Bob C.

To build on this, the number put forth by the FIA was originally 50. Bruce McLaren, wanting to run a coupe version of his M8 (?), lobbied to reduce the number to 25, indicating that 50 effectively prohibited his company from any chance at competing. Eventually, the FIA capitulated. Ironically, Porsche and Ferrari were the primary beneficiaries of this, as McLaren, afaik, never presented a coupe for homologation.

Supposedly, in each of the 25, the engine could be started, first gear could be engaged and the car could be coaxed forward (most couldn't even turn). Only two of the original 25 were truly ready-to-race; the other 23 were disassembled following the homologation proceedings and rebuilt correctly as/when needed.

JCP911S

Then of course there is the Dauer 962 and the GT-1... Porsche gives as good as they get....

Geo

Nope. I remember an article on this car in Road & Track some many many moons ago (IIRC before I could drive which was 28 years ago). I seem to recall there there were all of 2 made and IIRC the second one needed some finishing after Bruce's untimely demise.

Wow, this thread has been a great trip down memory lane. Now the real question is why I can remember some obscure details from so long ago and I wonder what it was I had for breakfast this morning.....

hacker-pschorr

Its a shame the M8 was not able to run at LeMans (for whatever reason).

This thread is not complete without the CART / Porsche story. Anyone care to tell this one correctly? My cobweb filled memory has the story somewhere along these lines:
Porsche showed up with the first carbon fiber OW chassis. Roger Penske threatened to pull out if they were allowed to use it. The following year (after Porsche was gone from the series) had his own carbon fiber chassis.
The CART program must be one of the only failures in Porsche racing history. I'm sure Al Hobart's passing had a negative impact on that program.

Who is left from the glory days of Can-Am and LeMans? Paul Newman, Mario Andretti, and AJ Foyt are still alive and kicking. Hard to believe Newman is still racing, at 81 years old!

JCP911S

My theory...

FIrst, when you are a teenager, all you have to think about is racing... your first exposure is like seing absolute truth... now you have the job, and kids, and house repairs and this and that... and you've seen it all a hundred times...

Sometimes I think my whole brain is just a huge working memory that reboots everytime I go to sleep....

Of course tit could be too much booze.

Geo

Well..... there was something else to think about, but that's all a big blur.

LOL! I'll drink to that! Prosit!

Geo

Oh boy. The story actually should start with the aborted USAC car which IIRC was pulled after The Speedway got scared of it and reduced the boost to something that wouldn't do. IIRC Danny On-the-gas was supposed to be the driver. It had an unusual tail section that was full width, or at least the drawings and photos I saw had it. I don't know if that made it to The Speedway.

As for the CART program, the first year Porsche used their own chassis and the entire package sucked. The following year Porsche commissioned March to build a special version of their chassis. For the remainder of the program this is what they did (March chassis). Porsche actually took out a full spread ad in The Wallstreet Journal seeking sponsorship. Fosters stepped up to the plate, but after two years with the program and a win late in the program at Mid-Ohio the program folded with Porsche tucking its tail.

IIRC they then went back to F1 to build an engine, but it was so overweight and underpowered that project was pulled before the company was further embarassed. I cannot remember who was supposed to run that engine though.

None of those guys had anything to do with the glory days of Can-Am. Mario might have participated at some point. Maybe. But I don't recall him making an impact. Same for AJ. PL had nothing to do with the glory days of Can-Am. He was an owner in the second go-round that started with full-bodied F5000 cars, but that period was nothing like the glory days.

Hmmm.... Not too many folks around from the glory days. Bruce McLaren is gone. Denny Hulme is still alive I believe (I think). George Folmer may be around. Jim Hall is certainly around. Mark Donohue is gone. Peter Revson is gone. Bob Bondurant is still around. Sir Jackie Stewart is still around.

Bob C.

Footwork. In 1991, the Footwork-Porsches DNQd roughly 1/2 the time they were entered. After the brilliance of the TAG engines in F1's turbo days, the late '80s and early '90 were unkind to Porsche's open-wheel aspirations.

hacker-pschorr

I said Can-Am & LeMans.
Newman did drive a Can-Am car in Winning, didn't he? Denny Hulme died in the early 90's. Shortly after he drove an M8 at Road America during the Can-Am reunion.

I'm not a big fan of Bondurant, forgot Stewart had some stints in Can-Am. Didn't Haywood fill in for Donohue after he crashed the 917/10?

APKhaos

I'd like to nominate Bob Chapman as a national treasure. Not only does he take some of the most memorable and lasting images of race cars [and has been for many years], he is also one of the most remarkable historians of the sport that we have.

Thanks for posting Bob! Your knowledge is truly appreciated.

Geo

Indeed you did. Smack me with a history book...

Actually drove or movie drove?

Stewart drove the L&M Lola.

I'm not sure if Haywood filled in for Donohue, but I know he drove a 917/10 for Bayside.

Geo

Footwork! Of course. But what an easy team to forget.

You're right about open wheel racing and the expectations after the TAG engines.

Bob C.

Follmer covered for Donohue in the L&M 917/10 after Donohue went airborne on the back straight during a 1972 Road Atlanta testing accident, breaking his leg.

Speaking of Haywood, I think he went airborne in a 917/10 the next year in the same spot. FWIW.

Bob C.

Thanks for the comments regarding my photography.

While I aspire to be a Porsche "historian", the truth is that I know only a little bit about a lot of things related to Porsche's amazing racing history, and I always keep, at arm's length, the answers to the rest. ...and FWIW, I've learned quite a few things from Geo in this thread alone.

hacker-pschorr

Newman is a good driver in real life so I always assumed he did some of the driving for the movie.

Didn't he win Daytona in the late 90's in a GT1 Porsche? I hope I can see when I'm 80, much less racing.