by John Glynn | Feb 18, 2014 | Art and Books, Classic Porsche Blog
The thrill of working with Ricoh UK to print our first Cult of Porsche book keeps growing. This week is my first design meet with the creative team, so Jamie and I have been chopping and changing the list of cars to feature in our three-book series.
We have lots of content to draw upon. As well as shooting brand new material only available in this series, there is some epic work dating back across our seven-year association. Do we try to pick our favourites for book one, or do we go with famous names, fancy locations, biggest build budgets?
None of the above. Our work is not about money, stance or scene. It follows an atomic string of Porsche through standard cars and hot rods, race cars and projects. It is the ghost that rides in the passenger seat, occasionally inhabiting the driver.
With light and shade at the heart of our material, it takes a special kind of photography to really tell the story. Jamie’s multi-layered images pull every ounce of drama from the subject. The energy Mr Lipman brings to our partnership is indescribably excellent.
Reviewing the work we’ve done to date for our first book together, I can’t imagine that many people get to experience chemistry this explosive. Working with James is the most exciting thing I have ever done. It’s not a job: it’s a match made in heaven. And so are these cars and their owners.
by John Glynn | Feb 13, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Project Cars
Those famous Nürburgring Porsche racing heroes have unveiled a Manthey Porsche 997 GT3 4.4-litre upgrade engine conversion for GT3 models.
With increases of up to 80Nm and 95hp available versus stock-engined Porsche 997 GT3s, Manthey’s 530 engine kit includes a redesigned crankshaft. It’s the most powerful engine upgrade package offered by the Nürburgring 24-hour winners.
Olaf Manthey Porsche 997 GT3 Engine Conversion
“Serious engine construction involves craftsmanship far in advance of simple engine map reprogramming,” explains Olaf Manthey. “It is important for a 24-Hour winner to say that engine design and development is done in-house, with no external knowhow. Using Manthey designed and race proven parts is the only way I can hold my head up high, saying “our team did that.” Those driving with one of our engines in the back of their GT3 know that Manthey power is a very special feeling.”
Manthey offers smaller upgrades, adding up to 35hp to early GT3s. The full range of Manthey products can be seen on the Porsche Racing website.
by John Glynn | Feb 11, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Porsche News
There’s a month left to see the Porsche 911 50th Anniversary exhibition at the Hamburg Prototyp Museum.
Until March 16th, the museum will be sharing cars from the Stuttgart Porsche Museum and private collectors, to showcase the 911’s varied history. In keeping with Hamburg’s raison d’etre, most 911s on show are prototype machines. The pics here are courtesy of the museum.
Exhibits include the 1959 Porsche 754 T7 prototype, 1965 Porsche 911 Targa prototype, a 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR, 1986 Porsche Paris-Dakar 959 and a 1998 Porsche 911 GT1.
I’ve been meaning to visit the Prototyp Museum for years. The museum is famously home to much of ‘one-armed’ racer Otto Mathe’s collection of Porsche racing cars and assorted paraphernalia, including the adorable Porsche/Volkswagen mongrel “Fletzenflieger” racer (scrap racer).
Legend has it that, when Otto arrived at the gates of Stuttgart to donate his unique Type 64 Berlin-Rome Porsche racer – sole surviving first true Porsche from a handbuilt run of three cars – back to the factory museum, a security guard told him to “move his old wreck” from in front of the gates. So it ended up at Hamburg.
Would be a very bad day at work for someone if that was true. In fact, Otto (mostly) owned the car from 1949 until he died in 1995. The plot has a few twists, but Otto’s wonderful T64 (below, centre) is now owned by another private collector and often shown at Hamburg, alongside the museum’s own recreation.
Hamburg’s replica consists largely of mechanical parts from one of the two other T64s manufactured under the direction of Ferry and Ferdinand Porsche. The parts were found buried amongst Otto’s spares collection, which was bought by the Prototyp Museum after his death. The Prototyp Museum painstakingly replicated the aluminium bodywork over a wooden buck formed by laser scanning the original.
The aluminium body now sitting in the Porsche museum is another beautiful T64 replica. I seem to remember the shell being presented as original when we visited, but no doubt I was caught up in the moment. The drama of that shape is unbeatable.
by John Glynn | Feb 10, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Modified Porsche Hot Rods, Project Cars
Jan sent me some pics of the Turbo Look Porsche 911 Carrera he’s building as an RSR-style hot rod out in Hamburg. We’ve been chatting about using a Twinspark WEVO Porsche shifter to sharpen up the gearshift of his 911, and interesting ideas to tidy the inside.
This is my favourite kind of project: a constantly evolving development. Just as every 911 owner is always changing and picking up new inspirations, so those inspirations must find their way onto classic Porsche canvas.
It’s as yet decided what route Jan will take on gearshift. So far he’s got SSI heat exchangers and a two-out muffler, an upgraded chip, 9-and 10-inch Fuchs, Bilsteins and new bumpers. There might be a paint to do, or not. Looks cool as it is, though the sharkfins have to go.
Hamburg is a very cool place to build cars. Going out there soon to see the Prototype Museum. More news on that coming up.
Got a 911 hot rod build in progress? Send your pics to me as they are always up my street. Ferdinand is the home of hot rod Porsches. Email mail@ferdinandmagazine.com.
by John Glynn | Feb 8, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Project Cars, Race and Rally
Just had these pics through from our mate and Japanese Historic racing champion, Tetsu Ikuzawa, of his immaculate short wheelbase 911 fitted with lightweight Porsche doors made by Yorkshire’s EB Motorsport.
Now the Japanese distributor for EB 911 parts, Ikuzawa’s car also runs a bonnet, deck lid, bumpers, polycarbonate headlight lenses, side and rear windows and lightweight engine tins from the EB classic Porsche 911 parts catalogue.
Lightweight fibreglass or ‘glass fibre’ panels on Porsche once conjured up images of ill-fitting parts that failed to inspire. EB literally broke the mould on junk fibreglass: all the EB panels I’ve seen have been of superb quality. EB Equipment has been making composite parts for the agricultural and food production industries for more than fifty years, so those boys know their stuff. And they are great fun to hang out with.
Ikuzawa’s car must be super-light now: I’ve asked him to weigh it for us. Here’s some video of Tetsu in action in a Porsche 906. Stick with it, as the early close-crop madness gets better.
Tetsu Ikuzawa drives Porsche 906 (video)
