Classification: SWB 911 Transformer: Street & Sports Purpose

• VIN: 306607
  
• Engine #: 909 846 (original)
  
• Color: Bahama Yellow (original)
  
• Interior: Black

This 1967 Short Wheel Base (SWB)911 Coupe, VIN 306607, has been built to be highly versatile. The project started with a collision-free, and minimal rust California Black Plate car. Over 30 tubs were looked at before this one was chosen. A great deal of originality was maintained while many performance enhancements were made. It has been built as a kind of stealth high performance SWB 911 without modifications of the original tub. It was featured in the December, 2008 issue of Excellence Magazine in a well researched, well written (and accurate) article by Peter Linsky.

It has five configurations depnding on components used:

1. Street
2. Track
3. Autocross
4. Rally
5. Hill Climb

Performance Modifications include:

• Engine
  
  Original Numbered Engine Case - The Rest Has Had Some Modifications

  Using the original aluminum case (a bit heavier but much stronger than magnesium), the engine has been modified as follows:

  • Rebuilt to single plug 2.7 liter specs by John Bunin of Werkstatt in Vista, California. Machine work was done by Competition Engineering.
  • New RS 2.7 pistons and cylinders
  • Two 2.7 engines were purchased to find a perfect crank and rods.
  • 930 cams
  • 40mm PMO carburetors with 911R rain hats
  • Turbo valve covers
  • Billet aluminum pressure plate (EBS Stage 1) with 215mm clutch disc
  • Radiator style oil cooler, 12 quart dry sump system and polished Porsche oil lines
  • Mufflers: Monty (Australian built) stainless steel; Dansk stainless sport; stock; custom minimum baffle (straight-through)

  The engine has dyno'ed at 220+ horsepower and 0-60 is - quick (but more fun on twisties).

  
  Fabricated Oil Cooler Lines

• Transmission
  There are two transmissions:
  • Original 901 which has been modified to a 4-speed with short gears for hill climbing.
  • 5-speed 901 with Porsche's traditional short gears: A-F-M-S-X. This transmission is used for street, track, autocross and rallies.

• Suspension
  Suspension and brake upgrades, done by German Master Tech in Bend, Oregon include:

  Front:

  • hollow torsion bars
  • Weltmeister 19mm sway bars
  • Carrera 3.2 calibers with Zimmerman vented rotors. A-arms with Koni struts (with Koni inserts) and cross members from a '73 911S were installed in order to accommodate the larger calipers.
  • Elephant Racing polybronze bearings
  • Strut brace
  • Turbo tie-rod ends
  • Dual circuit master cylinder

  Rear:

  • Adjustable spring plates
  • Carrera 3.2 calibers in the rear with Zimmerman vented rotors using the great adapter kit made by Michael Moran of the Early 911S Registry.
  • Koni shocks
  • Elephant Racing polybronze bearings
  • Hollow torsion bars

  The car was aligned & corner-balanced.

• Additional Performance & Cosmetic Work:
  • There was slight rust in the floor behind the driver's seat and under the battery box, and the driver side of the floor-pan and the battery box were replaced to exact Porsche factory specs by Urs Gretener of Gretener Prototye Engineering/Corroserie Gretener. Gretener also installed the rollbar.

  • There was also slight rust in the seams where the front fenders mount to the tub (fortunately all on the fenders) and in the door bottoms. Repairs and a complete repaint in the original color of Bahama Yellow were done by AutoWerks of Bend, Oregon.

  • The interior, including carpets, dash, door panels and headliner was done by Autos International.

  • There are two sets of seats:
    • Replica Scheel R2's, made by Vintage Seat

      

    • NOS factory rally bucket driver's seat & passenger's lightweight sport seat (ca. 1967-1968). These are very rare lightweight seats used for performance applications. They were not listed in the options catalog and had to be special ordered. The drivers seat is a non-tilting racing bucket and the passenger seat is a very lightweight version of the sport seat of the time.
      

  • Roll bar modifications, including head restraints, were done by German Master Tech in Bend, Oregon.

  • Three steering wheels:
    • Original 420mm plastic wheel (too big!) with hockey puck
    • Period Prototipo (looks the best but obscures the instruments)
    • 911RS 380mm wheel (used the most - small enough for quick steering and large enough to see the the instruments through)

  • Three sets of seat belts:
    • Schroth 5-point harnesses for sports applications
    • Retractable 3-point belts for street
    • Aircraft style lap belts

  • Two hoods:
    • Original hood mounted with NOS Cibies for street & rally use
    • Second hood painted in original color with no lights used for track, autocross and hill-climbs

  • H-1 Headlights

  • Through-the-grille fog lights (NOS grilles and lights)

  • Two Quarter Window Configurations
    • Stock set with chrome frames and original glass
    • Set with 911R louvered windows mounted in second set of chrome frames. These were simply glued in place with 911R's, but I have opted to use frames in order to facilitate installation and removal.

  • Two rear bumper configurations
    • Regular bumper guards with rubber trim
    • Bumper guards with no rubber trim and with factory original "nudge bar" installed. These were intorduced by the factory in early 1967 as an option and were called collision bars. They were somewhat similar to the overrider bars on the early Speedsters and other 356A models.

  • Two sets of wheels & tires:
    • For street use, NOS 911R 7x15's in the rear (with 22mm spacers) and deep six with hearts 6x15's in the front - the same combination that the Porsche factory used on the 911R. Yoko AVS 225/50's are mounted on the rear and 205/55's on the rear. The inside of the fenders have been slightly shaved to accommodate the larger size wheels and tires, but no flares have been installed.
    • For sports purposes, a set of 7" wheels are mounted front and rear, with Yoko AO32R 225/50's front and rear.
  
  Tire Hold-Down Straps for the Track

  Other Work

  At one time I had given some serious thought to taking this further along the 911R inspired Sports Purposes Rallye car process. But I decided against it, given that the original tub is in such great condition - no significant rust, no collision damage/repair and perfect gaps. I really hate to "molest" these great cars and all of the modifications (except the engine rebuild) are bolt-on, bolt-off, enabling the car to deliver high performance in a low-key, original look.

  Planned Uses
  Understeer is when you see the tree you are hitting, if you only hear the tree then it was oversteer. - Walter Röhrl

  After having the good fortune of owned many Porsches over the years, from 356's to 993's, the short wheel base 911 is my favorite. It was often criticized for its oversteer, and it certainly has it, but when set up properly driving it is like operating a point and click camera. It has great turn in and as a previous owner said, you can throttle steer it through the eye of a needle.

  As mentioned, this is a purpose built car that has five possible configurations: street, track, autocross, rally and hill-climb. It's first track event was a Porsche DE day at Portland International Speedway where I drove it in Novice Class. Driven by an instructor in Expert Class it held it's own against Turbo's, GT3's and the like. It recently ran at Infineon (Sears Point), driven by Tim Morris my mechanic, and performed well. Jeff Gamroth of Rennsport in Portland made a few recommendations regarding performance, mainly wheel and tire size, that have been implemented.

  Configurations

  Street - Street use configuration includes:

  • Original hood with hood-mounted Cibies
    
  • Through-the-grille fog lights
    
  • 7x15 911R wheels with Yokohama AVS ES100 225/50 street tires in the rear and 6x15 deep sixes with 205/55's in the front
    
  • Stainless sport muffler
    
  • 3-point retractable seat belts
    
  • 5-speed short gear 901 transmission
    
  • Sport Seats

  Track - Track configuration includes:

  • The original hood with Cibies is replaced by a second hood with no lights.
    
  • Heavily modified sport muffler (read unrestricted) with dual outlets
    
  • 7x15 Fuchs with Yokohama AO32R 225/50 semi-racing tires front & rear
    
  • 5-point harness
    
  • Scheel R2 replica seats
    
  
  Interior Set Up For A Track Day

  There are also configurations for auto-cross, rally and hill-climb.

  Summary

  My goal was to be respectful of the authenticity of this car during its build. Despite extensive performance modifications, it's still an authentic SWB 911 a few nuts & blots away from its original configuration. It still has its original engine case, original transmission, original panels and original color. It's performance modifications make it a great car for simply driving in a spirited manner on the back roads of Central Oregon -- or for a variety of sports purposes. Out of about 30 Porsches that I have owned this is my all-time favorite.

  Random Pictures Taken at Different Times in Different Configurations

  
  May, 2006 - Bought It!
  
  December, 2007 - Winter Airing - Didn't Go Far!

  
  October, 2006 - Mechanic Tim Morris - Getting Ready For Me to Run on a Foggy Day at PIR

  
  Looking Like a 912
  

  
  Getting Ready For a Track Day - Not Looking Very much Like a 912

  
  Between Sessions

  
  January, 2009 - Newly Installed "Nudge Bar" - Rare Factory Option

  Please feel free to email me if you have any information or comments about this car.