Porsche 962

[cybersdorf]

The 956/962 had a long and illustrious career (and who knows, with the new GTP coming along in 2004 maybe it will make its 4th comeback ), and many privateer teams developed the car to keep up with the ever stronger competition.
Dyson's IMSA car, the Kremer "K" cars, the Dauer "Andretti vs. Unser" variant, Joests "Kurzheck" - what do you think was the most radical 962 version out there?

[Aysedasi]

Personally, I'd say the K8 - you can't get m,uch more radical than chopping the roof off! However, despite having been "brought up" on the 956/962, I personally don't want to see it back. I want to see really new cars.

[cybersdorf]

Originally posted by Aysedasi
Personally, I'd say the K8 - you can't get m,uch more radical than chopping the roof off!

Apart from the roof, though, did the K8 differ much from the original?

[Dr. Austin]

The fact that the last factory 962 to win LeMans ran in such similar trim to the original 956 shows how right the car was to begin with. If you look at a 1982 Rothman's 956L and the 1987 Rothman's 962L, you won't be able to see much difference. In fact, the only visible difference between the two was a lengthened wheelbase to accomodate the new 1986 safety regulation requiring the driver's feet to be behind the front wheels. So I think the original 956 would have been good enough to win fro 82 to 87 with very little changes. So radical changes weren't necessary

But that didn't stop guys like Richard Lloyd and the Kremer brothers from trying to improve the car. Here is one of Lloyd's prettier cars.

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by Dr. Austin
But that didn't stop guys like Richard Lloyd and the Kremer brothers from trying to improve the car. Here is one of Lloyd's prettier cars.

The colour-scheme's nice, but compared to the original, I don't think it's really what I'd call a "looker"!! Give me the '88 Shell 962's or the simple but elegant Joest Blaupunkt livery every time.

(They still don't look as good as "Moby Dick"!!).

[Dr. Austin]

i posted the lloyd picture to show how far the development went with some teams, but I agree that the standard 856/62 is a better looking car. Picking a favorite is hard, but simpler paint schemes such as the Bob Jane or Warsteiner liong tail show off the car's lines better.

The rothman's cars were well done, but the big white wheel covers ruined the looks. check out the Rothman's cars at the start of the '87 race. They were on rain tires without the wheel covers and were running the six spoke speedline wheels in black. The car just looked great like that.

Simple schemes bring out the lines of any pretty car.

[Dr. Austin]

Here is that Rothmans '87 car. The brakes would not get hot enough in the rain when the wheel covers were used. The race started wet, so the works team didn't run the covers. After two or three laps, everyone had pitted for drys. Either that, or most of the 962's had already blown up because the orgainizers provided sub-standard fuel.

Every Porsche had to have it's motronic engine management chip changed because the bad fuel had them popping motors all over the place. The only car that was unaffected was the Obermier Primigaz entry which ran in bone stock factory specification. It finished second, yet another pretty 962.

[Aysedasi]

I remember '87 so well, Doc! I ate something which violently disagreed with me (probably on the Friday night) and I spent all day Sunday feeling very ill! I managed to destoy the toilet facilities out in the restaurant near the Kink!!

(And still I go back......!).

[SL]

The only car that was unaffected was the Obermier Primigaz entry which ran in bone stock factory specification. It finished second, yet another pretty 962.

Except for the other unaffected 962, Ickx / Bell version which won. This could also be described as stock factory spec as well.

SL

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by SL


Except for the other unaffected 962, Ickx / Bell version which won. This could also be described as stock factory spec as well.

SL

It was Stuck/Bell/Holbert who won in '87 (as in '86).

[paulzinho]

Porsche 962 is my favourite sportscar ever. Original form was best and I'd love to see it come back but hopefully without major visible changes. Is it actually legal for the GTP regulations in 2004?

[cybersdorf]

Originally posted by paulzinho
Porsche 962 is my favourite sportscar ever. Original form was best and I'd love to see it come back but hopefully without major visible changes. Is it actually legal for the GTP regulations in 2004?

The Tim Lee Dayey Revival Group???
I have been asking myself the same question - apart from the fact that a "works spec" 962 would be hopelessly outclassed - something like the Dyson DR2, though....hmmm....
I don't know about this mandatory carbon fiber roll cage structure the GTPs will supposedly have, though, and what the underbody will have to be like (flat or Venturi?) - we'll have to wait till they finalise those regs.

[rdjones]

Take a look at the website it has some nice pictures of the insides of a 962:- http://www3.telus.net/962/P2.html

[cybersdorf]

Originally posted by rdjones
Take a look at the website it has some nice pictures of the insides of a 962

...replica

[rdjones]

Here is the wonderful Joest Blaupunkt livary.

[Dr. Austin]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by rdjones
[B]Here is the wonderful Joest Blaupunkt livary."

AH HA!!! Caught you! You are a modeller too. That looks like a Hasagawa 1/24th kit. I have built a bunch of those. Do you build 1/43?

By the way, looks like a great build. I'm looking for the Blapunkt car in 1/43. I had the 91 Daytona winner, but greed overcame me and I sold it.

Mostly, I prefer simple, gracefull schemes, but something a busy one can be attractive too. Here is a bizzarre one.

[paulzinho]

Originally posted by cybersdorf


The Tim Lee Davey Revival Group???

Unlikely but never discount anything.... except DC being World Champion!!!!!

[SL]

Unlikely but never discount anything....

Paul,

Does that mean that you still have one or two old TLD 962's locked up in your garage ??

SL

[paulzinho]

No sadly we don't have the Porsches any more but I think my Dad knows where they are, he just needs some money.... a lot of money.

[SL]

No sadly we don't have the Porsches any more but I think my Dad knows where they are

........But just worried that you get your hands on them more like

SL

[paulzinho]

Just a thought has a father-son ever raced under their name at le Mans?

There must have been at some point surely.

[Adam43]

Father-sons teams. Hmmmm. I would have thought that there had been quite a few of them. Not least the Andrettis. In a Porsche 962 (or 956?).

[SL]

Correct Adam,

1988 Car 19 Porsche 962 3.0 t
Michael Andreti / Mario Andretti / John Andretti
Qualified 3rd Finished 6th after 1 cylinder blew 375 laps

Ironicly, the same race

Car 20 Tiga Ford GC288 3.3t DFL
Tim Lee Davey / Dodd Noble
Qualified 47th Retired 5 laps electrics

The race of course won by Lammers / Dumfries / Wallace TWR Jag


Simon

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by paulzinho
Just a thought has a father-son ever raced under their name at le Mans?

There must have been at some point surely.

Paul, I'm ashamed of you!! What about Derek and Justin Bell in just about the prettiest car to race at Le Mans in recent years - the DPR Mach 1 Harrods McLaren in 1995!! It should have won!!

(I'll have a picture up to illustrate the point by the weekend!!).

[cybersdorf]

"Raced under their name" - there was never a "Bell & Son Racing Team".