LUFTGEKÜHLT 5, Ganahl Lumber, Fuel Curve

LUFTGEKUHLT 5 – Loud Pipes at the Lumber Yard

LUFTGEKUHLT 5 was the best yet. For those in the know, mentioning the word Luftgekuhlt drums up all kinds of excitement. For the lay folk, simply put, it’s a vernacular term describing any and all air-cooled Porsches; from the first ever Pre-A 356 in 1948 to the 993 series that ended in 1998.

LUFTGEKUHLT 5, Fuel Curve

This prolific faction of automotive history and motorsport is known and admired the world around, and for the folks of Los Angeles, the annual Luftgekühlt show is a chance to come together and celebrate all things air-cooled.

LUFTGEKUHLT 5, Fuel Curve

This year saw the fifth running of the Luftgekühlt show, the brain child of Porsche factory driver and twice Le Mans winner Patrick Long and well known creative director Howie Idelson. Each year the locations and storylines change to keep it exciting and fun for the crowds.

LUFTGEKUHLT 5, Fuel Curve

Ganahl Lumber in Torrance was chosen for the sold-out Sunday event, teeming with hundreds of Porsches and thousands of attendees snaking in and out of the rows of sweet-smelling, fresh-cut lumber. This was a tip of the hat to the first ever Porsche plant that was constructed out of a former sawmill in 1944.

LUFTGEKUHLT 5, Fuel Curve


LUFTGEKUHLT 5, Fuel CurveThe Porsche community comprises of fans from all walks of life and Luftgekühlt is the perfect place to rub shoulders with all of them. Milling about the pathways flanked by Porsches, you might happen upon Jerry Seinfeld’s 356 Porsche ‘Gmund’ coupe – the 40th ever Porsche to roll out of the factory in Gmund, Austria in 1949 (hence the nickname).

LUFTGEKUHLT 5, Fuel Curve

Or not too far off maybe this aging survivor that the gentleman said was a winning racer in the 60s. When the original owner was disqualified from a race in the early 70s for a trivial helmet infraction, he garaged it indefinitely. After meeting the old timer it took five years to get the keys (and all the old trophies) in his hand!

LUFTGEKUHLT 5, Fuel Curve

Taking respite from the powerful So Cal sunshine, inside the warehouse was a myriad of race cars, prototypes and even an old wooden body buck to pour over. This was the place to be to check out winning Carrera cup racers, some of the latest offerings by Singer Design including the Mulholland special or a rare-as-hens-teeth 959SC.

LUFTGEKUHLT 5, Fuel Curve

One of the centerpieces was this #6 908 – chassis number 010 and a rare prototype that raced at Spa in May ’68 that had just finished an extensive restoration and hitting the auction block at RM Sotheby’s soon. Quick history lesson: the 908 program was the first to ever win a World Championship for Porsche in 1969, contributing also to the 917-led championship the following year, and serving as the platform for testing all the way into the 80s! There were also some killer offerings from Canepa including their latest 959.

LUFTGEKUHLT 5, Fuel Curve

Outside, there were rows and rows of bug eyed beauties to behold from the purists’ restorations to the grimy Safari-style knock-arounds. There was a RUF Yellowbird, a few cars sporting lust-inducing Gulf and Martini liveries, a cool art car lettered up by local sign painter Ornamental Conifer, the list goes on!

LUFTGEKUHLT 5, Fuel Curve

Truth be told, the Porsche community is just plain awesome, and the cars and owners presented at Luftgekühlt showed their influences from hot rodding, tarmac and rally racing, European styling, JDM and contemporary fashion mixed with the style and panache that only Porsches can provide.

LUFTGEKUHLT 5, Fuel Curve

Whether your collection of Porsches was on par with maestros like Magnus Walker or Rod Emory, or if it was really only a collection of posters in your room, Luftgekühlt was the place to be to celebrate all things cool, and air-cooled.

LUFTGEKUHLT 5, Fuel Curve

Luftgekuhlt 5 Photo Extra!

Story and photography courtesy of Povi Pullinen