Why I’ve Driven My Porsche 911 Turbo 1,330,386 Kilometres

Today I'm doing probably the most significant YI Drive that I have ever done. This is an interview that I have been on my bucket list, I guess, for over a year I've been wanting to do this interview. This Porsche 930 Turbo has 1.3 million kilometers, 826,000 miles on it, and it's still with the original owner that bought it brand new in 1976. We're going to meet him, we're going to interview him about this car, why he loves it, why he's driven it to the moon and back, I think that's three times. So we're going to find out all about the custom features he's done to this car because he's not kept it stock, how many engines it's gone through, some of the memories he's made with it. This is the greatest YI Drive that I've ever done, so I hope you enjoy it. So today we are here with the owner, the legend himself. Do you want to introduce yourself? Yeah, it's Bill McEachern. And this is your 930 Turbo, right? That's right, 1976. And you bought this car new? Yes, I did. That's incredible. So I've got to ask, why do you drive this car? It's the first Turbo that Porsche produced for the road, and I wanted it, and in those days, 1976, they were talking about banning performance cars and so on. I thought this would be the last time I'd get a chance to get a real road-going race car. Really? They were talking about banning performance cars? Yes, yes, they were. The Turbo came out in 76, 75? Came here in 76, came in Germany in 75. But in Canada and the United States, it was 76. And was this the first one delivered to a customer? As far as I know it was, I ordered it in 75, and it arrived in 76, May of 76 via Lufthansa. So to own this car back then, how old were you and what did you do for a business? I had started a carpet cleaning business with a new technology, just like the Turbo. It was called Deep Steam Extraction, and we actually took dirt and stains out of a carpet. We didn't just push it deeper down, we actually cleaned the on-location carpet. That was a first. And you're still working in that business today? Yes, yes. Wow. And it still hasn't changed. It still does the same wonderful job, and same as the Turbo. Yeah, kind of like this car, right? For 40, 50 years, you've been driving it every day almost? Every day I can. I can't drive it in the winter, and occasionally it needs mechanical work done. I can't drive it then, but otherwise we drive it. Yes. All the time. I mean, 826,000 miles, did you ever think that you would be this high? No. It just kind of happened. It just kind of happened, that's right. Wow. So in that time, what are some of your favorite memories with the car? Oh, my goodness. Going to races with Ludwig Heimrath, I was part of his racing team. All the various racetracks around the United States and Canada. Driving out to California eight times and back to the Monterey Historic Racing. Wow. Where my son races his car, and I watch, and it's great. Yeah. And you're from Toronto, so that's a long drive. It is. It takes about seven days to get there, seven days to get back. Wow. Yeah. And you went to Texas once, right? And I went to the Texas, we went to the Texas Mile, where you start from zero and you go as fast as you can go in a mile. Yeah. And this car did 176 miles an hour in that. That's right. Beating a, at the time, brand new Ferrari 458 driven by Jason Camisa. Yes. And he drove at 173, I believe. Yeah. Miles an hour. Yes. So how did that feel to beat a brand new Ferrari in this car? Well, we didn't expect it, but it was wonderful. Don't forget, this car's had a few modifications to make it a little faster than stock. Yeah. We used Porsche racing technology. I can show you some things we've done. I'd love to. Okay. See what you've done. Well, here, let's have a look at the engine. I've got to open it up from here. Got the opening vented windows. That's pretty special. This is the last year that they had, this is a stock Porsche. Option. Yeah. But they didn't do it after 76. Okay. This is the intercooler. It didn't come with an intercooler, but you need an intercooler to keep the cold air going into the engine after it gets heated up by the turbocharger, which is down here. You probably can't see it, but it's down in there. Yeah. Right there, you kind of see it. You can see it, okay. Yeah. Now you see this, it always had, this is the original lid, the original spoiler, whatever you want to call it. However, what we had to do is take the top off and put a later model top on so that we could keep the intercooler in here. Oh, close it. Yeah. Yes. Wow. That's tight fit. It is, but it works fine. So in the 800,000 miles that you've driven it, how many engines has it been through? It came as a three liter and now it's a 3.4. So it's the second block, but other than that, it's the same engine now. Yeah. You rebuild an engine every 100 or 125,000 miles, but you re-ring it and you re-piston it and all that sort of thing. Yeah. But that's just part of maintenance, you know? Yeah. So it's a little bit tuned up, right, from factory? It's tuned up. Do you know how much horsepower it would be at right now? Yes. It's somewhere between 550 and 600 horsepower. Wow. Yes. Is that scary still today after 40 years of driving it? No, it's not scary, but it's fun. It's fun. And you've done some other things to it. I noticed the wheels on this car are... Yes, these are replica 917 race wheels. Wow. And those are the wheels that the car, in its racing form, used. And they look wonderful and they act wonderful. Yeah. And that's about it. Yeah, that's incredible. And you were telling me earlier a story about when you first bought them, they were actually so light, because they were only supposed to ever go on the racetrack, that you cracked it. This part here cracked. It cracked and caused the air to come out of the tire. So we had to put on... BBS had to make a little bit stronger, thicker wheels. You can't tell. I mean, they look the same, but they've had the torture test and they're still working. Yeah, that's incredible. And I notice in the car you have a roll cage. Yes, we have a roll cage. Matter of fact, the guy who made that came to us. We were at Monterey this year. This guy came over with his partner. He said, that's my roll cage. Really? He said, we made that. He said, I was 19 years old, just in college. I started the company and we're still going strong. Really? Yeah. Do you know what the company's name is? DATS. DAZ something or other. Wow. D-A-Z. I can show it to you in a magazine. That's incredible. And on the front, you've got the same wheels. Yep. And you've got deer whistles right here. Yes, deer whistles. So these are designed to funnel wind, right? So that when you're driving across America, you don't hit a deer, hopefully. Exactly. And they seem to have worked. You never hit one. So far, we haven't. I've run into a couple of deer that got out of the way in a hurry. So that's good. Yeah. Tell me the story about the paint color. Because when you ordered this car. Yes, when I ordered the car, they said, you can have any color in the rainbow. No extra charge. I decided I wanted Mercedes dark blue, midnight blue. So I went to Mercedes. I got a color chip. We sent it off to Porsche. And they said, sorry, any color but dark blue. I said, what? I want dark blue. Can you go down to Mercedes, get some blue paint, and paint it? And they said, well, yes, we can. But we can't. We're going to have to sign a letter. I said, well, you're going to do a good paint job, aren't you? Oh, it'll be perfect. So they did. They did a perfect paint job. Apparently, they had some problem in California with the sun fading, you see. Their dark blue. But I guess Mercedes didn't have that problem. It lasted 25 years before I had to repaint the car. So that was pretty good. That's pretty good. Yeah. I love that story. So it's a Mercedes blue, actually. Yes, yes. Wow. That's incredible. And then the interior is a sort of tan beige. That's how you ordered it? That's the color. And then you've changed the seat. I changed this driver's seat here. That's what they call a lollipop racing seat used in all the Porsche race cars. And it turns out to be one of the greatest seats I've ever had. I can drive it all day long and never feel it. Really? Yeah. Feel it in my back. It's fine. So that's how you've driven this car for so long and it's been comfortable enough, right? Oh, yeah. So when did you put that seat in? Back when it was new? No, no. I put it in about 15 or maybe 20 years ago. I found a used one because they don't make these anymore and they're quite expensive if you can find one. Yeah. But I found a used one and had it recovered and been using it ever since. Wow. And then the steering wheel, you've changed that as well? Yes, I did. That's a Momo Monte Carlo steering wheel. It's one of the best steering wheels that I can imagine. Wow. And it's a little smaller than the original one. Yeah. But it's a good wheel. Yeah. And the interior, is this all original? It's never been redone? Yes, yes. That's right. It's held up well. Yeah, it does. That's incredible. And right there, you can actually see 826,000 miles. And right there, you've got the shift knob. Some gauges. You probably don't know it, but in 1976, Canada was still on the imperial system. And then we switched metric in 77. So this car's miles, the speedometer and everything's in miles. Wow. Yeah. That's incredible. So when you ordered this car back when it was new, did you just start driving it immediately? Yes. Just racking up the miles? That's right. And you've just kept going ever since? That's right. I don't, I never, it was warrantied for 12,000 miles or one year. Yeah. And I think I had 12,000 miles in six months. Yeah. And you just kept going? So I just kept going. So I'm not going to park it. Yeah. That's incredible. Well, do you mind if we get a start up and go for a ride in it? Yeah. Of course. I don't mind at all. Oh my goodness. What a sound. This is a story of, I like this one. Wow. And that's the true story of the drunken guy? Yes, yes, yes. Huh. I was there. I saw this car. It was amazing. Wow. That's incredible. Electric windows. Yeah, electric windows. That's impressive for 1975 or 76. Is this your son? William? I don't know why they sent it to me, but I don't think they did. So is this, is William your son's name? No, that's my name. Oh, William. William. Bill is short for William. Oh, Bill's the nickname kind of. Yes. Ah, that makes sense. Most people don't know that. Ah, I guess it was a common thing. And then here you've got your intercooler temp. Yep. Yeah. The difference. Wow. Even there. Yeah. And this is the fuel pressure right here. Yeah, that's the fuel pressure. And that's the battery charging. Wow. And William, this is your job right here. Yeah. You have to boost things. Yeah. Oh my goodness. Yeah, safety. This is crazy. I love it. The interior is in really good shape for being driven so much. And the back seats, have you ever used those? Yeah, when my kids were small. I haven't used them for a while. Yeah, well, I'd imagine it's hard with the roll cage now. Yeah. That's incredible. I don't think I've ever been in a car that feels this much. The roof, if you want to. Yeah. You've got to get more air. Do you often drive with the sunroof open? Oh, yeah. Most of the time? In the sun. Yeah. So. Yeah. Well, let's go for a ride and see what it's like to drive. You've done well for depreciation. It's gone up. It's not down. You definitely feel everything. Yeah. I have to let this go. Yeah. Just a little taste of the sound. Oh my goodness. Yeah. Thank you so much for doing this interview. It's an honor to do it. Wow. And for those that don't know, this car was actually in the Lego instruction booklet when they made the 930 Lego set. That's right. Wow. Did it, when it was new, did it sound quite like this? No. This is the way I always wanted it. Yeah. Because you put a smaller turbo on it, right? Yeah. And that's what made it sound kind of, give it more whistle? It's the way speed or whatever it is. Yeah. It sounds like a proper race car. Yes, it does. Wow. Do you plan on continuing to drive it for the rest of your life? Yep. It is so fast. I didn't even get up there, but that is, I can just tell. Wow. Yeah, you do. Now why you've driven this car for 50 years. Yeah. Yeah, it makes sense. The brakes are good. This is third. So do you have any sons, you know, that enjoy cars as well? Children that enjoy cars. Yeah. So do you plan on giving this to one of your sons to keep on driving? It's a secret. I guess we won't know. We won't find out. No, we won't find out. One day. But in the meantime, you're going to keep on enjoying it, keep on driving it. Yep. Do you have any, did you ever have a goal for mileage? Miles would be. Yeah. It's incredible. You still got a passion for speed. This is definitely the best interview I've ever done. You guys can hear the sound of this car. It's amazing, the sound. I hope that they can hear it on the video. Wow. The brakes are excellent. Yeah. For me. It's so incredible to think you might be the only original owner in the world that still drives their car. Yeah. It's so wonderful to see someone that buys a car and loves it, right, and drives it for the rest of their life, I think. Yeah. And I have one more question. Yes. For those wondering, why did you decide to keep this car instead of buying, say, the next turbo and the next turbo and keep trading them? They made this one a new version of this. Kept it. And that's how we are here today. It's racing. Racing versions. So really, I think what I've learned from interviewing you is the racing really inspired you to buy the car and keep the car and fall in love with it. That's right. Yeah. Well, thank you. And also, every once in a while they get it perfect. Yeah. That's why I'm up for it. You found a good one, you held on to it. That's it. Well, thank you so much. It's been my honor to interview you, and thank you for watching, guys. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I have. I think it's just a legendary story, and it's so cool to experience it. So, yeah, never ever quit on your dreams. See you in the next video, and remember, God loves you. Thank you so much, Phil, for taking the time to do this YI Drive with me. It was my absolute honor and privilege, and I'm so grateful for the day that you spent with me. I loved every single minute of it, and I just feel incredibly honored that you took your time to spend with me. Thank you. I think the thing you taught me the most is when you find something that you love, hold on to it, and never let it go, and love it for the rest of your life. I see that in your life with your car, with your carpet cleaning business, and probably many other things. I think that is an inspiration that all of us should strive for in our lives. Thank you, and yeah, God bless. Thanks, Phil.