INTO THE WILD

Into the Wild

Brad Meier's well-loved 912 is always ready for adventure in the Pacific Northwest.

Nowadays, when it comes to owning an air-cooled Porsche, most owners keep their cars nicely detailed, only bringing them out for spirited drives on fine summer evenings, to be tucked away as soon as there is any hint that the weather outside is turning.

But as with all things in life, there are certain people who are determined to write their own rules. Brad Meier is one of those people. And this Swiss-delivered '67 Porsche 912 is his daily driver, which he now uses to explore the backroads and dirt trails of the Pacific Northwest at every possible opportunity.

In his single year of ownership so far, Brad has driven 10% of the total miles that the car has travelled in its entire 52 years of existence! In that short year, the story of this car has been completely redefined from a city-cruiser to a seemingly effortless tourer and overland explorer. After sitting passenger for nearly 50 miles of dirt roads, dodging pothole after pothole, and fording rivers, all I have to say is this: Brad's passion for driving truly embodies what Porsche is all about!

For Brad, it's simple. "I just like to drive. It's not a garage-kept showpiece, nor was it meant to be. I want to see what's around the next corner - whether it's paved, dirt, blue skies or raining," he says. "Taking full advantage of the 90hp engine in such a basic but well-designed, lightweight car is a totally complete driving experience!"

"I had always wanted a long-hood 911 even before getting into classic cars. But even though I started my search around a decade ago, the opportunity just never came up. I had always kept an eye out, but what really swayed the boat was when I drove a friend's 356. Since it has a short wheelbase, Porsche 912 is essentially the same as a 911, but with a 356-style motor, I decided that might be better suited to my style. It didn't take much before I started adding 912s to the search.

"It's not a garage-kept showpiece, nor was it meant to be."

And that's when I struck my gold. I went to view a 'matching numbers', largely original condition 912 with no rust. It originally being European delivery was a plus, and a mid-life colour change from Ivory White to Gemini Blue only made it that much more unique and interesting.”

And with Brad, exploring is never a solo experience: "The dry-stored Porsche purists look down on me l'm sure, but my Golden Retriever, Hazel, does not get excluded from the journey. I've come to accept that the dog hairs blend in well with the original horsehair carpets!"