Richie Ginther's 914 race cars, where are they?, Anyone know? Options

[GregAmy]

Who is talking you out of this?

Was that for me? It's Foley, he says my chassis is too nice to cut up, that if I wanted to do that I should buy his FP car (which I should do anyway, for a multitude of reasons, #1 being it's a damn nice race car. But between the historics 914 and the Super Touring Civics I'm way too deep in race cars right now...but you never know...)

Since those posts last year I was able to find the whole collection of "Upfixin'" on eBay. Something like $50 for the whole show, it was a killer deal. Wouldn't hurt for you to scan it in for others to see though...

Historics drivetrain is removed and at Foley's as we type, for some freshening up, possibly some massage work, and a transaxle overhaul. No immediate plans to de-windshield it.

I'd still like to to a #30 tribute someday. Watching this thread with interest. We'll see what life throws at me in the near future.

[blabla914]

It's Foley, he says my chassis is too nice to cut up,

This is true. Plus like I said I dig that it still closely resembles the appearance of an 80's ITA car.

That if I wanted to do that I should buy his FP car (which I should do anyway, for a multitude of reasons, #1 being it's a damn nice race car.

True again.....but there is only so much time and money....and garage space....believe me I know.

Since those posts last year I was able to find the whole collection of "Upfixin'" on eBay. Something like $50 for the whole show,

Yeah I did the same a few years ago. I got a set for my dad too.

I'd still like to to a #30 tribute someday.

Yeah actually I would like to do the same. Point of interest I believe some years ago another 914 freak got aluminum cylinders and Scat split port heads ok'd for EP in the SCCA GCR. Not sure how split ports would fly with the vintage crowd though.

[blabla914]

sorry I messed up on the scanner. didn't realize I cut some off the bottom, but most of it is here.

 201811211355.pdf ( 2.83mb ) Number of downloads: 152

[blabla914]

part II

 201811211357.pdf ( 3.42mb ) Number of downloads: 132

[blabla914]

Some people may recognize the stripes in the car with the completed cage. I understand this car is under a tarp outside the same owners shop in the pacific northwest. Who remembers the name of the autocross event they had in northern California on the street course?

 201811211358.pdf ( 774.37k ) Number of downloads: 196

[Curbandgutter]

Some people may recognize the stripes in the car with the completed cage. I understand this car is under a tarp outside the same owners shop in the pacific northwest. Who remembers the name of the autocross event they had in northern California on the street course?

 201811211358.pdf ( 774.37k ) Number of downloads: 196

Can you possibly upload the entire article for 914 frame stiffening? I am very interested in this. I am building a tube frame 914 and I would like to see what the article concluded.

[Rufus]

Anyone know how the 6 Ginther cars compared to GT’s wrt added chassis stiffening? Were the same measures taken?

Bob

[SKL1]

Didn't Ginther run 914-4s? I seem to remember a Panorama or Up-Fixen article explaining the changes they made to the cars for racing. Solex carbs, undercar sway bars, etc. I imagine I still have the article somewhere, though it must be buried back in my archives.

He sure did- I got the manifolds, carbs, linkage etc from them in the early '70's for my '71. Still have the carbs and air cleaners but unfortunately have misplaced the manifolds. Too many moves in the last 50 years (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Also got a lot of stuff from AJR back when...

[Carousel Racing]

paul,

i found this googling around .....

Bob Hindson, from Kansas City, the proprietor of Hindson's Foreign Car Sales and Service, was already a successful racer before he moved to Datsun. Running in C Sedan, his immaculate #31 Mini was a regular sight on the National and Regional circuit and he twice took it to the American Road Race of Champions. At the 1966 event, after winning the MidWest divisional championshipc, Bob came within a second of winning the national championship. He exchanged the lead virtually every lap with Richard McDaniel, also racing a Mini, and led going into the last lap. Most agreed that the title should have been shared as this was the most exciting race of the weekend. McDaniel went on to win three national championships in C Sedan.

While racing the Mini, Bob also invested in a beautiful 1967.5 Datsun 2000 Roadster (see Gallery below). For the 1968 season he raced both cars, building on his previous success. A busy season culminated in an invitation to race both cars at that year's ARRC at Riverside. From the MidWest division, Bob qualified his Datsun alongside the Datsun 2000s of Dick Roberts and Doc Foerster (Pages coming soon). Unfortunately, Bob recorded a DNF with the Mini, although he faired a little better with his Datsun, placing 12th, two places behind Roberts.

Around this time, Bob was asked to sit on the committee that decided the SCCA's car classifications. The committee included Bob Sharp, Kas Kastner, (Triumph), Joe Huffaker (then MG, later Jensen-Healey) and other great names from the sport. There were apparently a number of full and frank committee meetings, each member having their own view on the class in which they, as well as their rivals, should compete.

Bob's success soon sparked interest from Porsche. The 914-6 had just been launched with mixed reaction from the US public, and Porsche-Audi was looking for some good PR. None other that Richie Ginther was asked to prepare six orange cars in his West Coast shop. Two cars went to each of three divisional teams for racing in C Production - Alan Johnson and Elliott Forbes-Robinson (later Datsun) raced two of the cars for Ginther himself. In the Southeast, Porsche racer Peter Gregg ran two cars for Pete Harrison and himself, and in the MidWest, Bob Hindson and Kendall Noah ran cars for veteran Porsche racer and Kansas shop owner Art Bunker.

It was mid-1969 when Pete Brock released Art Oehrli, his engine building guru, from BRE. Art had done some wonderful things with the Datsun 2000 roadster (U-20) engine and had also produced some major power increase in the 240Z. Art moved to Porsche and was given the task of developing the 914-6 engine. By the end of the 1970 season, he had squeezed 212hp from the 2-litre Porsche unit, sufficient to worry its main competition - the Datsun 240Z. Bob Hindson won the 1970 C Production title in the MidWest first time out, ahead of Kendall Noah (Porsche 914-6, 2nd) and BRE's John McComb (Datsun 240Z, 3rd). Bob was invited to the ARRC, along with six other 914-6s. Here, although Bob showed well, the best 914-6 finishes were 4th and 5th for Johnson and Forbes-Robinson, behind the Datsun Z cars of John Morton, Bob Sharp and John McComb.

Although factory sponsorship of the 914-6 was withdrawn for 1971, Bob continued with the car and won the MidWest title again that year. Bob Hindson went on to win no less than 13 divisional titles, with various Porsche machinery - perhaps Bob's greatest achievements were his two GTU wins at the Daytona 24 hours in 1976 and 1977.






Bob Hindson Racing is still a major force in the MidWest, although Bob himself is now retired from the business. Bob's Porsche 914-6 is the only known survivor of the six race cars, and it was rebuilt by Bob himself in 1985.

The whereabouts of Bob's Datsun 2000 is sadly not known.

Rob Beddington

To whom it may concern. I have recently re-purchased my Dad's, Jack Zimmer, Ginther 914-6. Richie prepared this car for my Dad in 1970 along with the 6 cars noted for West, Midwest, and East Coast. My Dad raced the car Regional/National SCCA CP 1970-72. Track record at Donnybrooke (BIR), Blackhawk Farms Raceway. Car was silver #28. He sold it to a guy in Colorado who crunched it two races later... repaired it and continued to race it. Finally wound up in the UK. Currently waiting for it to load the ship for it's trip home. Vin 9140430220. Let me know how to do it and I'll post some pictures.

John Zimmer

[gms]

Great to see the car is coming back to the states, I have about 50 period pictures from when it was raced by Sandborn before Grady bought the car.