Porsche Fanatic Has More Than 50 Cars In His Collection

Starting Young

When he was a mere ten years old, Johan-Frank Dirickx was asked a very important question by his grandfather, Jim Delwiche - "Johan, what kind of car do you think I should buy? A Porsche or a Corvette?" "My grandfather drove a British sports car - but didn’t feel it was practical for everyday use," Dirickx said. "That moment would change everything." Indeed, the Belgian chose Porsche, and today, he has one of the most impressive collections of that particular brand's automobiles ever assembled.

Photos: Porsche

Massive Collection

Today, this Porsche fanatic owns a spacious, brightly lit garage that houses around 50 vehicles, all lined up neatly on special platforms. As one might imagine, that lineup was heavily influenced by his grandfather, who first began purchasing the cars, guided by his grandson’s instinct. "The first 2.0-liter 911 Targa S was followed by a 2.2-liter 911 S and then a 2.4-liter S," Dirickx said. "When a bright-yellow Carrera RS 2.7 joined the ranks, I realized I was officially addicted to the 911."

Photos: Porsche

Indelible Mark

After passing his driver's license test, Dirickx pooled together his resources to purchase his first car - a 911 T, which he wound up selling after realizing he just didn't have enough money to restore it. Regardless, he was able to drive his grandfather's cars at least, with the old Turbo model leaving an indelible mark on him. "I’ll never forget the time I drove the 911 Turbo on the streets of Antwerp, which at that time were nearly empty," he said.

Photos: Porsche

Keeping It Original

Thus, the Belgian collector has two 930 911 Turbo models in his garage today - a 3.0 and a 3.3. They perfectly symbolize one aspect of Dirickx's philosophy - "A car needs to be kept in its original condition - with the patina it’s developed over time - or it needs to be restored to perfection." According to Dirickx, you can’t restore patina. "But it should be maintained wherever possible."

Photos: Porsche

True Spirit

At the age of 33, he purchased another 911 - a 964 RS in Rubystar - this time for keeps. The two letters RS were important, as driving his grandfather’s RS 2.7 formed the basis for Dirickx’s appreciation for lightweight design. "Although, it’s actually an anachronism for spending more on less car," he said. "But the 964 RS embodies the true spirit of a race car."

Photos: Porsche

Sad Discovery

"After 30 years, I found my grandfather’s old RS just outside Barcelona," Dirickx said. "But it had been destroyed. The owner had had it restored on the basis of a 911 T body - it was no longer the RS that I remember." However, that didn’t extinguish his affinity for the RS. He now has two of the coveted cars in his collection, one of which is the very rare RS 2.7 homologation lightweight.

Photos: Porsche

Lightweight Fascination

This amazing garage also contains a white 1967 911 R, of which only 20 were built, while the collection primarily consists of lightweight vehicles. "I now also have the RS 3.0, the 3.0 RSR, and my recently acquired 934," he said. "I even have two 911 SC/RS models. There were only 20 of those made." Dirickx also owns some water-cooled Porsche models, including a 911 GT3 RS and a 935. However, he does have something in common with many other collectors. "I love the air-cooled, lightweight, early race cars, which are more difficult to drive, but are endlessly fascinating," he said.

Photos: Porsche

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