Matt Farah buries his right foot in the floorboard of a Porsche modern classic.
The Porsche 911 is sometimes criticized for not changing things up. “It’s the same shape every time. Ugh. Do something different!” However, change isn’t always a good thing.
Take the 1997 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 in the above The Smoking Tire video as an example. Sure, its fundamental shape hasn’t changed drastically since the Clinton administration, but you know what else hasn’t changed? How solid it feels – after 121,000 miles. Farah would’ve believed the car’s owner, Kurt, if he would’ve told him the air-cooled coupe had 40,000 miles on it.
Of course, in the 20 years this 911’s been in existence, some things have been altered. Kurt upgraded the flat 6’s exhaust, swapped out the wheels for newer models, and added a ducktail out back. None of those have a negative effect on Farah’s enjoyment of the car. In between full-throttle bursts, he praises it for its balance of power, weight, and agility, although he does mention how dated the shifter’s long throws make it feel.
Kurt himself is fond of his 911’s rawness and sense of connection. He’ll be connected to it as often as possible because he intends to do as much DIY work on it as he can. He’ll have help, though – in the form of his son. Kurt hopes that by doing that his child will develop a love of cars. If all goes according to plan, something else about Kurt’s 993 won’t change: owners. He’s hopeful it becomes his “forever car.”
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
