![Impact Bumper 1977 Porsche 911 2.7-litre S Trending]()
by John Glynn | Jun 12, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Modified Porsche Hot Rods
In February 2006, I started a website called Impact Bumpers. Based on a suggestion by my mate, Tripe, it was a forum for Porsche guys into aluminium ‘impact bumper’ 911s from 1974 to 1989: what we quickly christened the ‘IB’ 911.
Back then, the cars were unloved by Porsche clubs and there was no place outside Pelican for owners to congregate. My aim was to get twenty guys together who liked working on their own cars and would do a few events every now and then (I had a secondary agenda of lifting regard for the 911 SC, but that’s another story). Eight years later, impactbumpers.com is still going strong, with thousands of Porsche fans online every month.
Just as the SC was looked down on back then, so the 911S also suffered. Built pre-SC with narrow rear quarter panels, the S has a lowly 2.7 litre engine, strangled by K-Jet and emissions exhaust, normally making just 165 bhp. Without the SC’s RS-style arches, it was neither fish nor foul – no pretty early bumpers and no chunky IB rear. On the cusp of full galvanising, many 911S bodyshells rotted away and were not worth repairing. No doubt the narrow body had style: but its moment to shine would just have to wait.
That moment has arrived in 2014. As a mark of its rising regard, two R Gruppe friends have each bought impact bumper 911S models in the last seven days and both plan to keep the appearance as-is. They’re not the first narrow IBs in an R Gruppe garage, but it goes to show what people are up to.
1977 Porsche 911 S
The car seen here is Joey’s in Northern California. “I just got this rather pedestrian narrow body US version 911S coupe,” says Joe, “not normally on my radar but what got me off the fence was the color combo of Minerva Blue with Cork interior. Also it’s a full delete package from the factory: sans sunroof and power windows, with driver side-only manual mirror.”
I love that Joe thinks poverty spec was an option (!), but what a cool 911. My first 911 (SC) was almost going to be the same colour combination, as it really pings in the metal. Joey is looking at mods that will keep it low-key: a bit of a sleeper. 3-litre power is likely, with SSIs adding a bit more grunt.
Personally I would fit modern air con, take weight off stealth-style with aluminium panels, lightweight bumpers and run it as-is, but it’s not my project to build: I’ve got my own narrow-body Porsche 912E project waiting for that. But this 911S looks a beauty! I’m looking forward to having a drive myself sometime soon.
Got a new/old 911 you want to share? Send us some pics: mail@ferdinandmagazine.com. We’ll feature the best ones.
by John Glynn | May 26, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Project Cars
I recently encountered this very tidy Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera Turbo Look. The car was brought in to a Porsche specialist to inspect a noisy wheel bearing, but the issue has turned out to be slightly more serious.
The giveaway was a problem pushing the car more than a few feet before it would lock up and go no further. Pushing it back a little and then forward, it would roll on another bit before locking again. The prime suspect is the diff, which could be in trouble. Unusual for a 3.2 Carrera you might think.
Pull the engine cover release, lift the tea tray fitted to these Turbo Look Carreras and one possible explanation for the diff woes is uncovered: a whacking great supercharger bolted to the crankcase. We likey very much.
This blower is an Eaton, also used on some Jaguars. The supercharger is the same one being used on a supercharged hillclimb Porsche Cayman with sequential transmission – more on that later – but the install is quite different. I think I may know where it was done: currently gathering some more information.
Paxton Supercharger on Porsche 911
When I first got into Porsche, one of the very first 911 guys I met was John, who owned a very smart 3.2 Carrera in one of the dark blue metallics. John lived in London and owned a supercharged 3.2 Carrera Coupe, using a Paxton blower.
I vividly remember one run up the M1 to Donington Park for a private museum tour. I was on the inside lane, he was in the middle. Sitting at 85/90 mph with the roof and windows down on my SC Cabriolet, John was on and off the throttle, giving me the full supercharger/eardrums experience: pretty exciting.
Horsepower from Supercharged Porsche 911
Pelicanites who have supercharged their 3.2s with Whipple, Paxton or Auto-Rotor blowers claim to be seeing up to 425bhp at the flywheel from the add-on. 400 horsepower in a standard Carrera would be a bit of a handful. At least the Turbo Look 911s get the proper 930 brakes and suspension, plus the chunky tea tray tail to hide this install and control the rear lift at speed.
More common power from a supercharged 3.2-litre 911 (US spec motor) is 340-360bhp, with instant torque and plenty of attention from the boys in blue if you don’t watch the right foot. Owners report the main consequence from the added power as drastically shorter transmission life.
I’m excited to see this car in a bit more detail, and what the transmission looks like when dissected.
by John Glynn | May 3, 2014 | New Models, Porsche News
A pressure group formed by UK 911 GT3 owners has won compensation from Stuttgart in the Porsche 991 GT3 fire scare, reports the Daily Telegraph.
Denied the use of their all-new Porsche sports cars following the failures which led to fires on 991 GT3 models, group leader Sunil Mehra says owners who received their cars will get a £5,500 lump sum from Porsche, with a further £1,500 payable per month until the cars are returned to working use.
Buyers who ordered cars that have arrived in the UK but not yet been delivered will be refunded £4,000, as well as being paid £1,500 a month while their cars are off the road. Ferdinand Magazine has already been in contact with owners who have returned their GT3s to Porsche for a full refund.
Inconsistent Compensation
“I wish it had happened sooner,” Mehra told the Telegraph, while sharing tales of inconsistent treatment for owners whose cars have not yet left Germany. “I’ve heard from two members of the same family, one with a car here and the other with a car in Germany, and only one of them is getting compensated. It’s grossly unfair.”
The Telegraph claims that owners in other countries are receiving more money than those in the UK. The paper has been shown emails from Dubai Porsche 991 GT3 buyers receiving £12,000 back in compensation payments.
About Porsche 911 991 GT3 Fire Scare
Porsche is replacing all engines on the brand-new 911 GT3 model. In February, two cases of engine fires destroying 911 GT3 cars led to a full investigation by the Stuttgart manufacturer, which eventually decided that con rod connectors were to blame. The suggestion is that con rod bolts fail, leading to engine internals breaking through the crank case and spraying hot oil onto the exhaust. This then sets fire to the rear of the car and quickly spreads to the whole 911 bursting into flames.
![Impact Bumper 1977 Porsche 911 2.7-litre S Trending]()
by John Glynn | May 1, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Modified Porsche Hot Rods, Project Cars, Race and Rally
Our fourth post from EB Motorsport this week features these brand new Porsche 911R rear quarter panels, tooled up and ready for delivery from the Doncaster-based historic Porsche superstars.
A direct replacement for original steel panels, the lightweight rear wings bond to your steel shell. It goes without saying just how much weight these lighter composite panels save over solid sheet steel, plus of course you can save the steel rear quarters you take off and refit if the fancy takes you in the future.
Anyone fitting these panels will be aiming at an authentic recreation of the super-lightweight SWB Porsche 911R race car, and already have a full multi-point FIA or similar level roll cage fitted.
Full Range of Porsche 911R Conversion Parts
The 911R rear quarter panels are part of a complete range of 911 R replica conversion parts now offered by EB Motorsport: everything from lightweight Porsche 911R front wings with built-in sidelights and indicators, to deep 6 and 7R Fuchs wheels and all parts in between.
The boys have just taken delivery of another ’68 911 shell and are going for the ultimate lightweight 911R build. I am totally into this plan! Will share build pics along the way.
by John Glynn | Apr 30, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Project Cars
The third post in our week of catching up with Yorkshire’s EB Motorsport shares news of these trick Almeras bumper and arch body kits for Porsche 911. Note this picture shows the kit without bumper accordions installed: they would be fitted afterwards.
Almeras Porsche 911 Bumpers: New Deeper Front Spoiler
Formed to fit impact-bumper 911s with standard front wings and SC rear arches, the boys have recently tooled up to manufacture slightly modified front arches and this this deep front spoiler version.
Seen here on the 1975 911S mule used by the manufacturing team to ensure a great fit, the additional depth is obvious. Period pictures from the late ’70s and early ’80s show exactly the same version on Almeras cars of the period.
I know the shallower version looks and works great on rally cars, but the deeper kit was run more in period, as the cars were mainly run on Tarmac events. “What’s the rationale behind producing this deeper version?” I asked Mark. “It looks awesome!” was the answer. Good answer.
Here’s a link to the full range of EB Motorsport Almeras Porsche and 911 SC RS parts.
About Almeras Porsche
Started in 1975 by brothers Jacques and Jean-Marie Almeras, the Almeras Frères soon made a name for themselves on the European rally scene. With two notable wins in wide-arched Porsche 911s on both the 1978 Monte Carlo and 1980 Tour de Corse rallies, the firm became synonymous with a bespoke style of lightweight bodywork, designed to cover wide cut-slick tyres on Tarmac rallies.
Other Almeras wins included the 1978 French and European Rally Championships with Michèle Mouton in a 911 Carrera RS, and the 1980 Spanish and European Rally Championships with Antonio Zanini. I’ve always loved the look of these bodykits and have quite a few Almeras models on the shelves in my office.
