Slipstream - February 2018

Kruder’s Cars & Conversations
By Bill Kruder, Region Advertising Chair
his month takes on
T
a different twist than
most on how I met this
Porsche enthusiast;
frankly, up until writing, this we
had never met. The reason for our
meeting was in large part thanks to
John Labunski, “Pops”’ son-in-law.
John and Pops attended Mavs &
Mochas at Highland Park Village as
part of our Founders Day Celebration.
Upon arriving, they were surprised
to see some 200 Porsches, including
several 356s. As they walked
amongst the cars, Pops commented
“I bought that one, which was our
356 coupe with the tree on it,” and
then over breakfast the memories
came flooding back as Pops proceeded
to tell John stories of his
past cars. John just had to share this
story of a man and his love affair
with Porsches, maybe the longest
Porsche owner he knows (back to
1958), and I knew immediately I
needed to share this conversation.
So here is the next individual in
my series of “conversations” I would
like to share with you . . .
Albert “Pops” Magazzine,
Porsche Enthusiast since 1958,
Owner today of a 2011 (997)
Bill Kruder: So are you originally
from here?
Pops: No I grew up in
Youngstown, a small steel city in
Ohio between Pittsburgh and
Cleveland.
BK: And how did you find yourself
in Dallas?
Pops: Well, back in the day, I was
in the Air Force and stationed at
Perrin Air Station in Sherman, and
eventually, years later, after lots of
moving around the world, ended
back here, and now I call Dallas
home.
12 February
BK: And what did you do in the Air
Force?
Pops: I was a fighter pilot and
trainer, flying the early T-33 Shooting
Star, which was essentially the
training craft for the P-80, and later
the F-4 fighters.
BK: And did you make a career out
of it?
Pops: I did. I was in for 20 years
and 1 month, retiring in 1975.
BK: What did you do as a second
career after retiring?
Pops: DFW Airport had just
opened in 1973 and I was hired
shortly thereafter, working there
for nearly 38 years in various jobs,
primarily in operations, and ended
up in “Code enforcement” on DFW
construction projects.
BK: Ok so let’s talk cars. Were you
always a Porsche guy?
Pops: Heck no! Where I was
from it was all American cars. We
were into muscle cars. It wasn’t till I
joined the Air Force that I even really
paid any attention to Porsches,
and that was because I found myself
stationed in Germany, and all
the pilots were buying them.
BK: So what was your first Porsche?
Pops: That was a 1958 356A
coupe; I was stationed in Germany
and ordered it there. I paid
$3200 cash for it, which was a crazy
amount of money
considering that I was
making $250 a month,
and that included my
flight pay (laughing).
BK: Tell me more
about that car?
Pops: It was Red
with Savannah interior,
had chrome
knock-off wheels, a radio,
and an extra side
mirror as the only options. Think
the knock off wheels were a $100
option, and the extra mirror cost
me another $3 (laughing). I still
have the sticker and receipt.
BK: So you brought it home with
you?
Pops: I did! I had it shipped to
New York, and in those days they
would come off the ship and be
pushed by hand around the lot
until picked up. Well somewhere
along the line they dented it in a
couple spots. I then picked it up in
NY and drove it the 1500 miles to
Dallas. Once here, when I needed
to get it repaired, the only shop
doing work on Porsches was Van
Winkle Pontiac of all places. As I recall
it was located in the city around
Oak Lawn and Avondale maybe.
BK: And how long did you have it?
Pops: I sold it in 1961; I was being
shipped off to Japan, so I drove
to California and sold it for I think
$900.
BK: So what was next?
Pops: Well, some time had
passed and I found myself in
England in 1974. I bought a 1965
356C and I don’t have to tell you
how much rust this car had, having
spent 10 years on the roads there.
I brought it back to the States with
me and ending up selling it for I
think $1500.
Pop’s Red 1958 356A coupe