1972 Tour de corsa RSR photos and info

[CurtEgerer]

Konradshiem describes '68' as being "demolished" by Waldegard at the 72 TDC. Of course, as long as the VIN tag was saved .....

[HughH]

Konradshiem describes '68' as being "demolished" by Waldegard at the 72 TDC. Of course, as long as the VIN tag was saved .....

yes ...................... but he also says in the RS book on pp 163 "it was patched back together after its misfortune in corsica and after a long stint as a test car on the "Panzer" track was used as a practice vehicle on the 1978 Safari Rally"

[preS]

Panzer track might be a Tank test track. The track where you take your Panzer tank. BTW I think Panzer means protected/ secured.

Richard

[CurtEgerer]

As an aside, I had dinner with a former Porsche racing engineer a few nights ago and he said that Fuchs wheels originated with the Panzer tanks in the early 60's ... maybe this is common knowledge? He also worked in Porsche's military division beginning in 1974 after the oil embargo and the cutback in racing. Maybe he knows of a renegade 911 running the tank track

[letsrollbabe]

I think 019 R1 and 020 R2 were not RSRs at the Tour de Corse, but were more like prototype RSs in ST configuration, as shown in the photos previously. They are listed as having no LSD, and only a roll bar and aux heater as options, but no conversion number to indicate a 471, 472, or 491. R2 (which we know had a 72 body with oil door on right side) was then converted from a "rally" car to a "track" car for the Paul Ricard track tests, which is where the tacked on flares to house 11" wheels came into being. R1 was apparently damaged enough in the TDC to not be used in competition for awhile.

I agree with Hugh that R1s original 73S VIN 3300789 seems too high for 911S production numbers in Nov. 72, but we don't have any other (so far) sources to suggest another scenario. I think the consecutive production numbers reflect the factory's reconfiguring them as rally cars (nearly identical from photos) for the Tour de Corse, which could have included a few special features such as jacking plates, possibly more spot welding for ruggedness, etc. Successful rally competition was an important customer marketing tool for Porsche, and many of the earlier STs had seen much action in rallies and not track competition.

Gib Bosworth

[edmayo]

Interesting oil filter location on the 78 rally car, not 73 and up, and not far enough forward to be normal 72. Also seems to have cover plate over it.

[keith]

looks like a '72 oil console mounted backwards?

[HughH]

In starkey's R to GT3R book on page 76 paul frere discusses porsche's "mountain course".It was designed at the time when porsche were busy developing their ultra-lightweight cars for european mountain championship in the years 1966-68.Around most of the course runs a rough track for chassis endurance testing,used for both production and racing development.All porsche racing cars developed for long distance racing do at least 1000km on that track.Hugh do you think this pix is from that track as you suggested.

I have vague memories of photos or video of such a track years ago - maybe in connection with 917's. However I genuinely have no idea of where the Pic was taken and was hoping that the combined resources of the board - which is an awesome resource - might be able to shed some light on it

[HughH]

I noticed tonight that both the LEO-ZA cars and the #9 and #107 Targa cars all have their wipers parking on the left (drivers) side.

However they are parked on the right (passenger) side on all or most of the European campaigned prototype R cars including #8 (588 R6 ) at the Targa and its other appearances during that year at Monza, Vallelunga, Spa, and Le Mans ; R5 (576) at Vallelunga, Dijon, and Spa; R7 (686) at Nürburgring, and Le Mans ,but not at Zeltweg where it ran a single wiper; and R8 (974) at Monza.

Is there anything in this or is it just another piece of useless information ?

Given the effort involved in changing the wiper's parking from one side to the other is it a means of identifying chassis over a short period of time - ie one month to another which is the time frame that many of these races were within?

Another data point is all the "customer" RS's I have pics of in 1973 , and the Zazada car (RS 001), seem to have their wipers on the LHS like the LEO cars and two of the Targa cars that appear to be on 72 shells

[boxster03]

What else did they have to do