Meet the Man With 50 Porsches in His Garage, His Life-Long Passion Began With a 911

For some, Porsche just builds the Macan and is considered a car brand that speaks volumes about luxury and speed. It’s bought because it enhances social status. For most, the Stuttgart-based manufacturer is a provider of legendary, thrilling cars. The marque has heavily impacted the automotive world. As a result, just looking at that specific shape in the distance will make even those that do not know what Porsches are, recognize a familiar silhouette.

But for Johan-Frank Dirickx things were completely different. The man currently has a collection of about 50 Porsche models. His passion for the brand’s vehicles has even taken him to the famous Le Mans track.

It all started when he was a kid and an important figure from his childhood had to acquire a new ride. His grandfather asked him what he should choose between a Porsche and Corvette. Inspired by the very popular and lovable shape, young Dirickx pointed at the Porsche. His grandad complied with the nephew’s wishes. And, after the engine was brought to life, the obsession began. The sound of the 911 Targa S with a friendly two-liter power unit and its driving dynamics conquered a new family.

Conquered forever

Johan-Frank Dirickx’s grandpa used to drive a British sportscar before switching to Porsche, and that comparison helped the family realize that a sporty car doesn’t have to be impractical. They learned that having fun doesn’t necessarily have to compromise other aspects of car ownership.

Today, this lucky and happy Belgian man owns around 50 Porsches. Each of them has its place in a garage that can safely be considered the ultimate dream for a lot of gearheads. This life-long passion began with a 911 and was amplified when a “bright-yellow” Carrera RS 2.7 was added to the family’s shy collection of German-made sports cars.

While still young and unable to legally drive, Dirickx spent his days admiring his grandpa and almost always wanted to replace him in the driver’s seat. After he turned 18, the first vehicle he acquired for himself was a 911 T. His grandad was always going to let him drive his cars, but he wanted to pursue this strong feeling of fascination and appreciation for precise engineering without worrying about hurting his benevolent family Porsche enthusiast.

However, as a youngster, the Belgian man did not have much money to make sure his used car can run properly. In the end, he was forced to give up on it. So, while studying, he drove grandpa’s Porsches. He was lucky enough to even experience a 911 Turbo and admits that driving it felt incredible.

This led to him acquiring two 911 930 Turbo models with two different powertrains – one has a 3.0-liter engine, the other a 3.3-liter power unit. As expected, they’re currently in perfect condition.

Enjoying the fruits of his labor

After driving whatever his relatives had available and getting to experience the Porsche universe, Johan-Frank Dirickx started working and did not give up on buying a great vehicle. The 911 964 RS finished in the amazing Rubystar exterior color was his and now still shines in the amazing garage.

The man loved the lightweight design and fell in love with Porsche’s capacity to constantly outpace itself. He jokes about paying more for fewer cars but underlines that the 964 RS “embodies the true spirit of a race car.”

But that wasn’t enough. He wanted the car that kickstarted his love for hardcore Porsches. The man had to find his grandpa’s RS. So, after an extensive search… Voila! He found it near Barcelona, Spain. Unfortunately, the owner restored it without respecting the original recipe. But that did not stop him. The man added many lightweight Porsches to his garage, including a very special RS 2.7.

He says the star of his garage is a 1967 Porsche 911 R. Only 20 were ever built. Dirickx considers it “the holy grail,” as he said in Christophorus, No. 404. But he’s not unaware of his vehicle’s value. This car is extremely expensive, and he doesn’t plan on driving it outside anytime soon.

Finally, the love for Porsche did not end with collecting rare or lightweight models. The Belgian man knows how to drive fast without losing contact with the pavement and proved it at Le Mans, Daytona, and Sebring. Surprisingly, he also likes drifting when in Scandinavia.

This proves that some cars aren’t just a way to go from point A to point B – they can very well shape who you’ll end up being. And what a beautiful story could that be for gearheads that have had access to cars since their early youth... Teach'em young and let them drive!