"Found" Al Holberts 951 Factory race car /AG's test mule
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Right ON, Sean! I love hearing stories like that. Gives me hope that I, too may be struck with the dumbest of luck. Were you aware of the car's history when you began the initial tire-kicking? C'mon, man. We want details! Righteous, man. Badass look with the Rothman's livery!
Mark, YOUR car ROCKS! I don't care what ANYONE sez. I'd sing praises of my coolness and make DAILY posts just to remind myself that I OWN a friggin 928 racecar! What sort of power does it crank out with the headers? And, of course, do you still track it?
Mark, YOUR car ROCKS! I don't care what ANYONE sez. I'd sing praises of my coolness and make DAILY posts just to remind myself that I OWN a friggin 928 racecar! What sort of power does it crank out with the headers? And, of course, do you still track it?
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Ref: taylorsea4 ; You asked for details.. Heres some.
The guy just answered my questions on the phone about the parts car....when I asked about the wheels he said 8" and9" Fuchs.
Confused and thinking eather he wasn't a Porsche guy and didn't know what he was talking about and was just mistaken ,(as I knew 944 turbos came with 7" and 8"alloys)Or someone had added some very expensive wheels to the car. I said I didn't think they came with wheels that wide?
His reply.....Oh it used to be a race car driven by Al Holbert.
Yea Right.....I thought. But I can tell you I made record time by the bank teller machine and to his house.
He Did show me a photo of the car in a red white and blue paint scheme when he used to auto cross it, and gave me the bill of sale from local Porsche dealer stating " Sold with all faults- all previouse use was as a race car".
So I had a small part of the puzzle but no real history or proof.
It was the next couple of months making phone calls and tracking down
the key people , Ken williams who last drove the car at Mid Ohio in 87
he provided photos and confirmed the story. He had been a past scca champion for porsche inS.S. in a 924 so he approched Leroy Cannon Porsche here in Greenville and asked them to buy the car ferom Holbert/ P.M.N.A. and he would drive it for them. They bought it.
Also the big key was Tom Seabolt P.M.N.A. team manger ( worked under Al Holberts direction)who dug out several documents on my cay and cofirmed my serial number as the Factory Test/ Development car and later shipped in and campained by P.M.N.A. with Al Holbert at the wheel.
I also have a P.M.N.A. document from 86 explaining the Rothmans paint scheme design, demisions and color codes to go on the car.
This will be very helpfull in the future repaint.
Also found an article that mentions the car at Mosport in 86 and mentions # 14... Al holberts number.
The guy just answered my questions on the phone about the parts car....when I asked about the wheels he said 8" and9" Fuchs.
Confused and thinking eather he wasn't a Porsche guy and didn't know what he was talking about and was just mistaken ,(as I knew 944 turbos came with 7" and 8"alloys)Or someone had added some very expensive wheels to the car. I said I didn't think they came with wheels that wide?
His reply.....Oh it used to be a race car driven by Al Holbert.
Yea Right.....I thought. But I can tell you I made record time by the bank teller machine and to his house.
He Did show me a photo of the car in a red white and blue paint scheme when he used to auto cross it, and gave me the bill of sale from local Porsche dealer stating " Sold with all faults- all previouse use was as a race car".
So I had a small part of the puzzle but no real history or proof.
It was the next couple of months making phone calls and tracking down
the key people , Ken williams who last drove the car at Mid Ohio in 87
he provided photos and confirmed the story. He had been a past scca champion for porsche inS.S. in a 924 so he approched Leroy Cannon Porsche here in Greenville and asked them to buy the car ferom Holbert/ P.M.N.A. and he would drive it for them. They bought it.
Also the big key was Tom Seabolt P.M.N.A. team manger ( worked under Al Holberts direction)who dug out several documents on my cay and cofirmed my serial number as the Factory Test/ Development car and later shipped in and campained by P.M.N.A. with Al Holbert at the wheel.
I also have a P.M.N.A. document from 86 explaining the Rothmans paint scheme design, demisions and color codes to go on the car.
This will be very helpfull in the future repaint.
Also found an article that mentions the car at Mosport in 86 and mentions # 14... Al holberts number.
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Porschehead:
The story about your car and how you found it belongs in Excellence. A former factory racecar, driven by a famous Porsche racer, found under a tarp in South Carolina with the engine in a garage and trans in a shed. You have got to right this up and send it to them.
The story about your car and how you found it belongs in Excellence. A former factory racecar, driven by a famous Porsche racer, found under a tarp in South Carolina with the engine in a garage and trans in a shed. You have got to right this up and send it to them.
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I'm hoping to get the photos of the car running at Mosport with #14 / Rothmans livery . As it was a 24 hour race the three drivers for my car were Al Holbert, Bill Adam and Dave Deacon, Deacon was general manager for Porsche Canada.
While I allready have a file about 1/2" thick with associated documents
it may be a while before I have compiled all the details back to its test car days and its ready to write a full blown article on it.
If any of you have any connection with writers or editors of Porsche books or european car type magazines . let them know about the car, I would like to talk to them about one day getting it published.
A Friend of mine Vasek Polak Jr. ( He and I were involved in the transaction of a bmw M-1 ( See me and m1 on next post down)a few years back- My friend was selling , his friend was buying) He is Team Coordinator for Audi in the American Lemans series and invites me to the pits at Road Atlanta each year. He is checking with the Porsche factory to see if he can dig up anything further.
Thanks , Sean
While I allready have a file about 1/2" thick with associated documents
it may be a while before I have compiled all the details back to its test car days and its ready to write a full blown article on it.
If any of you have any connection with writers or editors of Porsche books or european car type magazines . let them know about the car, I would like to talk to them about one day getting it published.
A Friend of mine Vasek Polak Jr. ( He and I were involved in the transaction of a bmw M-1 ( See me and m1 on next post down)a few years back- My friend was selling , his friend was buying) He is Team Coordinator for Audi in the American Lemans series and invites me to the pits at Road Atlanta each year. He is checking with the Porsche factory to see if he can dig up anything further.
Thanks , Sean
Last edited by porschehead; 01-19-2004 at 09:43 AM.
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Sold my friends M-1 to Vasek Poklak's friend.
I had to keep it and drive it for 6 months......
........Hey I had to help a friend ... .
...someone had to do it.
I put about 500 miles onn it.
Sean
I had to keep it and drive it for 6 months......
........Hey I had to help a friend ... .
...someone had to do it.
I put about 500 miles onn it.
Sean
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Looking back now I guess I've had incredable luck stumbling on to European automotive stuff, I found Ferry Porsche's custom built
Executive chair back around 1985 , fully documented- see articles in Auto Week, Robb report, European car 1990, 1991, Thats a whole nother story-
will try ta attach a photo .
I found the M-1 in a friends warehouse.
he sold a BMW dealership, I thougt the car went with the deal as I didnt see it on the showroom any more. Then a few months later I find it dusty in one of his warehouses.
I asked what he was going to do with it, he said do you want to buy it.
I said no but Ill sell it for you, he knew I was in to Euro stuff while he
ownes several Ford dealerships and is more of a Mustang Guy.
He Said, and this is a memorable quote " I hear its a nice car"
He had never sat in the car, Just left over booty from a business deal.
Then I stumble on this factory test/race car.
I never had really thought about it but I have been very fortunant
to be a guy with a big passion for Euro cars but with a beer budget.
Thanks, Sean
Executive chair back around 1985 , fully documented- see articles in Auto Week, Robb report, European car 1990, 1991, Thats a whole nother story-
will try ta attach a photo .
I found the M-1 in a friends warehouse.
he sold a BMW dealership, I thougt the car went with the deal as I didnt see it on the showroom any more. Then a few months later I find it dusty in one of his warehouses.
I asked what he was going to do with it, he said do you want to buy it.
I said no but Ill sell it for you, he knew I was in to Euro stuff while he
ownes several Ford dealerships and is more of a Mustang Guy.
He Said, and this is a memorable quote " I hear its a nice car"
He had never sat in the car, Just left over booty from a business deal.
Then I stumble on this factory test/race car.
I never had really thought about it but I have been very fortunant
to be a guy with a big passion for Euro cars but with a beer budget.
Thanks, Sean
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Originally posted by porschehead
If any of you have any connection with writers or editors of Porsche books or european car type magazines . let them know about the car, I would like to talk to them about one day getting it published.
If any of you have any connection with writers or editors of Porsche books or european car type magazines . let them know about the car, I would like to talk to them about one day getting it published.
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So I never got an answer- is that the rear seat in the pic in that car AND, if so, are there seatbelts back there as well? I would LOVE to find out what kinds of things were done to lighten the car... ALSO, is the battery in the front of the car or the rear?
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Robby,
The US and Canadian cup cars had the battery in the stock position for non-ROW cars (the front).
The cup car that I have seen in person, in original spec condition, had 1/2 of the rear seat (no top), no rear seat belts, radio delete, ac delete, console cover delete, door pocket delete, thinner carpet, thinner glass, no rear hatch carpet, sunroof delete, smaller battery, manual windows, manual mirrors, cruise delete, power lock delete, no undercoating. It had the stock non-power passenger seat, and a racing seat for the driver's side. Matter cage and 4 inch exhaust.
I'm sure there are other facts that others can add, that is all I can recall from my photos and my notes.
Here is a photo I took of the data sheet from the window of a 1988 Candian Cup car:
The US and Canadian cup cars had the battery in the stock position for non-ROW cars (the front).
The cup car that I have seen in person, in original spec condition, had 1/2 of the rear seat (no top), no rear seat belts, radio delete, ac delete, console cover delete, door pocket delete, thinner carpet, thinner glass, no rear hatch carpet, sunroof delete, smaller battery, manual windows, manual mirrors, cruise delete, power lock delete, no undercoating. It had the stock non-power passenger seat, and a racing seat for the driver's side. Matter cage and 4 inch exhaust.
I'm sure there are other facts that others can add, that is all I can recall from my photos and my notes.
Here is a photo I took of the data sheet from the window of a 1988 Candian Cup car:
![](http://forums.rennlist.com/upload/88canadiancupspecs.jpg)
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This car was pree ABS with 16X8" and9" alloys. I heard that the brakes
Might be bigger than the stock 944 turbo but are not cross drilled.
I saw some of the other Endurace cars from the 86 series with driving lights mounted in front of the hood.
They were on mine in photo above in 87 at Road Atlanta and mid Ohio
( The orig. holes are there and have been taped underneath and bondoed over from above)
But not sure if It ran them when Porsche Motorsport North America
Campained the car in 86 ? There is a reference to the car and "Lights"
in P.M.N.A. Team Mangers dayplanner notes( a few days prior to the
Mosport race) he sent me.
I should have those photos in a few days, and even if all shots
are during the daylight hours there may be some evidence of
light mounts forward of the hood.
Might be bigger than the stock 944 turbo but are not cross drilled.
I saw some of the other Endurace cars from the 86 series with driving lights mounted in front of the hood.
They were on mine in photo above in 87 at Road Atlanta and mid Ohio
( The orig. holes are there and have been taped underneath and bondoed over from above)
But not sure if It ran them when Porsche Motorsport North America
Campained the car in 86 ? There is a reference to the car and "Lights"
in P.M.N.A. Team Mangers dayplanner notes( a few days prior to the
Mosport race) he sent me.
I should have those photos in a few days, and even if all shots
are during the daylight hours there may be some evidence of
light mounts forward of the hood.