Gallery - Dean Klein's 912

Dave,

Truly enjoy your 912 Restoration page...and appreciate that you like
Leica's too (mine was ripped off, but I'll get another).

Attached you'll find shot of my '67 912 SRW Targa (912ice.jpg) taken
along the Blue Ridge Parkway just outside of Asheville, NC.  I took
these just prior to deployment to Palmer Station, Antarctica two years
ago.

I purchased my car over the internet in 1997 while working at McMurdo
Station, Antarctica.  35 e-mails, a few cash transfers and the deal
was done.  I was looking for a 912 Targa after owning a 911 Targa.
After a lot of thought, a 912 better suited my mechanical abilities
and I liked the fact that it was a short wheel base Porsche.  Living
in the mountains of NC, it's a hoot to drive.

Alas, a year after this shot was taken, the engine, died.  On a simple
5th to 4th downshift at low revs and less than 50 mph, a sickening
thud sounded from the engine bay.  The crank had sheared and decided
to ventilate the case.  As I was set to make my second trip to Palmer
Station (see www.mindspring.com/~bmwloco/palmer.htm), I started
searching for a reputable Porsche engine rebuilder in my area.

2 months of search yielded no takers - no one wanted to rebuild the
engine!  Having heard of The Maestro, aka Harry Pellow, I decided to
contact him and see if he would do a rebuild.  He readily accepted and
two days before departing for the ice again, I UPS's him my engine (148
pounds - UPS limit is 150).

In the Maestro's words, it was a "...turkey engine".  Apparently Porsche
356 A, B, C & 912 parts were found!  I asked what he would do in the
same situation.  In the end, I got stunning new engine.  Prior to
cranking it up, I found a NOS '67 on eBay.  "Bitta" is now reading 6,000
miles.  Prior to my current 14 month stint at Amundsen-Scott South Pole
Station, I tucked her away in my garage for a long snooze.

As of last week, another 912 (black912.jpg) made it's home in my garage.
Rick Bley of Taylorsville, NC was selling a very tidy black 1966 912
Coupe...new Webers, new Koni shocks, new Michelins.  I told my work mate
here, Jason about it.  Two weeks of international phone calls and
e-mails ensued, and now Jason is the proud owner of a nice vintage
Porsche.  He's planning on picking it up in January and driving it home
to nice, dry Colorado.  Pretty interesting...two 912s purchased from
Antarctica.

So...now I have two classic 912's in my "Air Cooled" garage.  And no,
I'm NOT telling where it can be found ;)

Keep up the good work...and thanks again for a great site!  If you want,
you can use the images in your Gallery section.

cheers,

Dean Klein
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amundsen-scott
south pole station
antarctica
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