James Mcgrath
Minneapolis, USA @auto.amateur Auto Amateur autoamateur. buzzsprout.com
Model 991.1 CARRERA
Year 2013
Acquired 2019
As much as driving my 911 gives me goosebumps every time I turn on the ignition and take it out, I get a similar thrill from working on it. Recently I have tackled a few mods and maintenance jobs which were exciting to perform and rewarding to complete, even though one or two got a little hairy in places.
Probably the easiest job I’ve performed recently was adding wheel spacers, 15mm to the rear and 7mm to the front. It’s amazing how such a relatively inexpensive mod and minor change in wheel positioning can dramatically alter the stance of the car. Even to the casual eye, the car looks meaner and ready to pounce on its prey like a jungle cat. Taking four wheels on and off with a simple floor jack, however, has pushed me to look more seriously into a more professional solution. Right now I’m looking at a low-rise hydraulic scissor lift that would allow me to work around the car and underneath by sitting on my mechanic’s stool. I usually perform a couple of oil changes annually as well as swapping out my winter and summer tyres. A lift will make life much easier for me. A trickier job was removing and reinstalling the emblems on the rear of the car. I recently had my car wrapped in vinyl (which is a great topic for another day!) but unfortunately the emblems didn’t look right… two attempts later, they’re better but still not quite right. This is the other side of the coin when you work on your car, you have to be prepared for disappointment and failure.
The more I work on the 911, the more I want to learn about it. To me, it’s a miracle of engineering. The meme of the rider sitting in the old-fashioned buggy that is being pushed by the horse from behind, as opposed to being pulled from the front, often springs to mind when the power of my flat six engine propels me forward with an exhilarating thrust. Of course so many other sports cars own a proud heritage in design and construction that go back over decades and generations, like the 911, but the Porsche design is unique as far as I’m concerned and the more I work on it, the more intrigued with its secrets I become. I’m still very much a beginner though, as my ‘Auto Amateur’ channel suggests. Oil changes have become much easier and are now an enjoyable way to spend an hour or two. Brake jobs are pretty straightforward for me too, but still challenge my knowledge and require me to refer to guidance every so often. I haven’t attempted to drop the engine yet or anything as bold as that, but perhaps one day. The 911 continues to have a hold of my passion and my curiosity, so I’ll never say never.