Z911 Parts Store

6:30am, Tom Stahler appears in my room at my Mountain house yelling "WAKE THE !*&*&^^%!$#@!! UP-WE GOTTA GO! He scared the hell out of me because I forgot that I'd left the front door open the night before. Off to Monterey to help cover the "Road to Indy" event at Laguna Seca/Mazda Raceway over the weekend, helping Tom do what he does best. Give the Race Public the "Show on a Silver Platter" as only Stahler can deliver it. Stahler didn't really need help, being the pro that he is but included me anyways. His new gig at Turnology Publications began earlier this week. Tom is the "Editor at Large" there now. Our Press/Media credentials and the Mazda gig itself gave us Carte Blanche and we were treated like kings all day. We were literally on the track shooting, and it was amazing! Stahler knew everybody and was really well received. Obviously, he is highly respected in his field of automotive journalism. We had access to every part of that track, the Racers Paddocks and Suites therein. I felt like a rock star! (Mazda comp'd a really bitchen Suite @ the Hilton as well !) On the way up north this morning, we had to stop to honor James Dean and the site where he met his final turn at the wheel in his 550 Spyder. That "stop" in itself was heavy and unearthing. Dean reportedly was actually on his way to Salinas to Race when tragedy struck. In the final analysis, I still think he somehow knew what was around "that" turn. He always had an almost eery "knowing" when it came to death/life/and those related mysteries that most of us don't even try to understand. He talked about that stuff a lot, it's said. Stahler and I tag-teamed fun "Facebook Live" episodic "Back-n-forth's" for the race fans, along with serious really cool full coverage of the Day. Was great to see my friend and Mazda Raceway's CEO Gill Campbell hang out for a minute during all the frenzy. As always with Tom, was an ego-less BBBLLLAASSTT!! NEXT WEEK THE U27/ A2Z show goes to the Coronado Festival of Speed. Gonna knock the dust off her! Enjoy some pictures and stay tuned for tomorrow's cool stuff!

Written & Photos by:

Jonathan Sieger

Hello all, and hope the day brings good cheer and excitement for Sundays TARGA CALIFORNIA. Dave Bouzaglou has made strides to create a small "Stop Off" in Pine Mountain Club for the 125 or so entries in the phenomenal event, "TARGA CALIFORNIA". A 4-day funded/sponsored drive through some of California's most beautiful backroads, discovering the absolute ULTIMATE in scenic and challenging public roads. Most unknown to even the die-hard weekend drivers.

Dave's choice as to routing through Pine Mountain was pure genius in that (rather than turning west down on Lockwood Valley Road at the bottom in Frazier Park- ) the "Targa Cal participants " will be going up to 5500-6000 foot level experiencing the dense lush forest, deep blue skies ribboned by some of the most beautiful (semi secret) driving roads in the world (Trust me, I live here but was on Nurburgring last week (Nordschleif) so I KNOW what I'm talking about), you might even catch a bear or two crossing the road, so "awareness-up" people!   

"PINE MOUNTAIN CLUB WELCOMES TARGA CALIFORNIA" is a combined effort by the local town business owners and TRE Motorsports to allow Targa California participants to stop for a few, stretch the legs, grab a bite, some drinks, receive a warm welcome, and grab a whiff of the local "flavor" in "PMC".

Pine Mountain Club is literally one of the ultra few yet "untainted" paradises left in our vast state.  It's like Topanga Canyon without the traffic, like Mulholland but still retaining its "innocence" relative to congestion and its "locals", who are very cool and amazing people as a collective.

So prepare to be greeted warmly by "Tony" the owner of Pine Mountain General Store and Pine Mountain Fuel, Mark Bailey of Madd Baileys Pub and his Gal "Deb", the locals and as if by "divine providence", the tail end of the LILAC FESTIVAL is trailing down Sunday afternoon so feel free to enjoy a moment of "Cool" with all its great food and art as well, before you "take to the road once again"!   

Plenty of Parking set up just for TARGA CALIFORNIA and PHOTO SHOOTS of each participant of Targa California as well!  FREE ICE COLD WATER will be handed out. Great food and drinks available to pack and take! GET READY TO "PIT STOP"/ Gas Up and gear up for some real cool stuff in PMC !  

sssSSSTTAARRRTT  yyYYYOOUURRRR  eeEEENNNGGGIINNNEEESSSS !!!!!!!!

Here's a video by Petrolicious on the "Targa California"!

Click Here!

Written & Photos by: Jonathan Sieger

  

Stay Tuned!

Well, thats half the saying, at least. The predicate to that would lend to "Balance". After getting back to the Netherlands from Karlsruhe via Bochum, I had a day to catch up on Blogs and get ready to shift-gears into a little less frantic of a mode, and take in all the past 2+ weeks of business and let it all settle in to my mind a bit.

That was Saturday, Sunday I was up early, 6am! My girl was well over Iceland by the doing the "Trans-Atlantic Arc" by then coming in on a 9:05 to Schiphol.  I was both excited and a bit nervous because the tail end of my trip is going to be her first experience in Europe and my responsibility to make certain that all goes smoothly.

She was through Customs and in my arms in record time. Btw, KLM "non-stop" is the ONLY way to fly to Europe in my book.. 

We did Amsterdam the rest of the morning. Its "Kings Day" this week (end),  so "Dam" Square was a virtual circus, a lot of fun! Then drove down to Hetteran, to Chris and Annelise, had something to eat, talked sense and nonsense till midnight then finished the day by crashing out! Enjoy some pix!

Written & Photos by: Jonathan Seiger

  

Stay Tuned!

Imagine doing what I do, buying or building some of the coolest vintage cars on the planet then selling one, and moving on one to the next. What a cool thing to do! The variety, the change of scenery and a different dynamic for each machine.  

Then imagine having the unique opportunity to see and enjoy those same machines, once again, after finding them their "New Home".  Now imagine that some of those iconic machines wind up in Europe and the owner is your friend . That I can visit those friends, those machines and tooling around 6000 miles from home. Visiting and working in countries whose culture began two thousand years ago, the roads, the scenery. The smells, the vibe, and there you are driving your old 57 Speedster to the bakery, with one of your best friends in Europe. How lucky can I be? God is amazing.

Written & Photos by: Jonathan Sieger

      

   

Stay Tuned!

My friend and the clan live about 20 min outside Karlsruhe in one VERY enchanting little town simply BURSTING with character. WEINGARTEN is Magically Alsace and storybookish in its manner. One would almost expect to see old stately wagons pulled by Clydesdales through the Cobblestone'd town flanked by woman with dresses flowing to the ground pushing Perambulators and being Parasole'd by their Gents, making their way towards center town. Truly a window to days gone by. 

"HQ's" "GREEN ASPARAGUS " met HERR KANTENWEIN and I for dinner at a very fine restaurant below the hotel in which I was to stay (Sorry, can't say where-, "TOP SECRET"). Before this I was up at Herr Kantenwein's Penthouse overlooking the Town Square. Holy Shit, what a cool place to call home. A night to remember, really, Thanx "G.A.".                               

Thanx "Kantenwein" for the fun evening with your lovely family!  

Enjoy the pictures and eat your heart out people!

Written & Photos by: Jonathan Sieger

        

 

Stay Tuned!

Karlsruhe Germany is in the south, aprox. 30 minutes from Stuttgart to the slight northwest, Heidelberg directly north. Strasbourg directly south And there you have it.  I drove 360 kilometers beginning 0645 am from Ubach Palenberg and arrived at 10:15 to the "facility". I hope you don't mind some vagueness but I will not use names nor any other indications that are too specific. Not to be cryptic but here is where my Parent Company resides and the "Hub" to almost 800 porsche repro parts. "The names have been changed to protect the Geniuses". For 2 days I am here with my friends. The" Big Cheeze" goes under the "code-name " GREEN ASPARAGUS"- (Note that throughout the following text..) The cute German Chick with the Disguise Glasses is his sexy assistant, "Agent 88". Then there's of course "Kantenwein" (his name is "ok" to use because he visits the "Coffee Shops" frequently and doesn't know his true name half the time himself ) but SOMEHOW makes sure the Porsche world is well supplied and it can be said of him that He is TRULY the "Back Bone" of the company and Klaus (we can use his real name because there's about 1,000,000 "Klaus's" here so no worries on him.). Klaus restores "Green Asparagus's" secret projects and maintains the Porsche's of the Facility's Friends. It was also a wistful reunion with my Blue  67 Pro-Built, Pro touring Camaro, My 57 T1 Speedster, and My old 86 928 S- (All now owned by "GREEN ASPARAGUS" )     

Coming to "HQ" always makes me smile warmly.. They took me in from the cold, a "Rogue Agent", gave me the code name "SPAGHETTI MADNESS" and have been my "Go-To" facility for a huge part of my present life of Mission after Mission. (no tears please)..

Enjoy the damn pix, already. 

Written & Photos by: Jonathan Sieger

 

      

                        

It's always really cool for me when I'm here in Europe to visit with my friends that are not necessarily "pure business", but have began as friends, and evolved as so. Uwe Schmidt and his lovely wife Crista, are perfect examples to a friendship spanning 6000 miles and about 5 years now.

   Ubach Palenberg is a small town in Stadt North Rhine Westphalia near Aachen. I arranged to crash over at their pad for a night before I drove down to "HQ" in Karlsruhe early the following morning to meet up with the guys that make most of Z911Partsstore possible.

    As always with real friends, walking in was easy and warm. Genuine smiles and big bear hugs! Lots of wine, talking and catching up about the "little BIG things". It's really cool when you are "on the road", exhausted with travel and your head is full, NOT to have to be "on" rather to feel comfortable enough around others to just "be". That's the way it is with Uwe and Crista. I could "exhale" for a minute. Then really sleep... 

     Four years ago, I found an "IndisRotMetallic" 83 Euro Targa with a very unique Factory PASHA interior fabric scheme, up in Northern California. Uwe was on the lookout for a "keeper" 911, and this seemed to be A perfect fit! At that time, he had a dealer/"friend" who we both worked with, (no longer) to put things together. Most people I know commonly say, "Hey man, give me a "special" price, I'm gonna KEEP it for myself." Most of the time that is pure BS, Not in this case! The car sits in its own comfy garage, covered and loved. Taken out and driven occasionally. Loved always.  These are situations that make this "business" of mine, absolutely worth all the hassles.

Photos & Article by: Jonathan Sieger

Stay Tuned for more!

One of my oldest friends in Germany and business partners in cars, ANDRE CZECH of CLASSIC CARS CZECH in Moers, Germany, has really crammed A LOT of "KUHL FAKTOR" into his rather small showroom in Moers. It's really an adult candy store!

Andre does it all, restores them/builds them/shows them at the events across Europe, brings life back to them in a really unique way that gives his VW Busses and Early 911's major "BLING-BLING". Then finds homes for these bitchen machines amongst the "Collector Crowd", all over Europe.

What sets Andre apart from the normal "Dealer of Classics" here in Germany is his motives. Andre actually is an "artist and designer". He has that sense of "Cool" and takes virtually EVERY machine he acquires, and "evolves" it/"Stylizes" it, brings his own vision to the canvas and wont stop until he's thoroughly convinced that his "piece" is completed to it's utmost in vintage character. It's almost as though he is able to "read" the unique personality of each machines "soul and past ownership" and resurrect this 100% "Patina" really takes on new meaning here @ "Classic Cars Czech" 

Andre's and his wife Anna come to the USA frequently and "Churn & Burn" in Calif. almost like a "Military Operation". Anna handles the logistics and co-ops the plans while they hunt cars. Andre has been a "Builder" for years, gives the final "thumbs UP" or "thumbs Down", then off to the shipper or not with the "prospect".

Patrick Nickl holds down things in Moers often and is the guy that does his "Art" by making the busses and the vintage Porsches magically come back to new life. Patrick is truly gifted with talent and can take "ugly" to beautiful in a few days with his years of Carrosserie Expertise. Enjoy the pix!

Written by: Jonathan Sieger

 

RENKUM HOLLAND...SCHOOL.."STRIP MALL"..CHURCH..PEOPLE..HOUSES..

By: Jonathan Sieger

Boutersem Belgium is a small village outside Brussel about 25km. Just outside that tiny Hamlet is a rather sprawling 15th century Farmhouse surrounded by acres and acres of rolling meadow. It has seen generation after generation of wealthy landowner through the Centuries. Inside the old place you would imagine slow easy opulent living within its expansive richness. "Farmhouse" really doesn't fit, Villa however does.. Who would possibly think that within it's rustic confines at the two level Barn and work building incorporates the nucleus of LAKEWELL. Wouter Van Der Meer is behind and in front of one of the true hidden treasures within the Porsche Builder/Restorer's arsenal, "interior component" wise. Rich European Wool Haargarn Box weave Carpet Sets for 356/early911 SliverKnit for "G-body" machines true "Perlon"..Pepita/Pasha/ Pinstripe/Tartan/Cordouroy/"Jubilee"/Scripted Jacquard seat fabrics. Deep grained heavy"true-to-original" German Leather, etc. The LAKEWELL company achieves uncanny exactness relative to their Fabrics and "soft parts" for early 911 interiors.. Wouter's attention to authenticity is second to none. We @ Z911PARTSSTORE are honored to be a close ally/ Product representative, and business constituent- and personal friend to the "Lakewell Family". Enjoy the pix!

Written by: Jonathan Sieger

Stay Tuned!

Z911 Parts Store

While Jonathan is attending Techno Classica, I had the pleasure of attending the 3rd Annual Luftgekühlt  at Modernica furniture warehouse in beautiful Downtown Los Angeles. To be honest, this event was a "maybe" since I had no clue what it was all about, but I'm extremely glad I decided to check it out! The event was hosted by Patrick Long and Howie Idelson, and what an amazing job they did. The atmosphere, the people, the location and the cars was something you would see out of  a movie. I keep catching myself going through the pictures over and over again! From Seinfeld's Porsche 904, to Singer's gorgeous machines, but the event was centered around the host car, the "Safari 911". It's the rally 911 that every Porsche enthusiast dreams of. The LUFTAUTO, the name coined to the car, was to be auctioned off by RM Sotheby's and benefitting the Autumn Leaves Project. A charity dedicated to funding pancreatic cancer research. It's definitely an event I won't think twice about! It's a must for any Porsche fan. Now, enough of me, onto pictures!

Stay Tuned!

by: Kevin Baktiar