by John Glynn | Mar 4, 2015 | Classic Porsche Blog, Modified Porsche Hot Rods
I bumped into Stéphane via the Cult of Porsche Instagram channel. He’s building a cool 1980 Porsche 911 SC backdate down in France, so I got him to send me some pics and explain his love for the badge.
“I’m 33, and live in La Rochelle in Poitou Charentes. I’ve loved Porsche since I saw one for the first time, maybe when I was 6 or 7. My father owned a 1966 911. It was the only “new” car he bought. He drove a lot of cars (Jaguar Mk2, R8 Gordini, Audi Quattro, Mercedes 190SL, Mustang…) but the 911 was his favourite.
“My dad lost his good situation at the end of the 1980s and never had the ability to buy sports cars again. For me, the Porsche 911 was only an unaffordable dream. I worked hard and hoped to have my own Porsche and take a ride with my father. Sadly, he died in 2010.
“I bought my first Porsche 4 years ago: a 2001 Boxster. A while later, I changed it for a 1981 Guards Red 911 SC. I then the red one to do some work on my house. In 2012, I found this 1981 Porsche 911 SC (above) in Perpignan with a 964RS conversion. Turns out it was in mint condition! I was not a huge fan of this colour, but it was a really good base for my project.
“When I bought it, I planned to respray it in black, with 17” Fuchs, but 17s are too heavy for my 204bhp 3-litre engine! So I decided to buy original SC bumpers and started to work on the body. One day, I some photos of the Gérard Larousse 70′ 911 and decided to backdate my SC.
“Inspired by the R Gruppe, Rod Emory, Magnus Walker, I made my own colour. The rest of the spec is like this:
- Front wings, hood, and bumpers are in poly, from Rennspeed
- Wheels: 7 x15 and 9×15 Minilite from Historika
- Tyres: Toyo in 205/50/15 and 225/50 15
- Bilstein Club dampers
- Wevo shifter
- BF Torino Nürburgring seats
- Schroth 3-point harnesses
- Nardi steering wheel
- RS style door cards (homemade)
- Aluminium grille on the rear (homemade, inspired by Kremer)
- Dual chamber stainless steel exhaust (no brand, probably homemade)
- Powerflex Black Series Bushes
- Goodridge brake hoses
- EBC Red brake pads
“I think the next stage will be adding a roll cage in a few months. I’d love a PMO conversion with 964 camshafts. Until then, I’ll drive, drive, drive and enjoy my new toy, hoping my father can ear my flat six.”
An excellent project and no doubt dad would love it: well done mate. Follow Stéphane on Instagram here.
by John Glynn | Mar 3, 2015 | New Models, Porsche News
Transcript of Porsche CEO, Matthias Müller’s address at the launch of the Cayman GT4 and Porsche 991 GT3 RS in Geneva this morning. Interesting that the Glorious Leader’s first Porsche company car was a 997 GT3.
Matthias Müller Porsche 991 GT3 RS launch speech
“Ladies and gentlemen, Porsche builds sports cars. This also applies in an age when the best-selling Porsche today has four doors.
“The great success we have had by transferring sports car genes to our SUVs helps us to expand our lineup of extremely sporty cars. “Fit for the track, and fit for the road,” works in technical terms for each and every Porsche model and in economic terms for the entire Porsche fleet.
“Why is that the case? Well, striving for victory at the absolute limit on the race track was very often a source of information for extreme Porsche sports cars: for Porsche dream cars.
“For instance, the 911 Carrera RS 2.7 from 1972, which today is a coveted collectors’ item, or all past generations of the 911 GT3. I can speak from experience here, because the 997 GT3 was not [just] for a long time one of my dream cars, it was also my first company car when I joined Porsche.
“These two extreme sports cars that I am presenting [to] you here today – the Cayman GT4 and the 911 GT3 RS – follow this tradition and are continuing it with vigour and power. Both of them have set record times on the North Loop of the Nürburgring when they came into production and this says more than anything I can say for our GT customers. Most of our customers regularly drive their cars in races and they know what I am talking about.
“The 911 GT3 RS has a time of 7 minutes 20 seconds which beats many much stronger and more expensive sports cars. It’s 400 horsepower* have their maximum effect on the racetrack and nevertheless in everyday driving they are very comfortable. It is the top 911 that is still allowed to bear a licence plate for on-road driving.
“Ladies and gentlemen, ten years after the launch of the Cayman as a puristic mid-engine sports car, we have the GT4, which is introducing the crown glory of this model series. Its North Loop time of 7 minutes and 40 seconds is also unequalled in its segment.
“A pure racetrack version will follow during the course of the year: 385 horsepower and it’s irrepressibly fun to drive. The Cayman GT4 represents the lowest cost entry into Porsche’s GT world.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it is not a coincidence that we are presenting the Cayman GT4 and the 911 GT3 RS here at the Geneva Motor Show. Switzerland and Porsche: that is a uniquely close connection. 8 million inhabitants: 39,000 Porsche sports cars registered. More Porsche per capita cannot be found in any market in the entire world.
“The Swiss when they select their models often like to go right to the top: more than 40% of all 911s here are Turbos or GT3s. In 2014, when we introduced the Macan, people in Switzerland also decided to opt mostly for the Turbo. Our continuing success here is represented by the sales figures last year, which speak volumes: they were up by more than 29%.
“So, the fact that the new Cayman GT4 and the 911 GT3 RS are being launched in Geneva is, among other things, a homage to our loyal Swiss customers. I am certain that they will provide a very good reception to these new extreme sports cars because dream cars are always in demand. Thank you very much for your attention.”
*as read by the translator. The new Porsche 991 GT3 RS in fact has 500 bhp.
by John Glynn | Feb 25, 2015 | New Models, Porsche News
Porsche will launch the all new Porsche Cayman GT4 and another currently unidentified sportscar at next week’s Geneva Show. This second car will (of course) be the eagerly anticipated Porsche 991 GT3 RS.
Porsche Cayman GT4 lead times for delivery
For all the buzz around Cayman GT4, I see very few people mentioning the delivery times. UK buyers dropping money on the counter now won’t see their cars much before the end of 2016 according to feedback from buyers – someone tell me if that is right! You’d think the cars would be in circulation well ahead of that time.
Porsche 991 GT2 development
Stuttgart’s press release claims a lap time of seven minutes and 40 seconds on the North Loop of the Nürburgring for the Cayman GT4, but “leaked documents” regarding the 991 GT3 RS claim a 7 minute 20 second lap time: just two seconds off the fastest-ever Porsche road car at the circuit – the 997 GT2 RS.
Thanks to hints from component suppliers, we know there is a 991 GT2 in development, although whether it will make it to production or not is a different matter (I think has to happen). So we can count on that GT2 laptime being smashed sometime in the future – maybe even by the new 991 GT3 RS in the right temperatures on the right tyres. That would be pretty amazing.
Porsche 991 GT3 RS launch live webstream
The world premiere will take place during the Porsche press conference in Geneva at 11:30 (CET) next Tuesday morning: March 3, 2015. A live webcast of the Porsche Cayman GT4 and 991 GT3 RS launch will be streamed from the event.
by John Glynn | Feb 23, 2015 | Classic Porsche Blog, Market & Prices
The Silverstone Auctions sale at RaceRetro 2015 brought mixed results for classic Porsche 911s. A number of promising Porsche entries were withdrawn pre-sale – a nice 2.7 911 and early 911T amongst them – but a pair of cars caught my eye from either end of the classic price spectrum.
Porsche 930/911 Turbo Targa at auction
This right-hand drive 5-speed Porsche 911 Turbo Targa is a rare car that sold well inside predictions, suggesting the body might have hidden a few more secrets than the auction description suggested. Not sure how likely that is as the pics make it seem pretty reasonable: maybe it was just the Marmite widebody Targa effect.
The very last year (1989) of Porsche 930 with a Targa roof is a very rare car, but the £35,438 this car sold for would just about buy a very nice 3.2 Carrera Targa nowadays. With the clutch replaced in the last 5k miles and a service 2k miles ago, if this a solid 930 with no major oil leaks, someone did well for themselves.
1965 Porsche 911 SWB prices
Elsewhere in 911-land, this apparently very nice LHD 1965 SWB Porsche 911 2.0 blew its £100-120k estimate well out of the water, selling at £133,875. Owned by a Norwegian since 1998, the description for the left-hand drive European example made no real mention of history prior to the current owner, save some details on a rebuild for the matching numbers engine some twenty years ago.
Four owners have kept this SWB looking straight and apparently honest. With the general condition described as “usable with a fair patina”, the decision to send the car to auction paid off. Matching numbers 1965 911s are highly sought-after now, and to exceed the estimate by over 10% shows just how fevered the market can get for early SWB cars. I can’t help feeling that these cars have not reached their peak: I’d rather buy SWB than RS at current prices and I can’t be alone on that.
Porsche 911 Auction Prices UK
I see from the Silverstone Auctions site that a bespoke “Porsche Sale” is planned for October. I have decided to sell my non-sunroof LHD Series 1 Porsche 924 Turbo this year, and it could take me that long to find enough time to put the trim back on the newly-painted bodywork. Might be an interesting story to put the car through auction and see how it does.
by John Glynn | Feb 23, 2015 | Classic Porsche Blog, Race and Rally
The Le Mans Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) has announced the Classic Le Mans 2016 dates. The eighth edition of Le Mans Classique will be held on 8, 9 and 10 July 2016.
In July 2014, more than 110,000 spectators made their way to la Sarthe, admiring almost 500 race cars on the track and 8,000 vintage cars in a general enclosure accommodating 180 clubs representing 80 marques.
Having attended four CLMs in a row from 2006, I skipped the last one but will be back for 2016. The organisers promise more special features for the next Le Mans Classic, so I hope they don’t muck up the essential charm of the format, which is open access to the paddocks and lots of night-time qualifying.
Anyone coming in from overseas is guaranteed to enjoy the Classic Le Mans. Many competitors running lower down the order keep the speed in check, but the guys at the front run a bona fide race. The eras are split into tranches, which allows fans to plan their viewing and be in certain places for particular groups of cars.
I like watching all of them race, but following 917s, GT40s and 935s from various sections of the circuit over the course of the weekend is cool. I recommend a grandstand seat for night practice and qualifying, and then get out in the country to experience proper speed on the Mulsanne.
It’s easy to drive out to Arnage or Maison Blanc, soak up the energy of the cars as they hammer around the circuit and contemplate the level of endurance these cars were built with back in the day, and how hard the drivers had to push to win at Le Mans.
Not much has changed – Le Mans is still Le Mans – but teams are now huge: massive operations with a lot of data collected that can help show how the car is performing. Back in the golden age, it was quite a different story: you just had to drive the crap out of it and hope things stayed together.
More info on the Classic Le Mans website. Hope to see some of you there!
