1980 - Age 13, my dad has Jimmy Buffet's red '79 911SC on consignment for sale in his showroom that he sold mainly classic cars out of. He brought it home for me to detail it, I almost drove it through the front of our garage parking inside after I was finished (but I managed to stop, and nobody knew ), and afterwards dad took me for a high-speed run across the prairie nearby.

1983, age 16, I'm detailing cars for the local Import garage, and most of their customers. Get to drive several different 911's, including a HOT running gray-market German '84 911, prior to them converting it for U.S. DOT approval. It was strong..

Same year, my stepfather finishes rebuilding a '76 Turbo Carrera that he bought wrecked in the front. It had a real-deal 934 race engine in it, and with the adjustable wastegate set at 2.5 bars, was the fastest flippin street car I've EVER, TO THIS DAY, ever driven. Under full boost, it was otherwordly. A 996 Turbo in comparison runs like a Chihuahua.

THAT'S how I got my "Porsche fever"!!