A Random Porsche 906 Post

Mike Rahal/Werner Frank/Hugh Wise were DNF at Sebring in 1971 with a broken oil line in Mike's 906.  Decades
later, Bobby Rahal tracked this car down, restored it, and gave it to his Dad.

This fun short clip gives me an excuse for some random comments on the Porsche 906:

https://youtu.be/H4lNo1Ti9QE


The car had large wheel arches to accommodate it's original 15-inch wheels (not shown above).  And that was because Ferry Porsche insisted that Ferdinand Piech use wheels, hubs, brakes, and suspension arms left over from the 904 racing cars.  Any wonder that Ferry hired John Wyer to run the factory 917 race cars in 1970 because he thought Ferdindand was spending too much money on the racing program?  (In fairness, Porsche was a much smaller company back then.)

The 906 was plenty fast for a 2-liter race car.  I saw one hang onto a Ford GT 40 easily, at an SCCA Regional in Connellsville, PA in 1967.  As long as it was raining.  ;-)

I've always loved the 906 because it was street-legal in 1965.  Emissions regulations were still three years away.  The orange one in the video appears to have LeMans gearing--that's a long first gear.  And when was the last time we heard carburetor stumble, even in a race car, as it pulled away from rest?

I know a guy who owned a couple of 906's.  He sold them both.  He'd have kept one except that A) he didn't fit--the cockpit, especially head room, is even more cramped than Piech's later 900-series cars and B) the flimsy gullwing door kept popping open.  Maybe because he was conking it with his helmet?

More Trivia

What is it?  Which end is the front?

I knew a guy in college who had one.  He commuted to and from home (in Connecticut) to school (in Western Pennsylvania) in it.  Six round trips per year.  It took him 12 hours, one way.  It topped out at about 60 m.p.h., the same as my Mini 850.  But my commute was 2 hours, on secondary roads.  His was mostly on the New York Turnpike.  Even he, a big fan of the marque, allowed as how this was a loooooong trip.  He gave me a few rides in it.  I recall that the starting and warm-up procedure in winter was complicated, but that may just be a faulty memory playing tricks because I can't remember what it actually was.  The body roll in corners was impressive.

Road America 1958 (Film)

Gaston Andrey won the 1958 Road America 500 in this Ferrari 335 S

This fine old film shows Road America three years after its birth.  No passive safety of any kind, but great spectator sight lines.  There is plenty of in-car too, and some fine paddock shots.  Its long (28 minutes), with hokey narration, and obviously paid for to promote Onan generators.

https://youtu.be/V4o3gz5jhi4

Eau Rouge Through The Decades

Some say that, lately, Eau Rouge can be taken flat in a Formula 1 car.  But that's not true of lesser race cars, and hasn't been the case for any car for most of Spa-Francorchamps's history, which goes back to 1925.

Early post-war; the alternative course that went straight after the Eau Rouge bridge to a hairpin, and then uphill to rejoin
the course at Raidillon, is clearly visible in this picture. The first international race at Spa-Francorchamps was in 1925.

A sports car race in 1953.

Alberto Ascari's Ferrari 500 Grand Prix car in 1952 or 1953.  He and the 500 won the Belgian GP here in both years.

A sports car race in 1955, led by a Ferrari Monza.

Start of the Belgian Grand Prix, 1965.  Graham Hill leads Jackie Stewart, both in BRM's, from Richie Ginther in a Honda.

Practice for the 1000 Km race, 1969.  Jo Siffert tried this 917, but chose a 908 for the race.  It was becoming very clear
that the 917 was very (aerodynamically) unstable at speed.  But Porsche wanted some racing experience with the car,
so two other drivers were assigned to start it.  One of them over-revved and blew the engine on the first lap.  Some
say, intentionally.  I would have.  ;-)

In 1970 the Richard Attwood/Hans Herrmann Porsche Salzburg 917K finished 6th.

Fernando Alonso (Renault) leads Timo Glock (Toyota) and Nelson Piquet Jr. (Renault) in 2008 or 2009.

But At What Cost?

Porsche 911: 1964 and 2015

Anyone who remembers cars with radical street cams and big carbs cannot object to variable valve timing and electronic port injection.  My Honda Civic Si makes twice the horsepower of a 2-liter engine of fifty years ago (at 33% more revs), idles smoothly at 700 r.p.m., and pulls with gusto from 1200 r.p.m.  I'm glad my cars have catalytic converters, and that same "intelligent" fuel injection that makes the atmosphere cleaner.

Who among performance drivers can object to grippier tires on wider wheels?  Some of us have even adjusted to "intelligent" floppy-paddle gearboxes.  At my age, I won't even object to air bags, which would probably save me from a broken neck in a collision.  But I could do with a little less sheet steel and aluminum surrounding me in those crashworthy "crush zones."

If you wonder why a modern car weighs 40% more than the cars of our youth (at least the youth of anciens), there's your answer.  It also explains why they don't feel as agile and spirited, even though they go much faster, corner much harder, and stop much quicker.   Modern high-performance cars are not as much fun.  The picture visualizes the question, "How much is enough?"

Dat Sound... (Ferrari Daytona Competizione)

Here's the link:

http://www.throughtheapex.com/ferrari-daytona-competizone/

Purdy Car, Purdy Picture

One of my favorite local vintage racers, the Alfa GTA/GTV of Barb Nevoral, snapped by Eric Blank at Road America.