My 718 CGTS 4.0 PDK

[Boomer_Zoomer]

Having thought long and hard, and consulted trusted friends, I have reluctantly and regrettably decided to take no further action on a return to the PEC Precision Driving Course. Many factors are at play in my reaching this decision. Not least of which is to be grateful for the two previous PEC opportunities which did so much to restore and improve my track diving skills prior to returning to competitive motorsport.

Dan is quite right in suggesting taking the PEC hire car rather than using your own car. Besides the obvious wear and tear on tyres and brakes, the Silverstone track sessions are shared with other cars driven by drivers of widely varying abilities. The appeal of driving your own car on this iconic circuit is a strong pull, but no matter how diligent you are at keeping it on the black stuff, other cars sharing the same track space can throw unpredictable consequences in the blink of an eye. Race cars driven by Pro-Am wannabes are always the last of the late brakers and will cut you up at the braking zone approach to slower corners. I had this very experience during the Pilot Sport Challenge when a sports racing Radical mugged me at the turn-in to Club corner. There was not a lot of room I can assure you.

It was a nice thought returning to Silverstone GP circuit for another go in a car as capable as the CGTS 4.0 PDK. On this occasion discretion overruled my heart. I'll rest on my past experiences.

Back to reality and the rewarding spectacle of the tall ships event at Aberdeen last weekend. This international maritime jamboree was a spectacular display of historic sailing ships of all sizes. Over 70 vessels attended during the 4 days at Aberdeen harbour. Visitors were efficiently marshalled on the quaysides to inspect the ships at their moorings, some of which were available for boarding. On the final day huge crowds lined Aberdeen beach promenades to watch the sail away to the next destination in Norway. It had been 28 years since the previous tall ships event at Aberdeen so it is unlikely, nay a certainty, that I shall live to see another revisit of this amazing event.

Brian.

 

[Wollemi]

Just as a matter of possible interest I did the PEC Precision Driving Course in 2019 in my then 987.2. I was glad to have done the course in my own car as it taught me a lot about my particular car. I didnt encounter any problems or issues with other cars on the Silverstone circuit; but I had the piece of mind that my car was covered for the day by my Lockton PCGB policy.
I then did a full PCGB track day at Silverstone a couple of weeks later, again covered by PCGB policy.

 

[Boomer_Zoomer]

With the tourist season in the Highlands at its peak in early August, the roads are choc-a-block everywhere. The underfunded intercity road network north of Perth is overwhelmed with the convergence of commercial, tourist, local, and agricultural harvest traffic. It's mayhem frankly.

I thought this the ideal opportunity to do some more cosmetic remedial work on my CGTS 4.0. The scruffy rear brake disc bells have been a point of irritation for some time. Unsightly corrosion and staining have marred these easily visible components. It took me some time to source the correct shade of VHT paint to match the OE finish on disc bells. The ideal product came by way of Halfords no less. At £10.99 a can, the High Temperature Dark Anthracite paint has proved absolutely perfect for the job.

As most of you will already know, preparation is 99% of a successful job. Masking the exposed disc surface and brake callipers took considerable time and effort. I also carefully masked the bare metal surfaces where the road wheel contacts the hub. I have problems handling sticky masking tape due to my hand disability, but perseverance paid off and the considerable effort was worthwhile.

After cleaning the stained disc bell surface with solvent, I applied two coats of VHT paint. The first coat was directly applied thinly to the bare surface. No primer required. The second coat applied 4 hours later and left overnight to harden. The rear brake callipers are sufficiently spaced from the disc bell to enable the full 360 degree surface to be painted without having to rotate the hub, an operation complicated by PDK when the car is jacked up. With a manual car, the hub could be rotated with the gearbox in neutral. I found the gap between the calliper and the disc bell easily accessed by the paint spray nozzle to enable the entire 360 degree surface to be painted without rotating the hub.

The finished result is shown in the photos attached.

Brian.

 

[adrianb]

Finally happened, configurator says no longer able to order new Porsche Bournemouth just advertised a new one with 10k off list maybe a typo

 

[Dylan1]

Hi Brian
i very much enjoy reading your extremely knowledgeable reports.
thankyou.
we are heading north in 2/3 weeks visiting son in north Berwick then driving to Mull for a week then trossachs for a week before back down south.
any good roads to travel advice much appreciated

 

[AndrewT]

Dylan, I'm pretty sure that it was the B8073 on the north part of Mull which we enjoyed driving. I'm think we also drove a great minor road from north west to south east of the north part of the island but I can't recall whether it had a number. My wife and I also enjoyed a lovely meal at the Am Birlinn restaurant https://ambirlinn.com/

Apologies Brian for taking your thread on a tangent.

Edited to add:
If you're looking for accommodation then when we toured in 2022 we stayed in Oban https://bedandbreakfastoban.net/ (we'd happily stay there again), On Mull https://www.glenforsa.com/ (we wished we'd tried harder to find somewhere else), we crossed from Tobermory to the Ardnamurchan Peninsula to visit mainland GB's most westerly point of Ardnamurchan and stayed here https://kilchoanhotel.co.uk/, and in Fort William at https://www.treetopsfortwilliam.co.uk/ (we'd happily stay there again). Hope that helps.

 

[Boomer_Zoomer]

Dylan,

Thank you for your kind comments.

My good friend Andrew T knows the roads around the Mull and that part of west of Scotland better than me. I would confirm his tips carry much weight. The Trossachs I have more experience of and would recommend the eastern regions around Loch Earn, and Loch Tay. Kenmore to Crieff via the A826 and A822 through Glen Almond is good. Loch Lomond is always very busy in my experience.

My car is booked in for its MOT next month. Both the 3 stud exhaust flanges under the rear wheel arches are being replaced at the same time. At long last this will conclude the programme of repairs of corroded components on this young car. In my long experience of Cayman ownership I never expected so many badly rusted parts on such a low mileage car. Clearly this car's previous ownership had it parked out in the open in a salty environment for extended periods of time unused. It has taken me almost a year, devoting much time and expense, to return the underside of the car to the condition commensurate to the standards of presentation I consider normal with a well kept car.

Brian.

 

[Dylan1]

Thankyou to both Andrew t and Brian
much appreciated

 

[Boomer_Zoomer]

With the 3 stud exhaust flanges now replaced and the MOT successfully passed, the programme of car touring and my attendance at Porsche events has thankfully resumed once again.

Last weekend I attended the annual Porsche in the Park charity event held at Deeside Activity Park near Kincardine o' Neil in central Aberdeenshire. This was my first time at this local jamboree and what a pleasant surprise it turned out to be. No less than 120 Porsches turned up on a glorious sunny autumn day with cars from classics to the very latest 992.2 models on show. As well as a strong local contingent, entries from Edinburgh and Berwick upon Tweed made the long journey north to Deeside in rural Aberdeenshire. The independent organisers Paul and Loraine Barlow did a magnificent job putting the event together in aid of The Anchor charity, including a karting challenge, best car in show, and a raffle supported by Aberdeen Porsche Centre. It was a most enjoyable day out, and for me, meeting so many former motorsport pals from past times made the social aspect particularly special. It's always amazing meeting former motorsport competitors from bygone years and reminiscing on times when motoring life was less restricted and less complicated in every respect.

When I registered for this event I decided to make it a short holiday, and booked 2 nights in the Banchory Lodge Hotel superbly located by the river Dee in the heart of Banchory town. This excellent hotel has expansive safe parking within the grounds of the private estate, and is an ideal base for exploring the many POI's and historical sites located in all points of the compass. My first day started with visiting the nearby Falls of Feugh on the outskirts of Banchory. This raging torrent of water was tinged a peaty brown colour following recent heavy rain. No leaping salmon observed unfortunately.

My tour continued via the B978 Cairn o' Mount, a former RAC Rally route in the 1960's. The summit of which was covered in an eerie Scotch Mist. I took the detour to Glen of Drumtochty and Auchenblae for old times sake, where the unclassified road used to have a series of Fords one after the other. Sadly these water splashes are now covered over by culverts and tarmac in the interests of safety.
The charming villages of Fettercairn and Edzell are worth a stop along with former Prime Minister Gladstone's mansion at Fasque Estate. I ventured into the estate through the large wrought iron gates and drove up the long drive to Fasque castle itself. Not a soul to be seen anywhere which gave me the creeps, so after a quick photo of the castle I made my discreet escape.

This part of North east Scotland is known locally as The Mearns with a rich agricultural heritage. There is a wonderful riverside woodland walk near Edzell called The Rocks of Solitude. The rapids of the fast flowing river provide an atmospheric soundtrack among the majestic trees lining the pathways. There is no signage identifying this charming gated walk, and the modest lay-by only accommodates a few cars. It's mainly local dog walkers and people in the know who take advantage of this secretive gem.

On my final day I took the cross country A97, A944, route via Strathdon, Corgarff, and the A939 Lecht to Tomintoul and onward to the Moray Coast. With the tourist season now ebbing, the traffic was thankfully light making it a most enjoyable drive in my CGTS 4.0. The roads are quite narrow in places making the compact footprint of the Cayman a joyful advantage. It's on routes such as this that would make the lardy and wide 992's a tricky prospect, especially when meeting large SUV's and motorhomes on the tighter blind bends. The Cayman is a more agile and nimble car on these narrow and winding highland roads. It was a glorious drive home after a wonderful north east tour in glorious autumn weather.

Brian.