Vehicle Description
Chassis No. 9306700154
By 1976 Porsche had been racing the 911 for nearly ten years. Born
in an era of light regulation and constant innovation, the 911 had
grown in leaps and bounds in that time. In less than a decade, the
displacement of the racing air-cooled flat-six increased by 50
percent with other models experimenting with turbocharged
smaller-displacement engines. Precisely metered mechanical fuel
injection systems replaced carburetion and cylinder head cooling
improved with a "flat-fan" pushing air downward directly from the
top. Porsche's aerodynamicists were hard at work too, sculpting an
endless evolution of rear wings and front air dams to counteract
the 911's natural tendency to lift at the elevated speeds the cars
were now capable of. Cornering speeds were significantly higher as
well and to cope, the 911 received coil-over suspension on all four
corners, large anti-roll bars, and significantly wider center-lock
wheels, shod with slicks, and widened bodywork to suit. Each of
these advancements and more were the standard specification for the
1976 Porsche Turbo RSR, commonly known as the Type 934.
Porsche produced the 934 for customer racing for both SCCA Trans-Am
and IMSA Camel GT Challenge in the United States and international
FIA Group 4 GT competition. Backed by Weissach engineers and
fielded by many of the best racing teams in the world (Brumos,
Holbert Racing, Vasek Polak, Kremer, and Interscope Racing), the
highly reliable and stout 934 was a natural success. In 1976, 934s
won the Trans-Am Championship, captured the World Championship of
Makes Group 4 GT title, placed second in class at Le Mans, and
powered Bob Wollek to the coveted Porsche Cup title upon debut.
One of only 31 Type 934 Turbo RSRs produced for 1976, this 934,
chassis number 154, was originally purchased by experienced Porsche
racer Eugen Kiemele through Str�hle KG. Finished in Arrow Blue, it
was finished in December 1975 and delivered to Kiemele on 19
February 1976. The experienced racer immediately put his new 934 to
use just two days later at the Preis der Stadt Stuttgart, a 20 lap
race at the Hockenheimring. Kiemele emerged the winner, thought to
be the first race entered and won by a Porsche 934. Further circuit
races in 1976 included DARM events at Zolder and Hockenheim. In
April, Kiemele entered chassis number 154 in the 12th Heilbronner
ADAC-Bergpreis hillclimb taking first place. Kiemele was no
stranger to hillclimbing powerful 911s, having done so with his
previous steed, a 1974 Carrera RSR. Next, Kiemele entered 154 into
the DMV-Kr�hberg-Rennen hillclimb, but this event in the hills just
outside Heidelberg ended with a shunt due to a stuck throttle pedal
and a subsequent DNF. Kiemele then sold his 934 to J�rgen
Kannacher, an up-and-coming Porsche 934 racer and team owner.
Likely interested in the 934's engine and transmission, they were
split from the chassis which was then sold to Josh Sadler of
Autofarm in England. The damaged car was rebuilt at Autofarm,
refinished in silver and fitted with a normally aspirated 2.8-liter
RSR engine. Over the next 15 years the 934 would continue its
racing career via entry in numerous British championships, most
notably contesting both the 6 Hour races at Silverstone and Brands
Hatch in 1979 with Tony Dron at the wheel. In those years the 934
featured various powerplants - even receiving British road
registration in 1980 - before being sold to Italian Mauro Borella
in 1992, a well-seasoned racer from Milan. Research indicates that
Borella raced the car that year before it passed to fellow Italian
Mario Ilotte, an experienced Porsche driver who had raced a Porsche
911 ST at the 1971 Le Mans 24 Hours and finished 8th at the 1973
Targa Florio in a Carrera RSR. After a couple of years, in 1995,
the 934 made its way to the United States, having been purchased by
collector Richard Gundeck. Gundeck is believed not to have used the
car much if at all, though it is noted to have made an appearance
at Rennsport Reunion III during his ownership.
In 2010 the 934 was acquired by Monaco resident Paolo Faldini,
returning to Europe. Faldini intended to return the 934 to
top-level vintage racing and, as he relayed to Classic Porsche
magazine, embarked upon a complete rebuild in order to return it to
the racing circuit. Kremer Racing of Cologne, Germany was selected
to comprehensively restore chassis 154. The famous racing outfit
needs no introduction, having campaigned 934s when new and having
won the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans with their own 935 K3. Beginning
in late 2010, chassis number 154 was completely stripped and
chemically dipped. The unibody was then placed on a Celette jig,
and with the front end not aligning properly, Faldini and Kremer
elected to replace the inner fenders and front latch panels. During
this process the bodywork was returned to its original and unique
shade of Arrow Blue. Small yet welcome concessions to modern
competition rules were made, such as the inclusion of a weld in
roll cage and modern oil line routing from the front cooler. Racing
at the Le Mans Classic was Faldini's goal, and reading the rulebook
closely, he elected to rebuild his 934 as a 1977 specification
934.5 model, just as many 934s were upgraded to in period. Most
importantly, the updated 1977 specification featured a more
powerful, mechanically fuel-injected engine. Aerodynamically, the
934.5 was enhanced with a larger 935-style rear wing, while overall
grip increased via wider BBS wheels, necessary to put the power to
the road, with bolt-on fender flares needed to cover them. It
should be noted that this sale includes various spare parts that
would assist the winning bidder in returning the car to its
as-delivered 1976 specification, if desired. Copies of the Kremer
restoration invoices on file and available for review document the
extensive work totaling approximately €285,000.
When finished in 2012, Kremer proudly displayed the 934,
resplendent in its unique Arrow Blue finish on its stand at the
Bremen Classic Motorshow. It was later given a shakedown at
Hockenheim, approximately 36 years to the day since it made its
debut at the historic German racetrack. Its DMSB Wagenpass records
that it took part in the 3 Hour Eifelrennen at the N�rburgring that
summer and fittingly, former owner Mauro Borella was reunited with
the car as Faldini's co-driver. Incredibly, with the culmination of
the restoration Faldini applied for and obtained street
registration in Monaco, likely in part due to its prior UK road
registration. In 2014, after sweating the details to return the car
to its former glory, Faldini sold the car to Englishman Stephen
Troman. Later that same year, well-known Porsche collector Eric
Douglas of Sweden acquired chassis number 154. Douglas kept his
beautifully restored 934 over the next decade before it returned to
the United States following acquisition by the present owner.
Today this Turbo RSR presents in very much the same cosmetic
condition as when it left Kremer Racing's restoration workshop in
2012. Not used on track in the last few years, chassis number 154
will require some preparation before another return to the vintage
racing circuit, but once refreshed should provide an historic and
competitive entry to events including the Rolex Monterey
Motorsports Reunion, Rennsport Reunion, Velocity Invitational, and
many others. An impressive example of Porsche's commitment to
customer racing and the technology to advance the 911, this Type
934 Turbo RSR is sold with a spare parts package that includes a
1976 Type 934 rear wing, set of wheels, fender flares, and an
additional rear bumper.
