The first time I saw Eric’s bright red 911, it was sitting under a car cover in the back of his garage. The circumstances under which we met were rather funny—through a mutual friend who basically set me up to buy Eric’s E38…which wasn’t even for sale at the time.
I remember asking to see the car, and he took me back and uncovered it. It was by no means ready to drive. At the time, he was progressing on the build and still had a few items to figure out. He told me that he had built the car with his father, and the longer he spoke about it, the more I wanted to know. In 2004, he and his dad bought the car essentially as a clean slate. Intended to be driven on the track from the start, the P-Car was enjoyed with its 3.0 foundation up until 2009. Then, it was swapped out for a built 3.6-litre engine. Additional changes were made aesthetically with 930 front fenders and RSR rears. I made sure to request that he tell me when the car was back up and running, because unquestionably, I wanted to see it again.
Last week, he did just that. I received a text letting me know that the Porsche was photo ready. I was anxious to see the car again, as it was so buttoned up compared to the last time I saw it. I made my way to Eric’s house in the same BMW that I bought from him. There, in the garage, was the vibrant red of the 911, right where my seven series was parked before I purchased it. (My car can be seen in the background of a few of the following photos!)
The car had just been outfitted with new CCWs, a stout 9.5” in front and 12.5” in the rear. He explained that he was waiting on some adjustments from CCW, as the fitment (mostly in the rear) was insanely aggressive, and not all that track-appropriate. On the flip side, it made for fantastic photos!
The 535 doesn’t just look good in pictures, though. Eric says that he’s at the track every chance he gets. “Any time NASA or TMR hosts an event,” he said, “I’m likely there”.
Luckily over the course of the build’s timeline, there haven’t been many issues. This has permitted Eric with the opportunities he hoped for to accumulate more seat time. He described an incident where they lost fourth gear at a Thunder Hill, but that’s really been most of the trouble outside of waiting during downtime.
The rear bay holds a treat for anyone who enjoys pure, vintage oriented details. Armed with PMO carbs, RSR cams, and a whole bunch of other goodies varied between RSR / 964RS varieties, I can imagine that the car not only sounds great at the track, but holds its own as well. It weighs in at about 2,380 pounds and sends around 325 horsepower down to the ground.
One of the most noticeable parts of the car’s exterior for me is the number 535, which is seen repeatedly in multiple areas. Since I couldn’t make a distinct connection to where the number would come from, I asked Eric. He told me that in 2010, his father passed, and that’s when he assumed full ownership of the Porsche.
“The number 535 originated from my dad racing his 1959 356 in the 70s,” he explained. “I wanted to pay homage to that, and therefore, 535 has been ‘our’ race number.” This was very touching to me. I know I’m emotional, but to carry on a build in memory of a loved one with whom you started it struck me on a deeper level. To me, it is a demonstration of dedication and passion.
When all is said and done, I think that this is a great build, and I hope that I’ll be able to see it in action at some point—if you’re in the Bay Area and you attend any track events, make sure you keep an eye out for this car. Eric is a truly genuine and passionate person, so to talk to him about his craft is nothing short of exciting.
Be sure to follow Eric’s Instagram to see future updates and photos of this rad build, as well as visit Courney Cutchen’s website and Instagram feed.
