Teamspeed.com - Teamspeed Member Car Of The Month June 2013

I first saw this car on the cover of 'Gmund Magazine', an early version of what is today 'Excellence Magazine'. It was on issue #4 in 1980 when the car was only 10 years old. The special attraction was is pristine original condition and its extremely rare color. 'Crystal Blue' was one of 30 colors offered by Porsche to its customers in MY1970, just after they completed their 'new' paint shop at Zuffenhausen! Nine of the colors were 'standard' and twenty one were 'special order'. Not many folks took the chance on 'Crystal Blue', it was ordered by around 14 clients in MY1970 (per records published in Christophorus later that calendar year*). This vehicle was ordered with factory air, full leather interior and tinted glass. The MSRP was nearly $10,000! The lady who ordered it was unable to take delivery. The dealership then called PCA Zone 1 Rep Doug Troyer (NNJ) who promptly wrote a check for it. Doug also owned a 356 Carrera 2 Cabriolet at the time, so he was a knowledgeable client. He held the Targa for ten years.

Doug developed a urge to have a dedicated race car, so he sold the Targa to Terry Ritsos of Metro NY in 1980, just after the car appeared on the cover of 'Gmund'. I befriended the new owner (I lived in NYC then) and kept after him for 28 years. I finally bought it in 2008, right after my extensive 20 year period collecting 356 models (I sold my last one in 2007)! The Targa has now around 55K original miles.

This Targa has been shown only twice since I acquired it in the 'Preservation Group'. At the PCA National Parade in 2009 in Keystone Colorado, it won First in Class and First in Division. It then was rejudged and competed for overall in the Group (a 928 won). Last year at the PCA Parade in Salt Lake City, Utah, it tied for First in Class but was awarded second place since the other 911 was still in the hands of its original owner! However, this turn out to be a non-event as this 'Crystal Blue' Targa was selected that day by a special committee of judges representing Porsche as the winner of the coveted 'Honorary Judges' Choice' Trophy, selected among ALL the Porsches competing on the Concours field that day! This Trophy is only announced at the Banquet dinner the next day, so it comes as quite a surprise to everyone! The honorary judges consisted of Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, his brother Hans Peter Porsche, Wolfgang's son Ferdinand Porsche and Detlev von Platen, CEO of Porsche Cars North America, all in attendance for the Concours that day & at the banquet the following night! The award was truly a tribute to this oldtimer 911 and to the first two owners who kept it in such excellent & original condition for 38 years! I am just lucky to have had the priviledge to park this 'classic' car in my garage!

By the way, I have retired this beautiful Targa from further concours competition. Having won the 'Honorary Judges' Choice' Trophy and selected by the Porsche family, I think this 911 deserves a a quiet life in its old age! The attached photographs are mostly taken at my memorabilia garage in Vail Valley, Colorado.

I also owned a 35K original miles, original paint, interior & convertible top 1965 356 C Cabriolet for fifteen years...and never showed it once! Not at a PCA Parade, not at a regional meet, not at a local gathering! In retrospect, that was a mistake. I should have taken it at least once to a national PCA Parade so that others could have seen such a 'museum' quality original vehicle! I tried to correct that error in judgement by showing this Targa to the public a few times. That 356 Cabriolet, by the way, is now is with its third owner from new in Southern California! I will post photos of that car next on this thread.

Saludos,
Eduardo
Vail Valley, CO

*Here is the colors offered in MY1970 and % chosen by customers.

77% took their car in standard colors;

1. Blood orange 14,48
2. Ivory 13,75
3. Signal orange 11,72
4. Irish green 7,03
5. Albert blue 6,81
6. Conda green 6,56
7. Bahia red 6,42
8. Burgundy red 6,07
9. Pastel blue 4,23

21,7% took their car in special colors;

1. Metallic silver 7,83
2. Metallic blue 2,78
3. Lemmon yellow 2,1
4. Black 1,22
5. Metallic green 1,21
6. Adriatic blue 1,21
7. Light yellow 1,11
8. Metallic red 0,96
9. Sepia 0,79
10. Olive 0,68 (one 1970 in Norway in this color)
11. Signal yellow 0,6
12. Bush green 0,21
13. Beige 0,1
14. Signal green 0,1
15. Porcelain blue 0,1
16. Light red 0,1
17. Ivory 0,1
18. Crystal blue 0,1
19. Turquoise 0,1
20. Turquoise green 0,1
21. Light grey 0,1

1,3% where "color of your choice" cars