Tuthill Porsches Tear up East African Safari Classic Rally

Rally Royalty

Tuthill Porsche is, quite simply, classic Porsche air-cooled rally royalty. Their workshop has built countless 911 racers over the years, both for customers and themselves. It all started back in the late '70s, when Tuthill began converting 356s and 911s privately. A few years later, they had won the contract to produce the bodyshells for Porsche’s works 911 SC RS rally cars.

Photos: Porsche

Another Win

Tuthill just returned from another successful outing at the East African Safari Classic Rally, a truly unique event, and one that Tuthill Porsche just won for a remarkable fourth time. To do that, they brought along six shipping containers full of masterfully built classic 911s and spare parts, which took several months to reach their end destination. 

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about safari 911 models in East Africa right here in Rennlist.com.

Grueling Event

It was a full 30 years ago when the East African Safari Classic began as part of the World Rally Championship. But today, it stands alone as an independent, marquee event. Now, only privateers and cars built prior to 1986 participate in this grueling, several thousand-mile race across the Kenyan and Tanzanian wilderness.

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about safari 911 models in East Africa right here in Rennlist.com.

Team Effort

Richard Tuthill, the owner/operator of Tuthill Porsche, found himself enamored with the race's many unique challenges, which is why he can't stay away. This year, the team brought out ten G-Series 911s, all of which are equipped with the 915 transmission and 3.0-liter air-cooled flat-six powerplants. Each one of them has three technicians assigned per car.

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about safari 911 models in East Africa right here in Rennlist.com.

Mind-Boggling Effort

Those technicians are joined by a team of support staff of team management, doctors, engineers, and physios. Altogether, around 40-50 people hit the road for 10 days straight, with one singular rest day smack in the middle. It's truly a  mind-boggling effort, especially when you consider the age of the equipment they're campaigning in.

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about safari 911 models in East Africa right here in Rennlist.com.

Spare Parts

Then you add in one container full of spare parts per car, each of which contains many thousands of dollars in equipment. As damaged parts are replaced along the way, technicians stay up at night rebuilding the damaged parts. Still, there have been times when the team goes through all of a specific part and has to have more flown in.

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about safari 911 models in East Africa right here in Rennlist.com.

Just Right

Regardless, Tuthill wouldn't do it any other way but with a 911. "The engine’s in the right place, so you’ve got traction," he said. "With 3.0 liters, you’ve also got torque. You’ve got an independent suspension on all corners and a strong monocoque bodyshell. And it was brilliantly built-in 1973. We’ve got five engines being built here today, all with original cranks, original cases, original heads. Even with the development projects we’re doing, if you ignore what Porsche did in any of their cars you make a huge mistake because they were just right with everything."

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about safari 911 models in East Africa right here in Rennlist.com.

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