Natalie Stratos
London , UK Model 911 SC TARGA Year 1982 Acquired NOV 1994
Let me introduce myself for my first article in Total
911 magazine. I read all the other contributors’ pieces and I cannot pretend to be such a knowledgeable Porsche owner. My love for my car is more an aesthetic obsession and appreciation for the visuals as well as the performance of the Targa.
It began aged 18 whilst studying fashion at Kingston Polytechnic, when an ex-boyfriend took me to Beetle conventions in his convertible. I saw a Karmann Ghia and was blown away.
The lines, proportions and uniqueness fascinated me, so I kept going to more shows. I saw a 1982 Porsche Targa and that is when I fell truly, madly, deeply in love. When I started my own fashion label I decided to replace my black Mini 1275. I contacted the Porsche Club who introduced me to David Alston. He found her for me! She was divine. I had the engine cover replaced to keep her silhouette smooth and flow from head lights to back bumper. That was 1994 and we have been together ever since. I will never let her go. I joke I will be buried in her, much to the outrage from my grown sons. I cannot talk in depth about the technical side of Porsches but my articles will come from a different angle for the love of all things Porsche.
As with my Minis (I had a green 850 City to start with) the raw simplicity of a 1982 Porsche Targa is its joy. There are no fancy gimmicks or dressings. Sure, I would love power steering sometimes, or windows that don’t blow a fuse every time I open one. I would like nice carpets, but they were ripped out years ago as they were always damp from the continuously-leaking Targa roof. But when I drive her I really feel the road, every bump. I am so close to the ground, I take curves and corners with speed and confidence as she holds the road
magnificently. The clutch is so hard that my left leg now has stronger muscles.
But I still find it a thrill to drive her, every single time. It has never got boring. She is not a car to be precious with, she is out and about at all times in all weather, showing off in London.
My Porsche Targa is raw and flawed but yet more beautiful. Her interior needs serious attention and the bodywork has started to bubble in the same old places, i.e. under her headlights, front badge and wing mirrors. I love her even more for that as she has character. She is not perfect by any means of the imagination, but still retains her beauty.
I was a guest of a Cartier judge at Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2005 and we drove there in my car. She had not had her spray job by then and she had holes under the headlights as well as a dent in her wheel arch, not caused by me I must add, but that did not stop the adoration. I was inundated with people coming to admire her and take photos. She was way more popular than the shiny, newer, polished models. I think people like an underdog.
I know I need to start the long project of repairs and maintenance so she is with me for another 27 years. Hopefully I can document the journey with you in Total 911 magazine.