Porsche 904 Targa Florio 2nd placer... ripping up and down Woodward

[nthfinity]

http://www.photolocker.net/images/Nthfinity/orsche9041.jpg
http://www.photolocker.net/images/Nthfinity/orsche9042.jpg

And an old image while racing in 1964... scanned in from "Porsche: the First 50 Years"

http://www.photolocker.net/images/Nthfinity/orsche9043.jpg

This is likely the single coolest street sighting I've ever had :)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3643/3470558236_9abd303297.jpg?v=0

[philip]

Totally wow. Only seen them on podiums in museums. or fakeydo reproductions.

Lucky guy.

[kach22i]

Awesome, I love the 904.

I've only seen two or three in my whole life.

[nthfinity]

Totally wow. Only seen them on podiums in museums. or fakeydo reproductions.

Lucky guy.
He purposely did a fly by shooting of Detroit's prime "Cars and Coffee" gathering :) Too bad he didn't stop in. It was quite obvious the owner has a cheek to cheek S*it eating grin on his face...

I did a bit of research on the replica's to make sure it wasn't one; and consulted my Porsche history book or two.

Any idea what these cars have hit on the auction block, Philip?

I did see one other 904 at the Keeneland Concours last July which took it's class win... this one is just as nice/ nicer than that one :)

[nthfinity]

1964 Porsche 904 carrera gts - YouTube

[philip]

They rarely come up for sale. There is only 120 or so. Truth and Rumors the book about the 904 lists every car and who owns it. The book is $80, so I havent bought it yet, so I can't tell you who owns one in your part of the country.

I have seen three. Two at the Collier collection in Naples, Florida. A red and a silver. And another silver at auction in Monterrey in 2007. It sold for 500K or so.

I think one sold last year in Europe for around 700k. When new they were $7500. In the 70's they were $10,000 in the 80's $40,000 then they took off with all the other cars in the late 80's early 90's to about 450k. They so rarely sell, if you want one you just pay whatever. The one in Monterrey was ratty to say the least. A 2- car or worse. Many have a 911 6's in them rather than the expensive to maintain 4 cam 4 cylinder. Those normally have the old engine in a crate.

No photography was allowed at the Collier, so I have no pictures. Here is the one from Monterrey.

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/1281/cm2006porsche9042smallhm5.jpg

Prettiest car with some of the worst racing graphics ever.

[Vansquish]

Beautiful Nth...sounded pretty damned good too. Wish I could've been there :-/

[nthfinity]

Thanks Jason :)

Lots more time left in the summer...

YouTube - 904porsche

As captured by my friend James on the way home :)

[nthfinity]

Philip, I finally met with the owner of the car in question.

Not only does it have tremendous race history; which include a class win in the 84 hours of Nurburgring... the car later belonged to Vasek Polak (the 3rd owner of the car). The current owner bought it from him 30 years ago.

This car has some accident history; apparently from crashing into a Ferrari 250 of some sort (or him crashing into the porsche). It is chassis 28; which another man had thought he bought ( a very good replica).

I've got a lot more photos, and had a chance to show the owner him driving the 904 past via my friend's iphone. One very cool guy... and the smiles just don't end!
Also, the reason he didn't stop into cars and coffee was for the first time in 30 years, his clutch cable had snapped just then!