VALT

In conversation with our friendly neighborhood Porsche 911 owner and enthusiast, Cale, we delved into his journey into the air-cooled P-car world, his automotive experiences, and aspirations. Meet Pal, a.k.a. Palisander 911.

When did you first get interested in cars and what/who were your influences?

Cars have always been an interest and passion of mine—as a toddler, I would ride in the car pointing out the window and naming the cars as they drove past. I grew up in the 90s when cars were still candy-colored pieces of art on wheels. I remember being fascinated by the small digital screen in my grandmother’s Cadillac, the bright red of her ‘74 911S, or my other grandmother’s powder blue Mercedes 500SL.

The story behind that 911 S was that my grandmother wanted a station wagon, and my grandfather came home with a Porsche instead. Eventually, the car went to my uncle and then my dad, who got it running and enjoyed it for a handful of years. He tried to teach me to drive stick in it, and I was so flustered that I pulled over, got out, and never drove the car again. When I went to college, he sold it to someone in California (we lived in Texas), and I dream of tracking that car down someday.

That car is the reason I loved old 911s and daydreamed of having one of my own. In my case, it took about 16 years, but I did find one of my own, and we call her Pal (short for Palisander). Pal is a 1981 911 SC in Rosewood/Palisander Metallic (only available on SCs in 80-81). I met the previous owner, Steve Fronte, in a Facebook group for SCs and it checked all the boxes: It was a clean car with documentation, low mileage, and an owner who was genuinely sad to let it go. Pal was originally delivered in New York and spent most of its life there until Steve, who lived in the UK, bought it and shipped it across the pond. I brought it back to the States, and it is happily a California car today.

You’ll always know Pal in a crowd because it still wears the UK plates, and has a roof rack. People love to tell me how they feel about a roof rack on a 911.

What does a day with Pal look like? What’s your most memorable drive so far?

I store Pal in a garage about fifteen minutes from my house. When I go get the car, I make my way to the basement level (where hardly anyone parks) and find the corner where Pal sits alongside Tito’s soft-top Targa. We start up within 1-3 tries, if I’m being honest, and then we’re off.

Whenever someone asks me how the car’s doing, I usually say “It’s driving!” While there’s always something to do on this car, I’m very lucky it has only not started on me once (recently!) and that ended up being a simple fuel pump relay. I drive it hard, as often as I can, and it’s most fun in 2nd gear on a wavy road like Skyline down to Alice’s or on a BCR loop.

One of my favorite drives was the 3-day Sierra Rally with Driving While Awesome (DWA) in 2023—we would rise early, head over various mountain passes, and drive till the tree-lined roads turned to steep mountain inclines and turned once again to Arizona plains, golden as far as the eye could see. It was a warm few days, and I was a little worried about my air-cooled car, but Pal never skipped a beat.

What makes it special to own an air-cooled 911?

Owning an air-cooled 911 is special in so many ways when it’s moving and then when it’s sitting still. In motion, it always brings a smile to my face—the steering, the sounds, the analog feel. And in stillness, Pal always brings a smile to other people’s faces, they love it! The size, the color, you just can’t help but feel like the car is out of its moment in time, it doesn’t feel like anything new on the road.

Whom do you look up to in this community?

I consider myself an enthusiast, not an expert. I’ve learned SO much from the local Porsche community, the VALT Auto Club, and other owners around the world I’ve met through Pal’s Instagram (@palisander911). I don’t want to name names because I have a terrible memory and I will undoubtedly leave someone out unintentionally, but I am endlessly grateful for everyone who has invited me to events and drives, helped me troubleshoot issues here and there, and loved this car as much as I do.

What are some of the most outstanding experiences/opportunities you’ve had being in the Porsche community?

1. My first Luft was Luft 9 at Mare Island, and we got the chance to show Pal with other air-cooled cars. I got a killer spot in one of the large warehouses.

2. For my first Werks Reunion, I decided to sign up for judging (mostly for good parking) and learned so much about how to present the car. I felt like the car and I fit in without much effort, and next time we’ll be ready.

3. VALT invited me to have Pal displayed as a part of an art show in their HQ–paintings by Matthew Stanners adorned the walls, and my 911 was positioned front-and-center alongside Derek Tam-Scott’s Miura. Like, come on!

Is there any part of your car that you don’t enjoy?

From a practical point-of-view, I have some lovely sounds coming from my suspension I need to fix when I can, and from an idealistic POV, I have little tweaks I want to make over time: Adding a ducktail, pasha seat inserts, 17″ 7×9 Fuchs, etc.

I just love this car, and I don’t need it to be anything more than it is.

Your top 3 cars to own?

My top 3 Porsches to own would be a 904, 996 4S, or a GT3 Touring (991 or 992).

Other cars I fawn over right now: Ferrari Dino, 250 SWB, Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Junior, a Giulietta Sprint Zagato, or a Lotus Elite!

What is your current daily, and what is your dream daily?

My current daily is a Porsche Macan S, and my dream daily would be…the 996 4S or the upcoming Rivian R3X.

What are your future goals with Pal, and other automotive goals beyond Pal?

For Pal’s future, we’re going to address some suspension and gearing issues, probably a new clutch, and some aesthetic tweaks mentioned above. As far as my future “collection” goes, Pal will be the anchor. There will be other Porsches, some Alfas, and hopefully some funky finds too.

What advice do you have for someone aspiring to buy an air-cooled 911?

If you are looking for an air-cooled 911, jump into the community and talk to people. I’ve been so lucky to find person-after-person willing to talk my ear off about these cars, and I’ve learned so much from them. Take your time while searching and be prepared to spend some money to sort the car to your preferences. Do not buy without a PPI! Build a relationship with a mechanic you can trust, and they will be a fantastic resource.

Talk to people, join VALT, participate in BCR, join the PCA and browse the PCA Mart, join the Facebook buy/sell groups, and have fun along the way.

Interview and photos by Vijay Sankar

Follow Pal’s adventures at @palisander911

New short video on Pal here.