HISTORY
2022 marks the 40th anniversary of what was the single most
successful endurance racing car in history, hailing from a purple patch of
motorsport never to be repeated.
The brainchild of Development Engineer
Norbert Singer, Porsche engine specialist Valentin Schäffer, Body/Chassis
Engineer Horst Reitter, and Porsche racing manager Peter Falk, the Porsche 956
was such a dominating force, it left competitors vying for leftover grid
places.
Today, there is a 956 on display in the
Porsche Museum (upside down) and the Le Mans 24Hr Museum to name a few, and the ownership of one grants exclusive
access to world class events from Le Mans Legends Group C racing to the
Daytona Historic 24hrs, Goodwood Festival of Speed and many more.
At the 956’s heart is a turbocharged
2.65-litre flat-six, delivering 620hp to the rear wheels through a five-speed
manual transmission that reaches speeds of 362 km/h. But the secret to the
956’s racing success was Porsche’s first aluminium monocoque chassis that combined with new ground-effects
aerodynamics to produce so much down force it was famously said the car
could theoretically be driven on the ceiling.
After the 1982 World Endurance
Championship (WEC) season saw a 1-2-3 finish for the 956 at Le Mans, the
Porsche factory team returned to Le Mans in 1983 with three entries sponsored
by Rothmans and supported by eight privateers.
This race would be this machine’s most
famous result- the 956’s proved virtually unbeatable, sweeping the top eight
finishing positions, and 10th position.
That finish encapsulates a 35 year-long
lap record of the “Green Hell” Nürburgring, a brand and trophy cabinet revered
by all other performance manufacturers, a golden era of motorsport and a legacy
that would live on forever - in one race. It also inspired the famous Porsche
marketing poster admitting, “Nobody’s Perfect!”.
THE CAR
·
Chassis 956-118 is the very last 956 built by the Porsche factory. Only
28 cars were ever made.
·
Delivered in May of 1984 to performance parts manufacturer, TRUST Racing
Team. Well known for sub-brand GReddy.
·
This exact vehicle was crowned winner of the gruelling 1984 ‘All
Japan Fuji 500 Miles’, 1985 ‘All Japan Fuji 1,000 Kilometres’, 1986
‘All Japan Fuji 500 Miles’, 1986 ‘Fuji 500 Kilometres’ 1986 ‘Suzuka
1,000 Kilometres’.
·
Driven exclusively by legendary 1983 Le Mans winning and Porsche
Factory Works driver Vern Schuppan, plus co-drivers Keiichi Suzuki and
Yoshimi Katayama.
·
In addition to the Japanese
Sportscar Championship, chassis 118 also competed in the World Endurance
Championship. At the WEC 1,000km race at Fuji in September of 1984, chassis 118
driven by Vern Schuppan and Hans Stuck, finished third behind the two Porsche
Works entries - the Rothmans 956's.
·
Purchased by Vern Schuppan in the early 2000’s
·
Since being imported into Australia in 2007, this 956 has been
meticulously maintained by two specialist race preparation firms. Both of which
have provided independent assessments of the vehicle, attesting to its
meticulous maintenance that are available upon request.
·
Dutifully kept by its current Porsche enthusiast owner since 2008 and
invited for display and racing in numerous historic events over the years
including Rennsport Australia, and the 2014 Le Mans Legends Group C race - the
curtain raiser for the 24 hours of Le Mans.
·
The car was then also invited to the Rolex Monterey Motorsport
Reunion where it won the Rolex Award for Excellence.
·
In the same year, 118 also came 3rd in the Daytona Historic 24 Hour
race.
·
Following a
tour of the historic racing scene in the US and Canada, the car was submitted
for an engine overhaul with specialist Paul Knapton of Extec Engineering.
·
After the
rebuild, the car competed in the 2017/18 Group C series in Europe and
was invited to the 2018Goodwood Festival of Speed.
·
Superbly maintained, today chassis 118 is offered in race-ready order,
presented in exacting period correct condition throughout wearing its original
Trust Racing Blue and White livery with iconic ‘Iseki’ sponsorship.
·
A recent interview with Vern Schuppan noted him refer to 118 as “an
exceptionally good car to race with”.
EQUIPMENT
· Engine - six cylinder, four valve opposed piston turbo
engine, air cooled cylinders, water cooled heads, four cogwheel driven overhead
camshafts.
·
Chassis - aluminium monocoque with Kevlar reinforced composite body, independent suspension,
titanium coil springs and Bilstein dampers, two brake calipers per wheel,
vented, dual circuit disc brakes.
· Weight - 820 Kilograms
· The cockpit features a
MoTeC digital dashboard with shift lights, an analogue Stack tachometer,
several ancillary gauges, and various switches and warning lights, some of which
are recognisable from the contemporary 911.
· A LifeLine rain light and
fire extinguisher are also fitted.
· Several historic
scrutineering stickers are visible on the bodywork, including Le Mans, Imola,
Spa, 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed and the 60-year anniversary of Road
America in 2015.
· Accompanying the car is the
secondary Long-Tail body, CAMS logs, MSA Historic Technical Passport, Group C
Technical Document, specialist mechanical testimonials and a digital folio of
maintenance history, magazine articles featuring the car, period racing
photographs, and videos.
SERVICE HISTORY
·
Andy McElrea at MR Tuning carried out race preparation and routine
servicing in 2022, and is able to provide an independent assessment of the vehicle upon request.
·
All major engine and mechanical rebuilds have been undertaken by Group C
engine specialists Xtec Performance Engineering in the UK, and expert Wayne
Park Automotive in Australia has been involved with the maintenance and race
preparation since 2007.
·
The intercoolers were recently replaced with upgraded ARE Cooling items, said to have more efficient cores.
The Porsche 956 is the most special of
competition cars and rightly crowned the most successful racing car ever made.
Not solely driven and owned by Porsche’s most important and influential
racing drivers and teams, with period correct original condition, an extensive history folio and a superb maintenance history from a handful of specialists, chassis 118 also
boasts an exceptional, winning record.
Fully race-prepared should its next
custodian want to get to grips with 620hp at 320km/h but equally at home as the cornerstone of a collection, this
universally desirable Porsche with an unrivalled reputation is ready and waiting for its iconic story
to be continued.
