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Literally translated from the German meaning “air-cooled,” Luftgekuehlt is one of the fastest-growing Porsche-centric shows in North America. A festival featuring classics from Porsche’s pre-wasserboxer era, it’s a celebration of the company’s golden age, a time when go-fast technology was simple enough to be fixed in your backyard. For Luftgekuehlt’s fifth year, a sold-out affair, we travelled down to a Torrance, Calif., lumberyard to see some of Porsche’s best-loved cars on display.

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Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail

Early morning roll-in is a sight to behold, with hundreds of air-cooled flat-sixes growling happily in the cool air. One immediate difference between Luftgekuehlt and other Concours events is that most of these cars are driven here, rather than trailered.

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Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail

There are a few car carriers in attendance, but only for the very rare stuff. On the right, in the background, is genesis: the 1100-cc Porsche 356SL Gmuend Coupé that won its class at Le Mans in 1951. This machine was Porsche’s first Le Mans competitor, and the company would go on to win the race some 19 times, more than any other manufacturer to date.

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Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail

This year, there’s special attention being paid to the 964-chassis 911, arguably the best way to get into a classic Porsche. It’s modern enough to be comfortable and safe, as fast as you’d want for modern speed limits, yet simple enough to provide old school thrills. Plus, you can get them in some really unique colours.

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Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail

Some Porsche owners play by the rules with careful restorations or period-correct modifications. However, there’s a growing number who throw caution to the wind with so-called “outlaw” builds. Really, these are just a hot-rodder’s take on what a Porsche can be; this particular one is turbocharged to the limit and gets used regularly on long-distance rallies.

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Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail

History on a pedestal, this 1968 908K is worth many millions of dollars and marks the point at which Porsche began pushing the limits of speed. It’s a museum piece, albeit one that competed in Belgium at the 1,000 Kilometres of Spa race.

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Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail

The 908K was piloted by Porsche works driver Vic Elford, seen here flanked by photographer and racer Jeff Zwart (L) and Luftgekuehlt co-founder Patrick Long (R). To the delight of the crowd, Elford climbed into his old racing machine and fired up its ear-splitting 3.0-litre flat-eight engine. Grins all around.

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Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail

Another famous endurance racer, Hurley Heywood won the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times behind the wheel of a Porsche. Here, he makes time to encourage a new generation of Porsche fan.

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Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail

A lumber yard may seem an odd place to hold a car show, but there’s precedent. Originally, Ferdinand Porsche began building his cars in a disused sawmill in Gmuend, Austria, after being released as a prisoner of war in the post-Second World War period. This yard, Ganahl Lumber, is the oldest in California and was founded by a pair of Austrian immigrant brothers in the late 19th century.

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Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail

Unlike Pebble Beach, where you might see valuable Porsches such as this 904 GTS, Luftgekuehlt is a family-friendly affair. There are kids everywhere and most of the owners are all too happy to let younger Porsche fans get a closer look. They’re ensuring that the passion doesn’t die out.

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Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail

Not every Porsche is perfect, especially if it’s being used regularly. This 1980s 911 picked up a cracked headlight the previous day while running through the canyons on an early-morning cruise. Happily, replacement parts aren’t a problem and what’s the point of having a Porsche if you don’t drive it?

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Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail

This white machine looks like a race car, but it’s actually a monster. In-period, the twin-turbocharged, 5.4-L flat-12 engine of this 917/10 made a colossal 1100 horsepower. For qualifying, boost was cranked up to 1200 hp. Raced in the notoriously wild Can-Am series of the 1970s, it took the championship in 1972, debuting at Mosport.

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Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail

Before there were massively turbocharged juggernauts, there was this: one of the original, hand-made 356/2 coupes. This particular one belongs to noted Porsche fanatic Jerry Seinfeld, and is the 40th of just 52 ever made. Only 30 are known to still exist.

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Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail

More than just a sports car for the street, the 911 made its name road-racing. This 1973 911 RSR competed at Daytona; endurance racing proved air-cooled engines were tough enough to go the distance.

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Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail

Because Luftgekuehlt attendance was capped by the fire marshal, rather than space, the crowds aren’t impossible. Instead of a packed field, there’s a more relaxed atmosphere, and it’s possible to get close to any of the cars you’d like to see.

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Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail

As Dorothy might say, we’re not in Pebble Beach any more, Toto. This show is a heterogeneous mix of shiny paint and well-worn patina. There’s plenty of room for a healthy dollop of humour, too, as with this ratty-looking, wheel-clamped 911.

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Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail

Kid-sized pedal cars have always been popular with Porsche collectors and this nicely restored 356 has been trailered here by a coupe version of the same car. Pedal hard enough to work up a sweat: That counts as air-cooled.

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Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail

With the rising values of 911 variants, some Porsche enthusiasts have been priced out of the market. The silver lining is that once-overlooked machines such as the 914 are now valuable enough to rescue. Properly restored and tuned, they can provide much of the same thrills as their more famous siblings.

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Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail

No T-shirt has ever been more appropriate. Luftgekuehlt admission costs US$35, comes with a free coffee and there’s a busy concession stand and small beer garden.

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Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail

Another Seinfeld car, this 550 Spyder is emblematic of Porsche’s past dedication to weight savings above all else. It might look ethereal, but the price tag is weighty: somewhere around US$5-million.

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Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail

As a mix of expensive machines, faithfully restored classics, hot-rodded road warriors and humble patina’d daily drivers, the essence of Luftgekuehlt can be hard to pin down. What’s the overarching theme? Simple: a passion for all things Porsche, and a love of driving something special.

The writer was a guest of the automaker. This content was not subject to approval.

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