So most of the 69's that raced in period we're converted to ST
Specs? I find it odd that odd privateers would not have jumped on the lwb. If SCCA was pushing thev911 out of class I can see the lack of cars in competition.
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So most of the 69's that raced in period we're converted to ST
Specs? I find it odd that odd privateers would not have jumped on the lwb. If SCCA was pushing thev911 out of class I can see the lack of cars in competition.
The factory did prepare three identical C/P 911Ts for the 1969 SCCA season. Vin 119100194, 119100215 and 119100216 were all light ivory and were equipped with the following: 901/16 high performanced tuned, 901/13 five speed/Nurburgring gears, black leatherette, front oil cooler, 16mm sway bars, 100 ltr tank, LSD, roll bar, foot rest, 6 inch wheels/Dunlop tires, leather steering wheel, CDI, and ventilated brake discs. These cars were delivered to VOA via O'Hare airport in April 1969. Cars went to Kline VW-Porsche, Art Bunker Porsche and George W. Dickenson. All three cars qualified for the '69 runoffs. The Kline car had a long long career including 3 Daytona 24 and seven Sebring 12 hours, and won the Porsche GT Cup U.S.A. in 1974. Cool cars and relatively unknown.
sanders,
Your gem contributions to the forum are precious.
Do you know if any of the above mentioned 69 competition Ts are still around
The Kline car now belongs to Dave McNeal owner of WeatherTech. I saw the Dickenson car destroyed at Road Atlanta in the mid-70s, could have been repaired but I doubt it. I know nothing about the Bunker car.
I was at Kline Porsche, Indianapolis the day the car was delivered. 40mm Webers on the motor, but a pair of 46s along with a 911R exhaust system in the trunk. Car was raced in SCCA C Production by Kline with their GM, Jim Osborn, driving or 1-2 years. Jim made it to the runoffs in '69. Then sold to Indy Region member Bill Marsh, who raced it for a couple more years in SCCA. Car then sold to local dentist, Tom Barrick, who did all the wrenching and ran IMSA GTU with Dave Causey, Ron "Moose" Parish, and Ed Taylor driving. Car was pretty well cut up with big flairs and deleted rain gutters. They won the IMSA GTU Championship along with Porsche Cup in '74. Car went through several owners and was restored back to it's original CP specs ( I think) by Phil Bagley, Klub Sport.
I saw the car again, restored then, in the Klub Sport pits at Rennsport II, Daytona. After that other owners, an appearance at the Carmel Concours a couple years ago, and now Dave has it.
When you saw the Kline car at Rennsport II that was my restoration. I had shown the car at Amelia Island in 2000 where it won an Amelia Award in the race car class. After several owners and lots of vintage racing it was time for another restoration and that was done by Phil. The picture in Starkey's book is at my old shop.
Nice work and thanks for filling in the historical blanks. It wasn't clear to me who did what and when. I had lost track of the car after I left Indy and it's IMSA days ended. That car has had a lot of hard miles, and it's great to see it still out there running.
I hope this isn't too far off topic but restoring old race cars make for new relationships. Tom Barrick was very helpful back in the late 90s when I restored his old car and I want to relate a few of his stories. He told me that there were no big diameter torsion bars available for the 911 in the early 70s. Someone told him that VW used big bars on their specially built ambulances and they would fit the 911. After much searching he found them in a wrecking yard in Quebec. Then there was the story of Sebring 74 (I think it was 74), his wife said if you go to Sebring I won't be here when you get back. He went. And lastly my restoration of his old car rekindled his passion for racing. He built a replica of his IMSA car and with "Moose" Parrish they went vintage racing. I saw them at Barber in 04. And then there was John Higgins. He owned the Kline car in the 80s. Raced IMSA. Funny guy, was the comedic writer for the Smothers Brothers.
I see Tom and Moose when I go back for Med school reunions and Indy 500s. I always wanted to find that car back in the 90s before the vintage frenzy hit. A lot of fond memories with that car and those guys.
We lost the real anchor of the Indy Porsche hard core this week with the passing of Mike Robbins. Crewed on his 904 in the 70s and many special rides in his 500K mile Speedster. The definition of enthusiast and friendship.
Mike and his Speedster were legendary, RIP.