Factory 'lightweights' - reseach info required

[gilbert911]

I am trying to find info / pictures on the factory produced 'lightweight' cars that were available to order from about 68(?) onwards.
I'm a bit sketchy as there doesn't seem to be much info out there..
I have seen a couple of B&W pictures posted by Ernie W on Pelican and the one below posted on a previous (2005) thread here (911s M471)

I would like to pick this up again - they are interesting cars to me and not as 'obvious' as an R/ST/RS/RSR

See below (small) extract I found from a 1970 Porsche brochure. This appears to show a lightweight car (bumper horn delete, black engine grille etc) on the far right and an interior shot which looks like a RS but pre-dates it by a couple of years.

In the 'information regarding Porsche vehicles used for sports purposes' catalogue for model 1970 (copy of which I have) it says;

'For competition drivers buying a new car and intending to participate in sports events the VW- Porsche Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH offers cars with the following accessories;
...and lists as available for the 911T,E,S and 914/6 options like
Koni / Bilstein shocks,
stabilisers,
recaro competition seat driver only or pair
roll bar,
90 or 110ltr tank etc..

it goes on to say...

'The vehicles type 911S and 914/6 can be delivered as well in competition version. In this version the vehicles are adequate either for traffic or occasional sports engagement.'

Options listed here include;
10K RPM tach
LSD
380mm leather wheel
Fuel tank with big under-hood inlet
Simplified body fitted for competition purposes
Bumpers without overriders
Attachments for harness
No stone guard or sound proof matting
etc

Can anyone help with pictures more info on these cars??

Thanks

[Milou]

Some information exists on the factory cars (ST,R,TR) but a lot of parts were made available to private teams to enhance performance. I found some articles about the available parts and some catalogues, but very little else.

Certainly Porsche sold certain 911S with some racing parts as factory options but I think most parts were sold separately and mounted to second hand cars....

[210bhp]

Have a look at porsport.com

Don has at least two of these special cars on his website with details.

Regards
Mike

[Grady Clay]

Here is my take on that image.
Attachment 34868

All of us back then dealt with Frau Baer. She was the “USA representative” for the Porsche race department and IMHO the most wonderful Porsche person ever. She was the “voice” of Porsche to all the English speaking (Porsche race) world. Not only did she know the Porsche race technology but she seemed to “adopt” the US racers and funnel every trick part and technical info. Originally the phone was 011.49.711.82031 (I can still remember the number). Of course there were also guys like Jurgan Barth you could call.

I bought five “914-6GT Homologation kits” from Frau Baer (and much, much more). This morning I had breakfast with an owner (’72 914-4 SBCV8 we built in about ’74 with those GT parts), and we are taking the car to Pueblo next week. It is a small (Porsche) world.

This Factory connection is something missing today. PAG/PCNA should learn from that lady’s heritage.


EDIT,
Note the green arrows. This car was built on the normal production line with standard torsion bar settings. Guess what! With the light weight, the ride height was too high. I suspect it is setting outside the race dept. waiting for a suspension adjustment.

Best,
Grady

[37yrold911]

there must have been a lot more done to it then - the red arrows only show about 10-15 lbs. worth of wt. savings.

I wonder what fibreglass and bamboo lurks beneath that paint...

[Grady Clay]

there must have been a lot more done to it then - the red arrows only show about 10-15 lbs. worth of wt. savings.

I wonder what fibreglass and bamboo lurks beneath that paint...

YES.

The biggie probably is the lack of undercoat/soundproof. There can also be alu or FRP panels and thin glass. There was a light-weight interior and many deleats.

One of the really silly things about these cars was many came with the "sports seats" which weighed double the standard seats. I traded for faux-Speedster seats (lightweight) on several cars.

Best,
Grady

[gilbert911]

Grady,
Many, many thanks for the insight.....
You just don't get that info elsewhere.

And thanks for the email on the 901 box too!

[Milou]

It seems to me that the factory lightweight treatment was fairly limited on that car. Trims were removed from the bumpers (where black tape was applied), and the side trims as well but that's pretty much it. No plexi windows, no plastic bumpers, even the chromed bumperettes and engine grill are still present. I love the car and it's purity though. Maybe the interior has been stripped out which would explain how high the car sits.

[bob tilton]

Gilbert911 - kudos to you for starting this post as it is a great and elusive topic. I think a lot of information can be found in the SWB version of the sports purpose manual. Most people are only aware of the later version. I recently ordered a back issue of the Early S Reg which briefly discusses a series of 68Ls that were made into "lightweights". I'll post info/pic later. I had started a posting ahwile back inquiring about the first appearance of the "RS" door panels and the above interior shot was posted.
I think some of the confusion is distinquishing the difference between a "lightweight" car or a "Sports Purpose" car or a "Werks" car or a "Rally" car or etc. And if we're talking 68 then we have to mention TRs. Are they not the same?
The above pic looks to be an early Euro 68 based on the larger 4.5" durant, non LWB flares, split decklid, torsion openings, euro tail lights, no US side reflectors. All the above could be a 67 but it's the larger durant that screams '68. I'm not sure why the decklid grill is marked "911R" and the door handles "70". Split style decklid appeared on 65-68.5. Door handles could be a carry over from 65-67 style or they may be the 68-69 rectangular wing style. Or they could be plastic 911R door handles. I bow down to Grady's expertise and knowledge.
Anyway - I'll try and scan the old article I have on the series of 15+ 68s that were built up by the factory as "lightweights". Only a few people have ever mentioned this to me after seeing my car - Cris Huergas, Randy Wells and Chris Bauer.

[gilbert911]

Thanks Bob for your comments - look forward to the article.
I have the 68 'Sports purposes' manual too - but it's the extract from '70 posted above, that got me thinking there is maybe more to this...
Does anyone have a copy of that catalogue that they could scan in?