“To Hollywood and Back Again” Story by William Edgar – November 2014
Original owner and screenwriter DAVID VOWELL Vowell (left) with his showroom new 1967 Porsche 912 in North Hollywood, California, and current owner, machine tool engineer DIRK STAIMER with the same 912 near Staimer’s home city of Bielefeld, Germany, in August 2014. My 11-page article in the November 2014 issue of Porsche Panorama traces the life of this solitary 912 Porsche through the ownerships of three individual enthusiasts: Vowell, then middle-owner California artist ERICH SANTNER, and finally back to Germany for Staimer, who affectionately refers to the recently restored car as his Hollywood Diva. David Vowell and Dirk Staimer contributed these two “Selfie” photos with the 912 along with other color photography used in the story, which includes a Teutoburg Forest road photo of Staimer’s 912 by Stefan Thonesen.
“Mama Roo” Story by William Edgar – February 2014
RUTH LEVY RAYMOND (October 29, 1930 – December 23, 2014) is the Porsche race car-driving and personality star of my 11-page article published in the February 2014 issue of Porsche Panorama. Also known as “Little Lead Foot” she aced her baptism of racing Porsches and lived true to her grit straight on to her mid-eighties. By her own confession, life had been one wild, extraordinary ride. “The first time I drove any car by myself,” she laughed, “I ran into the side of the house and took out the phone lines.” She was driving her mom’s Buick, the same road boat Ruth later did donuts with on Minnesota’s frozen lakes. She would go on to race and win with her own Porsche 356 Speedsters and the 550 Spyders owned by John Edgar and Stan Sugarman. Gone now, the irrepressible Mama Roo is survived by her husband Wayne, daughters Jackie and Pam, grand-daughter Kelly, their families, and legions of friends and fans. Above photos of Ruth from the 1950s are courtesy of the Ruth Levy Raymond Collection. Article photography by Edgar Motorsport Archive, with lead photo by Pete Stout.
“The Ultimate Le Mans Porsche” Story by William Edgar – September 2013
After decades in a museum basement, this “Kremer” 935 K3, the only true production-based Porsche to win overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, is alive again thanks to the vision and pursuit of classic and race car enthusiast/collector BRUCE MEYER of Beverly Hills, California. My 10-page article in the September 2013 issue of Porsche Panorama tells the full story of this legendary Porsche from period races to retirement, along with legal shadows followed by bright restoration and re-birth. Co-driven by the American privateer Whittington Brothers and Germany’s Klaus Ludwig to win the French 24 in 1979, chassis number 009-00015 was ultimately purchased by Meyer and restored by BRUCE CANEPA and staff at Canepa in Scotts Valley, California. The car today is once more the battle wagon it was built to be, and remains one of the most famous of all Porsche race cars. Photo of Meyer by William Edgar; testing on top of the Corkscrew at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca photo courtesy of Canepa. Article photography by Pawel Litwinski and William Edgar.
“The Edgar Spyders” Story by William Edgar – April 2013
After taking a liking to Porsche’s 550 Spyder, JOHN EDGAR bought three of them, leaving an indelible impression on me, his son. Edgar Team chief mechanic JOE LANDAKER works on the Edgar-owned Porsche 550A-0104 (foreground) while driver JACK McAFEE (in green) and team mechanic HARRY JONES (in red) make engine adjustments on one of the other two 550s present at this November 4, 1956 SCCA National Road Races meet on the Palm Springs, California airport circuit. My 9-page article in the April 2013 issue of Porsche Panorama tells the story of my father’s trio of Porsche Spyders that were driven in period during his ownership by Jack McAfee, RUTH LEVY and PETE LOVELY. McAfee and Lovely co-drove a privateer Edgar 550 at the Sebring 12-Hour in March 1956 to finish second in class behind Baron Huschke von Hanstein’s factory 550 driven by Hans Herrmann and Wolfgang von Trips. Immediately after the race, von Hanstein sold the class-winning 550 to Edgar, which became the Spyder that McAfee drove to win the SCCA Modified F Class championship for 1956. The red cars pictured are Edgar’s Ferrari 857S (#99) and Ferrari 410 Sport (#88), the car in which Edgar driver Carroll Shelby won the Palm Springs main that day. Paddock photo by John Edgar. Article photos from Edgar Motorsport Archive. [To purchase a large photo print of this image, please see Contact page and email me.]
