How many un-counted 1973 RS still out there??

[gulf908]

The significance of the '73 RS is twofold.
It was the first Porsche / 911 to be considered as a large car either in Europe for its capacity size or in the greater enthusiast car world for its performance.
The performance aura came from the data in road tests by such luminaries as Paul Frere's review of the RS (l/w) version as printed in the RS book.
960 kg,210 din hp and a 0-160kph/100mph tim of 12.8 seconds are the basis of the RS's performance reputation.
If you want a rare 911 you only have to look at the next year's 3.0 RS with 109 built - 6 RHD - or even for '73 there were only 17 l/w RHD RSs built.
To me,the significance of the RS will always be its on-road performance and anything else is wank !

Cheers,
Dennis.

[210bhp]

I thought this thread was about the possible romantic discovery of an RS tucked away in a corner and keeping Vinnies hopes alive. I was looking forward to hearing more stories of anybody elses hidden discoveries. After all, we all love a good story don't we?

Now we are off track analysing things again.

I dare say we will drift off soon onto how much over-priced they are

Ho Hum

Anyone with a good story?

Regards
Mike

[Chuck Miller]

OK,
I got one…

Some of you have already heard this story... but please,
NO names, NO numbers….

Was cruz'n the internet on a Tuesday in September of '01. And, of all places, on the POC's web site classifieds was an add that was posted 20 minutes before for a: '73 Porsche 2.7 RS 18,000 miles for $52000…. Car in Rome…. Must speak Italian....

I quickly searched ALL the other P-car sites for the same ad and found NOTHING… I WAS THE FIRST ONE IN !!!!!

I sat on it for about 18 hours before I called a friend who spoke Italian and asked him to call Italy and inquire if all the facts matched the facts in 'the Bible'… It was now Wednesday evening. My friend, in turn, waited to call Thursday morning and talked to 'the guy' and ALL the facts, numbers, and options were correct. I, not having anybody or any money installed in Europe, starting thinking if, and how, I could pull this off… and after another 12 hours told my friend to call Italy back and say somehow I would get him the money….
This is now Thursday night. Friday morning my friend called ….

Of course the car was sold….a few hours before……. for $55000….

As far as I learned, the car flipped at least once more BEFORE it got to the States (3 months later), where it was sold one last time to the present owner……

The car is just now about finished….

……… and so it goes......

[giaz]

There are so many RS that originally went to Italy and then left the country

You see many around with the typical Italian front lenses and some foreign number plate...

Has anyone read the books "The Cobra in the Barn" and "The Hemi in the Barn" by the way? Lots of great stories

Giovanni

[fryardds]

I'll find some more images when I get back from China.

Hey Philip and Mike,

Thanks for sharing this great story. I hadn't heard of this car before. Be sure to post more photos if you have them. She is a real gem.

Hi Chuck,

I've seen the one you mention and it is really special. Thanks for sharing the background story again. As a matter of fact the first time I saw it was at the '03 Treffen in Monty as part of the 30th anniversary gathering of '73 Carreras that Cris H. put together. That pushed me over the edge.

[Chuck Miller]

Brian,

I think you've got this car mixed up with Stephan Childs' drop dead gorgeous white/blue 'Sicilian' car….

The car in my story was yet another remarkable RS from in and around Italy…
And, has yet to be debuted over here….

Cheers,

[210bhp]

Brian,

I think you've got this car mixed up with Stephan Childs' drop dead gorgeous white/blue 'Sicilian' car….

The car in my story was yet another remarkable RS from in and around Italy…
And, has yet to be debuted over here….

Cheers,

Chuck

Another great story. Look forward to seeing this car when it emerges. Please link us it to your story when it does.

Is Stephan Child's white/blue car the one discovered by Mark Waring with about 19000kilometers from new on the clock? (a few years ago now). My RS is also Scicilian hence my interest.

Regards
Mike

[Chuck Miller]

That's the one Mike....

Cheers

[fryardds]

Chuck,

Yep, my goof. I did think you were describing Stephen's RS. I hope the owner of the car you were on to shows it off here some day.

Mike,

My car was originally a Swiss delivered car, then to NZ, over to AU, then finally to the US.



Not a barn story but......

I spotted 451 on the RM auction website as it was listed for sale in a Spring '03 Muscle car auction near Detroit, MI. I did a double take for sure thinking that probably no one at sale would be interested in an old 911. I called RM and got the name of the owner, a Dr. in Ann Arbor who dabbled in classic car sales. We talked several times and I took a knowledgeble local friend up and checked it out.

We found a nicely documented, solid car with goofy black plastic mirrors on both sides, tired mechanicals, and Gold '74 RS script and wheels. Just after that I went out to my first Monty Treffen and saw a dozen RS cars, drove Rob W.'s green Carrera 2.7 and was TOTALLY hooked.

Needless to say when I returned I started talking with the owner again, he had already withdrawn the car from the auction and added a muscle car in it's place. He was asking top $ at the time and wouldn't budge. After prodding from my now very good friend, Randy S. (who I had just met in Monty and wanted a shot at the car if I passed) decided to pull the trigger. It has been quite a journey since then.

[glaverbel911]

An RS is all about the pedigree.. not just rarity.
A special homolagated sports car built in the Golden age of Porsche..
You need to understand the differences in the build and history between it and a standard 911 to understand what its all about for collecters.

Considering there were only 1000 real Homolagated cars already makes it rare. I'd be really hard pressed to even say there are 300 cars on the road today.. What basket cases are still lurking in barns and shops still is anybodys guess, but most likely the majority are parts cars
Herr Kurzenberger(owner of the Safari car) recently told me there are now so few RS's in germany, its almost a joke.
Out of the cars that are on the roads today,,, even fewer are in any kind of original state so I say that makes for a rare Icon car.

Best, Robert