Review of Hunt for 901 by Kevin Gosselin

September 14, 2008

Like most aspiring writers we would all love to have our work produced and become a commercial success; a best selling novel being the prized pinnacle of publication. So, it was with just a slight touch of jealousy and great enthusiasm as we read the following:

Excerpt from an email sent by Hunt for 901 author Kevin Gosselin

Hello - My name is Kevin Gosselin and I wanted to make you and your site readers aware of my new novel, Hunt for 901, which was published this week. It is the first fiction ever published about a Porsche. Excepting the fiction in most classifieds Since your site covers Porsche Cars, Porducts and LifeStyle I think it would be of quite a bit of interest to your readers. The story follows automotive archaeologist Faston Hanks as he and his cohort search for famous missing cars. In this case, the Porsche 901 prototype that went missing after the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1963…. Regards, Kevin Gosselin

Two days later a copy of Hunt for 901was found poking through the mail-slot at the 993C4S garage and we were off and reading. From the very beginning we wanted not to like this book. Not because of Kevin (we’ve since exchanged numerous emails and he is a very knowledgeable and likeable “car-guy”) and most definitely not due to the subject matter (a lost piece of Porsche history.) Our animosity was rooted at a much more basic level; jealousy. Why didn’t we think of such a magnificent idea first? Once we got over ourselves Hunt for 901 became a most enjoyable read that was quite truly hard to put down.

Our Review

We’ve searched for cars before (usually through the classifieds) but novelist Kevin Gosselin makes us feel like we are part of Faston Hank’s team scouring the planet for Heidi Ruff’s father, Roland Zeller, the last man seen with the Porsche 901 prototype. Find Roland and you find the 901.

Accompanying Faston on his quest for automotive treasure is the always hungry Charles Ivory. Possibly the only person known to Faston with more automotive contacts then he, the ineffable Charles is indispensable on a search such as this, but at what price?

Beginning in LimeRock Connecticut, home of Faston’s racing-centric bed and breakfast, their search quickly leads them to a number of European destinations where they discover they are not alone in their hunt for the Holy Grail of missing Porsches. Faston’s long time nemesis, Patrick Patrick, is fast on their heals. Using methods that most others would frown upon, Patrick Patrick just might find the 901 first.

Liberally sprinkled with an eclectic cast of characters, well researched automotive facts and mentions of wine and food that would make any bon-vivant’s mouth water, the Hunt for 901 is a great first novel made even better by having the love and lore of Porsche history as the central tenet. If you have been searching for that special something to get your favorite Porsche owner or automotive enthusiast, your search is over.

Hunt for 901 is available via Amazon.com. Kevin tells me he book is selling well at Amazon and it is possible you might find them out of stock. If that is the case, the book can be purchased from Toadhallbook.com as well as directly from the publisher demontrevillepress.com.

A Sequel to Hunt for 901

According to Kevin, he is currently working on a sequel, or second in the series.

It has Faston and Charles chasing after something old and British this time. It is written in alternating chapters of the car being “lost” and the modern day chase so that we learn more about the person who “lost” the car. The series is like a mystery series, the same detectives trying to solve different murders. But instead of dead bodies, I have missing cars…. Kevin Gosselin

Kevin would love to hear from his readers. If you would like to contact him you can do so by commenting on this post (Kevin is a subscriber to 993C4S.com) or by visiting him directly at his blog.

Written by 993C4S · Filed Under Porsche Books | 1 Comment

Adrian Streather’s Porsche 996 The Essential Companion

August 18, 2008

If a book’s quality was to be judged on weight and heft alone, then Adrian Streather’s Porsche 996 The Essential Companion would win most contests quite handily. With a shipping weight just over 5 and 1/2 lbs this book offers 640 pages of technical and anecdotal insight into identifying, authenticating, purchasing maintaining and optimizing the Porsche 996. In other words, just about anything a current or future 996 owner could want to know about their car is included in this easy to read, must have for the Porsche enthusiast.

This book on the Porsche 911 (996) series is the fourth of a planned six. It carries on the tradition established with the author’s first Porsche 911 book on the 964 series. Everything a 996 owner needs to know plus a lot more is contained within the covers of this particular book. Every known model and version is described. The various engines and engine management systems for the many different nations of the world are covered. No matter where on planet earth the owner resides, their version of the 996 is covered. Manual and Tiptronic transmissions including the automatic transmission fitted to the AWD Carrera 4 and Turbo models are explained in detail. The different suspension systems are covered. All the new technology advancements of the 996 of which Ferry Porsche was so proud are written about along with all the advantages and improvements over previous 911 models. With 1300 photos and extensive appendices, this is a fact packed book and a must for any 996 owner. –Product Description on Amazon.com

My first exposure to Adrian’s work was during the research phase prior to purchasing my 1997 Porsche 993 C4S. Porsche 993 The Essential Companion was recommended to me by a friend. At first I was a little taken back by the cost, $62 and change (same as the 996 book) but now I know I could never live with out it. While not as complete as true shop manuals, both the 993 and the 996 companion books are workshop manual for those of us with only “modest” technical skill (which I believe covers the majority of us.)

As most of you know, Porsche 996 The Essential Companion was sent to me courtesy of Motorbooks after they read my interview with Randy Leffingwell. Given the amount of books I received, I ran a short contest asking for reviews of some of the other items included in my shipment from Motorbooks.

Last week’s post Book Review: Porsche High Performance Driving Handbook, 2nd Edition, by Vic Elford was written by frequent contributor Valerie Roedenbeck. Thanks to her well written and thoughtful review, Valerie will receive a copy of Adrian Streather’s Porsche 996 The Essential Companion (now that I’ve had a chance to go through it.)

Valerie is a long-time Porsche 996 owner so I was surprised to learn that she didn’t already own this book. At least I know it’s going to a good home.

Written by 993C4S · Filed Under Porsche Books | 1 Comment

Book Review: Porsche High Performance Driving Handbook, 2nd Edition, by Vic Elford. Minneapolis: Motorbooks press, 2008.

August 11, 2008

A few weeks ago I received package from Motorbooks, the world’s leading publisher and distributor of books for the enthusiast. This package included a number of Porsche related titles sent to me for review. Knowing that I wouldn’t have the time to read everything that was sent to me, in a timely fashion, I decided to run a contest here on 993C4S.com. The competition was simple. Write a review on any one of the five books I received. Here’s a list of them:

Race to Win: How to Become a Complete Champion Driver by Derek Daly
“Porsche High-Performance Driving Handbook 2nd Edition” by Vic Elford
“Original Porsche 911: The Guide to All Production Models, 1963-98” by Peter Morgan
“The Book of the Porsche 356” by Brian Long
“Porsche 996 The Essential Companion: Supreme Porsche (Essential Companion)” by Adrian Streather

If I published your review, I would, in-turn, send you your choice of any of the books. A number of people wrote in to take me up on my offer. If your still interested, let me know by commenting below on this post. Here is the first to be published.

Valerie Rodenback is the proud owner of both a Porsche 996 Cabriolet and a brand new Cayman S (her new track toy.) Valerie is quickly becoming a frequent contributor to 993C4S and a better writer than me! In recognition of Valerie’s well written critique and hard work she will be receiving a copy of “Porsche 996 The Essential Companion: Supreme Porsche (Essential Companion)” by Adrian Streather.

The second edition of the Porsche High Performance Driving Handbook closes with a real world driving story. In January of 1991, author and Porsche racing legend Vic Elford found himself “test driving” the new 911 Turbo for his “Stuttgart friends.” He drove the car from Reno to San Francisco with his wife, picked up his two teenaged sons (and their luggage), and prepared to head home across the Sierras. The Donner Pass was closed due to heavy snowfall, so Mr. Elford decided to use the Rt. 50 pass instead.

It is at this point in the story that the reader truly realizes Mr. Elford is no ordinary driver. Unavoidably, there is a certain disconnect when one reads about racing, driving at over 200 mph, and participating in rallies in exotic places. Racing stories don’t register as deeply with the majority of drivers because most of us have never experienced such driving firsthand. On the other hand, driving in inclement conditions is something most of us have had plenty of (generally unpleasant) experience with. Sliding on black ice? Check. Aquaplaning? Check. Is Vic Elford about to cross the Sierras driving through heavy snow accumulation in a rear-wheel drive Porsche Turbo loaded with four people and luggage… and without PSM?

Yes, indeed. Once past the chain control at the foot of the snowy Sierras, Mr. Elford drove the 911 through the mountains, climbing up with the car “sideways most of the time,” then back down, sideways once again with the former rally driver “push[ing] the clutch in…steering it back straight…stab[bing] the brake pedal a few times to slow down, and then blip[ping] the throttle and get[ting] it exactly right in order to let the clutch out with perfect engine/road speed coordination” to help the car regain balance. Mr. Elford repeated this sequence over and over again for the duration of the trip, and found the experience “quite enjoyable.”

The moral of the story, Mr. Elford writes, is that “[r]emembering all the little things you have learned [about driving technique]…over the years and being able to pull out the one that counts…when it counts” can get you out of a bind. Mastering proper driving techniques and gaining a deeper understanding of the automobile is not just cool, but crucial.

The Porsche High Performance Driving Handbook is the perfect companion gift for the new Porsche owner

Written in an approachable, clear style, Elford’s book blends entertaining vignettes of his days as a rally and track driver with relevant driving and racing technique. Known for his success in various racing disciplines, Mr. Elford was the first driver to win the Monte Carlo Rally for Porsche and, a week later, the 24 hours of Daytona. His ability to drive on ice, snow and rain earned him several victories, including 4th place in his first Grand Prix. His engaging storytelling is complimented by the exceptional photos from his personal collection and the Porsche Archives.

While in some aspects the book is specific to driving Porsches, it manages to stay relevant to cars in general. The book opens with a discussion on comfort in the car (seat placement, driver comfort, etc.) and goes on to discuss key aspects of driving all automobiles: shifting, braking, and cornering, among others. In the chapter on balance, for example, Mr. Elford discusses not only the challenges (and advantages) of the bonafide 911, but also mid- and front-engine cars, as well as rear-, all- and front-wheel drive cars. Yet, there is still plenty for the Porsche lover. While the majority of Mr. Elford’s Porsche-specific driving experience was with the 911 rally cars and the 917/908 race cars, he gladly discusses current Porsche models, including the mid-engine Cayman.

The book briefly covers more advanced driving techniques such as heel-and-toe shifting and slide control, it does so only in an introductory manner. Drivers seeking to delve deeper into performance or rally driving techniques will have to explore other titles (and log time behind the wheel), but Mr. Elford’s Handbook is one of the finest places to start.

The Porsche High Performance Driving Handbook is perhaps the perfect companion gift for the new Porsche owner. Technical explanations are clear and well illustrated, even to non-engineers. The book’s conversational style makes it seem as if one is sitting with the racing legend, taking in technique secrets and enjoying unbelievable stories of his days on the track (and off). Do you know anyone who is interested in becoming a better driver? This is the book to get for them.