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"This isn't a book about Porsche restoration. It's about Wilkinson's colorful life. That, along with elegant writing, is what makes this book so endearing-the tales are told without ego. This is less a tale about a machine than a tale about a man enjoying a machine."--Car and Driver
Stephan Wilkinson was looking for something to do. So he bought an old, run-down Porsche and over the next two years tore it apart and rebuilt it in a garage behind his house. The project cost him a small fortune, and it started him thinking about many other things.
Quirky, cool, entertaining, and opinionated, The Gold-Plated Porsche captures Wilkinson's inspired digressions on his various other careers and misadventures.
As he recounts his own personal history, Wilkinson also waxes eloquent on the history of Porsche, American engineering and culture, status, and all things mechanical.
Having suffered a number of sports car ownership misadventures, I came to Wilkinson's tale predisposed to empathize. The narrative is compelling enough that I read it in a weekend, groaning at his missteps and cheering his successes as he tells tales of flying, driving, and most particularly the reconstruction of what began as a relatively nasty old 911. He does not bog down in technical details, but some sense of cars is most likely a prerequisite to enjoying this book. I gave a second copy to a friend as a gift; hopefully he'll enjoy it as I did. This might also be a good read for anyone who is about to embark on some kind of automotive restoration project; it is both cautionary and encouraging at the same time!
Author lived through some interesting times provided some insights about some of my favorite car magazine along the way. As a new owner of a used '82 Porsche 911, I especially enjoyed reading about his restoration project.
I love this book. For any car freak it is great! Don't buy this book looking to learn the in's and out's of rebuilding a Porsche. It does have some worthy tips though. Buy this book if you want to be entertained and learn the ups and downs of the authors journey through life. Great book for people who pronounce it Porsh as well as people who say it right...Porsche!
i was very happy with the service, especially the superfast delivery.
regards
richard
I had loads of fun reading this book! This old kook has really lived life on the edge, and has a great sense of humor. I learned some things I didn't know about 911s, too. Buy this book; it's the only way the author could ever recoup his money in the car!