Arizona Region PCA History: 1970-1979

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This project began as a simple article to promote the 50th Anniversary of the Arizona Region PCA. However, it quickly became so much more. As I pored over all the old Going Places from the seventies, I began to feel like I knew the people from those early years of the club. This was indeed, a group of fun loving individuals brought together by a shared interest in a special little car.

By 1970, Arizona Region was beginning its second full decade. The club had moved past its early growing pains. Traditions were being established. Events and activities were occurring on a regular and ever increasing basis. Slaloms (now called AXs), and time trials were common, and often held at PIR. The Christmas Party had become “the event” of the year. It was even held at the Playboy Club in 1977. Celebrating Oktoberfest at the German/American Club was an annual event. Hill climbs were held at Bisbee, Clifton and Mt. Lemon and rallies of all types were common. One of the rallies was titled the “Jerome Rally and Ghost Hunt”. They never really mentioned if they found any ghosts. Road trips included such destinations as Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Sunset Crater and Alpine (it seems Ken’s favorite driving road, the Coronado Trail, was well known in the seventies).There were ski trips to Sunrise, Snow Bowl and Purgatory, floats down the Salt River and an odyssey to Rocky Point, which included the admonition, “no guns allowed”. Make of that what you will. Events included wine tastings (50 cents per person), progressive dinners, tech sessions and B-B-Qs. One B-B-Q in March 1973, featured New York steak, cowboy beans, salad, chocolate cake and all the beer you could drink for $2.50 per person.

These early club members referred to themselves as “Porsche Pushers”. Perhaps someone can fill me in on the origin of this rather ominous sounding moniker. Much was happening in the seventies. Arizona’s first Porsche dealership opened in 1970. I’ll bet you didn’t know it was in Tucson (Sun-West Porsche+Audi). Johnson-Bozzani Porsche+Audi (320 N. Central Ave.), was Phoenix’ first dealership. It opened in 1971, and Don Jackson was service manager. This dealership later became Bozzani’s Camelback Porsche+Audi. By the end of the decade, Scottsdale Porsche had opened its doors.

Meetings were often held at the same location for several consecutive months, with Peter’s Hofbrau (there are rumors of very “spirited’ meetings), Demas VW and Johnson-Bozzani serving as some of the favorites. Of course, all was not good in the seventies. Do you remember the “energy crisis”? The result was long lines at the gas pumps, but the cruelest blow to Porsche drivers was the advent of the 55 MPH speed limit. Another problem the club was experiencing, was getting more people involved. Sound familiar?

The seventies saw the introduction of several new Porsche models. In February. 1970, the 914 made its U.S. debut. April of 1976 saw the introduction of the first 924. In late 1977, the much anticipated 928 came to America. The best of all occurred in 1975, with the appearance of the 930 “turbo”. These models were not all welcomed with open arms. The 914 caused such an uproar that long standing members refused to wave, or flash their headlights at the new mid-engine VW/Porsche. They argued, how could a car with so many VW parts, be called a Porsche. Detractors were reminded by PCNA officials that this model was indeed a Porsche and that the beloved 356 also had many VW parts. Eventually the little 914 was accepted, and later elevated to legendary status. As the 914 was phased out in 1976, the 924 became the new entry level Porsche. At $10-12K, it was not cheap, and club members quite nearly went berserk. They protested, how can a front engine (Audi), water cooled, touring car ever fill the void left by a “race bred” sports model. They were of course, referring to the 914! The more things change, the more they stay the same.

It is this “sameness” that I wish to emphasize as we approach the 50th anniversary of our club. There is a commonality to all of us PCA members, whether we were members of the club in the seventies, or the nineties. You know the common link that brings us all together......its Porsche. But beyond that, it’s the camaraderie we share with one another, it’s that invisible bond that links us to those past Porsche lovers, who founded this club. When we look back at the seventies, it is worth remembering that Arizona Region’s most dearly held tradition (Flight), started in 1978. It grew out of an event that was held on May 14, 1972, at the Biltmore Fashion Park. That was the date of the club’s first real Concours d’ Elegance. From this humble beginning, came Arizona Regions first Flight. That inaugural flight consisted of a small welcoming party, a Concours d’ Elegance, and a champagne breakfast afterward. If you attended last years 30th Flight anniversary, you can see how far we have come.

In November of 1976, the club elected their first lady president. Margie Smith served as club president for the year 1977. She joined a distinguished group that included; Rex Meyer (1970), Dr. Charles Blaich (1971), Fred Wright (1972), John Glass (1973), Dene Houts (1974), Hank Johnson (1975), Reed Bowlby (1976), Dave Snow (1978) and Jerry Alston (1979).

Big things were happening elsewhere in the Porsche world. The Porsche family and racing engineers had striven so long for that elusive “first” overall win at Le Mans. In the seventies, the overall wins came in spades. At Le Mans, Porsche took overall wins in ’70, ’71, ’76, ’77 & ’79. At Daytona, Porsche was even more dominant with overall wins in ’70, ’71, ’73, ’75, ’77, ’78 & ’79. At Sebring, Porsche claimed overall wins in ’70, ’71, 73, ’76, ’77, ’78 & ’79. Icing on the cake came with Can/Am series championships in ’72 & ’73 (Mark Donahue & the Penske/Porsche 917/30). By the end of the seventies, it was well known that anywhere sports cars were racing, Porsche had firmly established itself as the marque to beat.

Members of Arizona Region had countless activities to keep them occupied in the seventies. Our club had cruised through its second decade. We had gone from a car club to a car/people club. It was a decade of expansion, a coming of age, and a time when long lasting friendships and traditions were being established.

For the members of our club, the seventies were a time when they learned, “It’s not only the cars.....It’s the people”.

For the long suffering visionaries in Stuttgart, the seventies were the very best of times........a time when dreams were realized.

by Reg Barnes