This car started out as a '73E sunroof coupe and I've been slowly taking it towards a "cheater" RS Touring model since 1999. I was looking to build a car with better performance than that legendary vehicle for a lot less money than the original RS models bring now ($200K plus!)
I got the car from a dentist in San Antonio who had bought a '79 Turbo. It came with some nice bits--it had a stock 3-liter CIS engine and trans from a 1980 SC with 60K miles on it already transplanted into it, with SSIs and a sport muffler. With a little tuning, it was making over 200 SAE HP at the flywheel with gobs of low-end torque. In comparison, my 1967 911S made maybe 160 DIN HP at about 6500 RPM and weighs the same (about 2350 lbs. wet).
It had Bilsteins all around and the later model aluminum trailing arms and adjustable spring plates, factory sway bars, H-4 headlights, turbo tierods, factory short-shift kit, a fender-mounted Turbatrol oil cooler & fan with factory hard lines, alloy "S" calipers, 6 & 7" Fuchs, new wheel bearings, a 5-year old bare metal repaint in the original silver color, removeable stereo, new headliner, single Optima battery conversion, etc. The interior was a little rough--carpet was ragged but the seats were OK. The front pan had been replaced and there was no other visible rust at all--the tub was very solid.
I stripped all the sound insulation out of the car and prepared it with safety equipment, had it aligned and corner-balanced, and started running it in autocross and time trial events in the FP class with PCA-SDR in 2000. It won it's class that season. I decided to improve it for the FI class for the next year, so I bought the correct RS steel flares from Troutman in Temecula, and had them welded on by Chris Thompson, a local metal worker. He did a beautiful job butt-welding and metal-finishing the new pieces on the car.
I fitted some cantilever slicks on 7" wheels all around, and won my class again in 2001, getting into the top-ten overall regularly for the first time, in events with 100+ Porsches at each one, including the newest models, which it easily beat.
In 2002, I ran it in DE (Driver Education) events at Laguna Seca, California Speedway and Willow Springs, as well as several POC and PCA events.
During practice for a PCA time trial at Willow Springs Raceway in late 2002, I made a mistake that many drivers have done and most of the rest will, at some time in their life. I missed a shift heading out of Turn 9 and onto the front straight at well over 100 mph. Instead of upshifting from 4th gear to 5th, I missed the gate in the 915 shift pattern and hit 3rd instead. I was at redline in 4th when I started the shift, so the accidental downshift spun the engine at over 9,000 RPM briefly (until I could get the clutch back in), and bent some valves when they collided with the pistons. The motor was down on power and making some very loud clicking sounds. My weekend was over, so I loaded the car on the trailer and went home. This was the first time my car had ever broken at the track, and it was MY FAULT!
Faced with a $3K+ repair bill on the 3.0SC motor, like any irrational racer, I decided the thing to do was upgrade instead of repairing it! I added a 3.4 liter carb'ed motor and 930 brakes instead, taking it into the AM class in PCA Zone 8. In this configuration, I ran two more time trials in 2003, setting a lap record at Spring Mountain Motorsports Park, and winning TTOD at the Grand Prix region autocross at Streets of Willow the day afterwards. At this point, I started having shifting problems with the transaxle, so I had it completely rebuilt, adding a limited slip differential. Since then, I have only run it in a few DE events at Qualcomm stadium, campaigning my 1967 911S for 2004 and 2005 instead. In 2004 I ran it at a DE event at Thunderhill Raceway, and drove it at an instructor's clinic in 2007 to earn my PCA National DE Instructor certification. Otherwise, it has only been exercised regularly on the street.
As it sits, it is ready for final body and paint work after completing a 6-year conversion to beyond RS specs. It is mechanically perfect and set up for autox and time trial events, while still street legal and registered/insured in CA. I was going to put it into the paint shop when my '68 comes out and have it resprayed in the original silver, but since buying my Ultima GTR, I would be willing to discount it for the paintwork and sell it as-is for $34K. This would make it possible for a new owner to do a color change if desired. I was going to keep it in the original silver, with blue graphics, a color combo that no real RS ever came in (which works for me, as I did not want to build an RS-clone, but rather an "RS-tribute" car with greater performance capability), but someone else might want a Viper Green or Blutorange car. This is a perfect opportunity to have a very fast, safe and reliable RS-look in whatever color floats your boat. I have a brand new data plate for the door jamb which could be stamped with whatever color code you desire. You could not reproduce this car to this stage of development for less than $50K, and I have the receipts to prove it.
Here is my current description of the car. Seeing it in person and driving it is highly recommended. PPIs are welcome:
1973 911E sunroof coupe, #9113201130 (I have the COA from Porsche), completely rust-free and solid, w/ buttwelded RS flares, and FRP RS bumpers (still in primer) and ducktail. Bolt-in full cage w/removeable door bars (fully padded), Corbeau FIA race seats and harnesses w/ custom bracket on driver's seat for a 6'4" driver, full RS interior w/ silver Prototipo wheel, and a fire extinguisher installed on rear hoop. Prepped for PCA and POC time trials, never club raced, never wrecked. The portions of the car that are not new and in primer are still very good silver paint (roof, doors, hood, front fenders), with some rock chips from spirited use over the years, but a complete respray is really required, as metallic silver cannot be easily matched and blended. When the RS rear flares were done, I also removed the rocker deco strip and had the holes welded up, and was planning to remove the rock-guard coating on the bottom of the rockers and carry the new paint all the way down, then install the blue Carrera graphics that I have. At the same time, I was going to replace the rubber seals all around, and install a new windshield, as there is a crack in the lower right corner of the existing one, as well as installing a lexan rear window with parts I have on hand (which will be included).
Professionally built and installed 3.4-liter engine, on a 3.2 Carrera case, w/ Mahle Sport (10.3:1 CR) pistons and cylinders, Carillo rods, "Otto" Webcams (171e), Aase Bros. valve springs, MSD 6-AL ignition, and PMO 50 carbs. It made 256 RWHP on the dyno with George's European headers (1-3/4") and a Dansk sport exhaust, ceramic coated in grey. It pulled 280HP running straight pipes (dyno results here). Venturis and jets for both setups are included. Approx. 15 hours on the engine since new, always run with two remote coolers--front fender and mid-front in valance, keeping it cool in the hottest weather. This motor has the quick, high-revving character of an early "S" motor, and spins easily to 7400RPM with the growling grunt of the bigger displacement, later motors. The best of both worlds! This engine would cost $18K to duplicate, alone.
Completely rebuilt 915 transaxle from '84 Carrera w/ 8:31 R&P, Guards Transmission billet intermediate plate and chromoly torque-biasing diff, and factory short-shifter w/Seine Systems gateshift. Approx. 5 hours since rebuild, with new Sachs Sport clutch and pressure plate package installed.
Well-developed suspension setup w/ 930 Turbo brakes front and rear w/ 23mm Mercedes master cylinder and Smart Racing cooling kit w/front ducting to spoiler, 22mm F and 30mm R Sanders Eng. hollow T-bars w/ custom-valved Bilsteins to match, 19mm front adjustable ARB w/ 21mm Carrera rear bar, turbo tierods, Elephant bump-steer kit, alloy front crossmember and rear trailing arms, adjustable springplates, corner-balanced and aligned by Steve Grosekemper at Dieter's here in San Diego. Includes 7 & 8 x 15" Fuchs, refinished (anodized) w/centers in blue to match the color of RS graphics I have, which are waiting to be installed until the car is re-painted.
Other odds and ends include dual 02 sensor ports in the exhaust, one on each bank, with a Split Second A/F meter wired to the left side, a "Big Red" oil pressure light in place of the clock, Wink 5-panel rear-view mirror, remote (hidden) kill switch, Jaz catch-can for sump tank vapor recovery, alloy dead pedal, ABS floorboards, new (2007) Crow 5-point harnesses, Odyssey dry-cell battery, unbreakable acrylic plastic H4 headlight lenses (original glass lenses included), triangulated front strut brace, etc.
I have various other wheel and tire sets and extra parts that might be included, if you are interested, including everything to convert to a centerfill gas tank, using an ATL fuel cell, as well as most of the parts to convert it to an ST or 2.8 RSR look before painting, if desired. More info and pictures on request. Please email me if interested.
