Want to get into air-cooled cars without spending Porsche money? Maybe the answer has been sitting right in front of us all along.
My guest today is Eva Gregory, Senior Manager of Marketing Partnerships at Hagerty, former Director of Operations at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, and host of the Be Differential podcast.
Eva's journey into classic cars started with a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle that she bought to replace her daily driver. Was it a sensible financial decision? Absolutely not. But it became the car that taught her how to turn a wrench, diagnose problems, borrow tools, and eventually replace an entire engine after a friend ignored the oil warning light and seized it.
We also get into her Karmann Ghia, a car she compares surprisingly closely to the Porsche 356 driving experience. Having owned a 356 myself, along with a rather questionable $500 Porsche 914 project, and still driving my 1972 911T, I had plenty to contribute to the discussion.
But this episode isn't just about old Volkswagens and Porsches.
We talk about why classic cars get under your skin, whether learning to work on them makes ownership more affordable, and why some of our most miserable automotive experiences become our favorite stories.
Eva also shares her perspective on making car culture more welcoming, how motorsport audiences are changing, what Formula 1's Drive to Survive got right, why IMSA offers such incredible fan access, and what her work at Hagerty has taught her about the enthusiast community.
And of course, I ask Eva which Porsche she'd keep if she could own only one for the rest of her life.
If you've ever fallen in love with an old car that made absolutely no financial sense, this episode is for you.
CONNECT WITH EVA GREGORY & BE DIFFERENTIAL
Website:
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YouTube:
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Apple Podcasts:
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QUESTION FOR YOU
Would you rather own an affordable air-cooled Volkswagen you can work on yourself, or save up for the Porsche you've always wanted? And if you've owned both, how different were the experiences?
Let me know in the comments. I read them!
If you enjoy conversations like this, please subscribe to ElevenAfterNine and give the episode a thumbs-up. It genuinely helps the channel.
ElevenAfterNine is an independent enthusiast podcast and is not affiliated with, authorized by, or endorsed by Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG.
#Porsche #AirCooled #Volkswagen #ClassicCars #ElevenAfterNine
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