The phone rang, it was my old friend Carlos de Quesada. “I’ve just bought a 935 to restore,” he told me. “Great,” I replied, “which one?” “#009 0004,” announced Carlos. Chassis #009 0004? I had been researching and writing about 935s for twenty years, often in close touch with the factory archivist, but I had never heard this number before. “Where did you find it?” I asked. … [Read more...]
Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe: The autobiography of CSX2300
Most motorsport enthusiasts are agreed on the fact that the 1960s was one of the most innovative and exciting decades of the twentieth century in motor racing. In fact, there was such diversity and innovation amongst the top race car manufacturers during this time, that the sport of motor racing grew in popularity around the globe at a phenomenal rate. This period saw the … [Read more...]
Porsche 356 B Carrera GS/GT ‘Dreikantschaber’
The Porsche 356 B Carrera GS/GT ‘Dreikantschaber’ is one of the lesser-known racers to come from the Stuttgart company’s Racing Department. This may be due to the fact that there were only two of them made, or it might have to do with the fact that this was only intended as an interim model. Unlike the Porsche 550 family of racers which preceded it, or the spread of ‘plastic … [Read more...]
2020 Roar Before the Rolex 24
The Roar at Daytona was completed on Sunday 6 January. This has become a standard three-day test put on by IMSA for the Daytona 24 hours, always in the first week of January. It is mandatory for all entrants (of the 24 hour) to attend as IMSA uses it to monitor performance for potential BOP changes. The teams get to test new tyres, new cars and other new components prior to the … [Read more...]
The Porsche Transaxle Family
It is a fact that most of us with an interest in roadgoing or race cars, will have a favourite model that holds a special place in our memory for some reason. That reason might be something significant that happened in your life where a certain car left an indelible mark in your memory, or might just be slow warming to a certain model that has built up over the years. In the … [Read more...]
Finding the ‘Ratt’
When I’m not helping to sell the occasional old race car, or visiting old race car meetings, I’ve usually got my head down, researching various projects for clients, usually to do with Porsches, although Lola T70s and such like often pass my way too. Probably the most interesting project that I’ve had in a long while recently came my way. It concerns a Porsche Carrera RSR, … [Read more...]
Sports Car Racing in Camera 1960-69
There will be few who would argue that the decade of the 1960s was one of the most innovative and exciting periods in modern motor racing. It was a time that was both brutal and evocative at the same time, as the top sports car manufacturers wheeled out their finest designs and most powerful creations with regular monotony. In fact, you could argue that we were spoilt for … [Read more...]
Brian Redman – Daring Drivers, Deadly Tracks
Brian Redman is about as down-to-earth as they come, which for a top-flite racing driver, is not an attribute common to all who ply their trade in this field. I have had the pleasure of interviewing Brian on twelve occasions in the last decade, and he has never been anything other than willing, cooperative and a true gentleman. In one of our early conversations, Brian … [Read more...]
961 – Porsche’s forgotten jewel
The Porsche 961 was a special racing car. Based on the roadgoing technical showcase, the Porsche 959, the Type 961 showed that it had the stamina to go the distance in endurance racing on both sides of the Atlantic. Sadly though, its competition life was restricted to just twelve months, and as such, it is often regarded as Porsche’s forgotten jewel. Even though the Type 961 … [Read more...]
Powered by Porsche – The Alternative Race Cars
With a company like Porsche developing powerful and efficient race engines, it was inevitable that other body and chassis builders would plant a Porsche engine into one of their own creations. With so many builders doing this, it was therefore inevitable too, that an author would sooner or later pick up on this and produce a book about this side of Porsche’s history. With … [Read more...]