Denny Aker stands with the "Pooper," a Cooper racecar, powered by a pushrod-actuated Porsche engine. It was constructed by the late Pete Lovely in 1955. Aker still races it in vintage racing events. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)
It seems that these days there's more speculator/collectors than people who really understand the autos, trucks or motorcycles, that they store away, for their inherent engineering or design. That's probably the result of the fact that many collectors haven't ever worked on an automobile; other than to wash and wax it. Nor would they want to do so – too much grease and grime perhaps. Such is not the case with Denny Aker.
What other car collector can say that he or she personally rebuilt the boiler for a Stanley Steamer, a Cord flathead V8 engine, the 312 cubic-inch V8 for a vintage two-seater Ford Thunderbird; as well as a Porsche double-overhead camshaft, four-cylinder engine?
Aker made a living working on Porsches, starting when Porsches were really not-so-distant relatives to that other famous air-cooled auto of the times, the venerable Volkswagen Beetle. The shop he founded, Aker's Porsche in Seattle, Washington is now run by his son Mark with the elder Aker acting as owner emeritus; since he is officially retired from turning wrenches – but only officially.
A 1947 Volkswagen, type 1, built on May 14, 1947, is part of Denny Aker's unique and eclectic collection of vintage autos. This VW Beetle was ordered, and delivered, to the U.S. military in Frankfurt, Germany, after the Second World War. Its arrival date in the States, is unknown. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)
Aker keeps a small but eclectic mix of collectible cars at a facility in Bothell, Washington. That's where you usually can find him, when he isn't traveling or helping out at the shop.
“Exactly at 8 am,” he says. “It's just like work – but on my own stuff.”
Indeed, a recent phone call to Aker, found him, working on the transmission for a 1937 Cord sedan that he restored 35 years ago; and is now re-restoring.
Aker started working on cars, right out of high school, for Volkswagen Washington in Seattle. Like everybody who was new, he started on the lube rack. That was in the late Fifties.
“Volkswagen Washington was the distributor for the state. Volkswagen was growing so fast then and I learned a lot; they made me a line mechanic. Then, they sent me to school, about a year later.”
In 1961, Aker was drafted into the (military) service and served two years. When he returned to civilian life, he again worked on German cars; adding Porsches to the mix. .
He's been driving Porsches, to-and-from work, since 1962. In 1965, he opened his own shop, working on “mostly Volkswagens, and then Porsches and I've never looked back.”
The 1931 Rolls-Royce and 1910 Stanley Steamer that started Denny Aker on the road to car collecting; and which he still owns and maintains. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)
He started collecting cars with a 1930 Rolls-Royce Newmarket that he bought from a friend in 1969. He purchased it because “I liked the looks of it.” In fact, he still has the car. In 1972, he bought a 1910 Stanley Steamer at the Hershey (PA) swap meet for just $20,000. He also still has that car.
Some of the many Porsches in Denny Aker's collection. These are in line for a little reconditioning. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)
As you might expect, he also began to collect Volkswagen Beetles and Porsche sports cars. He now has a collection of Porsche sports cars that includes every variation of the 356 series, a 914-6 (with just 1,300 actual miles), a 1985 911 with turbo body modifications and a 1983 911SC cabriolet. Along the way he also picked up a 1972 Jaguar XKE with a V12 engine, a 1932 Auburn four-door phaeton, an air-cooled, 28 cylinder Pratt & Whitney airplane engine, a 1937 Cord Westchester series 812 sedan and a Porsche-powered Cooper race-car.
A line-up of vintage motorcycles from the Aker collection. In the lead is a 1942 Indian in-line four cylinder motorcycle, with a 1919 Indian Power-Plus next up. The Power-Plus won best motorcycle at the Kirkland (WA) Concours d'Elegance in 2007. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)
Aker's collection also includes an interesting assemblage of vintage motorcycles; key amongst those are three Indians: a 1919 Power Plus, a 1942 In-Line Four and a 1948 Chief. The Power Plus won first place in the Motorcycle Class at the 2007 Kirkland (WA) Concours d'Elegance.
The Pratt and Whitney 4360 radial airplane engine, on its display stand, stands out in the midst of the Aker collection. He has it "because I just like mechanical things." (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)
Asked why he has an airplane engine setting on a stand inside his storage and restoration facility, Aker responds, “I just like mechanical things.”
The “Pooper,” might be the most interesting car in Aker's collection. It started life as a Cooper LSR (land-speed record) car, powered by a motorcycle engine. In 1955, the late Pete Lovely, a Volkswagen dealer who raced on weekends, installed a push-rod Porsche engine; thus, it became the “Pooper.” It beat heavier Porsche roadsters; and Lovely drove it to a national championship in the Sports Car Club of America series.
When asked if he still races the “Pooper” in vintage races, Aker's voice registers an exclamation point, “Oh, yeah! It beat the competition back then, and it still does.”
Denny Aker explains the workings of a 1960 Volkswagen Beetle, which he'd equipped with a four-camshaft Porsche Carrera engine, to members of three Volkswagen clubs who visited his facility - Eastside Aircooled, NW Volkswagen Club and Cascade Kombis. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)
The Pooper is rivaled by a 1960 Volkswagen Beetle of similar cast. The Beetle is equipped with a double-overhead camshaft engine from a Porsche 550 Spyder.
There is, however, one automobile that Aker wishes he had in his collection; that he doesn't. It's the Tucker 48.
“My dad ordered a Tucker but didn't get it,” he recalls. “We got a (Tucker) radio. I was raised in Lynden, Washington, born in 1939. I can still recall when a car dealer in Bellingham had one - new. Once, I was at an auction in Indiana, and saw one go for just $8,000. Too bad I didn't buy that one.”
More recently, Aker went to look at a Tucker, the tenth one made, that belonged to one family – several times. A deal could never be put together; but after the owner who'd stored it from public view for years passed away, his widow sold it. In January, that same Tucker sold, at auction, for $575,000 in Arizona.
Denny Aker may not have a Tucker, but he does have something which is probably more rare: a Porsche tractor. Here he starts it up and shows it to a member of one of three VW clubs that visited his facility. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)
There's a model of a Tucker in a display case of model cars that Aker has in the facility that contains his full-sized collectibles. Ironically, it has the number 10 on it. It's a reminder to Aker of the one that got away. But you could also call it a reminder his enthusiasm for automobiles started early, and continues to this day. - Terry Parkhurst
Porsche tractors are, indeed, very rare. He is lucky to have one of these classic machines. And yeah, if I had wonderful classic cars and bikes like him, I would maintain them with my own hands. This collection of wheels is definitely something a collector can be proud of.
Posted by: Jolandi Kerstetter | December 01, 2011 at 04:47 AM
My brother, Nelson Miller, sent me this E-Mail. He does'nt know it yet but he is going to take me there the next time I am in Seattle visiting him. If you happen to know Nels, ask him about the time he and I installed a 356 engine in a VW. We then ate a couple caramel pecan pies his wife had cooked for a church doings. Real celebration, that.
Posted by: John W. (Jack) Miller | December 02, 2011 at 09:37 PM
Some nice cars he has. I really appreciate it even if I have just to look at it.
Posted by: Air Intake Kits | April 26, 2012 at 06:46 PM