Vintage Race prep, Prep to circa 70 specs Options

[914werke]

Folks I could use you help.
I have been lobbying to our local Vintage sanctioning bodies in the Pacific NW (SOVREN and VRCBC) to allow 914's to run in thier events, and have evan recently completed SOVRENS race school only to discover that this club is more about collecting historically documented and/or acurate reproduction race cars, than acutally racing them. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)
Apparently this is a debate that has been fought long befor I came on the scene, one of arguments being that if you let 914s run then you have to let 240Z cars run and there goes the neighborhood! (pass the grey poupon please!!)
Anyway, N. of the border (BC CAN) they seem a lot less uptight and said yes they wouldnt ask to many questions (or look to closely) If my car was prepared to circa 1970 trim (that being the cut off for Vintage status) sort of "dont tell, we wont ask" approach.
So what was accurate for 70?
From an as raced standpoint, the only documented heritage I can find is the 914/6GT & LeMans?
The only four that was available was a 1.7 Tailshifter, correct?
My tub is a 74 so to make it appear as close to a 70 model as possible I know need to change bumbers, the interior is gutted so that not an concern. What about wheels?
The color is white, was that offered in 70?

You get the Idea

[URY914]

Many 914s running in vintage racing around the country are not as raced in their original condition. It may look it on the outside but under the skin is a different story. Have a look at the Gunnar silver car or the Patrick Racing car and you'll see what I mean. It really depends if you want to do and what your group lets you do. Here are a pictures from the 1971 24 hours of Daytona. The body is basicly the same on all of them. White is a correct color for the period.

Paul

[URY914]

another...

[URY914]

last one

[URY914]

Ok, another. This is from VIR 1971.

[Brad Roberts]

I wouldnt worry about period correct.. I'm betting NO one in the org has a clue as to what they did and didnt have in 1970-71

HSR West requires you to run a 2.0 4cyl or a 2.0 6 cyl. (The 2.0 4 wasnt even born yet...and NEVER raced by Porsche) ...in the 2.0 vintage class. All the cars I have seen are only period correct by engine size and wheel/tire size... everything else is pretty much open (they do however regulate the number of cage pickup points in the chassis)


B

[URY914]

I'll agree with Brad. The latest safety requirements will over rule the period correctness.
As always, check the rules and speak to the people that will be making the decisions on your car.

Paul

[brant]

Wow,

I don't know all of the answers to your questions.. but I wanted to chime in so that you didn't feel alone. My local vintage club will allow up to 1972, but only 6cylinder cars. They too are very precise and exact in their expectations. Unfortunately my 1974 race car had the wrong vin tag on it, so I am currently in the process of building an entirely new chassis out of a 1972 so that I can be "legal". I don't have a log book yet, but it is constantly in the back of my mind when I consider a modification or update.

I would recommend that you get a rule book with their allowed mods. Usually these rules are based upon something (probably the scca 1970 GCR) You can buy historical GCR's and I bought the 1972 one since our vintage rules are based on that. Next, I would recommend talking to the eligibility guy at length. Get everything (every question) answered in writing if possible. Email is great for this. Locally, there is one guy in the club with a 1972 4cylinder. This only because he had it in writting when they first started allowing the 1972 cars in that he could bring his. The local group later decided that even though 1972 cars could enter only the 6 cylinder 914's would be allowed (I guess to keep out the riff-raft). My friend with the 4cylinder fought and won, so he has an exemption now because he had it in writting. It sucks though that when he sells the car it will never be allowed back in and the log book will be collected by the club.

The 1.7 was the only 4cyclinder in 70. The eligibility people will be better able to answer specific questions.. and I have to remove many of the upgrades that my 74 had..

good luck
brant

[campbellcj]

I was actually shocked by what can be run in HSR West. Many of the cars I saw at their event last fall were a lot farther from stock/vintage-correct than mine is. I guess the outward appearance and aerodynamics are a "hang up" of these groups, but anything hidden under the lids is less of an issue. (?)

[Don Wohlfarth]

The Duval car (#5) is owned by Gary Wigglesworth in York, PA. He has a Porsche shop and restored the car about 10-12 years ago. We use to beat each other up running ax's and ran de's together. Gary ran the car for a couple years in PCA club races. Gary was in a accident a couple years ago and hasn't be able to drive the car.
Have to give the guy credit for taking the car out and driving it in competition instead of letting it sit a garage gathering dust. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

[URY914]

Don,
Here it is recently

[Bleyseng]

Looks like all you have to do is add;
Big driving lites on the bumper
Hood pins
Flares
Polished Fuchs
Lots of stickers-Use several 914Club stickers

Bam! Wam!-70's Period 914
I am interested in going to race Sovern if they change the rules otherwise its just a gentlemans club with old cars.

Geoff

[Porsche Rescue]

I believe there is a SCCA vintage class in Portland. Maybe also in Seattle.

[914werke]

I think the only way they'll change is if a bunch of us whiper'snappers infiltrate the club and out-vote um or
someone with an extremly fat wallet and a 914 flashes some bling :flower: and persuades um.
But you right Geoff..I need some 914Club Stickers!

BTW did you get your driving lights installed? What about that H3 conversion?

[Brad Roberts]

Don,

that is a great story about you and Gary Wigglesworth. I *think* Gary was sent one of the brothers to my tube chassis 914 back in 1996-97. His name sounds awful familiar.


B

[john rogers]

The factory might not have raced the "4s" but Wayne Baker had one that ran in IMSA that was pretty fast! It had a 2.2 or 2.4 liter engine (depending on the track) and that is what I run and so far have had no problems in either HSR West or VARA but then again I don't try to win very hard as I am there more for te fun of it. Several years ago I wanted to race with the SCCA but they said I had to have a "6" and it could be all the way up to 2.8l since the 2l parts are so ard to find??? I decided to not race with thme as they seem to be a little too stuck on themselves. The in their news letter they were hollaring about the drop off in the number of entrants in their race weekends, wonder why?! The SCCA did allow the 4s to race years ago as the owner of the shop that does my work had a 150 HP 1.7 grenade moter car for years and was very competitive. If I knew then what I have learned in the past 4 years of vintage racing, I would have bought a vintage formula Vee and raced that as they show up for sale every winter and are always accepted with no hassels! Good luck.

[Bleyseng]

I was saving you a sticker or two Rich. Yep, got the fogs installed but no bulbs yet. I also started on the metal GT bumper project (thanks Karl for the drawing).
I will go to Sovern with you to change their mind, sorry I don't have alot of bling bling!
There are a couple of other 914/6 guys around Seattle that race that might help too. Maybe at the next breakfast we can talk about this very subject!

Geoff

[Brad Roberts]

John..

I'm not sure who you spoke too.. but you can run anything you want in SCCA's ITX class. Its a catch all class for everything. We run 4cyl cars in F-Production (2.0 4cyl) and E-Production (1.8).. you can also run a 2.0 4 or 6 in GT3.

The Wayne Baker story is a great one.

B

[Don Wohlfarth]

Brad, Gary's been around a long time. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) He set FTD at one of the Parade's late 80's. Don't remember him every having a tube car, he may have been building it for someone.
Rich, you're going to have to check with whatever vintage association you want to run with. Have a friend who bought a fresh car set up for SCCA as he wanted to run with the vintage guys. He showed at one event and they let him run but told him not to come back with existing body. Car had the huge fenders that were open like the 935's on the front and back. Told him it didn't "have vintage look".

[ArtechnikA]

The factory might not have raced the "4s" but Wayne Baker had one that ran in IMSA that was pretty fast!

attaching my reply here since this car
<-----
is the Baker car, photographed at one of the last LA Times 6-Hr races at Riverside. (for those who knew the track, this is painted from a photograph i took from up in the Goodyear sign on the outside of Turn 6...)

in addition to Baker's IMSA car, several/many people won SCCA national championships in 914's, such as Alan Johnson and Ritchie Ginther. AJ's mighta been in a /6 but in their day, competing against contemporary cars, the /4's were quick too.