Uncovered! Short-lived third model: The 1967 911 deLuxe"

[Allen Henderson]

The original engine has been located in Long Beach CA. and purchased...cliff

Cliff, do you still own and have this car? Thanks.

-Allen-

[Cliff]

Yes I do... and well described by tabs -{post 119 above} on the Pelican board.It`s a bit more revealing now as I have removed some bondo and paint in suspected areas and is still more dry than most. I do have the necessary sections nos or good used to address those issues...cliff

[Ragnar]

edmayo, the info is coming from author Lewandoswki:

* 901, 4cyl, base model, interior/seats equipment in vinyl, wood steering wheel, 17500DM.
This 901 model was planned to receive a shortened 4cyl 1.4l engine version of the new 901 6cyl 2.0l engine.
Conception was on its way but was later abandoned, due also to high manufacturing costs, compare to the 6cyl engine version. (2035DM vs 2702DM). Tests to push this engine from 1.4l to 1.6l also took place.
Porsche switched back to the old 356SC 4cyl engine which costs only 1800DM to manufacture and renamed the Project to 902/912.

* 901deLuxe, 6cyl, luxury model, interior in all leather, leather steering wheel, 130hp/PS, 22400DM
read also here:
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...ghlight=deluxe

* 901S, 6cyl, super model, 150hp/PS, 23900DM
The sale price of this version was similar to the version shown in Frankfurt 1963, two months earlier.
Porsche gave initially 130hp/PS as a power reference for the show model.
In 1965, 901 prototype No.4 (chassis 13323, built 1963) got a replacement/experimental engine with 170hp at 2.2l capacity, most likely the first 901/911S version.

read here the thread:
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...901deLuxe-901S

I think this very interesting. I guees common belief is that the 4 cylinder version of the 911, was not conceived until a couple of years later, and only as a reactive bridging product between the 356 series and the 911 series, to meet market demand.

Is there anybody with the Lewandowski book on the 901, who can post a scan or a photo of the text in the book, where it is stated that the 901 engine was originally intended in 4 and 6 cylinder versions ?

Or better yet, a scan or a photo of the Porsche intercom from december 1963, where this information is given ?

[911T1971]

Is there anybody with the Lewandowski book on the 901.
Or better yet, a scan or a photo of the Porsche intercom from december 1963, where this information is given ?

Currently the 901 book exist in german language only and is not (yet) published in english.
Since I speak/read perfectly german I know above info is correct.

German Author Aichele states in two books similar infos and according to him several 901 prototypes received experimental engines based on the new 901 engine: some as 4cyl versions and as stated, already in late 1965, proto 4 received a 170hp S engine.


Here some precisons, summary from the book "901" page 199-205:

In December 1963, two months after the Frankfurt show car (planned priced at DM23900), the factory wrote a "Hausmitteilung" (i.e house message) that for the 1964 market intro there where 3 versions to be sold:
-901 4cyl at DM 17500
-901 deLuxe 6cyl w 130hp at DM22400
-901 S 6 cyl w 150hp at DM23900

However, in late 1963 Porsche sold their 356C 1600 for DM14950 as well as the 356 SC for DM16450.
The 901 was in its planned price (about DM23000) similar to the 356 Carrera 2.
Only for the 904 there was still a higher price asked for (DM29700).
Therefore, planned price for the new 6cyl 901 was about 25% higher than a 356SC and more than 30% than a 356C, the two models Porsche sold the most.

901 4cyl engine:
As already stated, factory building a 4cyl 901 engine was almost as expensive as the 6cyl 901 engine (DM2035 against DM2702) and while the building cost of both engines was almost similiar, the sale price of the two models was not...therefore,the production cost of a 4cyl 1.4l 901 engine, based on the entirely new 901 6cyl engine was too expensive to produce.
Also, several technical proplems occured in the development phase: with 2 cyl capacity less than a 2.0l 6cyl engine and giving only 1.4l, initially the factory tried to increase cyl dimension up to 1.6l...which technicially resulted in several problems, leading to abandon this concept.
The new 4cyl 901 engine would therfore have only 1.334l against an older 1.6l 356 engine..which was - from a marketing point of view- the wrong direction.

Porsche so decided to re-use the older 356 engine and re-named the 4cyl 901 into the 902/912 program.
The deLuxe would be named 911 normale while the 901S would came into light in MY1967.

The 4cyl 901 engine's tested cyl capacity increase infos during the initial development phase was later re-used when Porsche increased the 6cyl engine from 2.0l to 2.2l for the MY1970 engines.

[edmayo]

And so we had to wait 40 some years for Dean Popoulus to do a 4 based on the 6

[Allen Henderson]

I appreciate the bumps for this thread, keeping it alive. Really. BUT can someone chime in with ANOTHER 1967 "DeLuxe" C of A or Kardex..and STILL we need to find the "circular" or other bulletin that most likely described these 1967 DeLuxe Modells! Thanks.

-Allen-

[raspy2point2]

It makes sense to me that the 1967 911 Deluxe turned into the 911 Lux or 911L that started production in 1967. Chris

[Allen Henderson]

It makes sense to me that the 1967 911 Deluxe turned into the 911 Lux or 911L that started production in 1967. Chris

Yes but in name, :de LUX e" only: These cars were produced circa June 1966, at the end of the 1966 model year. The L cars started production a year later. Thanks.

-Allen-

[dporsche74]

would this SWB have wide trim like S in 66

[Allen Henderson]

would this SWB have wide trim like S in 66

All photos that I've seen on known "deLuxe" modells have standard "normal" trim, not wide like the S. Thanks.

-Allen-