We met Christopher Casias at a recent tech session after noticing his fine 1987 911 Carrera coupe in Guards Red. Casias shares the story of finding his car, and his long drive home from California.
When did you join PCA? / When did you join Hill Country Region?
CC: I became a member on September 1, 2017
How and when did you acquire this Porsche?
CC: This is my first Porsche and it was purchased in California on August 10, 2017. I had been in search of a G-body Carrera for a while never really committing until about a 1-½ years before buying. I’m sure most people have similar stories of searching endlessly and coming to a point when you were ready to give up. That was me looking every night for hours only to pass up a car because the pictures were not that great. After stalling for weeks not finding new cars citing my criteria: G50, coupe, Guards Red, Granite Green or Zermatt Silver – and most importantly being unmolested. I finally emailed that one car I’d skipped over for months, and to my surprise it was a one owner car, completely original and low mileage – as if it were a sign.
What drew you to this car? 
CC: The car was a clean, low mileage, single owner car. It was entirely original with the exception of the Blaupunkt radio and aftermarket alarm.
What is your favorite thing about your car?
CC: It’s air-cooled and the glorious sound it makes toward redline! And especially the fact that you have to work to drive it fast – a drivers car.
What makes this car special to you?
CC: After talking with the original owner I found out he purchased the car at the age of 43 years old and kept it for 30 years. I was buying the car around 19 days before my 43rd birthday. I just hope I get to keep the car for 30+ years before passing on to the next person to enjoy her.
Has your car had any restoration?
CC: No restoration, unless you count paint correction as restoration. As I work on suspension or mechanical maintenance items I do clean and in some cases blast and repaint parts as a rust preventive measure.
Have you done any modifications?
CC: I intend to rebuild all the suspension and upgrade the AC system soon. Currently I’m doing upgrades for usability, preservation and some safety. The list of modifications include:
- Multi-step paint correction of original paint, interior and engine bay – and wheels off fender detail by Motoring Concierge in Round Rock
- Full car paint protection film with Suntek PPF Ultra by Sunbusters in Austin
- Ceramic coating with CarPro CQuartz, 2 layers + 1 layer Gliss topcoat by Motoring Concierge
- Suntek ceramic window tint and clear film on windshield by Sunbusters
- Flat6 illumination xenon projector headlights
- Eibach Front/Rear sway bars
- H&R Trak 23mm Rear spacers
- Rennline fire extinguisher and phone mounts
- Focus 9 Technology Solid State DME relay
- Continental TR7412UB-OR radio
- Ceramic coatings of various parts including belly pain, whammy bar, front condenser cage, headlight rings and oil cooler/oil lines with a heat dissipation coating by Engima Coatings in Leander
How did you become interested in Porsche?
CC: I was interested in motorsports coming out of high school. As with most car people they find a marque – that was originally Datsun/Nissan for me. I was a Z fan, I raced a 1991 300ZX TwinTurbo in drag and auto cross for a few years, all the while reading and watching Porsche racing. The push to evolve a sports car to its pinnacle of performance attracted me. And from what I had read and heard, the air-cooled generation was the most engaging with no nannies, and required a driver’s full attention. This is what drew me to my G-body Carrera.
What do you love most about Porsche cars?
CC: The engineering of refining and evolving the car for speed.
Do you own other Porsche cars?
CC: No
Was there ever a Porsche you missed out on?
CC: I had considered making the jump to Porsche back in early 2010 with a 356 coupe. I regret not making the jump sooner and especially passing on that white coupe.
What is your dream Porsche to own?
CC: I have it! But I would love to someday own a newer Carrera S or GT3.
Tell us about a notable drive or road trip?
CC: My most memorable was my drive home from purchasing my Carrera. Driving from Brentwood, CA up north to Klamath, CA on the first night was crazy with 16 hours or so of flight and driving. But after a good night’s sleep seeing the redwood trees for the first time and experiencing the car in that forrest set the tone for an amazing trip. I planned each day the night before in my hotel room attempting to find any path home that had as many curves and scenic views as possible. I visited 6 states, upward of 12 National/State Forests, at least 2 gorges, 1 cavern and every notable scenic overview or location on a side of the road that I could find. In total I traveled just over 3,100 miles driving my new-to-me Porsche home to Texas.
What is your favorite Porsche or PCA related memory?
CC: One of my fun PCA memories is one of the first HCR events I attended – a drive where we were halted by some cows on the road. I waited for Chris McChesney to honk or get out and chase them away for us to get moving. But after waiting for what I thought was way to long for cows, I got out and chased them off so we could resume the drive. Sadly I had to do it again on another drive after I passed them, only to see them walk in front of the ladies behind me. I was more afraid that I’d be tagged as a cow herder or whisper, than the cows were of the ladies in the convertible.
Do you participate in driving events (i.e. tours, rallyes, autocross, HPDE track days, club racing)?
CC: I’ve attended 2 Hill Country rallies and Porschepalooza in Arkansas. Of course there are the various bluebonnet tours and other drives with HCR.
Interview and Photographs by Jonathan Haggar