For over 35 years, Potter's Picnic has been the highlight social event of the summer for the Porsche Club of America's Chicago Region.  In recent decades, the cars that showed up at Potter's have tended to be later models than the 356, but the 2008 event changed that in a dramatic fashion.  Invited for the second time to bring our cars to the event, our club didn't just show up.  We brought over two dozen cars representing every model of the 356 from 1953 to 1965, and we arranged them in a historical display designed to educate our hosts about the heritage that stands behind their late model Porsches.

Gordy Smith, traffic director.

photo by Wally Wright

Setting up the signage.

photo by Wally Wright

Take it from Chuck, nothing beats a clean windshield.

photo by Wally Wright

Ron agrees with Chuck.

photo by Wally Wright

At long last, order emerges from chaos.

photo by Jim Hinde

Don't these Speedsters remind you of hungry seagulls?

photo by Jim Hinde

The oldest cars on the field, Dan Bell's 1953 Cab and Charlie Presta's 1957 Coupe.

photo by Jim Hinde

Tom Funk's bid for a place on the No Fly list.

photo by Jim Hinde

You'll have to ask Larry what a corn jerker is, but Hoopeston is where the first U. S. importer of Porsches was located.

photo by Jim Hinde

Hmmm, this seems pretty nice...

photo by Wally Wright

Daddy, can I have this one for Chistmas?

photo by Wally Wright

Good!

photo by Wally Wright

For the true enthusiast, the 356 engine never loses its fascination.

photo by Wally Wright

Jim Hinde and Ron Goldstein say "Cheese."

photo by Wally Wright

Charlie Presta's 1957 A Coupe was the hit of the show and won First Place in the toughest judging class.  That's Charlie himself hiding behind the trunk lid.

photo by Wally Wright

The 356s were lined up along the boundary fence, facing all the other Porsches that filled the center of the field.

photo by Wally Wright