The Fuselage

Croc, After what you've already done for me, asking me to share is not an imposition. But let me start out with this. Three months from now is early February. That is precisely the nadir of the driving season. Do not even think about my Targa Florio at that time without winter tires, that is, if the conditions are favorable. Otherwise, it's studded winter tires. Having said that, I'd be glad to share the route. But it is not as easy as giving you a route number or two. It's more difficult. I could best delineate the route by a hylite marker on a printed Vermont road map. How to get it to you? I could mail it to you........or I could hand it to you in person over a drink at my expense when you visit Colchester for a "project". I'm only an hour and a half from Colchester. What say you? And I'm tormented with curiosity by what that project may be, knowing that you have another one with Bruce B. Regards, Larry

Croc, My quintessential bumper sticker---CROC FOR PRESIDENT ( the Constitutional requirements notwithstanding). Having read your posts over the many years, I have the greatest regard for, not only your expertise in 7-matters, but your character as exhibited in your replies to the posts of others. So, it is with trepidation that I address your response above. Yes, CSR's are available, but I spoke of CSR 260's. To me that means not only the CSR chassis, but also the Cosworth 260 engine. Having now disgraced myself in your regard, I seek your advice. In so doing, I realize that I'm asking the fox to guard the chicken house, but what do you consider a fair market price for a CSR 260 with 20,875 miles of travel, all of which are on smooth paved rural roads at 3000 to 3200 rpm for 98% of its life, absolutely absent mechanical issues other than a sticky master brake cylinder that was replaced? cSR 260

Alaskossie, I have no intent of leaning back in the rocker and putting up my feet, for I am an addict. But I can go for methadone. Over that past 5 years of driving my CSR 260, here are my stats. I average 27 trips per year at 150 miles each time on my 150 mile "Targa Florio" lap. Zero traffic lights and I downshift for stop signs. Almost no traffic and even less Smokies. Twenty seven is not a lot of fixes in a year. And six months of withdrawal is unpleasant. What if I traded 27 exhilarating "trips" for 365 days of enjoyable, if not ecstatic experience. I learned from experience (given the way I drive) that driving on wet roads is beckoning suicide. Thus I only drive on days on which the prospect of threatening clouds is absent. Of limited means, I will rely on the proceeds of a CRS 260 sale to launch a follow on experience. I am an addict.

JohnCh, Let me first express my gratitude to you for your administration of this forum. I am indebted to you ( and Croc as an administrator also) for the contribution you have made to my happiness in retired life. Each day, since mid-2014, I read each and every post to this forum before breakfast. There is no better way to start one's day. However, I must mildly rebuke you for suggesting that I wait a year before deciding to sell. This is a poorly disguised attempt to lure me into another year of ownership, after which you will renew your advice to wait a year before a final decision. But I forgive you, as I would do the very same thing if I were you. I have since crammed a year's worth of thought into the matter in the past few days and am leaning toward selling. But if I do decide to sell, I will express my appreciation to you and every single member of this forum by giving a significant discount to the asking price. I have no idea what that asking price might be as I've not seen a CSR 260 for sale ever, period. I won't give it away, but might come close, as I know what give away means. I previously said that I obtained an early Porsche Targa, serial number 339. In fact, I visited the factory in Stuttgart and saw it being build. ( I have a good story about that visit, for another time). In June of 2016 I was at the Porsche Parade, which is a very big deal for the faithful, in that very same Porsche. I'd had it for 49 years. The Parade was about 50 minutes from where I now live. In the middle of that Parade week, my CSR 260 was delivered to my home and I drove home to receive it. Then returned to the Parade. In 2017, following my first year with my CSR 260, I saw the light and in the 50th year of continuous ownership, I gave away that Porsche Targa (in pristine condition) to my little brother. It was dear to me and of incredible memories, like racing down the Masten Straight at Spa against Jochen Rindt in our Porsches on the eve of the F1 race that gave Dan Gurney his only F1 win. I cannot afford to give away my CSR 260, but would be way more than reasonable in price, whatever that might be.

Another first post. I'm Larry, an Army-Retired recluse in the northeast corner of Vermont, where the driving season is too short. I'd never owned a car when the Army sent me to Germany in the mid-60's. It was the golden era of motorsports and I was in the center of it. I was smitten. And there were no speed limits anywhere! I cut my teeth on the old Nurburgring, where the track was narrow, there were no guardrails but nature's trees, and runoffs were not yet invented. Same for Spa Francorchamps. I started with a VW, quickly graduated to an XKE, and did post-graduate work in one of the first Porsche Targa's, serial no. 339. The experiences were priceless, to this day. I was addicted. That's the right word. I was addicted to the joy and exhilaration of pure driving---not racing, but just pure driving. Fast forward to 2014. I stumbled upon USA7's. Bruce Beachman posted that he had a kit CSR 260 coming. I think that that was the last CSR 260 to reach the US. Long story short. I took delivery of a Beachman Racing-built CSR 260 in June of 2016. Let me say this about Bruce. If there are angels in the automotive world, Bruce has the largest wings and largest halo. I have driven that magnificent engineering creation for five short seasons, the last of which just came to an end. This week I gave it a season-ending bath, changed the oil, and put it in the barn with 20,875 mile on the odometer. All of those miles were accumulated on the twisty, turning roads of northeast Vermont that most folks just don't know about. I sort of committed to surrendering my "spirited" driving when I reached the age of 80. That milestone is but months away. If someone out there really, really wanted to experience that same joy that I have had, ney, thrill that I have had, I'd seriously consider passing both the torch and the car to him.