Porsche 904

Porsche 904 Carrera GTS

The Porsche 904 Carrera GTS officially marketed as, was a GT car, the Porsche KG. The coupe produced from 1963 to 1965 had a share after the traffic regulations and could be moved out on race tracks and on public roads.

The car was from 1964 to 1966 inserted by the factory team in the World Sportscar Championship and in 1965 as a specially constructed 904 Bergspyder in the European Hill Climb Championship. In addition, many private teams drove the racing car also in the two international racing series and in national championships such as the German Automobile Circuit Championship in the 2- liter GT class.

The 904 won the World Championship of 1964 and 1965, the 2-liter GT- 1964 rating and also the prototype class.

• 2.2.1 body
• 2.2.2 Suspension
• 2.2.3 Engine and transmission

• 3.1 1964 - Victory in the World Sportscar Championship
• 3.2 1965 - dominance in the German Automobile Circuit Championship
• 3.3 1966 - The recent deployments by the factory team
• 3.4 1967 - The last missions in the European Hill Climb Championship
• 3.5 The results 1964-1967

• 6.1 Porsche database
• 6.2 Report on the Internet

General

1963 Porsche developed a successor to the Porsche 718 Produced from November 1963 new racing car with the internal type number 904 should start in the GT class of the World Sportscar Championship. To obtain the necessary for this homologation, according to FIA regulations had at least 100 vehicles produced 904. However, the demand of the private driver was so high that after the planned 100 vehicles a further 16 were mounted. Because Porsche was already at the Great emphasis placed on producing the car cost, and sold him to the favorable also for those days price of 29,700 DM remaining parts for four more cars were used as spare parts.

Since the 904 was able to obtain approval for use on public roads as a GT car, he was not allowed to be marketed with the internal number for the Peugeot naming rights to three -digit numbers with a zero in the middle. The Porsche 904 was therefore sold as Carrera GTS.

The 904, the Ferdinand Alexander Porsche was the Porsche designed as 911, was the last model, which contained the constructed Ernst Fuhrmann four-cylinder boxer engine and belonged to the so-called street racing cars. The later successor Porsche 906 was, though he also as a road vehicle have been approved, the first almost exclusively used as a racing car sports car from Porsche.

For the company presented the first Porsche built with a 904 Stahl-/Kunststoff-Bauweise a milestone

Model development

904 Coupe ( 1963-1964 )

Body

In the body of the Porsche 904 made ​​a compromise between technical innovations and low production costs. Body mount was instead of a space frame is a conventional, easier and cheaper to production box tube steel frame, which consisted of two stable longitudinal members between which a plurality of cross braces were welded.

Porsche used for the outer skin, however, the first time a light plastic or fiberglass reinforced polyester resin from BASF. The body manufactured by Heinkel in Speyer was glued to the box frame and additionally screwed. Although a box frame is less rigid than a tubular space frame, pointed to the body of the 904 by the bonding of frames and plastic skin a large stiffness.

Under the license plate of the lid of the small trunk

Cockpit of a Porsche 904

The two-seater coupe was built after the mid-engine principle. Behind the cockpit, the engine was behind it with gear that drove the rear wheels. For better weight distribution, the fuel tank were having a capacity of 110 liters, the oil cooler and the prescribed pre-mounted spare tire in the front under the front hinged front cover. In the removable rear cover of the FIA regulations prescribed for GT cars trunk with the minimum of 65 × 40 × 20 cm was integrated.

The aerodynamically designed body had a small frontal area. The car was insensitive to wind and even at high speeds to control safely. The vehicles were initially all a silver-gray, later also white and other finishes.

Inside, there was only necessary for the sporting use instruments and equipment. The bucket seats were firmly attached to the body. In contrast, the pedals and the steering wheel of the Porsche 904 could be adjusted longitudinally to allow different drivers an optimal seating position. The plexiglass windows in the doors could be opened only by horizontal push on the first vehicles produced. Later cars with retractable wheels (crank windows) and small quarter windows were made of it. In the doors larger storage compartments inside were integrated.

During the season 1964, the World Sports Car Championship, Porsche improved some details on the car. So were later produced vehicles in 1965, a revised front with larger air intakes to cool the brakes better. On the sides behind the doors enlarged openings have been incorporated so that the motor got more air.

Landing gear

The Porsche 904 had independent suspension on slanting double wishbones, which were mounted in rubber bushings. The suspension took over coil springs with internal shock absorbers. Transverse front and rear anti reduced body roll in corners. The hydraulically operated dual- circuit brake system with disc brakes was taken over by the Porsche 911 and reinforced for racing.

In the GTS version, the car was delivered either with two tires. The buyer could for 185/70-HR-15-Gürtelreifen or racing tires with sizes 5.50-15 front and 6.00-15 rear decide. The tires were mounted on each 15 - inch hole disc wheels of steel with different widths of five to seven inches.

Engine and transmission

Porsche initially planned in the GTS model the six-cylinder boxer engine of the Porsche 911 to install. However, this idea was abandoned, and instead resorted to the tried and tested and race-proven 2- liter four- cylinder boxer engine type 587/3 from the Porsche 356 Carrera 2. Porsche justified this by saying that for a race car sold internationally sufficient spare parts and maintenance knowledge should be available at the mechanics. This was the so-called Fuhrmann- engine, from that in the two-liter version more than 200 units were built, guaranteed.

The engine had air cooling ( fan ) and dry sump lubrication. He was in the 904 as a mid-engine directly behind the driver and - built-in front of the transmission - unlike the Carrera 2. Crankcase, cylinder heads and cylinder were made ​​of light metal. The cylinders inside pages had Ferral treads that were favorable to the oil adhesion and lubricating effect. The valves were controlled by two overhead camshafts with vertical shaft drive. For the mixture preparation, the engine engineers used two downdraft carburetors Weber or Solex. The engine had dual ignition with two spark plugs per cylinder ignition distributors and two. The 12 volt ignition system was powered by a 450 -watt generator.

In the series version of the two -liter engine developed with a compression ratio of 9.8: 1 at a speed of 6900/min maximum 114 kW (155 hp). For race use, the power to 132 kW ( 180 hp ) at 7200 rpm was increased, which could be raised to a maximum of up to 136 kW ( 185 hp). With the newly developed five-speed transmission of type 904 and the ZF limited slip differential Series car reached a top speed of 252 km / h and acceleration from zero to 100 km / h in 5.5 seconds.

The launching only as a work car 904/8 had the 2.2 - liter eight- cylinder boxer engine of the type 771, which was the first time 718 RS 61 is inserted in a Porsche Targa Florio 1962 .. two overhead camshafts per cylinder bank driven by bevel were controlled valves. The engine had a compression ratio of 10.2: 1 and a maximum of 198 kW made ​​(270 hp) at 8600/min.

In 1965 904/6-Werkswagen, first used in the air-cooled 2- liter six- cylinder boxer engine type 901/20 was installed. The value taken from the Porsche 911 engine has been modified for racing and around 54 kg lighter than the standard unit. The crankcase was lightweight electron, the cylinder heads and the cylinder of light metal. An overhead camshaft per cylinder bank, which was driven by chain, controlled the valves. The mixture system was controlled by a triple Weber downdraft carburetor per cylinder line. With a compression ratio of 10.3: 1, the engine 155 kW ( 210 hp ) at 8000 rpm made ​​.

904 Berg Spyder (1965 )

Body

Porsche developed a successor to the still stalled in 1964 Porsche 718 RS 61 Spyder for the European Hill Climb Championship in 1965. The 904 Bergspyder based on the 904/8 Coupe and already received chassis numbers that started with 906. Therefore, the car is titled in part, with 906/8 Bergspyder, although the race car as always 904 Bergspyder went to the start and also technically completely based on the 904 Coupé.

From the Coupé, the developers took over the steel box frame and put on a light open plastic body. The Bergspyder was no beauty and let visually detect any relationship to the aerodynamic coupe. The car was specifically shorter at the front, and because of the lack of the roof and the windshield of the shorter shallower than the series 904. However, the car was around 120 kg lighter than the coupe by this conversion of 570 kg.

During the 1965 European Championship season the body was changed several times. Thus, the windshield was further shortened and flattened the model with the number 906 004. Later, the Bergspyder again received a lighter and rounded at the front and aerodynamically optimized body.

From the car a total of five copies were produced, of which three were eliminated due to accidents in use. In the mountain championship he could by Gerhard Mitter piloted win only one overall victory at the hillclimb Ross Field. The 904 Berg Spyder was replaced yet the end of 1965 when Ollon -Villars hillclimb by the Porsche 906 Spyder Mountain.

Landing gear

The chassis and the tires was completely taken over without changes from the coupe. Due to the light weight and the fact unmatched chassis, the 904 Bergspyder was very difficult to drive. Because of its troubled road holding and the affection of hopping he was known internally as " kangaroo ".

Engine and transmission

In Bergspyder the air-cooled 2- liter eight- cylinder boxer engine from Type 771 was built. This engine had its first mission in 1962 in the Porsche 718 RS 61 and already had a Bosch fuel injection for mixture preparation. The valve control was carried out by two overhead camshafts with vertical shaft drive. The engine developed at 8800/min maximum 191 kW (260 hp) and had a compression ratio of 10.5: 1 With the 904 Coupé taken from five-speed manual the car reached a top speed of around 260 km / h

Racing history

1964 - Victory in the World Sportscar Championship

His first try was the Porsche 904 at the 12 Hours of Sebring in March 1964. In the race, the privateer Lake Underwood and Briggs Cunningham drove the still due to lack of homologation starting as a prototype car on the ninth and the P3.0 - class victory. Already at the Targa Florio, the factory team with the Carrera GTS celebrated the first overall victory. Antonio Pucci and Colin Davis piloted the car in front of their team mates Gianni Balzarini and Herbert Linge, the second was on the first place. For Porsche, it was after last year's success with the 718 GTR, the second overall victory at this endurance race. Equipped with an eight-cylinder boxer engine 904/8 reached the eighth rank and the P2.0 - class victory with Edgar Barth and Umberto Maglioli.

In most races, the 904 the displacement and more powerful race cars like the Ferrari 250 GTO, 275P and 330P overall victory was inferior and not accessible. In the 2-liter Grand Touring class was the 904 preferably used successfully alongside the works team of private drivers. In the 500 - km race at Spa -Francorchamps Edgar Barth finished fifth and the GT2.0 class victory. In the 1000 km race at the Nürburgring Gerhard Koch and Ben Pon occupied by the Racing Team Holland the third place overall and won in the GT2.0 class. The factory riders Joakim Bonnier and Richie Ginther went with a 904/8 to fifth place and won the 2-liter prototype class.

The two 904/8-Rennwagen used by the factory team at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the eight-cylinder engine were on the Mulsanne straight at around 280 km / h very fast, but could not because of clutch failure to finish the race. In contrast, a Carrera GTS with Robert Buchet and Guy Ligier won the GT2.0 class and finished seventh overall.

In Reims, the 12- hour race drove the piloted by the Argentines Andrea Vianini and Nasif Estéfano 904 before the factory 904 with Gerhard Koch and Gerhard Mitter to fifth place overall and class win.

More overall victories with the 904 private teams reached the 3- hour race at Monza and the 500 - km race at Bridgehampton for 2- liter car. In Monza Rob Slotemaker won for the Racing Team Holland and in Bridgehampton won Buzzetta Joe and Bill Wuesthoff by the team of Ed Weschler.

Another 2-liter prototype class victory achieved Edgar Barth and Colin Davis with a 904/8 at the 1000 km race from Paris.

Developed originally for the racetrack Porsche 904 was very successful in hill climbs, some of which runs were scored in the World Sportscar Championship, and in rallies. In the Tour de France for automobiles Robert Buchet and Herbert Linge ended with the GTS race from Lille to Nice as a third party and class winners. The two factory riders Günter Klass and Rolf Wütherich drove with their 904 behind in fourth place. In the Alpine Rally Jacques Rey and Jean -Pierre Hanrioud took a Carrera GTS to third place in the overall standings.

In the European Hill Climb Championship Swiss Heini Walter won with the 904 Bergpokal the GT class. Europa- Bergmeister was Edgar Barth with a Porsche 718 RS61.

In the German Automobile Circuit Championship ( GUT ) started in 1964 several private teams with the 904 and won there in the score for GT cars over 1.6 liters in the runs in Trier, at the Nürburgring and in Neubiberg overall wins and in other races second and third places.

1965 - dominance in the German Automobile Circuit Championship

In the World Sportscar Championship in 1965, Porsche focused more on operations with the prototype 904/6 and 904 /8 and left the 2-liter GT class the private teams with their Carrera GTS. At the 2000 km race at Daytona, the forerunner of there later organized 24 -hour race, occurred only private team with a 904. There, the team Charlie Kolb drove to fifth and GT2.0 class victory behind two Ford GT40 and Shelby Cobra Daytona. The 12- hour race at Sebring Porsche went with a 904/8 and two series -904 at the start. The race ended Lake Underwood and Günter Klass with a series 904 as GT2.0 class winner in fifth place. Behind it placed second factory production car of Joe Buzzetta and Ben Pon. The Gerhard Mitter and Herbert Linge drove 904/8 ninth in the overall standings and P2.0 - class winner was.

At Monza, the work team decided on a start in the endurance race. The 904 was only represented by private teams. Ben Pon and Rob Slotemaker won the 2-liter GT class standings to fourth place. The following Targa Florio Porsche sat next to a Serein -904 - 904 Three different prototypes in order to compare their stability in an endurance race can. The constructed for the European Hill Climb Championship 904 Bergspyder with Colin Davis and Gerhard Mitter drove behind a Ferrari 275P2 to second place in the overall standings. Immediately behind it followed, the 904 /6, 904 /8 and 904 in positions three through five. The experience prompted Porsche to use in endurance racing and the future 906 the reliable six-cylinder engine instead of the eight-cylinder engine.

The next long-distance races on the Nürburgring, Porsche three 904/6 and 904/8 a. The distance traveled by Joakim Bonnier Jochen Rindt and 904/8 took third place and the victory in the P2.0 class behind two Ferraris. The other factory cars finished the race in fifth, six and nine before the 904 privately-entered the 24-hour race at Le Mans Porsche came with a 904/8, two 904/6 and 904 in addition to three private teams. The race ended just two factory cars. In the fourth place Herbert Linge and Peter Nöcker took a 904/6-Prototyp. Behind Gerhard Koch and Anton fish Haber placed with the 904 on the fifth place in the overall standings.

In the last race of the championship season in 1965, the 500 - km race at Bridgehampton for 2- liter car, won the piloted by Herb Wetanson Porsche 904 This was also the last overall victory achieved in this series, a 904.

In the European Hill Climb Championship Porsche came with the developed specifically for this race series 904 Bergspyder. However, the mainly piloted by Gerhard Mitter race car could not compete with the more powerful Ferrari Dino 206p. The Italian Ludovico Scarfiotti won in 1965 in the sports car class and the Mountain Championship before Mitter. The Bergpokal the GT class the other hand, Herbert Müller secured on a Carrera GTS.

Like last year, started private driver with a 904 in the 2- liter GT class of GUT. Porsche also drove in some runs with 904 prototypes to test technical improvements. The 904 would regularly against the competitors of Abarth, Lotus and Elva drove by and a victory. So won the 904- series cars and 904 prototypes in eight of eleven races. One of the most successful 904- pilot was Udo Schütz, who won three runs and drove in another three runs on a second or third place on the podium.

In the Monte Carlo Rally in 1965 Eugen Böhringer and Rolf Wüthrich came with the Carrera GTS a decent result. In the more difficult by a gale-force blizzard race which started from 237 vehicles, only 22 reached the target, the two Porsche works drivers drove their car to second place. Winners were Timo Mäkinen and Paul esters with a Mini Cooper S.

1966 - The recent deployments by the factory team

In the brand world championship season in 1966, Porsche sold mainly to a 906. Only at the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring still 904 of the factory teams went next to the 906 at the start. In the factory Daytona 904 with Gerhard Mitter and Joe Buzzetta went to seventh place in the overall standings and S2.0 - class victory behind the 906. The second 904 with the factory drivers Günter Klass and Udo Schütz finished the race in eighth place. At Sebring, the 904 was last used by Porsche and driven by George Follmer and Peter Gregg to victory in the 2- liter sports car class and on the seventh rank. After that, the 904 was used in no more long distance races.

In the European Hill Climb Championship Michel Weber and Rolf Stommelen drove the Carrera GTS in several runs and Rudi Lins at hillclimb Sierra Montana. In the races, pilots were able to regularly place in the stands four to six.

In the GUT mostly Peter and Rolf Ernst Stommelen started with the 904 still in some races. The best season result obtained Stommelen with the second place in the GT race at Hockenheim. After the 1966 season, the 904 was no longer used in the GUT.

1967 - The last missions in the European Hill Climb Championship

In 1967, the 904 only used in the Hill Climb Championship in the two hill climbs Mont Ventoux and Ollon -Villars. In Mont Ventoux two 904- pilot reached the positions 12 and 22 when mountain race Ollon -Villars, which was valued in the World Sportscar Championship, Gildo de Guidi drove to 15th place and Hans Schertenleib on the 29th place in the overall standings.

The results 1964-1967

Specifications

The Porsche 904 was produced from 1963 to 1965 and used in the following models: