Not sure if this thread is the right place to post as it is not for sale seemed to fit given the sale of a different RHD RS from the same small quota. Moderators feel free to move this post if not right spot.
After posting the sale result I came across this interesting video by Iain on another RHD RS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wwb8cj-5x1s
Despite starting life at different ends of the British class system that red RS’s first owner and I became friends when he found out I’ve long owned another of the circa 50 RHD first 500 RS. We first met when I led the National strategic review of motorsport for the UK’s governing body of motorsport ( the FIA ASN) a number of years ago. In that capacity I was invited to attended the debate on motorsport and the future of of the British GP at the House of Lords — we met that day on the HoL terrace and stayed in touch thereafter. Naturally we often discussed first series RS model and I was interested to hear his experience as a first and long-term owner of the car in the video. He owned it from new, kept for several decades if memory serves me well. He told me he felt he had been given a bit of a sales pitch to upgrade his current 911 when there was concern by importer they wouldn’t shift the 500, but in retrospect was pleased he had done so. Ordered about five months before the Daytona 24 win created some awareness — by which time the red RS was already built and on use on the road for about a month . It replaced a previous 911. Not that old at time a 70 order 71 delivery if I correctly recall what he said, and it in turn after providing great service it was replaced by another new red 911. He was a genuine motorsport enthusiast. Told me the story of how he was inspired to be interested in motorsport by a master at his prestigious private school and regaled me tales of his commute between his large estate in Scotland and central London home plus journeys to continental Europe — every one meticulously logged because of his training.
We met once every year at the House of Lords in the motorsport industry’s lead up to the British GP and sometimes in between at the RAC clubhouse nearby on St. James Onetime out of the blue he rang my home for a natter about cars— I was at work but undeterred he proceeded to chat to my wife whom he’d previously met on one or two occasions. She is not normally that interested in talking about old cars but he was so charming she was a good sport. Wrote me interesting letters too. Only motorsport and our common interest in a particular type of motor car could connect a “Peer” and a working class lad. Lovely chap. Sadly missed. Think my late friend would appreciate Iain’s obvious enjoyment and enthusiasm in the video for his former RS so felt it was ok to share the recollections triggered by seeing his former car and him being referred to.
Lord Hesketh had another of these first series rhd car that went to his driver Hunt — the quota referred to in snippet from around the launch ( think I’ve posted before):
BBC3AD3D-BA19-4B7D-AD20-8C06FE4CA5EA.jpeg
So that is two of the circa 50 RHD first 500 sold new to members of House of Lords. Maybe the advertising in Country Life to “landed gentry” readership had some influence.
Attachment 558527
…. although the two people I mention were into motorsport so aware of motoring matters beyond such ads. Also by time the 19 October advert hit the news-stand the first 500 had sold out at early Oct 72 Paris launch so more likely such adverts influenced next circa 50 sold of series 2 or 3 in the U.K.?
Steve
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