Everyone loves the 911 or at least those who have ever owned, driven or even seen one. They have certain uniqueness to them that few other cars have. I mean, if you trace it back, Hitler had a say in its design, something that has not really changed today. The interior is typical of a Porsche; thin leather so you can feel just how many inches you and your rear end are from becoming Fred Flintstone, the bare essential gauges, little wing mirrors and of course a rear seat that couldn’t hold more than a sack of spuds. I mean, it has its flaws; most have air-cooled engines, the engine is hanging out over the back, it borrowed much of its design from the VW beetle (just look at those headlights!) In addition, during the 70s and 80s it barely changed. However, millions of owners just like Gary Palmer continue to enjoy theirs everyday.

I asked Gary which Porsche 911 he has and why that one? “I have an ‘85 standard 911, I wish I could say that I bought it to stay true to being a pure 911 owner but at the time I simply couldn’t afford a brand new Carrera or something like that”. Gary bought his ‘85 in 1996 the minute he graduated from university “I remember getting my first pay check and immediately looking through the classified sections” he recalled.

However, like millions of others the Porsche 911 was not his first choice. This was mainly because since its launch the 911 has had competition of some sort. When it first entered the market in 1963, the infamous Jaguar E-Type went head to head with the Porsche, however, luckily for the Germans the Jaguar team failed to bring anything new to the table and eventually lost. That said the two manufacturers have always been up against one another in the market with their future releases.

When I asked Gary to tell me more about his car, it was like opening a floodgate. “Once you have one you just immediately fall in love with it. My car has had its problems. In 1999 I think it was, I had to pay 400 bucks to have a problem with the electronics sorted out and another 200 a few years later to have rust on the rear arches fixed up”. This can be a bi of a problem on some of the old Porsches however most seem to avoid this faith. “The drive is like no other. When you turn you can really feel that rear-end pulling itself along after you and the grunt when you accelerate on the freeway is brilliant!”

That ‘rear-end pulling itself along’ Gary talked about above was actually a huge design flaw on the behalf of the boys over at Porsche. When you are driving in a straight line it works like a charm by giving you extra traction on the rear wheels, but as soon as you turn the wheel just a degree or two the engine swings out sideways and can cause you to spin. This is basic physics and should never have been the case in such a sports car. However, I suppose that is what you get when you borrow your designs plans from a VW Beetle. “I have never had many problems with this myself, but a friend of mine has told me a few stories of people suddenly flying off the track at a corner or spining when over taking on track-days.” Gary told me.

Since their release, the Porsche 911 has been chopped and changed to suit specific needs. Some for rallying, others circuit racing, others hill climbs. I could name dozens of ways that pros and amateurs have changed them around. When I asked Gary if he had modified his, it was like asking J.K. Rowling the ending to her next Harry Potter book.

“Absoloutly not! I would not know the first thing about doing it. Anyways, I kind-of like them the way they are. Sure, you can make them faster and more modern by dropping the suspension and putting CPUs and all that all over the place. But for me, all that kind of stuff takes away from the real Porsche aspect”.

While we were on the topic of racing and track days I decided to enquire as to whether he had taken his pride & joy out onto the track yet. “Personally, no. But I have let my older brother John take her out a few times with me standing there biting my nails. For the most part I use it to get to and from work while having fun but maybe in the future I wouldn’t mind taking it out every once and a while”. I was surprised by that, I have to say. Most people who own a Porsche 911 with a few years on it would have taken it out on the track at lease once or twice. Personally I think it’s a shame when you have a car like a Porsche 911 sitting on the front driveway. At least it had seen the right side of a racing barrier however, in Gary’s brother’s hands. Some birds just are not meant to be caged.

In terms of racing history, the Porsche 911 has had quite a colorful past. When it launched in 1963, it won loads of events and this won it the publicity that made all those sales. Some of the events included the Targa Florio, Daytona, Nurburgring and Le Mans 24 hours. These victories were applied to the age-old formula of track success = showroom success. From a racing track to an Autobahn, the 911 became a popular sight. “I never really knew much about the Porsche when I bought it” Gary admitted “but when you buy one, you are buying into a community that demands you be a part of it. Clubs, owner organizations and events are a few things that you become members of overnight.”

I then asked Gary what he thought of the newer models. “They are lovely, aren’t they? Porsche have not ruined a classic as many others have. They have kept it just they way we all like it’. This has always been a struggle for all manufacturers. The constant conundrum that runs thought he heads of the porsche team about whether a style of car will still be stylish this time next year and if they aboutto be accused of neglecting a particular model like Porsche were during the 70s and 80s concerning the 911. However, Gary was right on that one. If you change the Porsche’s looks, it would simply become unrecognizable among the crowd and the whole idea would fail. The same applies to a few other well-known classics like the Ford Mustang; you can make it modern but you must keep the car’s roots and recognizable good looks.

My final question to Gary was "Do you think you will ever sell your 911?" The only answer he could give me was “I really do not know". I mean every car has its age limit but I have had my 911 for over twelve years now and cannot imagine driving to work in anything else. Eventually the day will come when it is time to get a new car. But I think that day will only come when the 911 just won’t budge anymore!”

So there you are. A 911 owner who loves his car just as much as everyone else loves the, a lot! As for the 911 of today, I cannot see Porsche stopping production on it within the next ten years, maybe even twenty. Not only would they be loosing one of their flagship cars but they would also be losing a hell of a lot of business because demand for 911s has never been higher.