Crosses the block on January 25, 2014
http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_de...gn=FL0114-S145
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“What if, at just the right time, just the right people made just the right thing?” asked Porsche collector Jerry Seinfeld said when he drove his 1973 911RS on an episode of his Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. “What if it came out so right that no matter how hard anybody tried, they couldn’t quite make a thing that was better than that thing? It doesn’t happen much,” he said, “but the 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS is one of those things.” Porsche’s mission--which also explains low production of 1,580 cars--was to homologate the 911 Carrera for FIA Group 5 racing. Five hundred were needed; of those first cars 61 were ultra-lightweights, with the bulk more road-oriented “M472” RS Touring models. All, however, were based on the same set of modifications that turned a 911S into a Renn (racing) Sport. Most arresting when you see an RS is the burzel, the ducktail spoiler, making its first appearance on any production car. Like the front and rear bumpers, air dam and engine cover, it’s fiberglass, part of a lightweight package that sees the Touring hit the road at 2,370 pounds. Unlike the RS Sport, the touring holds onto creature comforts such as carpeting and insulation, making it far more suitable for on-road driving. Fat fender flares are another homologation touch, accommodating seven- and eight-inch tires on 15-inch Fuchs light alloy wheels. Racebred suspension components specific to the RS include aluminum front brake calipers and heavy duty rear trailing arms and torsion tubes. The RS’s 2.7-liter engine was quite an upgrade from the 2.4 in even a 911S. A 90mm bore made the flat-six even more oversquare and rev-happy, producing 210 HP and 202 lb-ft torque. This car, number 1222, retains its numbers matching engine according to the included Porsche Certificate of Authenticity, with improved longevity from more modern oil-fed chain tensioners. In a straight line, a Carrera RS will hold its own against any other car of the era, and walk away from most in the curves. Research shows #1222 was delivered to Italy in the Light Ivory over black leatherette scheme it wears today. Collectible almost from new, it has been in collections in Japan and more recently Mexico, before joining a Porsche collection in the United States. Although the Carrera RS was never sold here new, it is old enough that the lack of any factory emissions equipment is no longer an issue. Inspection finds older work in excellent condition, making it a perfect candidate to drive now and restore later. A 300 KPH speedometer and dash rally times are ready for the next California Mille or Texas 1000, and sport seats reupholstered with corduroy inserts will cradle you in comfort for days of touring. Seven inch front and eight inch rear Fuchs wheels are equipped, with correct color matching crests. A toolkit and original owner’s manual will be important if a restoration for Concours judging are in the car’s future. But the real pleasure in owning a 911 Carrera RS isn’t in looking at it; it’s from behind the wheel. “You can ask anybody that’s ever driven one,” said Seinfeld. “There’s something about this car that feels...perfect.”
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Originally Posted by 67er911S
