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More Porsche Odds & Ends – GALPOT Automobilia

This weeks GALPOT Automobilia blog features some more Porsche related ads and articles from MotorSport magazine dated 1970 to 1978 which are currently for auction on my lightpress e-bay page.

1970 Monte Carlo Rally, 2 page spread MotorSport Magazine

Bjorn Waldegård and Lars Helmer driving a Porsche 911S won the 1970 Monte Carlo Rally for the second time in a row and Porsche for the third consecutive time. The two page tearout from MotorSport March 1970 above shows the winning Porsche, third placed Alpine Renault, two surviving Lancia Fulvia’s and the 5th place Ford Escort Twin Cam.

1974 East African Safari Rally, 1 page tearout, MotorSport Magazine

Bjorn Waldegård and Hans Thorszelius were on target to win the 1974 East African Safari Rally in their yellow Porsche Carrera bottom, until repairs to their rear suspension dropped them to second behind the Mitsubishi Lancer of Joginder Singh and David Doig seen in the top photo of this single page tearout of the event taken from MotorSport June 1974.

Pirelli P7, Martini Porsche Turbo Ad MotorSport May 1978

The May 1978 edition of MotorSport contained several Porsche related items including this Pirelli P7 tyre ad featuring a Martini striped Porsche 930 Turbo road car.

Porsche 911 SC Targa ad, MotorSport Magazine 1978

In the same issue I found this ad for a 180hp Porsche 911 SC Targa, prices for the Porsche 911 SC range back then started at just £12,600 pounds a number which these days might just get you a Volkswagen.

Porsche 911 SC Sport, article MotorSport Magazine, May 1978

Finally the May 1978 issue of MotorSport Magazine carried this three side Porsche 911 SC Sport road test, one of the pictures show’s the car parked on an unbelievably empty Westminster Bridge in front of Big Ben showing nearly 13:50 and without a single tourist in sight ! The test concluded “Potential customers can make up their own minds, if they are prepared to join the queue !

Thanks to everyone who has spread the GALPOT word and especially those who have made purchases.

Thanks for joining me on this “More Porsche Odds & Ends” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when GALPOT will be welcoming a new photographer who attended last months Niello Serrano Concours d’Elegance. Don’t forget to come back now !

The Water Coooled Mid Engined One – Porsche 911 GT1-98 Straßenversion

For 1998 the GT1 regulations for endurance regulations only required one example of a model to be built for road use in order for the model to be legible to compete under the GT1 regulations. In 1996 and 1997 manufacturers had been required to produce 25 copies of a model in order to compete in GT1 endurance racing which had led to many compromises being made in order to keep the cost of production on the right side of the million dollar mark.

Porsche 911 GT1 98 Strassenversion, Goodwood Festival of Speed

With only one example being required to meet the 1998 GT 1 regulations Porsche effectively built their 911 GT1-98 for racing first and converted one for road use, today’s featured car, which passed all the mandatory tests to gain type approval in Germany.

Porsche 911 GT1 98 Strassenversion, Goodwood Festival of Speed

To meet the stringent emission laws the 650 hp twin turbocharged motor, as used in the all conquering Group C Porsche 962’s of the mid 1980’s had to be detuned to 537 hp, enough to propel today’s featured car from rest to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 191 mph.

Porsche 911 GT1 98 Strassenversion, Goodwood Festival of Speed

The big improvement of the 911 GT1-98 over the previous models was the location of the engine form the standard 911 behind the rear axle line location to a more beneficial ahead of the rear axle, this benefited the handling by reducing the polar momentum, the force of weight outside the front and rear axle lines and by allowing venturi to be built into the rear body work which helped suck the car to the ground as it traveled with out sacrificing too much by way of top speed.

Porsche 911 GT1 98 Strassenversion, Goodwood Festival of Speed

The full carbon fiber monocoque for the 911 GT1-98 Porsche’s very first which made exclusive use of the exotic material.

Porsche 911 GT1 98 Strassenversion, Goodwood Festival of Speed

After the racing versions of the 911 GT1-98 had secured an unlikely one-two finish at Le Mans in 1998, where they were by no means the fastest cars, Porsche retired from official participation in the 24 hour classic with a record 16 victories that stands to this day.

Porsche 911 GT1 98 Strassenversion, Goodwood Festival of Speed

This year Porsche returned to Le Mans in the GT Class where they recorded their 99th class win, in anticipation for a full scale attack on overall victory with an LMP car to driven by Mark Weber next year.

Thanks for joining me on this “The Water Cooled Mid Engined One” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me for a look at the final evolution of Porsche’s 997 the GT3 RS 4.0. Don’t forget to come back now !

Cut Down Turbo Look – Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 Speedster

In 1950 US Porsche importer Max Hoffman suggested to the factory that they build a car that could compete with English sports cars, particularly the Jaguar XK120. Porsche’s response was to build what would become the Type 540 that Hoffman dubbed the America Roadster in 1951. In order to be competitive the car was eventually built in aluminium but the cost was so great, US$4600, that only 17 were sold and everyone lost Hoffman, Porsche and the designated coachwork builder Heuer Glaser money, Heuer Glaser lost so much they went bankrupt.

Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 Speedster, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

Despite the commercial failure of the Type 540 Hoffman convinced Porsche to have another go at producing something that could compete with the British imports to the USA adding that the cost should be below $3,000. Porsche ended up presenting a stripped down version of the 356 Cabriolet fitted with a removable windscreen for competition, a light weight soft top, for weather protection only, side curtains replaced the side windows and the car was fitted with competition type bucket seats. The Speedster was an instant success despite it’s minimal trim, even the heater was an optional extra to keep the base cost down.

Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 Speedster, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

Speedster production continued with model upgrades in 1955 and 1957 until 1958 when the model was replaced by the slightly more opulently appointed Cabriolet D contracted to coach builder Drauz at Heilbronn.

Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 Speedster, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

Given the success, at a cost of minimal profit margins, of the 356 Speedster it is perhaps not surprising that Porsche waited a full quarter of a century after the launch of the 911 before introducing a successor to the 356 Speedster in the form of the 911 Carrera 3.2 Speedster.

Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 Speedster, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

In 1969 impatient with Porsche to produce a Speedster 911 Porsche enthusiast Stan Townes created a Speedster by cutting the top off a crashed 1967 911 Coupé and fitting a cut down screen as per the original 356 Speedsters. It was not until 2 years after American CEO Peter Schutz had extended the development of the 911 in 1981 that Dr Helmut Bott turned his attention to an official factory built 911 Speedster.

Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 Speedster, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

The first public awareness of the new model came in 1987 when two prototypes appeared with removable windscreens and a number of other features including a Clubsport fiber glass cockpit surround that effectively turned the 911 into a single seat racer complete with roll hoop.

Nothing quite so radical was available when the 217 hp, option M503, 911 Carrera 3.2 Speedster went into production from January to July 1989. Two versions of the Speedster were built, 171 with the narrow body and 2,104 with the flared Porsche 930 ‘Turbo Look’ body as seen on today’s featured vehicle which is one of just 139 Speedsters equipped with the steering on the right.

Thanks for joining me on this “Cut Down Turbo Look” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow, when I be looking at one of the most radical street cars and desirable Porsches ever built. Don’t forget to come back now.

PS Some months ago I posted about a blog about a Buick Electra 225 Riviera that was supplied by Deal of Asheville NC.

Deal were taken over by Harmony Motors who operate a VW/Audi/Porsche dealership. Toni Burrell from Harmony has contacted me to let me, and you, know that Harmony are trying to raise $10,000 for the Mission Foundation Ladies Night Out breast cancer screening programme. Harmony are donating $100 for every new Volkswagen sold during October.

So if you are thinking about buying a new Volkswagen and would like to be part of the Mission Foundation Ladies Night Out fund raising drive and your anywhere near Asheville NC you better get your skates on further details can be found on this link.

Ferrari Racing Treasures – Blackhawk Museum

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Today’s Ferrari Friday’s looks at a few of the Ferrari Racing Treasures at the Blackhawk Museum captured by Geoffrey Horton.

Ferrari 212 Export Touring Barchetta, Blackhawk Museum, CA

This 1952 Ferrari 212 Export Barchetta features bodywork by Touring of Turin and was originally owned in 1952 by Baron Luigi Bordonaro di Chiaramonte of Palermo and as I posted last year the Baron raced the car successfully.

Ferrari 250MM Vignale, Blackhawk Museum, CA

Phil Hill’s 1953 Ferrari 250 MM Vignale #0260MM was featured on this blog a couple of years ago, it helped set up Phil’s career on the path to becoming a three time Le Mans winner and 1960 World Driver Champion all victories which were won driving Ferrari cars.

Ferrari 500 Mondial Spyder, Blackhawk Museum, CA

As I have found on many occasions in the past some Ferrari’s are a little more difficult to identify than others this particular 500 Mondial is one of those more difficult to identify as I found out last year.

Ferrari 750 Monza, Blackhawk Museum, CA

The Blackhawk Collections 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza with unique bodywork by Scaglietti has also featured on these pages before although it will be better remembered for appearing on the cover of Road & Track in December 1956 by many more. It is the car belonging to Tony Paravano that Carlyle Blackwell took a photo of.

Ferrari 625 LM Spyder Touring, Blackhawk Museum, CA

In 1956 Ferrari built 3 625LM’s with Touring bodies and 2,5 litre 4 cylinder motor’s, the one seen here carries the #11 which suggests this is the car that crashed at the start of the 1956 Le Mans 24 hours after it had won the Supercortemaggiore at Monza, fitted with a 2 litre engine with Mike Hawthorn and Peter Collins at the wheel.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing his photographs, more on these cars will appear in the coming months.

Thanks for joining me on this “Ferrari Racing Treasures” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Autumn Classic – Castle Combe

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Castle Combe Circuits second Autumn Classic closed the racing season at the Wiltshire circuit for the second year running a couple of weeks ago and it proved again proved a big hit with the spectators more of whom used the event to dress up 30’s to 50’s costume than I remember last year.

Ecurie Ecosse, Commer, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

After arriving I made my way to the paddock for a Big Boys Breakfast while the practice sessions were getting underway. Above the 1959 Ecurie Ecosse 2 stroke diesel powered Commer Transporter and many ex Ecurie Ecosse team cars, including the 1960 Cooper T49 Monaco, 1961 Sebring Austin Healey Sprite and the rear engined 1962 Tojeiro-Buick Coupé will all be coming up for auction at Bonhams in December.

Triumph Special, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

There were many interesting vehicles in the car park including this sports car about which I know nothing apart from the fact it said “Triumph” on the tax disc, if you know more please do not hesitate to chime on below.

Mods, Rockers & Cops, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

After practice and before racing commenced there were several demonstrations including the one seen above featuring a selection of “mods” on their scooters and “rockers” on their motorcycles with “rozers” in hot pursuit aboard a Wolseley and Triumph Herald squad cars.

Maserati 250F, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

Nick Mason’s Maserati 250F arrived a later than intended and sadly sans Nick, but it made a welcome appearance on the track, unfortunately the PA was a little weak at Old Paddock when I took this photo so I’m not sure who was at the wheel, if you know chime in below.

Aston Martin DB3, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

The Historic Aston Martins got the afternoons racing underway, Martin Hunt driving a Fraser Nash Le Mans Replica did well to lead from second on the grid for the opening lap but it was Chris Woodgate, seen above qualifying his Aston Martin DB3 #DB3/6 on pole in the early morning mist, who led from lap 2 until the finish, while Hunt fell back to finish an eventual fifth.

Norman Dewis Trophy, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

Grahame Bull and Anthony Reid locked out the front row for the Norman Dewis Trophy for Jaguars with the #12 E Type and #33 XK120 respectively. Reid made a great race of it taking the lead on lap 2 and then again from lap six to 18 until he was slowed by a puncture which left Bull with an unassailable lead.

Big Healey Challenge, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

The Big Healey’s provided the second biggest grid of the day and by far the fiercest competition which saw five competitors trying to go unsuccessfully line abreast into the Bobbies chicane at one point ! Above the #73 Chris Clarkson / Ted Williams, #16 Eric Wolley / Dan Cox and #98 Nils-Fredrick Nyblaeus / Jeremy Welch cars fight over blagging rights for the best entry line into Tower Corner. David Grace and Anders Schildt were declared the winners after Dan Cox driving the fastest car in the race went backwards into the barriers, without injury, at Tower.

VSCC Pre War Sports Cars, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

The rather more leisurely VSCC Pre War Sports Cars race was won by Frederic Wakeman from pole abourd his Fraser Nash Super Sports but only after past a fast starting HRG driven by Andrew Mitchel who led the opening three laps. The brothers Blakeney-Edwards provided the scrap of the race Simon in the #4 Fraser Nash Shelsey got the better of Patrick in the #3 Fraser Nash Owlet Saloon to home 3rd. The brothers are seen congratulating each other on their return to the pits.

FISCAR, 50's Inter Marque, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

Andrew Sharp, seen leading in his #45 Aston Martin DB2 a above, from third on the grid managed to lead every lap of The FISCAR 50’s Inter Marque, but only after he had managed to build up a big enough to make his compulsory pit stop 5 mins before the end of the race. Nike Thorn and Johnny Todd driving the #44 Austin Healey 100S did well to finish just 0.07 seconds behind Sharp, from second on the grid, on a thrilling closing lap.

Miller Oils Formula Junior, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

The biggest grid of the day was provided by the Miller Oils Formula Junior Championship competitors. Jack Woodhouse qualified on pole in his #84 Lotus 20/22 and won the close fought race by half a second from Peter Morton who started alongside him in the rare #75 Lightning Envoyette seen above on the opening lap.

50's Lightweight Sports Racing Cars, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

The final race of the day was for 50’s Lightweight Sports Racing Cars had eight entries of which just seven took the start. But it only takes two cars to make a race and Alex Quattlebaum proved it by taking the win from 4th on the grid in his #10 Leco MG after a race long battle with 2nd place starter Brian Arculus in his #17 Lotus IX. Brian might have won the race had he not switched his lights on which appeared to have an adverse effect on the smooth running of his motor. Alex is seen making his final pass on Brian 2 laps from home above.

And so the 2013 season of Motorsport that began with the sad loss of circuit saviour Howard Strawford, drew to a close at Castle Combe in Wiltshire, roll on 2014 !

Thanks for joining me on this Autumn Classic edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a look at a 1990 Thunderbird. Don’t forget to come back now !

Porsche Odds and Ends – GALPOT Automobilia

Last week I came across some Porsche related Automobilia taken from a couple of MotorSport Magazines dated from 1968 to 1976 which are now for sale on my lightpress e-bay page.

Porsche 911T, MotorSport Front Cover

This April 1968 front cover of MotorSport magazine features an image depicting Pauli Toivonen and Marti Tiukkanen driving a Porsche 911T to victory on the 1968 San Remo Rally. In 1968 Pauli won five rallies driving a Porsche 911T on route to winning the 1968 European Rally Championship.

Porsche 911 Models, Motorsport

In the same April 1968 issue I found this article/infomercial about Porsche 911 Models offered by the factory to the UK market, it lists prices for the; 912 Coupé, 911T Coupé, 911L Coupé and 911S, Coupé, Sportmatic transmission option for all 911 models. Mention is made of the competition 911R which was built to special order only without any price being mentioned.

Porsche 911 Models, Motorsport

By 1970 MotorSport photographer and correspondent Micheal “MJT” Tee had clocked up 50,000 miles in his 911, the first to enter the UK fitted with Weber carburetors as standard. MJT concluded the 2 page report seen above with the words “the best”.

Autofarm, Motorsport

Finally by 1976 some Porsche 911’s were getting on for 13 years old which led well led club racers and Autofarm founders Josh Sadler and Steve Carr to accidentally uncovering a huge market for after market parts and servicing for customers who could not afford official Porsche dealer parts and labour rates. The article above written by MotorSport journalist “C.R.” out lining Autofarm’s expertise was published in January 1976.

Thanks for joining me on this Porsche Odds and Ends edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be recounting tales from the last meeting of the season run at Castle Combe earlier this month. Don’t forget to come back now.

Group B Race Car – Porsche 961#WP0ZZZ93ZFS010016

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One afternoon soon after taking over as CEO of Porsche AG American Peter Schultz noticed a chart on the wall of the office of his Chief Engineer Dr Helmut Bott which outlined the developement schedules for Porsche’s three models the 924, 928 and 911, the first two extended far into the future while that for the 911 came to a stop in 1981.

Porsche 961, Le Mans 24 Hours

Schultz took a marker pen and walked over to the chart and drew a line extending the 911’s development clear off the chart, much to the relief of Dr Bott who set about initiating the design of a new concept car which would become a flagship for the future development of the 911 called the Porsche Gruppe B.

Porsche 961, Le Mans 24 Hours

The Gruppe B, which was first seen at the Frankfurt Motor Show in October 1983 was designed with new GT regulations for race and rally cars in mind and made use of emergent all wheel drive technology and a version of the Bi Turbo 750 hp 3.2 litre 195 cui flat 6 with 4 valves per cylinder in water cooled cylinder heads that had been developed for the 1978 Porsche 935/78 known as Mody Dick.

Porsche 961, Le Mans 24 Hours

The Gruppe B was developed into a rally raid version called the 959 which won the Paris Dakar Rally at it’s second attempt with René Metge and Dominique Lemoyne in the cockpit in 1986. A US$ 225,000 road version of the 959 appeared in 1985 of which 300 examples were built up until 1987.

Porsche 961, Le Mans 24 Hours

Porsche also developed a single road racing version of the Gruppe B, today’s featured car, known as the 961. It had been anticipated that several manufacturers would build Group B race cars but in the end only the Ferrari 288 GTO saw the light of day and then only as a street car.

Porsche 961, Le Mans 24 Hours

The Porsche 961 made it’s competition debut at the 1986 Le Mans test weekend with twice Paris Dakar winner René Metge sharing the wheel with Claude Ballot-Léna, because there was only one 961 in existence instead of the mandated 20 required for Group B the 961 was entered in the even more relaxed IMSA GTX class. Metge set 10th fastest time in the official Le Mans Test Session but the car retired from the first of two sprints with transmission failure.

Porsche 961, Goodwood Festival of Speed

The 961 still running in the GTX class, then appeared at the 1986 Le Mans 24 hours, as seen in the top two photographs, for which it qualified 26th and came home a respectable 7th. The only Group B runner in this race was a venerable BMW M1 a design dating back to the 1970’s which crossed the finish line with it’s hazard lights on to a huge cheers from the crowd but 60 laps behind the 961 and unclassified due to running it’s last lap too slow.

Porsche 961, Goodwood Festival of Speed

In October 1986 Günter Steckkönig and Canadian Kees Nierop drove the 961, now entered as a GTP Prtotype in the Daytona 3 Hour endurance race for which they qualified 29th and came home 24th after experiencing multiple tyre failures on the banked section of the track.

Porsche 961, Goodwood Festival of Speed

For 1987 the 961 carried the Rothmans livery like it’s sister Group C 962C’s and was driven at the Le Mans Test day by Steckkönig and Claude Haldi who set 16th fastest time with the car now entered in the rationalised IMSA class.

Porsche 961, Goodwood Festival of Speed

A month later Haldi was teamed with Metge for the Le Mans 24 hour race and after the Porsche team ran out of 962C’s Nierop was added to the 961’s driving strength in place of Steckkönig too.

The #203 961 qualified 31st on the grid and was running as high as 11th when around 2/3rds distance Nierop crashed at Indianapolis corner after experiencing a gearbox problem. While trying to return to the pits the 961 caught fire and eventually came to a stop and retirement.

With no sign of any Group B competition on the race track Porsche abandoned the 961 with just one example built and never having actually entered the car in the class it was designed to compete in. The 961 was subsequently rebuilt for the Porsche Museum and demonstrations, it is seen in the last four photo’s at Goodwood Festival of Speed running on out of period pattern BBS wheels.

Thanks for joining me on this “Group B Race Car” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me for a look at some Porsche Automobillia tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !