Story and Photos by Jeremy Alan Glover

To make said car into the brute desired, it needed some good ole horsepower, so Paul discarded the stock engine and swapped in a H22A engine – but, of course, that in itself wasn’t going to be enough. A T3/T4 Precision Turbo system was then hooked up to the 2.2L engine and run through a Vibrant exhaust system, adding to a long list of other high-end parts to make sure this engine ran just right, and could handle the abuse it would be asked to withstand.

With the intent of making this a track-ready steed, the brakes and suspension were the next parts on the list of things to be upgraded – but not with any ordinary “off the shelf” parts. It was determined that a full D2 Coilover Suspension kit with an Energy Suspension Polyurethane Hyper-Flex master kit would need to be installed. But he didn’t stop there; to further increase the stiffness of the car, a front upper strut bar, rear lower tie bar with rear upper strut, and a C-pillar bar by Megan Racing were installed, along with an AutoPower four-point roll cage.

With the power and handling taken care of, another integral part of this build was to upgrade the brakes. Scrubbing off all that speed when called upon in any given situation could not be left to stock parts, so the first thing was to do a rear disc swap, since the original rear drums would just not cut it. Up front, instead of simply getting better pads or rotors, a full Wilwood Big Brake kit was installed so this car could definitely stop when need be. For rollers, he chose to go with the very sticky BFG T/A KDW tires shod on Tenzo GT6 wheels.

On the interior side of things, this track-ready Accord is loaded with pieces from Sparco, Recaro, Momo and Nardi along with a set of seats out off a JDM Integra. A Panasonic MP3 head unit was swapped in, keeping the dash clean, simple and looking like it could have been factory. With the rest of this car now pretty much modified from A to Z, it remained only for its exterior to be altered. So, a carbon fibre hood and trunk were both installed to considerably lighten things up. An ABS Dynamics Mugen-Style Front Lip and custom-fitted fascia from a Honda Prelude were mounted along with side skirts, front and rear custom lights and a JDM front grill, completing its new bold look.

This is a great example of how a car can be a beast on the track on the one hand, while still being a street legal (albeit nasty looking) ride when in ‘civies,’ The build of this machine has been a great success due in part to the passion and help from a few of Paul’s sponsors such as Overdosed Performance, AVFab, BFG and Rage, making it easily one of the nicest and well-built CB7 Accords around.

Text by Dave MacKinnon (www.osmlabs.com). Photos by the Manufacturers

Back when I got into the industry, a mere 22 years ago, the car alarm installed in my 1982 Dodge Aries (sedan version, don’t you know) included an impressive two wires and a knob to adjust the shock sensor sensitivity. We have come a long way, and now have security and convenience systems that can tell us the location of a vehicle, allow us to remote start a car from more than a mile away and even let us use our cellular phone to activate functions from another town, province or continent. In this issue of Plugged In, we are going to look at modern security and convenience systems for you car.

It used to be easy, installing a car alarm that is. Mount the brain and siren, tap into the door pin wires and install a relay to cut the starter wire if the alarm was set off. Now, we have cars with complicated data bus systems that use digital communications to activate door locks. We have keys with built-in transponders that must be present for a car to start. And scariest of all, the wiring in cars has become so complicated that what was once a simple skill of a good installer has turned into a specialty talent that has been perfected by only a select few.

Most of us think of these systems as car alarms. You push a button, the siren chirps and the car is protected from damage or entry. The evolution of the convenience system began with the ability for the car alarm to lock the car doors. Quickly following that was trunk-opening ability and then came remote start systems. Early remote starts weren’t overly complicated and their reliability (actually starting the vehicle and keeping it started) took off once all the cars on the road moved from carburetors to fuel injection.

Modern remote start systems are very intelligent. They are connected to not only your ignition and starter circuitry, but to the engine as well. They are capable of monitoring engine RPM and will shut down if the engine speed is too high, or attempt to restart the vehicle if the engine doesn’t stay running.

The next evolution in security and convenience came with the battle for long range communication. Being able to be further away from your car, and still start it, is one of the key marketing features of every system in the industry. Entry-level and basic systems often claim a range of 300 feet, the better ones are 500, and with the use of the 900 MHz and 2.4GHz spectrum, computer-controlled communication allows for one mile of range. Like any feature or specification that the marketing guys focus on, these numbers are based on ideal conditions – your performance may vary by as much as 50 percent.

Once we had the ability to communicate reliably with the vehicle, the next step was to allow for the vehicle to communicate with us. Fifteen years ago, I had a pager for my car alarm that I wore on my belt. It had two lights to tell me if the shock sensor had gone off, or if a door had been opened. Now, the keyfob that you have attached to your keychain can include an LCD or, in some cars, colour OLED display that will confirm that your car is locked, tell you once it’s started or, in the event of foul play, tell you what zone is being affected (doors, shock sensor or trunk). Remember the good old days when a cell phone only displayed phone numbers? The epitome of two-way transmitters is the new full-colour OLED unit from Clifford in their Responder HD systems.

So, what’s next for security and convenience systems? Companies are always adding features that make them easier for installers to integrate them with your complex vehicles. For example, Fortin Electronic System of St. Leonard, Quebec offers an extensive line of programmable data interfaces for vehicles that have their accessories on the CAN data bus. These modules allow a security or convenience system to monitor door, hood and trunk pins, lock and unlock doors, arm and disarm the factory security system and even provide an engine rpm signal to the system to ensure the engine is running. These modules do this all digitally via the data bus. Most importantly, these interfaces allow installers to remote-start vehicles that have transponders built into their keys.

What is a transponder? It’s a small RFID chip embedded in the head of your car key. When you start your car, a code is read from this chip and compared with what is in memory in your vehicle’s engine management system. If the codes match, the car starts. If they don’t, even if the key is cut identically and you can turn the ignition barrel on, the car won’t start, or won’t continue to run. The implementation of this technology has dramatically reduced auto theft, since it is very difficult to bypass.

Many remote start systems now include logic to allow them to be installed in vehicles with standard transmissions. In the past, crude designs that included micro switches were the only way to detect if your car was in neutral. Now, when you want to remote start a vehicle with standard transmission, you simply need to go through a quick procedure before you turn the car off the night before. For example, DEI (best known for its Viper and Clifford products) requires that you set the parking brake, activate the remote start then leave the vehicle and close the doors. The remote start system will then shut down the engine. If a door is opened before you remote start the car, it exits remote start mode, as someone may have put the transmission in gear. Simple, yet very effective.

Another cool new technology I found is from Zenesis Electronics Corp. Its ZN-502, ZN-302 and Z-101 systems come with a new feature called Z-Pass TOUCH. This is a small touch-sensitive pad that is installed on the inside of your windshield. You can use this pad to page the person with the keys to the vehicle, or in the unlikely event you have lost the keys, you can disarm the vehicle by simply typing in a preset code. If you want to see it in action, head to YouTube and search for Zenesis Zpass. VERY cool!

The last item of interest is the new Text Start system from Titan Innovations. Using cellular phone text messaging, the TMS100 Vehicle Messaging system can provide you status updates from an OEM or aftermarket security system. You can send commands to the system (also via text message) and have it unlock the doors or remote start the vehicle (if you have a remote start installed). The system will even tell you if someone has disconnected your battery. Now, you can be on the beach in Mexico and keep tabs on your Hot Rod in Kelowna via your cell phone.

You might be thinking to yourself – why should I install an aftermarket system in my car? I already have keyless entry. Like anything aftermarket, it’s all about performance and convenience. With an aftermarket system, you get increased range, so you can start your car in the underground parking lot of your apartment building. If you choose a two-way system, you can keep tabs on your vehicle when you are in the movie theatre or at the mall. Finally, you may get some cool add-ons like an integrated turbo timer, or a headlight car-finder. Ultimately, you need to decide your goal for the system, then have a qualified shop integrate it into your vehicle for you.

by Dave MacKinnon (www.osmlabs.com)

What if your car could call for help? Imagine a scenario where a thief decides that no matter what you have done to protect your vehicle, they absolutely have to have it? Does this sound like Gone in 60 Seconds to you? It absolutely happens – specific make, model, trim level and colour vehicles are targeted all the time by theft rings because they are wanted by chop shops. Why so specific? Shops often buy a car that has been written off in an accident, then steal an identical car and transfer the VIN numbers to the stolen car and sell it to unsuspecting and seemingly innocent buyers. Unfortunately it happens all the time.

So what can you do to protect your pride and joy when a thief pulls up with a flatbed and drags your car away? You have the police simply go and retrieve it thanks to the marvel of modern GPS and cellular technology. Products from companies LoJack, Boomerang, Titan and BlackLine GPS allow you, to varying degrees, to know exactly where your car is and what it is doing.

For example, the GPS Snitch from BlackLine GPS is designed for convenient consumer use. Once placed in a vehicle, you can visit the GPS Snitch website and see the location, heading and speed of your vehicle. It’s convenient because it can operate via an internal battery for up to a week. For basic operation, there is no installation required. The GPS Snitch is also a great way to keep track of the kids when they borrow the family car.

Moving up in complexity and features is the TT3000 from Titan Tracking Systems. This system adds features such as over-speed alerts, low or disconnected battery, excessive idle time and many more tools that are not only convenient to nosy and cautious parents, but can be beneficial to fleet operators or rental companies. With the TT3000, you know what the driver is doing all the time. The TT3000 also features five inputs and seven outputs, so you can monitor zones such as doors, seatbelts, the parking brake and more, while having control over door locking, parking lights, trunk release and starter disable all via a convenient web interface. The TT3000 is a product that would be professionally integrated into your vehicle.

LoJack is one of the oldest companies in the vehicle tracking industry. They focus primarily on theft recovery, and their vehicle tracking is performed by law enforcement agencies. LoJack and Quebec-based Boomerang operate together in Canada. If and when your vehicle is stolen, you call the police and they deploy a tracking team to get your car back. Often, your car can be found within hours or even minutes. To date, Boomerang tracking devices have aided in the recovery of more than 6,800 vehicles with an approximate value of more than 300 million dollars. Boomerang and LoJack disguise their hardware and make its installation locations difficult to detect, adding another level of security and reliability to their products. You must seek professional installation for either LoJack or Boomerang.

All of these devices use a high sensitivity GPS receiver to locate themselves, then communicate that information back to a central location via cellular technology. This means that these systems carry a monthly charge for the cellular service, as well as the original cost of the product and its installation. That being said, knowing that you can find out where your car is at any time, or have your car let you know that someone is messing with it, is priceless!

Story by Budd Stanley

Aftermarket body kit companies mimic them and automakers place sporty looking replicas on the back of performance cars. They are diffusers, a curled piece of bodywork under the rear bumper used to give aerodynamic downforce to the rear wheels. But, do they work? To answer this question, first we have to learn the art of aerodynamics, and how a diffuser actually works.

Now if you have actually taken the time to read this, chances are you already know how a wing works. An aerofoil or wing is a curved surface pointing up (opposite of a airplane’s wing) connected to a flat surface on the opposite side. Air flowing over the curved surface is forced to speed up because the curved surface is longer than the flat. In turn, this creates a low-pressure area under the wing. This difference in pressure creates a downward force, which is measured as downforce. Effectively, this is how a rear wing works on the back of a race car. The differences in air pressures can be manipulated by the size and angle of the wing to give the desired amount of downforce to the back of the car. This increase in downward weight helps press the tires into the surface, giving you better traction.

Now we come to the actual diffuser itself. The diffuser is located under the car’s rear bumper, and operates as a mirror version of a wing foil. It takes air flowing under the car and uses it to create additional and much more efficient downforce to the rear of the car. The diffuser is a curved surface angling up and away from the ground. So the compressed area of air moving under the car must now expand into the now opening void the diffuser creates. Like the wing, air moves much quicker up the diffuser’s surface than along the ground, creating a drop in pressure. This translates into downforce. And again, downforce can be manipulated by the size and angle of the diffuser. Vertical fins, or strakes, are used to ensure only air traveling under the car travels this path, and not air sucked in from the side of the car.

The problem is, a diffuser requires a flat bottom car to work efficiently. The diffuser’s leading edge must be connected to a level plane that runs the length of the car in order to effectively create the negative air pressure. On top of that, the car needs to be low to the ground to regulate and compress the air flowing under the car. So if you’re thinking about putting a diffuser on your street car, think again. Without the flat bottom connecting to the diffuser itself, any device installed could have an opposite effect, literally catching air and holding it in behind your bumper, only being efficient as acting as an air brake. Building a proper system requires much custom work and fabrication to gain the desired effects.[PSGallery=179fdjw2jp]

Story by Nigel Matthews

California’s Monterey Peninsula plays host to the world’s premier automotive celebration, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, every August. Only the most beautiful and rare cars are invited to grace the famed 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links with their presence. We promised that our classic-car writer, Nigel Matthews, would walk the 18th fairway, but did not reveal that he would also be one of the Bentley Class Judges! Here is his report on what caught his eye.

The world’s respected judges, connoisseurs and admirers of the finest automobiles ever built flock to see the masterpieces at Pebble Beach.

For just one day of the year, the 18th fairway plays host to automobiles and draws a larger crowd than Tiger Woods and his colleagues in the PGA could ever hope to.

This year, Bentley was celebrated with the largest gathering of the luxury marque in the world. As well, there was a tribute to 100 years of Bugatti, Audi and Morgan.

B.C. was well-represented, providing three of the judges. Chief class judge John Carlson oversaw Post-War Sports and Touring cars classes, Dr. Robert Follows judged the Bugatti Type 57 Special Coachworks class and yours truly judged the Vintage Bentley eight-litre cars.

For the very first time in the Concours’ 59-year history, Bentley debuted a brand-new car. Due to some theatrics involved in this launch, the class of cars I judged was reduced from four to three. The car withdrawn was the 1930 Bentley eight-litre H.J. Mulliner Saloon, originally built for company founder, W.O. Bentley.

A large wooden crate next to the ramp outside the Lodge bore a sign that read: “To be opened at 12 noon.” With much fanfare, it was opened and out came the 1930 Bentley to everybody’s surprise.

Once the laughter had subsided, the sound of bagpipes could be heard and the new 2011 Bentley Mulsanne arrived from elsewhere.

Dr. Ing. Franz-Josef Paefgen, chairman and CEO of Bentley Motors, appeared with television comedian Jay Leno to announce the car to the world’s automotive press and onlookers.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger congratulated Bentley on building a green car capable of running on flex fuel, although I can’t imagine it is that economical.

Later in the day, the opportunity to own chassis No. 0001 of the very first 2011 car was auctioned off at the Gooding and Co. auction. Someone paid $550,000 for that privilege. Bentley donated all of the funds to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monterey County.

Of the 172 cars judged at this event, which carries as much weight in the Classic Car World as the Olympics, the Canadian entries came home with one gold, the FIVA (Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens) Pre-War Award presented to Jack and Kathy Boxstrom of Ontario with their 1931 Packard 833 Sport Phaeton.

The silver award went to David Cohen of B.C. with his absolutely stunning 1951 Bentley MKVI Facel-Metalon Coupé, and the double award-winner with a bronze award for a class win went once again to Ontario’s Boxstroms with the same car.

One thing I took away from this year’s event was a first opportunity to inspect closely one of the six Bugatti Type 41s, better known as the Royale, ever built. I paced out 12 of my size 12 feet from the front bumper to the cowl panel. With its 24-inch diameter wheels, this car is a monster. Even though it was designed with royalty in mind, with a price tag of $30,000 for a rolling chassis, even the wealthiest kings of Europe had trouble getting their hands on the majestic Bugatti Royale.

In today’s dollars, and bear in mind this was at the time of the Great Depression, the $700,000 price tag was unbelievable.

Ettore Bugatti must have been a very stubborn or principled man, because he refused to sell one to King Zog of Albania. Bugatti stated: “The man’s table manners are beyond belief!”

When the contenders for the Best of Show award were called to the podium, only two arrived, unusual because it is normally three. To be selected for the Best of Show award, the chief class judges and the honorary judges pick from a group of cars that have won the best in their class award.

This year the two cars selected were a 1937 Horch 853 Voll & Ruhrbeck Sport Cabriolet, owned by Robert Lee of Sparks, Nev., and the 1953 Siata 208CS Stabilimenti Farina Spyder owned by David Smith, of Medina, Wash.

They were two very different cars, one a small sports car, and the other a flamboyant classic. The Horch won, making this a second Best of Show victory for Lee. In 2006 he won with his 1931 Daimler Double-Six 50 Corsica Drophead Coupe.[PSGallery=1647n910jop]

Story by Budd Stanley

Like so many times before, some of the best cars designed, were born to take the fight to a rival manufacturer. In 1965, Don Yenko saw the potential that the newly redesigned Corvair had in competitive road racing. It was this year that Yenko’s love of motorsports, accessibility to GM products and a “get it done” attitude set into motion a series of events that would produce some of the most sought-after domestic machinery.

Working for his father’s Chevrolet dealership in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, Don already had a lot of experience racing Corvettes in SCCA competition. However, in 1965 when the Corvair was redesigned, Yenko saw that the rear-engine compact could make a formidable racer if given some modest upgrades. The problem was that there were several smaller, lighter and highly competitive vehicles coming out of Europe like the 356 and TR4, and special editions like Carroll Shelby’s potent Shelby Mustangs were consistently outperforming Yenko’s Corvettes. Even the new Corvair couldn’t compare to such competition. So Yenko took a page out of Shelby’s book and decided to build enough factory-supplied, dealership-built special-edition Corvairs to qualify for the SCCA’s rule that 100 production examples must be built to qualify for homologation.

With that, Yenko submitted the required homologation forms on October 11, 1965. He then ordered 100 Corvairs from Chevrolet that were delivered the 2nd week of December 1965. With the performance shop at Yenko Chevrolet working at breakneck pace, all were modified for SCCA inspection in only one month. They were all painted white, mandatory for SCCA racing as white was the USA’s national racing colour. All came equipped with heavy-duty suspension, four-speed transmissions, quicker steering ratios, positraction differentials available with 3.89 and 3.55 gears, and dual brake master cylinders. Power was available in four stages of tune with 160-, 190-, 220- and 240-horsepower engines built up from the Corvair’s 164 cubic-inch flat-six. Fibreglass body panels and spoilers were also available. On paper, the Corvair had become a formidable competitor.

Yenko was hoping to have the Stinger homologated into E Production, and on January 7, 1966, he received a telegram from James Patterson noting the Stinger was approved for the 1966 season in the D Production Class. The little British-built Triumph TR4, a very quick car in racing trim, at this point in time had dominated D Production. The TR4 had won the D Production title four consecutive years leading up to 1966. In its first race in January 1966, the Stinger was able to compete with the TR4, losing out by only one second. With Jerry Thompson at the wheel, the Stinger would go on to win the Central Division Championship and place fifth in the 1966 Nationals. Dick Thompson, a highly successful Corvette race driver, had won the Northeast Division Championship, and Jim Spencer had won the Central Division Championship, with Dino Milani taking second place. The Stinger had now proven a great success not only as a great race car, but made Yenko a household name when it came to GM performance. This made the Stinger a step-off point for a great line of Yenko-branded performance vehicles.

After the success of the Stinger, Yenko turned his attention to Chevrolet’s brand new pony car, the Camaro. GM would not allow a powerplant greater than 400 cubic inches to be placed in the Camaro, and with Mustangs and Barracudas available with larger powerplants, Yenko saw yet another opportunity. Buying up SS Camaros, Yenko dumped in the Corvette-based 427, creating the Yenko Camaro. More cars would come, including the Yenko Nova, Yenko Chevelle and the Stinger II, based on the Vega. They were all cars with a performance level that Chevrolet was too scared to build, and legends they would become with Yenko Camaros fetching nearly $300,000 USD at auction. But these Yenkos were aimed towards the red light racers. It was the Stinger Corvair that built the name of Yenko, proving the car’s worth on road circuits all over North America doing battle with formidable opponents. The Stinger truly was the start of something special.[PSGallery=1572rkx00o]

Story by Nigel Matthews

The Clint Eastwood-directed movie Gran Torino, in which he played retired auto worker Walt Kowalski, was named after the lead character’s pride and joy, his 1972 Ford Gran Torino Sport.

The car used in the movie was fitted with the optional laser stripe and Magnum (how appropriate) 500 wheels.

Prior to watching this movie, I had not given this particular model much thought. The Ford Torino brings back memories of a red model with a white stripe, driven by Starsky and Hutch.

The 1972 intermediate size car, as it was known with its long hood, large egg-crate grille and coke-bottle styling with a swept-back roofline, was a great success with a total of 31,239 hardtops and 60,794 Sports Roof units produced. It was so successful that it was the first time Ford had outsold the Chevrolet Chevelle since its 1964 introduction.

Ford did something quite unusual with the 1972 model, reverting to a body-on-frame construction from the unibody construction.

One of the advantages of this construction method is an improved ride quality, which Ford obviously felt outweighed the disadvantages that resulted in increased production costs and a much heavier car.

To compensate for the additional weight, the modified Sport version was fitted with a 351ci Cleveland V8, with high-compression pistons, modified heads, a high-lift camshaft, roller rockers and electronic ignition.

Other engine options included 302, 400 and 429 V8s available with a three- or four-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmission.

Today, the Gran Torino Sport is a relatively rare car. One of the main reasons for the poor survival rate is a result of serious problems with chassis and body corrosion. In areas that experienced harsh winters, the use of road salt accelerated the corrosion problems within the first five years of its life.

Expect to pay in the $15,000 range for a nice survivor.

This photo of the 1972 Gran Torino featured in the 2008 Clint Eastwood starred and directed movie Gran Torino was sourced from www.imcdb.org

Story by Nigel Matthews

During his 40-year career in the garbage-collection business, he amassed the world’s largest private vehicle collection, totaling 3,500-plus vehicles as listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. LeMay told the drivers of his garbage trucks to keep an eye open for any interesting or derelict cars. The story goes that he would pay them a finder’s fee for every car found that he purchased.

So how long would it take to collect so many cars? Well, you would have to buy one a day, every day of the year, for 10 years. A number of his vehicles have been auctioned off over the years, but approximately 1,700 still exist, stored in various locations in the Tacoma and Seattle area.

Many vehicles came from B.C. I spotted a Nash Metropolitan with B.C. vintage licence plates still attached, during a visit to the LeMay Museum last month.

I was invited to judge at its inaugural car show, which was held in conjunction with the 32nd annual LeMay Open House and Auction. This is a one-day-only annual event at the Marymount Academy in Spanaway, Wash., near Tacoma.

Shuttle buses run between the Academy and the LeMay family home, where Nancy LeMay greets you and you have the chance to see an additional 300 pieces of the private collection.

One of the vehicles offered in this year’s auction was a 1975 Leata, apparently one of only 22 ever built by the Stinebaugh Manufacturing Company in Post Falls, Idaho.

It took me a while to figure out what the donor car was and then it came to me, it was a ‘Vette — the smaller one called Chevette.

It was Donald Stinebaugh’s attempt at producing a luxury Chevette. Now, there’s an oxymoron. This miniature-looking Monte Carlo was named Leata after Mrs. Stinebaugh.

I hope she had a more voluptuous shape than this disaster. Apparently, only seven of these cars are known to have survived.

Review by Russell Purcell

There are few cars with a history as long as that of the venerable Porsche 911. Now well into its fifth decade of continuous production, the German icon stands as a benchmark for all other manufacturers of sports and GT cars. One of the elements that makes the 911 such a remarkable success story is the fact that its basic shape, design, and layout all remain true to the original concept. This rather unique distinction means that there are a lot of cars out there, and that almost anyone can find a used one that will fit their budget.

Many an enthusiast grew up reading the barrage of magazine reviews and books dedicated to the 911, and due to the wide range of variants of the car, such materials were readily available. The subject of this review is titled Porsche 911 Performance Handbook 1963-1998, and it is the 3rd edition of this expansive guide to be published by Motorbooks International, as part of their popular “Motorbooks Workshop” series.

Author Bruce Anderson is one of the foremost Porsche 911 experts on the planet, so if ownership of one of the air-cooled cars produced from 1963-1998 is in the cards, you will want to peruse this latest edition of his performance guide. This book is not a restoration guide, but instead, represents a resource chock full of proven advice and techniques for those 911 owners seeking to maximize the true performance potential of their prized rides.

Even dedicated Porschephiles will relish the 911 history lesson provided in the book’s first chapter, as the author has compiled a wonderful chronological review of how the car evolved from the initial model 901 (not a typo), through its many variants

Prospective buyers should read the second chapter at least twice, as the author proclaims that “buying a previously owned Porsche 911 can be the beginning of a long, pleasurable relationship if you do your homework.” He suggests that you take the time to do some research about the particular model you are interested in, as arming yourself with knowledge of technical specs, production details and build codes will help you “select a good, solid car.” It is also suggested that you have a knowledgeable Porsche mechanic do a pre-purchase inspection of potential candidates, as this simple step may keep you from buying “someone else’s problems.”

A clever two-page chart proves a handy reference when wading through the multitude of model designations and nomenclatures for the 36-year period covered in this book. Due to the incredible competition history of the 911, the chart also includes the dedicated race models as well.

Technical mavens will appreciate the expansive third chapter which examines the development and evolution of the potent flat-six boxer engines that provide the motivation for all 911s. Again, a comprehensive eight-page table lists the basic technical and power specifications for every 911 produced during the air-cooled years, capping off this chapter.

Engine rebuilds are a major endeavour with any car, but due to the long service of the flat-six design, some variants have proven more reliable than others. We also learn that the powerplants in some of the lower volume models were designed to operate so close to the limit that they require more careful, and regular, overhauls. The author examines various engine components and is careful to point out some of the more common issues that may arise, as well as offer potential solutions to overcome them.

Making significant modifications to a Porsche engine requires more thought than doing the same to a domestic V8, as aftermarket components are often of lesser quality than Porsche factory ones, and performing such work may also affect reliability. Anderson looks at some of the most common tweaks in chapter 5, and works his way up the displacement ladder along the way.

The 911 has always been an enthusiast’s dream car, as handling and driving dynamics are the foundations of the recipe that has kept this car on the road for almost a half century.

As a result, it is no surprise that the author devoted a lot of ink to the discussion of the various suspension, brake, wheel and tire options available for 911s from this period.

The final section of the book is devoted to transmission details. A flip through this chapter will educate the reader about some of the gear ratios and design parameters that correspond to particular 911 models.

It was nice to finally get a definitive explanation of the operation of the “Tiptronic” transmission, as well as a look at its forbearer (the short-lived Sportomatic), and even the long development history of its eventual replacement, the PDK.

The icing on the cake is the addition of a number of useful appendices at the end of the book, including my favourite, Appendix 1, which reveals production figures for every air-cooled 911 model produced.

If you have already cleared a space in your garage for a used 911, then the purchase of this book would be money well spent.

www.motorbooks.com

ISBN: 978-0-7603-3180-4

Price: CAN$38.95

Katech Performance has developed a brand new High Capacity Heat Exchanger for 2009 and newer C6 ZR1 Corvettes. The ZR1 Heat Exchanger is twice as thick as the OE cooler, providing consumers with greater cooling capacity and larger coolant volume. The result is lower intake charge temperatures and better performance. Katech’s ZR1 model is a direct replacement part and retails for $999.99 US. Katech Performance is the aftermarket performance division of Katech Inc., engineers and manufacturers of race-proven crate engines and components for all LS engines including solid belt tensioners, coil relocation brackets, cylinder heads, valve spring retainers, pistons, push rods, throttle bodies and valve covers, among other high-performance products for the street and track. In addition to engines and components, Katech Performance also develops highly refined vehicle packages for Corvettes and other LS-powered vehicles.

For more information please go to www.katechengines.com