"Blue & Orange" - Gulf Racing

cegerer · cegerer's Garage

A new book due out soon by Michael Cotton. The definitive history of Gulf Racing, including - of course - the John Wyer 917's and McQueen's 'LeMans'.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/9/prweb157818.htm

kach22i · kach22i's Garage

Wonder if this made it in.

KobaltBlau · 10-20-2004, 06:36 PM

Wow, that looks like an intake snorkel system! who knew you could do that on a 911?

Halm · 10-20-2004, 07:09 PM

Thanks for the "heads up" on the book. One of my favorite Blue and Orange from Rennsport II:

Chuck Moreland · 10-20-2004, 07:20 PM

Did someone say "Blue and Orange"?

UK Carrera · 10-21-2004, 12:01 AM

Hopefully pick up my copy today - either at the signing in my local book shop or the Classic Cars show at the NEC this weekend.

Really looking for a copy signed by Derek Bell!

My wife worked for Gulf Oil and I've alsways had a soft spot for that blue & orange livery!

kach22i · kach22i's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by KobaltBlau
Wow, that looks like an intake snorkel system! who knew you could do that on a 911?

It's to keep sand out, not water....the Sahara desert version.

One more book.............................don't need it, but I want it.

Wil Ferch · 10-21-2004, 05:08 AM

Can anyone direct me to what the status is of the Gulf Research Center in Pittsburgh, Pa ?

Once Gulf went through bankrupcy / re-organization and now is headquartered somewhere in the Middle East, I've lost touch with this factoid.

Believe it or not, this book by Cotton is something I myself wanted to do and I was going to use anecdotal interviews with people who worked in Pittsburgh for details. It was common knowledge that Gulf head honcho Grady Davis was a real car guy ( actually had a GT40 for the street), and the Gulf Center was the defacto "race shop" for the Wyer team between the season opener at Daytona and the quickly-approaching Sebring event. There have been numerous ( but fragmented) stories of how the 917's were rebuilt and prepped at the Center.

The best story was that they were dyno-ing the 917 in a small 11' x 11' dyno room there....and the voracious appetite for air of this engine wanted to collapse the room....so they had to build special air-ducts to help equalize the imploding pressures !!!!!!

Man....too little / too late...the story of my life.......

---Wil

thrown_hammer · 10-21-2004, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chuck Moreland
Did someone say "Blue and Orange"?

Why yes Chuck I beleive they did......

Elombard · 10-21-2004, 05:26 AM

I am in!

david c. · 10-21-2004, 06:44 AM

Over the years I have heard stories about the Gulf 917's around Pittsburgh, from various people. One of my favorites was from my mechanic who walked out of class one day as a Pitt student (and Porsche nut) and saw two 917's in the Quad as part of some Gulf display. I don't know if it was for a job fair or to court Pitt engineering students or what but they were sitting on campus. Usually I would have been distracted by the coeds but not on that day.