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Seinfeld Speedster: 1st produced with a 3-spoke steering wheel overseas, then changed to a four-spoke carbon wheel in the U.S.
Originally Posted by JPP
^^So, has Porsche AG ever released any photo's of the car Exclusive built for Ferry's 90th, the one mentioned that is Black with a grey top and brown interior with wood accents?
That's the real reason I posted that photo; was curious if it was news to anyone else. That's the 1st statement I've seen that "The works built one in anticipation of Ferry Porsche's forthcoming 90th birthday in 1999, finished in black with grey hood, and featuring a brown leather interior with wood trim."
I was thinking that it's possible, out of respect, the factory just put it away in storage and kept any photo's in archive ...
Have you ever asked Adrian Streather about the "Six special customer request Turbolook (widebody) Speedsters built in model year 1997." that he mentions in his book in the 'Limited edition 993 models' section? He must have gotten that from someone at Porsche AG ... You know, he also shows the factory's special code number for that 993 body type as well which would also support his statement ...
I think we need to go find that car and buy it ...
"We"?
...sounds like a true group buy
Originally Posted by JPP
Have you ever asked Adrian Streather about the "Six special customer request Turbolook (widebody) Speedsters built in model year 1997." that he mentions in his book in the 'Limited edition 993 models' section? He must have gotten that from someone at Porsche AG ...
Definitely, but didn't gain any further info. This thread's partially the result, a search for more evidence that they exist. Going back >2 years ago to page 1:
Originally Posted by curve lover
To start off: please post info & pix of factory-direct 993 Speedsters. The only one I know of in the US is for Jerry Seinfeld.
Adrian Streathers writes of seven. I'd luv to see & learn more about the other five. If anyone has color, digital pictures of his black & white subjects on page 41 of Porsche 993: The Essential Companion, please share. When I asked, he said all of his Speedster shots were copy-written by Porsche AG.
I thought I was about to progress toward getting more pix when he said the interior on page 597 was a friend's car. However, I was suprised when he relayed that it was a cab. Anyone else think that looks like a Speedster windshield, etc?
I'm personally told of two more Porsche-produced 993 Speedsters in the US -- in very private CA collections -- from reliable sources. If anyone can confirm, please PM me (glad to honor requests for privacy) or reply here.
Originally Posted by curve lover
Kudos to Adrian Streather, whom I can't say enough good about. After bugging him incessantly for every 993 & Speedster detail, he still sent me a Christmas card.
In the brochure for the 2011 Speedster, they only lay claim to Butzi's and Jerrys cars and don't acknowledge any more factory conversions .....
^^ Another perfect tie-in, Jon Paul, for another detail that caught my eye, thanks:
The first time I ever saw that Seinfeld's Speedster was produced or delivered in 2001 (see photo), it caught my eye as incredibly significant ... or else just a mis-print, when no one else emphasized the year. Since 993 production ended in 1998, a new 993 produced in 2001 would be monumental -- the last ever; another reason I called to see if it was for sale.
Yet it was never credited as being the last 993 off the assembly line. Therefore, it was closure / resolution talking to Jerry & his car experts in person, where I learned first-hand that he sent his non-Speedster 993 back to Porsche after ~1,000 miles to have it converted.
I'd luv to see the details of the conversion, but it's unlikely the full transformation will ever be documented in public. However, it was notable to finally see at least public acknowledgement of a 2000 delivery date by a Porsche source: In the current Christophorus magazine, the head of Porsche AG's historical archives writes:
"Fourteen Cabriolet versions of the 911 Turbo 3.6 993 were produced -- all sold for more than 300,000 marks (more than $200,000).
An even rarer model is the 911 Speedster based on the last air-cooled 911 production series, the 993. Two were produced (one each in 1995 and in 2000), one for Porsche designer F. A. Porsche and the other for Jerry Seinfeld."
Originally Posted by 911Jeff
Last 993..... and yes...It belongs to Jerry Seinfeld.
Originally Posted by curve lover
This 993 was produced from the factory's "Exclusive" division in Oct '01, & could be construed to be a "last." However, that was its 2nd 'build' date:
F.A. Porsche's 993 Speedster is the only 993 Speedster in the world born as a 993 Speedster.
________________________________________________________________________
1998/2001 993 Speedster of Jerry Seinfeld
The second 993 Speedster of 2 made by Porsche - Jerry Seinfeld's Speedster - was a conversion of a 993 that he already had.
Jerry sent the car from America back to Germany. Its conversion to widebody Speedster was finalized in October 2001.
The car was initially delivered with 996-style 3-spoke steering wheel, but was later changed back to 993-style 4-spoke.
.. it was notable to finally see at least public acknowledgement of a 2000 delivery date by a Porsche source: In the current Christophorus magazine, the head of Porsche AG's historical archives writes:
"Fourteen Cabriolet versions of the 911 Turbo 3.6 993 were produced -- all sold for more than 300,000 marks (more than $200,000).
An even rarer model is the 911 Speedster based on the last air-cooled 911 production series, the 993. Two were produced (one each in 1995 and in 2000), one for Porsche designer F. A. Porsche and the other for Jerry Seinfeld."
I still think it's possible that Adrian Streather was given correct information from Porsche AG about the other 993 Speedsters he describes in his text, and the company, for whatever reason, has changed their story. Streather does not strike me as someone who would quote a number in print if he didn't have a concrete and infallible source of information ... Of course, his source (Porsche AG) could have been mistaken .... but I doubt it. I just can't think of any reason why the factory wouldn't acknowledge them now. I think it would be to their advantage, and it wouldn't breach any 'confidentiality' agreements they had made with customers. The only thing I can think of is, the other cars were "sanctioned" and supported by Porsche AG and approved to be built by a dealer like Friesenger, much like my Cab was built by BHP through PCNA and Exclusive.... and the factory doesn't make records of that nor claim them as factory production .. because they really aren't . It makes perfect sense because when those cars would have been built, would have been after the factory had already started producing the 996 which was a complete re-vamp of all of their production lines and tooling. The only way a 993 Speedster would have gotten produced at that point, would have been by converting an already produced 'body in white' cabriolet ...
^^ I have the highest regard for Adrian's research.
Additionally, he's a class act, to boot
Regardless, a goal of this fairly prolific thread remains to produce some evidence of the others that allegedly were produced at the factory ... a goal that has yet to progress.
After 34 pages, it would be swell to get more info than that below, posted in 2009 ... such as a single photo from just 1 of the other 5.
Originally Posted by JPP
Have you ever asked Adrian Streather ...
Originally Posted by curve lover
Definitely, but didn't gain any further info. This thread's partially the result, a search for more evidence that they exist.
Going back >2 years ago to page 1:
Originally Posted by curve lover
To start off: please post info & pix of factory-direct 993 Speedsters. The only one I know of in the US is for Jerry Seinfeld.
Adrian Streathers writes of seven. I'd luv to see & learn more about the other five. If anyone has pictures, please share.
Last edited by curve lover; 08-13-2012 at 03:11 AM.
Reason: fix ded pic lnk
05-07-2011, 03:22 PM
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