For Sale at Auction: 1981 Porsche 924 in Carmel, California

Chassis No. WP0ZZZ93ZBS720011

Daytona, Sebring, and Le Mans. Perhaps the ultimate triumvirate of international endurance classics where only the world's strongest cars and best drivers aim to compete. Porsche is by far the most successful manufacturer at all three with numerous overall and class victories at Le Mans beginning as far back as 1951. Porsche's success is defined by racing the models they produce, and naturally this ethos of racing, improving the breed, continued into the "Die Transaxle �ra" beginning in 1976.

The 924 was the first of these transaxles, and its competition history began on the treacherous stages of the Rallye Monte-Carlo but quickly shifted to the track and endurance racing in 1980. That year Porsche debuted the 924 Carrera GTP with the factory's entry finishing Le Mans 6th overall and third in class, all but guaranteeing the development and homologation of a customer version, the GTR, debuting the next year. With the 935 ending a dominant five-year run and the first customer Group C 956s two years away, the homologation of the turbocharged 375-horsepower 924 Carrera GTR via the required 400 Carrera GT and 50 Carrera GTS road cars couldn't have been better timed.

Just 17 factory-built 924 Carrera GTRs were ultimately produced with chassis number 011 supplied to the United States and the world-famous Brumos Porsche team via Porsche+Audi Competition Director Jo Hoppen. Following the passing of Peter Gregg in 1980, Brumos rallied around owner Deborah Gregg and company President Bob Snodgrass who partnered with Herman+Miller, who would also field their own Carrera GTR that year. Both teams were backed with sponsorship from BF Goodrich tires, and the team was able to keep the Brumos name at the forefront of international endurance racing without the enormous expense typically required. However, there was a catch-the team running the now famous silver and blue BF Goodrich T/A livery and Brumos start number 58 would have to compete on Comp T/A radial street tires!

The Brumos/BF Goodrich team would begin the season at the Daytona 24 Hours, a happy hunting ground for both the teams, just 90 minutes south of their home base in Jacksonville, and the Stuttgart manufacturer. Americans Jim Busby and Doc Bundy would drive along with Porsche factory driver, German Manfred Schurti. Qualifying 26th, the IMSA GTO team would suffer from gearbox issues to ultimately finish a credible 19th, especially considering they ran the full 24 hours on street tires! The 12 Hours of Sebring found actor James Brolin sharing the car with Busby and Bundy bringing similar results: 23rd overall and 9th in the GTO class. Following the first two races of the season, both the Brumos and Herman+Miller 924 GTRs would be sent to Weissach in preparation for the 50th Grand Prix of Endurance-the 1982 24 Hours of Le Mans.

To get right to the point, the 1982 edition of the world's most famous endurance race was a Porsche clean sweep. The factory Rothmans 956s would finish 1-2-3 overall, followed by 935s in both IMSA GTX and Group 5, a 934 Turbo RSR in GT, and this 924 Carrera GTR winning IMSA GTO with 272 laps completed as start number 87. While the outcome was total Porsche dominance, Busby and Bundy's race in the BF Goodrich GTR was anything but uneventful. Beginning down on power in qualifying, the 2.0-liter turbo was rebuilt by Porsche mechanics in the back of a truck in the rain and according to Busby "ran like a freight train." Then Bundy backed into the barriers in Saturday warmup in the wet; it was quickly rebuilt by the same mechanics with parts donated by Derek Bell's private 924 Carrera GT. With the other two GTRs (GTi Engineering and Herman+Miller) exiting the race early it would be down to the number 87.

Smooth, consistent driving from the duo, the freight train consistency of the Porsche 2.0-liter, and the 924 GTR's excellent handling characteristics propelled the Brumos team up the leaderboard into the evening and throughout the night until its throttle cable broke. Yet, the quick-thinking Doc Bundy carried a piece of throttle wire with him and was able to implement a trackside fix and return to the pits for a complete repair. Toward the end of the 24 hours, misfortune struck again as the engine began to leak coolant. Depending on the source of the story, the engine was either packed with ice or the coolant system filled with leak sealant and sent out to turn as many laps as possible. Perhaps most impressively, the team almost ran the entire race on four tires, yet one was replaced due to a cut, likely from debris. Bundy reveals the jubilation of finishing his first Le Mans as a class winner, "...there were hundreds of people banging on the car and speaking excited French! I was afraid they would take everything I had, but they mostly just wanted pictures and an autograph. I remember it being very humbling and a bit overwhelming to realize we had won our class in spite of all that had happened."

Impressed with their Le Mans class win, BF Goodrich requested that the Brumos Carrera GTR race in Japan and the Suzuka 1000 Kms. After a trip back to Weissach for factory refurbishment, Busby was once again behind the wheel pairing with Ron Grable. Despite monsoon conditions, the trip to Japan was a success, with Busby euphoric over the result stating, "not only did we win our class, we finished 6th overall-amazing!" This brought a successful end to the BF Goodrich racing program, yet it was not the end of the racing career of 924 Carrera GTR chassis number 011.

For 1983, Deborah Gregg, Bonnie Henn, and Kathy Rude would race 011 at both Daytona and Sebring in updated Brumos colors of peach, aqua and yellow. The new drivers were quite successful, finishing 13th at Daytona, and 35th at Sebring. Additional IMSA races followed for the reliveried Brumos number 58 at Road Atlanta, Riverside, and Charlotte. Leaving the Brumos stable for the first time, the Carrera GTR was sold to Alfredo Mena's El Salvador Racing on 30 January 1984 and raced both Florida classics in Red Roof Inns colors, piloted by TruSports owner Jim Trueman, Deborah Gregg, and Mena. While the now three-year-old car qualified well, it suffered a DNF at Daytona after 110 laps and an engine failure at Sebring.

Following the conclusion of its U.S.-based racing career, 924 GTR chassis 011 went back to El Salvador with Mena. The car was sparingly used by Mena in TACA International Airlines colors and according to a 2012 Excellence article "...it was remarkably complete." Acquired directly from Mena in 2011, the consignor is just the third owner of this Le Mans-winning factory-built Porsche racing car. Under current ownership, the car was completely restored back to its triumphant BF Goodrich silver and blue livery by Porsche specialists Willison Werkstatt of Lake Park, Florida. There could have been no better choice as owner Paul Willison was a former Brumos crew member who ran the car in period.

Porsche 924 Carrera GTR number 011 emerged from its restoration appearing at the 2012 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance among an incredible group of racing cars. Additionally, it was loaned to Porsche Cars North America's Heritage Gallery at the PECATL in 2018. Furthermore, it was the feature cover story in 000 Magazine issue number 16 in the article 'When the Rubber Beat the Road,' which chronicled BFGoodrich's triumphant Le Mans effort on street tires.

As one of only 17 Porsche 924 Carrera GTRs ever built, it is without a doubt the most successful and prestigious of its kind manufactured by the Porsche factory. Combining documented appearances at Daytona, Sebring, Le Mans, an...for more information please contact the seller.