Few people share the means and the way with words to realize their passion for cars and convey it to the public. Jack Olsen, a Hollywood screenwriter, has both those qualities. From a young age, the young Olsen got his start in karts, and after a two-decade hiatus, rekindled his passion with a 1972 Carrera which has not seen the end of its modification list or racing career yet.
It’s the result of nearly two decades of dedication that’s gotten this black, 3.4-liter Porsche to where it is today. That sort of monastic commitment is the result of a man whose job revolves around keeping people with differing opinions happy at the same time. Worse yet – it’s Hollywood, so he’s got to stay in shape. By comparison, the guys in Washington D.C. have got it easy.
To give him some momentary solace away from the hectic, glitzy world of Hollywood, he turns to the track. Even with a high-profile job, he’s looking to keep a modest budget while running his car, and so he uses homebrewed aero parts made from beer cooler foam and aluminum roofing flashing – no joke.
He’s reduced the weight with fiberglass, given it a modest power bump with the 3.6-liter motor from a 993, and added brakes from an ’86 Turbo, so it’s fair to say he hasn’t gone that crazy as far as Porsche modifications go. It’s modest, his driving is understated, and yet he’s harvested enough information to crack the 1:26-second range. For reference, that’s s six seconds faster than a 997 GT3 RS in the hands of a pro!