First TURBO Racer GONE

[copbait73]

Reviewing Justin's great pictures from his tour of Gunner I discovered what should be an outrage to this group.

Here is a picture of the first 911 based factory TURBO race car, possibly the only F model ('73) RSR car with 2.1L Turbo. This car was a survivor from 1974.



The owner thought it best (and no doubt more valuable investment) to restore it to it's previous RSR configuration.



Go here and see what this car looked like before they destroyed it's survivor and Turbo significance in the "restoration".... sad:

Gunnar Racing, click PROJECTS, then RSR Turbo Conversion

[JFairman]

Actually that #7 car which looks like it's a complete steel shell with fenders and that tail is in the Gunnar body shop at the moment.

I remember pushing it or a different one that looked alot like it around the parking lot 21 years ago.

Those Martini paint scheme's are my favorite.

I don't know the story behind it all, but at some point it was Porsche's first turbo car.

[kenikh]

what an interesting conundrum...sad, IMHO.

[911nut]

We have to ask....if it was such a historic car, why didn't the factory keep it?

[copbait73]

Originally Posted by 911nut

We have to ask....if it was such a historic car, why didn't the factory keep it?

This is what the Gunner site says:

"It was raced by the factory then sold to Vasek Polak, who never ran the car, then it was obtained by the current owner Jeff Hayes."

It has been out of the factory's hands since 1974.

Gunners summary of their work highlights a lot of Porsche Turbo engineering history. How many TURBO guys aren't interested in this shot with far rear mounted CAC?

[hoyabear]

Why would you "restore" such an in-tact, historic car? Its a shame that some people have exponentially more money than brains or taste.

[1100sport]

Humm if the car is what it is said to be, then it is an absolute shame not to have kept it in its 2.1 Turbo configuration - which is the one which will remain the hallmark of its carreer and has a place in history. Even 2.8RSRs are common compared to this absolute rarity. Dam...

[copbait73]

Originally Posted by 1100sport

Humm if the car is what it is said to be, then it is an absolute shame not to have kept it in its 2.1 Turbo configuration - which is the one which will remain the hallmark of its carreer and has a place in history. Even 2.8RSRs are common compared to this absolute rarity. Dam...

My thoughts exactly. I like pre-'73 longhoods but RSRs are not rare.

I was excited when I saw this car. Until then I assumed ALL early TURBO racers were based on the '74 "G" bodies. I find it significant the first cars were 2.8L RSR based, not 3.0L RSR.

[Turboo934]

That what the owner did to that car is like having the arms put back on the Venus Demilo statue. Just because you have money doesn't mean you have taste or smarts.

[Slantnose Steve]

Originally Posted by Turboo934

That what the owner did to that car is like having the arms put back on the Venus Demilo statue. Just because you have money doesn't mean you have taste or smarts.

Right on, Robert!

[Reaper930]

There are only 2 original built cars with the first photo's bodywork, the Factory restored it to perfect condition, the other is owned by the Drendell family and has not and will not be restored and has its original patina as raced and it sits mirrored to 935-001. It seems this car was modded with agressive bodywork after original inception and to me, is not one of the 2 cars that originally had and still have it today.

[Reaper930]

Not to mention being a long hood it was not a true factory 2.1t effort due to the retention of the long hood and incorrect bumper for the "correct" 2.1 look

[copbait73]

Reading the Gunner info. no one claims this to be the first 935. It was an RSR that was modified by the factory to be the first 911 based chassis to race with a Turbo motor. Certainly in late '73 the production body style changed over to the "G" models and all racer bodywork would follow to conform.

If you have additional information on the earliest factory Turbo racer efforts please drop it in here.

[copbait73]

Lots happening in '73. These two cars were factory prototypes GIVEN to Penske and Gregg Teams. They were F body RSR based but with 3.0L motors destined to be famous in the G model RSRs.

Notice the transitional rear bodywork. Uprights mounting a true wing section, large rear fenders, with inset taillights incorporating the "stock" taillights and bumper. Donohue’s assessment of the rear aerodynamics was positive. These concepts morph into those seen on the 2.1Turbo RSR and later 935s.

The Penske car was sold immediately after this one race and is still active in Historics racing.

[juicersr]

In rarefied realm of big $$ owners, a lot of time it simply boils down to $$$. This car was (and is) probably worth more as a 2.8 RSR with a competition history, than as a 2.8 RSR that was converted by the factory into a Turbo RSR, raced once as a DNF, then sold and mothballed by the Polak. No doubt the conversion was done on the advice and blessing of Kevin. The car was probably driven extensively by it's owner for a while (who then probably got to thinking about its original history), and i know that it was driven by Bob Garretson in the making of the movie 'Porsche 935 - Moby and the Workhorse gang' , as well as used in this absolutely fantastic clip of Derek Bell driving it and narrating about what it was like to drive 'the first of the monsters':



The look and sound of this now gone car are absolutely fantastic in this video, and i shake my as well that this car was sacrificed. the good news is that the car is complete (the bodywork is sitting like a suit of armor on a stand in Gunnar racing shop) and can be rebuilt on any shell out there... just not the original 2.8 RSR from which it came.

[copbait73]

Justin -

Love that clip. At 13 seconds you can hear true turbo surge on decel, not a BOV swoosh. Reminds me of Porsches learning days. Modern cars only have some fueled up rumble in the tailpipe on shifting, like a cracked exhaust. Just not the same thing.

[willtel]

I like watching him poking away at third gear at the 1:00 mark. Been there and done that.

[JFairman]

That looks like the old Moroso track in west palm.
Now it's PBIR and much improved in alot of ways. The straight is longer and faster with the left right turns removed at the end.

[TRE Cup]

copbait73 said
"The Penske car was sold immediately after this one race and is still active in Historics racing."

Nope ! that car was destroyed in an accident. It is being resurrected from bits and pieces of the original and other RSR parts by the same outfit that resurrected the nee Gregg> Viceroy car that had also been destroyed in a trailer accident in Mexico.
The Hector Rebaque (Viceroy) car has been in the Monterey Historics for the past two August events. Its a neat comment on early aero work by the factory.

[Ferraripete]

Originally Posted by JFairman

That looks like the old Moroso track in west palm.
Now it's PBIR and much improved in alot of ways. The straight is longer and faster with the left right turns removed at the end.

it is the old track. the high speed esses were the highlight if you were in a fast car...you just had to hang on!!!