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R Gruppe Porsche 912 Speedster Australia: Part 2

R Gruppe Porsche 912 Speedster Australia: Part 2

The Porsche 912 Speedster from a few days ago went down a storm on Ferdinand Magazine’s Facebook page, which is heading towards 50,000 likes. I’ve got some more details to share on the custom 912, which previous owner Ryan tells me now lives with another friend of mine in Belgium. Small world!

Ryan 1966 Porsche 912 Speedster

The builder of this 912 Speedster had previously developed some successful race cars. He chose the 912 as it was lighter than a 911, it was a four-cylinder like the 356 Speedster, and the shorter four-cylinder engine mounted close to the firewall gave a lower ultimate height across the engine, which would help it achieve a lower rear deck line.

No computers were used to shape the body: just very careful measuring. After the roof was cut off, Wilbur Brothers bodyshop in Stockwell, Indiana removed the bodywork above the rear wing tops and replaced with a cowling constructed from two Karmann Ghia panels, which gave a lower rear end and less rake.

Like the 356 Speedster’s engine cover, this 912’s rear lid is a hatch that does not extend to the lower rear panel. It was made by welding the 912’s engine cover in place, mating two Ghia engine covers together, then cutting a hole for the 912 grill: an interesting solution.

Ryan 1966 Porsche 912 Speedster (2)

Modified Speedster windscreen posts hold the shortened 912 windshield. The glass-free doors have custom door caps and plexiglass side windows.

To strengthen the chassis, metal plates were welded to the A-posts. Steel box section was welded into the sill sections, from front to rear wheel housings. The car went through a complete restoration and then had a fresh coat of red. Can’t wait to see this in the metal one day.

Radical Porsche 911 Speedster in Sydney

Radical Porsche 911 Speedster in Sydney

Had an email from my buddy Ryan down in Sydney this morning. Ryan is a hard core Porscher: sworn R Grupper, rallies a 911 ST and has been with us to Classic Le Mans, to taste the mania of Porsche that prevails. His email gave me an excuse to mark Australia Day by sharing one of the wild Porsche soft tops he’s owned in his career.

Ryan 1966 Porsche 912 Speedster (1)

This red devil is a 1966 Porsche 912 with custom bodywork in the style of a 356 Speedster. Ryan takes up the tale:

The bodywork was all steel, with chassis strengthening along the sills between the front and rear sections. The car was ordered in left hand-drive through a German dealer, but originally delivered into the UK. It then made its way to the US.

Ryan 1966 Porsche 912 Speedster (2)

Originally Slate Grey, the VIN went back to a 1966 3-gauge 912 Coupe: not a Targa. The car drove nicely. It started easily, pulled to redline, shifted well and brakes were no problem, holding it all in a nice in a straight line. It had period “Thunderbird” headers and muffler setup, which sounded great.

Ryan 1966 Porsche 912 Speedster

The original chrome wheels were replaced along the way with 16″ Fuchs. I think chrome 15″ steel wheels with taller tyres would have looked better, but it wasn’t a deal breaker for me.

Ryan 1966 Porsche 912 Speedster (3)

The car used a cut-down 911 windscreen in a modified 356 speedster frame. It featured lots of nice design details, such as magnets sewn into the sides of the tonneau cover that worked very well, the recessed 911 grill in the 356-esque engine lid, and the 356 side stripes, mirrors and badges.

Ryan sold the car a while back (just $30K!), but I’d love to know where it went to next. This thing is right up my alley: would be great to catch up with it one day.

Happy Australia Day to all of our friends down under! Follow @cultofporsche on Twitter!

WEVO 912 Update: Perfect Road Rally Porsche

WEVO 912 Update: Perfect Road Rally Porsche

Few classic Porsche cars sum up Ferdinand’s driving, not posing policy more than those built at WEVO in San Carlos, CA. One of my favourite cars from this stable is a 1967 Porsche 912, known in the family as Primrose, which I first enjoyed driving two years ago. This is me: pic by Jamie.

WEVO Porsche 912 James Lipman

The ’67 is Aga Blue. It’s a genuine barn find, with only 36,000 miles on the clock when first uncovered. Hayden Burvill regards the 912 as “the essential-to-understand engineering link between the 356 and the 911. Put into dry storage in 1972, we recovered it in 2007, the 35-year hibernation leaving the interior beautifully preserved and the exterior degraded in a manner that is difficult to describe.

WEVO Porsche 912 beach JG

“The patina is insanely genuine, at times disturbing, yet any effort to control or preserve it would look ridiculously contrived. The 912 is heavily waxed, waxed over every blemish and that seems like the appropriate treatment for the time being.”

When I first drove this classic Porsche, it had a simple engine build and almost standard suspension, albeit rebuilt with new bushes. Since then, Hayden has further upgraded the running gear: most noticeably with a 1900cc engine that was run in on the 2012 California Melee.

WEVO Porsche 912 with GT3 Cup

“The 1900cc motor has been faultless so far. Initially it required a little tuning and synchronization of the carbs but otherwise all good and much nicer than the old motor. Went on a diet and took another 16lbs off during the build, so the car is now about 2000 lbs with a full tank and 110hp: about BMW 2002 territory.

“Old engine to new engine: we kept the crank and flywheel and the cam, but not much else. Entering it on the Melee was an incentive to get it working. The 912 turned out to be the perfect car for the event, rewarding care with momentum – and the big grin that comes from sliding about on dry pavement at legal speeds on 165/80-15 tires.

WEVO Porsche 912 California Melee

“The nimble 912 can tackle the unexpected with such finesse, it makes me very happy to have left the 911 at home for another day. That said, after an unbroken run of 140 miles, my shoulders did feel like a massage would have helped. Drivers in the heavier cars would have enjoyed a great upper body workout.”

Check out the WEVO Facebook page. Follow Ferdinand Magazine on Facebook.

Australian 1960 Porsche 356 Outlaw Roadster

Australian 1960 Porsche 356 Outlaw Roadster

I had a cool email recently from Alex Webster, who works for Porsche in sunny Australia. Alex and dad Stewart have a tasty 356 collection, including the one seen here: a 1960 Roadster built as an all-metal Outlaw.

Stewart Webster Porsche 356 Australia 1

Others in the line up include a Carrera GT, Carrera 2, 1958 speedster and 1956 sunroof coupe: all original RHD. Stewart had this to say about his collection:

Stewart Webster Porsche Roadster 8

“The GT was delivered to New Zealand and has only covered 13k miles. The Carrera 2 was delivered to AFN in England, and made its way to Australia twenty years ago. Condition is said to be new: sounds like a beautiful car. The Speedster is one of four in Stone Grey cars, and was delivered through Hamiltons in Melbourne in 1958. The ’56 sunroof coupe was delivered by the dealer in Sydney and it too is like new.”

Stewart Webster Porsche Roadster 4

Stewart’s other 356s include half a dozen US models, restored and converted to RHD. The Outlaw looks like something else: someone should do a story on these Webster boys 😀

 

R Gruppe Porsche 911 Hot Rod California 1

R Gruppe Porsche 911 Hot Rod California 1

It’s time to look forward to 2013 and share some of the things I’m working on. There’s an awful lot happening but here’s one topic that will interest the classic 911 R-Gruppe hot rod fans.

Craig Porsche 911 RGruppe (4)

Alongside the impending relaunch of Ferdinand Magazine on iPad, we’ve got a ton of Porsche features from our recent trip to Northern California: latest in the long line of US feature trips Jamie Lipman and I have done together since 2008. One of the cars shot in Norcal was this one, owned by Craig Hardy:  a 1970 911T done to perfection as an R Gruppe daily driver.

Craig Porsche 911 RGruppe (5)

“Done to perfection” of course means not perfect. Perfect cars are stress, and this is quite the opposite. Craig came to this car in a roundabout way: chopping and changing through a variety of deals and then being in the right place at the right time with up to date market instincts and his buyer’s hat welded on.

Craig Porsche 911 RGruppe (8)

The good work Craig has done since finding this car has turned it from a garage obstruction to a groovy 911 that gets used everyday. If you want to understand R Gruppe, then this is the car to look at: simple, affordable and driven all the time. If you’re not clocking seat time, you’re just not Gruppin’ it.

The full story is coming to a magazine somewhere soon – I’ll let you know! These are just my iPhone shots: Jamie’s pics are epic.


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Continental Orange Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0

Continental Orange Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0

Just put a quick voiceover on top of a video we shot back in 2007, when wife Sarah and I drove down to Lausanne in Switzerand to pick up my 911 Carrera 3.0 Coupe. It’s nothing special but I think some of you will enjoy it.

Orange Porsche 911 Ferdinand 1

I first spotted the car in this pic on a Pelican Parts thread, and it was love at first sight. At the time, I owned a white 911 SC Cabriolet which I was very happy with, but I knew I would have to own this if it ever came up for sale.

When it did come on the market in October 2006, I struggled with the numbers for a bit and eventually realised I would have to sell the SC to pay for this C3. That Cabriolet was a darling and I struggled with the decision, but five years on, I still feel good about my choice.

Orange 911 Ferdinand Porsche Magazine

The Orange (so named by previous owner GeorgeK) looks standard but is quite different to how it left the factory. Engine is standard and I still have the original side glass, but most everything else is modified. There is really too much to list: we’ll get into it in detail sometime soon.

This 911 is my Cult of Porsche. We’ve got more videos of it to come and 2013 is expected to be a year of work on the car before Le Mans 2014. I’ll be there in this for sure. Keep it here for more on my Continental Orange Carrera and upcoming top end rebuild. If anyone’s got a deal on throttle bodies for this, I’m all ears!

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