Can RGruppe apply to other marques?

Just wondering if the RGruppe theme and backdating technique applied to early and late Porsches really works well on other marques?

Curt, you have one of (if not) the BEST Audi ur-quattro early A1 rallye spec / rgruppe / qgruppe creations to date and there are certainly many other members with equally kewl spec rides.

I took the red pill four and a half years ago and ordered up a new 2006 MINI Cooper S R53 for my daily driver year round here in Northern Vermont. I know some of you might also own and drive these little tarmac targa beasts, here's how mine has been shaping up, recently updated to a more proper 'tarmacGruppe' spec :-) . Love the way it drives.

- PIAA Racing 80 lights (twin lamps with H4 low and high beams)
- Hella Rallye 3000 covers over PIAA covers, sneaky
- Tow hook strong rallye light bumper mounts
- 1/8" aluminium skid plate
- Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tires

Show your creation gents.

Can you 'R Gruppe' others marques? In a general sense, yes. The thing that is unique to the early 911 though is the 'Sports Purpose Manual'. Has there ever been another manufacturer who actually came out with a technical manual for customers on how to hot rod their street car with factory parts? Lots of manufacturers have sold racing parts to the public over the years, but I'm not sure any of them spelled it out like Porsche did in the 60s/70s. Maybe the closest would be the Big 3 and some of their drag car programs in the 60's.

With any marque, I think one simply needs to look at how the factory built their race cars and transfer some of that to a road car (without going so far as to turn it into a gutted out, stripped down full-blown race car). Basically, it's using 'factory' parts to hot rod your car. So in the case of my 81 urq, I've tried to answer the hypothetical question: what would Audi have done had they printed a Sports Purpose Manual for the quattro? ;)

I'd love to see 'R Grupped' examples of other marques! Please post if you've done one.

Gents.

I think you could consider the FIA homologation papers for a car its "official" sports purpose manual. A lot of groups are very particular about what is a allowed, the FIA and more particular that most -

Anyways - here is the last one I did from another margue - Its a Lotus 26R . This car was a race car it's entire life with log books in period. over the years it was modified beyond its original spec. Myself and others brought the car back to a 65/66 configuration so it wold be period correct to the FIA papers REC no. 127 D/V feb 1966-

Lotus were all about adding lightness , lots of alternate parts numbers with magnesium or aluminum substituted for iron ( some times the sub'd Mg for Al) most builds now are under the original homologation weight 580 Kg with water , oil and spare wheel (1276 lbs ) Some like to ballast the cars were they want to... in the back !!!. Mine was above minimum weight cause of full cage and keeping the factory numbered body and frame in/on the car.

You could buy the parts or you could have a car made for you ( lotus would pull a car off the production line and send it over to Components to kit out as a 26R . Factory or "team cars " were done by the F1 guys. oddly enough the 26R's were never factory cars, all privateers ( with occasional cameos by Clark, Stuart, Miles and other F1 drivers) there were team versions of the 47 and Lotus Cortina

This what it looked like -

Current build is a "narrow arch" car

George

Back in the early days of R Gruppe, there wasn't such a dogma about long hoods and strictly period cars. Most of the guys loved early 911s but the feeling, at least with the Nor Cal guys, was any HOT ROD Porsche. Nor was there such a thing about ...strictly Porsches! The first ever meeting had; Ernie W's Land Rover, Ernie Jr came with Ernie, Rich S brought his ex-racer73S, I brought my 911 powered '55 Speedster, Rodney Chew brought his '73 T/S, Cris had his "R Gruppe Icon" '69 S as well as his '74 Carrera [but the meeting was in his garage so he didn't get extra credit].
At least one of the guys has never brought an early 911 to an RG function! [tho he has at least 3]

I grant you, things got out of hand fast and what became.. is what is.

I recall an early meeting announced at EASY in Emeryville [before it became a once-a-month thing] where a few people asked "What kinda car should I bring?". Cris said "Bring an S". 2 guys showed up with early Mini Coopers S'! [I just got through searching but I can't find any images.]

BTW, I like the Mini. I have to wonder how it would fare in city parking tho. :-> Back in the day we accepted that our little screamer would get its share of dents and just..drove it. The Lotus? Ohhh be still my beating heart. Lovely. I hope they don't still fall apart like the old days. I drove a few, owned one [EP Europa], and will never forget screaming through the esses at Sears Point while praying nothing would fall off. But they made all P-cars feel like huge pigs.

JR
#9

I don't know about backdating techniques, but there certainly were a number of earlier cars that were "in the R spirit". A few that come to mind are the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato, any of the Fiat Abarths, 356 Carrera Speedsters and Gts, all R Gruppe cars to me. :D

Holy cow Jim. You gotta love the business end of that Abarth!

Nice lump, huh Mark? Another shot.

This is my around town driver, mild, but a few nice mods. Yes, that's a baby seat in the back.

I'd do a few more aggressive mods, but the 911 will always be the top priority. :)

I'd like to agree with George and say the 'off Porsche' sports car R Gruppe natural is the 26R. or moreover any 'pumped up' Early Elan......... :)

I had an Audio Engineer buddy in '71/'72 that came out of Detroit with one of the first S1's in the country. It was down to about 1350 lbs. and ended up with an honest 155HP, on Goodyear Bluestreaks......
I can tell'ya stories about that car that can re-write 'The Mulholland Experience' book......... :eek: ;)

However,

If there EVER was a non-Teutonic R Gruppe 'shoe box' sedan my vote would have to be with these.... :)
I've had a Jones for these for about 40 years...... :rolleyes::D

Right period, right look, right attitude........ ;)

BTW- The period pic of the Red and Gold Allan Mann car is being driven by the great Australian driver Frank Gardener, one of the best all-round racers in the world.
Frank past away just last year... :(

Cheers