

If you could only hear the Akrapovic setup on exit of Turn 3…

Our next event is in a few weeks at BIR – it’s the annual National PCA Club Race. It’d be great to say we’ll be in the race, however this year our cars will be relegated to the DE event. See you there!

Photos courtesy of Peter Lapinski

Porsche season has officially arrived in Minnesota.

For 2017, Nord Stern hosted it’s annual Spring Fling event on April 28-30th at Brainerd International Raceway. PCA wisely runs the 3.1 mile Donnybrooke layout – nearly 50 years after the facility opened in 1968, “Donnybrooke Speedway” still makes for a great proving ground.

A 1 mile straightaway to start the season? We’ll take it.

We have a few fresh faces in the crew for 2017 – including Tom’s 2008 997.1 GT3. This weekend would be it’s first outing after our preparation during winter break – click to see before & after. These GT3s in particular (2007-2008) have a special place in our hearts, so it was a real treat to see it through the process and onto the track.

Ryan’s 1987 930 was on hand to start the year. Sadly, no track time for this one – it’s been relegated to cheerleading duty for 2017. It does a great job of looking pretty, however. So all is not lost.

The #69 311RS makes a return for 2017, this time on a Polar Silver 1996 993 C2. John sent his Forest Green metallic 964 packing just before winter and emerged with this 3.8L beauty. What a stud.

Rich added a 2009 997 Turbo to his garage late-summer 2016. It’s a great driver for him, and and as he would soon find out, real quick on track. The car received a full set of two-piece Girodisc rotors along with fresh pads all around prior being introduced to BIR.

Friday’s schedule is built around PCA’s Driver Education course – a must for any new member to PCA who plans to enjoy their Porsche on track. We introduced two new members to the club for 2017 and it’s safe to say they are hooked. Sorry guys!

Each driver is assigned a PCA-certified instructor to guide them through the process. The day’s schedule begins in the class, then moves to the skidpad for cone drills. The part everyone is here for, track time, runs for the rest of the day with the instructor by the driver’s side. It’s an awesome experience for new drivers.

Those drivers that have taken the course previously enjoy a relaxing Friday.

Saturday is a different story. We hit it hard and get to work sorting the cars.

The 3.8lL engine in John’s 993 is a gem. It’s built using 993 RS engine & drivetrain components, which in combination with a gearing change, makes for one hell of a drive.

The 993 RS trend continues with brakes, wheels, and aero pieces each from the European-market 993. This setup is bound to evolve in time, however it’s in a great place to begin the season. It’s so fun.

Saturday ends with some good old fashioned team work. Turn 1 at BIR is really tough on the left hand tires, it’s nearly flat out at 150mph+. A quick swap side to side and the tires wear very nicely.

A close up look at tire wear of a fresh Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2.

Lots of arms crossed fellas…

Sundays at the track, nothing else like it.

Rich was crushing it during his first weekend at the track. The 997 Turbo ate up BIR’s long, flowing Donnybrooke layout with Rich attacking out of the box. It was awesome to watch.

Tom and his 311RS-prepared 997 GT3 ran smoothly all weekend. The car is nicely setup for a mix of street & track use – not too much, and not too little of anything. I think we all fell for the car during the course of the weekend.

Our initial setup for the car produced nice, flat cornering and took advantage of the extra grip of the meaty Sport Cup 2s all around.

Part of the fun is getting to know the car. Here, Ryan explains to Tom how to properly engage 6th gear before entering Turn 1.

993s are just perfect – they are just the right balance between vintage and modern. They feel good, sound good, and they’re fast. John’s especially.

Heading into May it looks we’ve got a bunch more driving to look forward to. A thank you to the folks at Nord Stern for hosting the event. We had a great time, see you at Road America.

Summer is around the corner, is your Porsche ready? Make it a point to get it right, contact us to book your time with 311RS. Imported from Stuttgart, refined in Minneapolis.

Photos courtesy of Peter Lapinski.

Smokies GT is a not-for-profit group of Porsche GT car owners who get together annually in the beautiful Smoky Mountains for a weekend of driving. This year’s Smokies GT event was held April 21-22, and it would be the first time we’d attend but certainly not the last.

The event benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and this year’s Spring meeting was a massive success – more than $120,000 was raised by the 85 Porsche GT owners on hand. What an accomplishment for a great cause.

Friday is spent at Atlanta Motorsports Park for an open track day. For us, it was the first time we’d been on track in 2017. We brought down 4 GT3s from Minneapolis – one 996, one 997, and two 991s.

As part of the fundraising effort, Leh Keen was on hand giving rides for charity. He’d be using our 991 GT3 for the rides, which was quite an honor for us, and quite a ride for the passenger we’d have to imagine. Together we raised $2,500 for the cause.

Saturday began with a drive to Heaven’s Landing – which is a gorgeous private air strip up in the Smoky mountains. We were there to run the cars flat out for 1/2 mile. Imagine the sound of 85 GT cars flat out for 1/2 mile. Quite nice huh?

There’s a more to the story, but for now we’ll let Peter’s photos do the talking. Thank you once again to the organizers of SmokiesGT for the incredible event. We’ll see you next year! And to Leh and his wife Eliza, the hospitality was much appreciated you two. See you soon.

Photos courtesy of Peter Lapinski.

Peter Lapinski was on hand to witness the new “further-forward rear engine” 911 RSR during it’s second battle of 2017 – the 65th running of the Mobil1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

Coming off a convincing debut to start the season at Daytona, Sebring would present another great challenge for the new RSRs.

Porsche fought the good fight with the new RSR performing well. The #911 of Pilet, Makowiecki, and Werner was in contention for the GTLM class win right through the final hour.

With 59mins left to race, a long pit stop, a puncture, and lastly a dubious penalty all but ended the #911’s chances for the win. In the end Pilet drove the #911 to a hard-fought 7th place just ahead of the #912 in 8th.

The pace was good all the way to the end, just not luck. The pace is a great sign that the new RSR and it’s unique (for a 911) design is bound for success. We’ll be curious to see if this design ever makes it way into a 911 for road use.

A “further-forward rear engine” 911 GT3 sounds like an interesting idea. Will it happen? Time will tell…

Photos courtesy of Peter Lapinski.