Racers' Cars

VIN = 9110301339
Eng# = 6301846
Trans# = ?

http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...k-Vics%94-911S

. . . the 1st driver to win a race w/ a 911 --- er . . . 901

Also . . . the lowest VIN yet known

VIN = 300005
Eng# = 900116
Trans# = 100006

http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...ghlight=300005
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...test-on-300005

This magazine clipping is from a UK motoring weekly in mid October 1972, around a week after the RS was launched is referring the British market /RHD quota of just RS 51 from the first 500 series that were already sold (notably ALL termed here "lightweight Carrera RS Coupes" regardless of conversion order RS, RSL or RSH).

Interesting the 1972 period language here is different from the current -misleading - use of the term "lightweight" that today is routinely used to refer to only M471. Folks in 1972 had not yet slipped into sloppy misuse because back then ALL these RS cars -- 500 of them were "lightweight Coupes" regardless of the conversion orders. The "Heavy(er)weights" of the final production series that were for the most part the practical consequence of the inventory of thinner guage panels running out and production approach shifting more in line with the regular series way of doing things, were evidently not even on the radar in back then in mid October 1972. Strange how terminology and associated meaning gets changed over time and distinctions once very important / clear get lost and so very often go unchallenged?

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James Hunts car mentioned previously was one of this small quota - he had it from 1973 until at least 1977 - maybe later as it returned to the UK around 1980. Additional photos of James Hunt with this particular 1972 RHD UK registered Carrera RS M472 are shown below

May be of interest to note the colour change from Lilac (6969) to White with a Porsche side graphic was made sometime before this photograph in 1977; also compare it to picture in #31 of car with same registration plate but painted White with the rear lid sporting the Hesketh Team decal. Hunt left Hesketh for McLaren end of 1975 so presumably the car was changed from Lilac to White and the team name applied soon after he acquired it - a conclusion on basis of RS appearance in the photo of post #31. Unlikely as Mc Laren driver he'd want or be allowed to sport a Hesketh logo as they soldiered on for a while n F1 after Hunt left.


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For those not familiar with the U.K., the newspaper photographed above is a nationwide Sunday broadsheet (possibly the market leader?) - not the specialist motoring press. The fact a publication such as the Sunday Times was taking an interest in establishing the true provenance of Hunt's personal RS road-car car in 2010 is unusual even if they have a motoring section. Story became prominent when a 74 3.0 RS was claimed to be the actual Hunt road car but evidence was brought that his was actually a RHD touring from the first 500 series. It just made it into that first batch the chassis being numbered in the very high 400s! Hesketh may have replaced the car that became Hunt's with the following year's RS 3.0 model leading to some confusion later and the dealers claim ... if I understand it correctly.

The rumour was that the fast living and wilful Hunt appropriated the RS from his employer Lord Hesketh (car's purchaser and owner of the fun loving Hesketh Racing team) after a European race (Monaco IIRC) in June 1973 and simply never returned it ...but in reality it was most likley the RS formed part of Hunt's driver-renumeration package.

That fact considered together with John Watson's similar deal, (also taking part-payment for his driving-services in the form of an RS M472 via the contract that he cut with the Goldie Hexagon F1 Racing Team owner Paul Michaels whereby cars cost was deducted from pay he once told me), means that two of only 51 of these first RHD RS allotted to the British /RHD markets formed part-payment for several Formula 1 drivers appearing in the World Championships around 1973-4. Memorabilia from the 1973 British Grand Prix. Wonder if any of the other drivers racing in that era had the then top-of-the range Porsche 911 Carrera RS Touring as their road-car?

While not exactly Porsche factory drivers with road cars, further photos and details seemed relevant to the theme of this thread.

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This nice RSR photo advert from Martini appears in the Silverstone GP programme...

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More about John Watson and his long term owned 1972 first 500 series RHD Carrera RS can be found at this link to another forum...

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=992631

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John Sprinzel, the British successful international Rally Driver and winner of the British Rally Championship in 1959 with co-driver Stuart Turner ( of BMC/Ford Competitions Department fame), may not be known quite as well to some as Formula One drivers Hunt and Watson ....but he ran a RHD 1973 Model Year Carrera RS Touring sunroof model in 1973 that featured prominently in Pirelli UK advertising for the low-profile Pirelli Cinturato tyre range around that period. This being a photograph from a British motoring weekly dated 1973.

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Sprinzel's business interests included a Porsche dealer / service agent that appeared in adverts such as the one below from late 73. This Denham dealership in Buckinghamshire covered an affluent area within commuting distance to London; it is included in the maroon VW-Porsche official Service Stations booklets that came with the model year 73 cars.

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Further to LongRanger's post #31.

Driving tip to help me hone my double-declutch gear-change technique from the master, Vic Elford, in a handwritten note from back sometime in the mid-nineties...I was travelling a lot to the USA back then.

Can't think of a better more versatile driver of the Porsche-marque to learn from than London-born Quick Vic

Attachment 355883

John Watson has the lowest chassis number black RHD RS, mine is 3rd of the 10. When I met Derek Bell at Watkins Glen some years back he recalled his neighbor JW having his RS....

In reference to a lilac James Hunt RS. Did he have more than one?
I was at Paul Ricard in 73 for the Touring car championship race, and James had a white RS at the time. Did he later paint it Lilac and then back? Or was that another car?

Hi David,

as far as I can make out the car was Lilac when new -- that information is based on the RS books and Starkey. The shot with Hunt dressed in his Hesketh racesuit while inspecting engine is black and white can't be certain of car colour but certainly it is not white and the general appearance including stickers on shut panel does not suggest a respray.

Most likley chronology of this car, which has the same UK registration plate in pictures spanning colour change was that Lord Hesketh managed somehow to get one of the 51 original 500 RS in Lilac before the UK limited quota sold out - presumably no one would have known further series were coming when orders were needed to be placed. Maybe given the small numbers available and the fast sales gave little opportunity to influence the colour or decided afterwards by him or Hunt to change it? The RS Book says factory were understanderbly not keen on subsequent changes to existing RS orders during production having to deal already with the complexity and cost of homologation process with conversion orders and so forth.

With the Hesketh Racing team colours being predominantly white it seems likely that it would have been just repainted from Lilac to White / liveried with team name on rear thereafter. Even back then guess they would have wanted car to be part of the "team image".

As far as I know the car was white when returned/bought in UK in 80s and was also white in later club racing exploits here in UK e.g. Hugh's post #35. The car is in private family ownership in UK so presumably the current long term owners know more. I can't be certain and happy to be corrected.

Lord Hesketh reportedly bought a yellow 3.0 RS from 1974 series to replace the car Hunt acquired as shown in photo I found on internet

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Unfortunately the film of Hunt arriving in the white RS at Easton Neston Hesketh home and team HQ that I mentioned earlier, I've been unable so far to find it or put it on a format I can post here.

Steve

There is a glimpse of the distinctive front spoiler of a yellow coloured/no side decal 73 model RS in a service road between barriers. This picture is at Monaco GP on 26 May 74. (Front spoiler of the car here is not the steel style as required in France for RS ...also see parked position of wipers and the person seated RHS with that side's open door?)
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Porsche 911 certainly played an official role in the event another car is shown below, in background of the shot (car can only be seen very indistintly though the dirt and heat haze) but certainly it is on the race-track chasing the pack shortly after the start.

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And an early 911 supported other GP races for example the GP held at Nurburgring on August 4th 1974 with the orange (presumably the day-glo ONS car), again trailing the pack at start. Seen flashing past as Fittipaldi struggles to get away cleanly at start -- car has a 73 S style front spoiler in combination with what appears, (pictured here in the blurred image), to be larger flatter rear spoiler, not a ducktail.

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Porsche 911s had supported several races in the season around that time, most noticeably the orange car.

The 914 was in effect (albeit unofficially) the first ever F1 pace car appearing in Canadian race of that year ....but its role was far from glorious given its part in the wider-confusion that the Canadian race officials allowed to occur by not keeping track of the race positions :(