Posted 14 years ago
vincentanton
(20 items)
I came across this gem bidding and was I glad I won! The pictures at the auction site, did not do justice to this wonderful vintage 1/24 model racer of the Porsche RS-61 racer. the body color is this incredible creme color and the authenticity of the the taped headlights and screen inlets is a marvel. One screen is missing and I will attempt to recreate the others. I removed the hardened and original wheels, with mis-matched silicon tires because the racer still runs and I like to race. The Porsche by Dynamic is a strong runner. After a few race and parade laps, it went to the Royalty shelf as a queen! A few facts about the car.........
This 1960 Porsche RS-61 is one of thirteen Porsche Sports Racers built for the 1961 FIA season. In the 1961 racing season, FIA requirements included windscreen, two seats, trunk, et al -- essentially all the equipment for a 'street' car; thus the reason for this car being fitted with these amenities. ?The car is powered by a four-cylinder engine capable of producing 150 horsepower and 130 foot-pounds of torque. It has a Porsche gearbox and an independent suspension in both the front and rear.?Beginning in the early 1950s, Porsche unleashed a series of four cylinder, four cam sports racing cars that were extremely quick and ruled the small bore International Racing circuit for an entire decade. The car had a powerful engine but the cars true advantages were the use of 'free horsepower' - meaning in its lightweight chassis and running gear comprised of streamlined alloy bodies which offered great braking, fuel efficiency, handling, and acceleration. ??The Porsche 550s won their class at Monaco in the early 1950s, along with similar wins at the Mille Miglia, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in the Nurburgring 1000. They would repeat these victories in hillclimbs, international road races, and rallies. At the 1955 24 Hours of LeMans, their 550s finished in an astonishing 4th, 5th and 6th.??At the 1956 Targa Florio race, a Porsche driven by Umberto Maglioli earned Porsche their 'Greatest Victory' by coming in first overall. This was done by beating much more powerful vehicles such as the Ferrari Monza and the Maserati 300S. ??Another victory was had at the 1959 Targa Florio and at the 1960 Sebring 12 Hour Endurance Race, the Type 718 Porsche RS 60 Factory entry captured the checkered flag. ??There were over 100 examples of the 550 Spyder produced beginning in 1954 and it was easily the company's most successful 'customer' sports racing car to date. Modifications were continuously made, resulting in the 550A, 1500RS, RSK, the RS60 and the RS61 Series. ??The early Porsche 550s produced 105 bhp while the final evolution of this successful Porsche Sports Racer, the RS61, produced 174 bhp from the 1600cc engine. By this point in history, the car had been subjected to hours of wind tunnel aero studies along with many races and continuous fine-tuning. When the RS61 was introduced, it was a very polished machine. It had a low coefficient of drag and, along with the RS60, was the ultimate development of the four-cylinder boxer Spyder series.