On the list of cool automotive jobs out there, Sascha Glaeser’s position would certainly be up near the top. For the last 14 years he has worked for Porsche – first moving through a number of positions in Stuttgart before relocating to the United States a few years ago. Here in the US he has worked as the manager of Porsche’s Personal Design program, and most recently has become the manager of the Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles.
What’s the Porsche Experience Center? It’s an incredible-looking facility in Carson that is scheduled to open later in 2016. And when it does it will likely become one of the most popular automotive destinations on the West Coast.
Not only will the LA Experience Center be home to Porsche Motorsport North America, it will also include a number of driving courses for owners and potential customers to put Porsche’s latest machines to the test. There will also be racing simulators, a restaurant and more. I can’t wait to see it for myself.
While managing this new facility sounds like a very enviable position, the Porsche brand is more than just an employer for Sascha. He’s an enthusiast through and through – and this becomes immediately apparent when you see his car.
While working with Porsche’s Personal Design, Sascha began to fully embrace the idea of a Porsche that was totally customized to fit the owner’s tastes. This machine is a rolling testament to that approach.
Of all the Porsches models, it’s always been the early 911s which have inspired Sascha the most. So when it came time for him to build his own 911, he knew exactly the style he wanted to go for. He considered buying a pre-’74 car and upgrading it, but his childhood friend from Germany suggested he start with a newer model and do a backdate.
After considering his options, Sascha realized he should follow his friend’s advice. This friend happens to own a shop called Scuderia Eleven in Germany’s Rhineland region, and Sascha knew his buddy’s place would be the perfect spot to make this vision a reality.
Made In Germany, Perfected In Germany
And so the search began for a donor car that could be used as the basis for the project. Rather than finding a car in Europe, Sascha located an ’87 Carrera 3.2 Coupe G50 out of North Carolina so he could avoid importation troubles when the car came back to the US.
As the car sat on a boat making its way across the Atlantic to Scuderia Eleven, Sascha and his buddy discussed the specific details for the car’s mechanical underpinnings and overall look. It turns out they were on the same page for just about everything except for the inclusion of air conditioning – which Sascha insisted was a necessity for hot California summer days.
From the day the car arrived at Scuderia Eleven to the day it was loaded on the boat for the return trip to California, seven and a half months passed. And when Sascha finally laid eyes on the finished product in August of last year it was even better than he imagined.
While in Germany, the body was completely stripped and backdated to capture the look of the iconic Carrera 2.8 RSR. The doors are original, but aside from that almost everything on the body has been altered in some way.
The front fenders, hood, sunroof delete roof panel and bumpers are all made from FRP, as is the ducktail spoiler – which is a crucial part of the RSR look.
The rear fenders meanwhile are genuine 2.8 RSR pieces, and to top it off the body was coated in Gulf Orange with the requisite ‘Carrera’ black rocker stripes.
When you open the decklid you’ll find a completely rebuilt 930-spec 3.2-liter engine. Simplicity is key here, with notable additions being a set of 964 RSR camshafts along with a revised engine management system and a new exhaust.
Other touches include refinished engine covers and a full repaint for a period look, plus additional bracing over the nose. The gearbox is a fully rebuilt G50 with a WEVO shifter kit.
Indescribable Joy
When it came to wheels there was no other choice but Fuchs, and they measure 15×9-inch in the front and 15×11-inch in the rear with Michelin TB 5R tires all around. Braking capabilities have also been upgraded with 964 calipers up front and Pagid pads at all four corners.
And there should be no doubts about the car’s performance capabilities in the canyons of California, as Sascha’s buddy took the car to the Nordschleife for a full shakedown before shipping it back to the US.
The cockpit of the 911 is classic function with the addition of a lightweight dashboard and lightweight Carrera RS carpet and headliner material.
Let’s not forget the rollcage, which is finished in the same Gulf Orange color as the body, or the Momo steering wheel – in this case a suede-wrapped MOD. 07 – which is another requisite for any vintage-themed Porsche build.
Finishing off the cabin are a pair of Recaro Pole Position buckets for both the driver and passenger, and a Schroth 6-point harness for each.
After he took delivery of the car last summer, the first thing Sascha did was fire it up and go for a cruise down Pacific Coast Highway to Santa Monica. The feeling of cruising the 911 down the coast was indescribable he says.
You can’t have a job like Sascha’s without having a deep passion for what Porsche stands for, and there’s no doubt Sascha’s 911 will look perfect parked in front of the LA Experience Center when it opens.
See you there!
Mike Garrett
Instagram: japanifornia_media
mike@speedhunters.com
Photos by Larry Chen
Instagram: larry_chen_foto
larry@speedhunters.com
Sascha Glaeser’s 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera
Engine
3.2 liter 930/20 engine completely rebuilt, 964 RS camshafts, revised engine management, FRP engine shields for retro look, full engine repaint with reversed colors, venter-exit double-outlet exhaust system
Driveline
G50 gearbox, WEVO shifter kit
Suspension/Brakes
Support bar in front cargo area, 964 brake calipers, Pagid brake pads
Wheels/Tires
Fuchs Design 15×9-inch (front) 15×11-inch (rear) Michelin TB 5R tires 215/50R15 (front) 285/40R15 (rear)
Exterior
Full RSR 2.8 conversion, FRP front fenders, hood, roof panel, bumpers, duckbill spoiler, original 2.8 RSR rear fenders, Gulf Orange paint
Interior
Full rollcage finished in Gulf Orange, lightweight dashboard, lightweight carpet and headliner, Recaro Pole Position seats, Schroth seats, Momo steering wheel
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