Porsche Collection
Written by Keith Fudge

Recently, Dennis Gage had the opportunity to see one of the finest Porsche collections ever assembled as he traveled to Dayton , Ohio , where he entered the royal realm of the Taj Ma Garaj. Put together by John Dixon, this collection features some truly rare Porsche cars from the past and from the present. Dennis spoke with John about the collection and learned that on certain occasions these cars and the really cool facility were used in conjunction with several philanthropic events. One event in particular is organized to benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Dayton. Held during the first weekend each June, this event helps children and adults alike when misfortune befalls them.

After this brief conversation, as Dennis and John turned around, they were face to face with one of the coolest cars that Porsche ever produced: a 1988 Porsche 959. This car was # 97 of 287 produced and features some rather futuristic options even for 1988! Sporting run-flat tires, a bulletproof windshield, and a body comprised of Kevlar, carbon fiber, and aluminum, this rocket would make any super-sleuth ready to take charge! Weighing a mere 3,100 pounds with a 2.9 liter engine that cranked out 440 horsepower, it was easy to understand just why Porsche estimated its top speed to be 198+ miles per hour! Another cool feature is all-wheel-drive. When the car reaches the speed of 100 miles per hour, the suspension lowers the car to 4 ¾ inches - a true low rider! John remarked that this car is the perfect all-weather Porsche. Given the conditions of the weather during our visit, it was a sign of good things to come!

Next, John showed Dennis one of the coolest Porsches around - a Sedan Delivery! This custom creation is the only one of its kind and was created in Ohio by Bob's Custom Rod Shop. John told Dennis that it began life as a 356 Sunroof Coupe and simply evolved from there. Featuring a four-cam engine and a “pea-shooter” free-flowing exhaust system, this custom creation was definitely taken to the limit! Another rarity that John showed us was a 1957 Carrera GT with a steel hardtop! This scarce creation is one of only three or four ever produced with this hardtop as fiberglass tops were produced much later! Next, was the car that put Porsche on the racing map: a 1955 550. This car is # 67 of 91 produced and was on display at the 1955 Paris Auto Show. With its aluminum body and four-cam engine, it was certainly difficult to drive the speed limit! After all, it only weighed 1,100 pounds with fuel! Showing 42,000 original miles and sporting the original seats, looking at this car was truly taking a peek back into racing history. The next car was a really “fancied up” 1967 911S. John told us that this car had been the property of an oil executive from Saudi Arabia and that it was heavily optioned. In fact, this car was ordered with $1,300.00 worth of options. This is a bundle of money considering the base price of the car for that year was $5,900.00. Options included a luggage rack and a factory paint job that was not a Porsche factory color. The car also had the upgraded 180 horsepower engine and had an estimated top speed of 140 miles per hour! John also mentioned that the car was original except for the tires and the windshield. Finally, they came to another one-of-a-kind creation: a Porsche limo! This custom beauty was created by John for his daughter's wedding and was made from thirteen different Porsches, none of which were really restorable according to John. The car features an air-ride suspension system, and John says that it will next be used for his other daughter's wedding.

Finally, it came to the part of the show where Dennis suggests that we take one of these fine beauties for a ride. It was such a rainy day, so he thought about holding off. However, John saved the day by suggesting that they take the 959 all-weather Porsche for a spin! Well, there was no doubt that Dennis was fine with this arrangement. Chauffeured by John's son-in-law, Eric, the two headed out to cruise Dayton in style. Eric told Dennis that this car was “a dream to drive.” Perhaps Eric gave the most interesting description of the 959 when he referred to it as “a practical super car.” Dennis also remarked that these rides were not cheap in the mid 1980s. One could cost as much as $250,000.00. Eric agreed and said that this one was worth even more now. Wow! Some car to take out into the rain! After they returned, Dennis again thanked John for this opportunity to look at quite a collection of Porsches! If you would like to learn more about this fine collection, give John and the Taj Ma Garaj a visit on the web at www.tajmagaraj.com , or you can call 937-223-4356. That's it from Dayton , Ohio , so until our next visit, remember to honor the timeless classics. Happy Motoring!