From Z to Porsche and Back Again: The Unconventional Journey of “Porsche Al”
About this episode
In this episode of the Break/Fix, Crew Chief Eric introduces Porsche Al, an original member of Gran Touring Motorsports, who shares his unconventional journey in motorsports. Al recounts how his passion for cars began in his uncle's shop in Baltimore, where he initially disliked his first car but soon developed a love for a 1975 Datsun 280Z. He talks about the trials of modifying the Z, including a fateful crash that ended its life. Al transitioned to a Porsche 911, which he owned for eight years before finally selling it due to persistent issues. Currently, Al is building a new 350Z for track racing, detailing his progress and modifications. He also touches on a recent acquisition of a 2017 Jaguar F-Type, which he uses for personal enjoyment. Throughout the episode, Al reflects on his experiences with different car communities, the costs associated with maintaining high-performance vehicles, and his excitement for future racing events.
===== (Oo---x---oO) =====
00:00 Porsche Al's Early Days in Baltimore 01:17 The Z Car Journey Begins 03:05 Racing Adventures and Modifications 08:48 Transition to Porsche 14:12 Challenges and Triumphs with the Porsche 20:16 The End of the Z Car 22:57 Comparing the Z Car and the Porsche 26:23 The Allure of the Porsche 26:54 Returning to the Nissan Z 27:22 The 350Z: A Track Car Journey 29:06 Building and Modding the Z 30:11 Challenges and Rewards of the Z 32:46 Future Plans and First Track Event 44:26 The Jaguar F-Type: A New Addition 50:01 Wrapping Up and Final Thoughts====================
The Motoring Podcast Network : Years of racing, wrenching and Motorsports experience brings together a top notch collection of knowledge, stories and information. #everyonehasastory #gtmbreakfix - motoringpodcast.net
- More Information: https://www.motoringpodcast.net/
- Become a VIP at: https://www.patreon.com/gtmotorsports
- Online Magazine: https://www.gtmotorsports.org/
Ford Mustang
"...her one of his friends had a Mazda and Mike had a Mustang. 5.0 had been tricked out."
Chevrolet Chevelle
"... a good conversation about cars, he was driving a Chevelle, big body Chevelle where he had taken the motor a..."
Porsche 911
".... And I was like, what are you doing with all the 911s? And so at the same time, he was about to move to..."
Nissan 300 ZX
"...a two plus two. It started to look a lot like the 300 ZX versus your car was the same chassis body. As a 2..."
Nissan 350 Z
"It's just natural. The 350 Z in this case, when it debuted in the early 2000s,..."
Toyota Supra
"...bably the same reason that you don't see a lot of Supras. And that's also because those cars are a lot mor..."
Mazda MX-5 / Miata
"...ither trying to do a spec series where you it's a Miata, E36, E46, spec Boxster, spec C5, you know, stuff..."
Porsche Boxster
"...pec series where you it's a Miata, E36, E46, spec Boxster, spec C5, you know, stuff like that. Where there'..."
Chevrolet C5
"...re you it's a Miata, E36, E46, spec Boxster, spec C5, you know, stuff like that. Where there's a pleth..."
Volkswagen Gti
"...ub racing is. But the Z, much like a 24 valve VR6 GTI or even the 1.8 turbo Volkswagen. I know we're Vo..."
Jaguar F Type
"... like I can drive it anywhere. So I bought a 2017 Jaguar F type supercharged visa and it is a beast. It is gorgeo..."
Porsche 914
"... go on Instagram and look for hashtag GTM project 914, I've been slowly posting the build pictures as I..."
Request an Explanation
Heard something you'd like explained? We'll add it to this episode.
Sign in to request explanations for terms you heard.
Want to learn more?
Browse our glossary for plain-English explanations of automotive terms, jargon, and concepts.
Help improve this episode
See something that's not quite right? Our annotations are AI-generated and can sometimes miss the mark. Click the flag icon on any annotation to suggest a correction.