Porsche 956-103 Catalogue

PORSCHE 956-103

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PORSCHE 956

The customer versions of the 956 were available in 1983 with twelve chassis bering produced to the earlier 1982 factory specification. These were numbered 956-101 through to 956112. In 1984 a further six chassis were produced to the 1983 works specification. These were to be designated 956 ‘B’ and were numbered 956-113 through to 956-118.

The Porsche 956 was a Sports Prototype designed and built to compete under the, new for 1982, Group C regulations primarily within the FIA World Sportscar Championship. The project began June 1981 with the first prototype 956-001 chassis being completed on March 27th 1982. The 956 featured an aluminium monocoque chassis, which was a first for the company, helping to allow the car to meet the 800kg minimum weight limit.

The engine is the same as used in the previous years 936 model designated 935/76. The type 935/76 engine is a twin KKK K26 turbocharged flat 6 configuration with air-cooled barrels and water cooled cylinder heads producing approximately 636bhp. Initially the engines employed Bosch mechanical fuel injection with the factory cars benefitting in 1983 from the fitment of the Bosch MP1.2 Motronic fuel injection which would not be available to the customer teams until 1984.

The 956 would be officially replaced by the works Rothmans new 962 model in 1985 with the customer cars still running till the end of 1986 when they were effectively outlawed by the new IMSA style regulation dictating that the driver’s pedal box should lie behind the axis of the front wheels.

Exclusively the Rothmans factory team used the 956 during 1982 with chassis 956-001 through to 956-004. For 1983 the factory team had five new chassis, 956005 through to 956-009, which featured a revised monocoque to increase the front down force. This was followed by one further chassis 956-010 in 1984.

GVE LONDON

956-103 Porsche 956-103 was one of twelve customer cars built in 1983 for American Preston Henn to compete in the FIA World Endurance and Japanese Sportscar Championships.

956-103 is one of only twenty-four surviving genuine 956’s in the world and the finest available today.

GVE LONDON

RACE HISTORY

Fuji 1000kms 1983

The car had new livery in Japan in the colours of Advan and Alpha Windsurfing, Ricky Chiba’s company that had bought 956-103. Advan’s backing led to the adoption of Yokohama tyres.

Local hero Kunimitsu Takahashi qualified secondlast place of the 956’s. John Paul Jr, the reigning IMSA champion, completed the driver line-up. On lap 64, the left side of the nose section was torn off in a collision with a back marker. The officials refused to allow the car to rejoin as the team did not have a spare nose section and there was a wheel partially uncovered.

Silverstone 1000kms 1983

The first race for the 103 was at the Silverstone 1000kms race with Bob Garretson (the first endurance world champion back in 1981) as the team manager. Preston Henn drove with Guy Edwards and Rupert Keegan, but the latter did not take part in the race. The race ended for the 103 in the second hour, with Edwards at the wheel, due to engine failure.

Le Mans 24 Hours 1983

Le Mans 24 Hours 1984

For the Sarthe race, Henn hired Claude Ballot Lena with whom he had won the Daytona 24 hours in a Porsche 935. The third driver was Jean-Louis Schlesser. At the ten-hour mark, after some initial problems, the car had managed to fight its way up to 13th place with the final finishing position being a respectable 10th place overall.

For Le Mans John Paul Jr was again part of the driver line-up with Jean Rondeau. Even though Henn’s name appears on the bodywork, he drove his own 962-104 that was entered in the GTP class. During practice Michel Ferte qualified the 956-103 whilst John Paul Jr qualified the 962-104!

Jean Rondeau put the number 26 on the 956-103 for the 26th grid spot. The 956 had an uneventful race and slowly moved its way up the time sheets from eighteenth place at the end of the first hour to fifth with a quarter of the race gone. In front of it were two Lancia’s and 956-114 and 956-115; it gained another place when 956-115 collided with a back marker. The two Lancia’s and 956-114 all succumbed to engine problems leaving the Swap Shop 956 to take the overall runner-up spot! It was the 956-103s last race in Europe and its most notable performance.

Brands Hatch 1000kms 1983

Back in England for the third championship race, Henn teamed up with David Sutherland and David Galicia. Both were making their debut in Group C cars and things were made more difficult for them when Hen blew up the engine on his third lap of qualifying. A new engine was fitted for the second qualifying session with Sutherland posing the slowest time of all the 956’s.

GVE LONDON

RACE HISTORY Suzuka 1000kms 1984

The Nova Engineering team bought 956-103 to race in Japan. It competed in this round in the FromA colour scheme with Dunlop tyres, its livery in the last two races counting towards the Japanese championships. Its driver were Jiroh Yoneyama and Chikage Oguchi who qualified in thirteenth place, eventually finishing seventh.

Fuji 1000kms 1984

Its last race appearance in period was in the Fuji 1000kms, a world championship round in Japan.

Its driver were again Jiroh Yoneyama and Chikage Oguchi who, unfortunately, qualified it last of the 956s.

Le Mans Legends 2004

Twenty years on 956-103 returned to the Sarthe resplendent in its iconic 1984 Swap Shop livery for the Le Mans Legends morning support race.

Gareth Evans fulfilled his dream of racing a 956 round the most famous endurance circuit in the world bringing her home to a fine second place class finish.

GVE LONDON

RESTORATION 956-103 was sold to Rob Dyson to enable him to purchase a new 962 chassis as Porsche policy at the time stated that you could only buy a 962 if you owned a 956.

Vern Schuppan bought 956-103 from Rob Dyson and subsequently had the chassis repaired before selling it on in 1993. It then underwent a no expense spared ground-uprestoration to the 1984 Swap Shop Le Mans specification prior to the 2004 Le Mans Legends support race.

Work carried out included:

1. Over 3000 hours of labour.

2. All body panels removed to check for any defects or cracks in the chassis.

3. All steel suspension components including wishbones, links, rockers, subject to nondestructive testing (magnetically tested to BS 6072 1986) - all free from Indications serial number 90452.

4. All alloy castings subject crack testing (dye penetrant BDEN 571-1) - all free from any relevant indications serial number 90188.

5. Steering rack subject dye penetrant testing.

Steering column subject to dye penetrant and F1 rig tested to check torsional strength - all within acceptability.

6. All BBS wheel centres crack tested prior to paint.

7. All brake calipers and master cylinders new or rebuilt with new parts.

8. All other components individually inspected and replaced or rebuilt where needed.

9. All new fuel hoses, oil hoses and brake lines.

GVE LONDON

MISC INFO Other information:

- Only Porsche original parts.

- The engine was recently rebuilt with new barrels and pistons, valves springs, followers, pump etc. all new. Built by Porsche factory engine builders.

- New waste gates rebuilt turbos. All new Wiggins connectors. All new oil pipes.

- It was dyno run prior to the only outing since Le Mans in 2004.

- Best bodywork fit with corrects ducting and seals.

- Gearbox/driveline totally rebuilt with new parts wherever needed.

- Entire suspension/steering totally refurbished and crack tested with new joints, bearings and bushes.

- Electrics checked by Bosch in Germany.

- Fuel pumps rebuilt and rig tested by Bosch. The tank was a new factory tank which was new but out of date now (needs to be changed if raced).

- Brakes had new pistons and seals, new master cylinders, new pipes and hoses.

- Pedal assembly, gear linkage, all new bushes.

- Dampers were dyno tested back in 2004.

- Air jacks new pistons and seals.

- Car has been recommissioned, totally checked and all the fuel lines replaced as 10 years is safe lifetime on fuel hoses.

- Engine run and leak down tested (good) also bore scoped (good) it is fine to race for some 18 hours but it has not run since Le Mans in 2004.

If you are interested in this exceptional and unique race car, described by restorers Group C ltd. as the “best 956 ever�, then please do not hesitate to get in contact with our sales team using the contact information provided below.

P: 0208 573 8488 E: info@gvelondon.com W: www.gvelondon.com

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