1960 Porsche 356 Carrera GT Coupe

1960 Porsche 356 Carrera GT Coupe

1960 Porsche 356 Carrera GT Coupe

1960 Porsche 356 Carrera GT Coupe

INTRODUCTION:Pre-A prototypes and a run of quad-cams with the 1500cc engine, the 1600 Carrera GT was a performance 356 that used a larger version of the Porsche 550 Spyder's potent engine. As early as 1958, some Carreras were fitted with a larger engine known as the Type 692. The new unit featured a larger displacement which was better suited for the 1600cc class. Furthermore, it was improved considerably adopting plain bearings and new ignition system.

HIGHLIGHTS:Sold alongside the Carrera de Luxe, the GT was lightened and prepared for racing. This meant it featured little sound deadening or upholstery, aluminum bucket seats, increased compression and slightly more power.

SPECIFICATIONS:Technical director of Porsche Klaus von Rücker was responsible for the new Type 692 engine. It kept the earlier verion's complicated bevel-and-shaft 4-cam valvetrain, but reverted to plain bearings. The increased oil heat was dealt with by a larger oil tank for the dry-sump lubrication system and a pair of oil coolers under each headlight.

DESIGN:The first Carrera GTs to be fitted with the 1600cc engines used Type 692/0 prototype versions that had roller-bearing crankshafts and produced 110 bhp @ 6400 rpm. Less than 40 of these engines were made until Hirth crankshaft supply had dried up then 14 plain-bearing engines were tested until final specification was reached for the Paris Show in October.

1957 Porsche 356 Speedster

1957 Porsche 356 Speedster

1957 Porsche 356 Speedster

1957 Porsche 356 Speedster

Motor : Netgain Warp 9 Series Wound DC Added cooling shroud and blower fan with air filter for additional cooling.

Drivetrain:Netgain Warp9 with Prostreet transaxle. Kept racing clutch.Lightened flywheel to 9 lbs.

Controller : Kelly KDH12120B 1200 amp, 120volt. Hall effect accelerator.

Batteries :72 Thunder Sky TS-LFP90AHA, 3.30 Volt, Lithium-Polymer Two parallel strings of 36 cells. Total storage of about 23 kWh. 180Ah. 80% DOD provides 144 Ah. Vehicle uses 1.8 Ah per mile or about 225 wH.

Instrumentation : MetricMind E-Vision. Working tachometer and speedometer.

Top Speed : 95 MPH (152 KPH)Does 95 mph on highway easily. No float or wandering.

Acceleration : 0-80 km/hr 6.0 sec

Range : 85 Miles (136 Kilometers)Conservatively. Have driven it 107 miles with charge left and no damage.

Watt Hours/Mile : 225 Wh/Mile 1.8 Ah/mile

EV Miles Start : 1,100 Miles (1,769 Kilometers)
Current: 5,000 Miles (8,045 Kilometers)
Total : 3,900 Miles (6,275 Kilometers)

Porsche 356A/1500GS Carrera GT

Porsche 356A/1500GS Carrera GT

Porsche 356A/1500GS Carrera GT

INTRODUCTION:Porsche offered two distinct versions of the Carrera, one called the de Luxe for the street and this model, the Gran Turismo, for the track. The main difference between the two models was weight.

HIGHLIGHTS:The Carrera GT was a purpose-built car with little on board amenities. For instance, no heater was fitted giving the car its 'icebox' nickname. Furthermore, the interior was stripped of sound deadening, side windows were replaced by pull-up Perspex units and only simple door panels were fitted.

FEATURES:

• Mechanically, the GT model was only slightly more powerful than the de Luxe, having sports muffler which provided little deadening and no heater. At the front, a 21 gallon tank was fitted instead of the 13.8 gallon unit.
• Front braking was provided by 550RS units that were 10mm thicker and had cooling scoops. The torsion bars were also changed at the rear to provide one degree of negative camber.
• Offered as both Coupe and Speedster the GT version was considerably lighter than any previous 356. The weight was 1903 lbs for coupe and 1848 for the speedster. Naturally performance values were slightly different between the two versions.

DESIGN:Aluminum was also used in the bucket seat frames, two piece wheels with allow insert and aluminum trim strips for the front/rear bumpers. Less than 10 of these models were offered with quad-cam engines.

Prosche Carrera Sunroof Coupe

Prosche Carrera Sunroof Coupe

INTRODUCTION:
The very first Porsche sport car was hand built in Gmünd/Kärnten, Austria. The entire aluminum body was hand beaten over a wooden buck. Without the benefits of a machine shop, all of the engine and drive-train components were made completely. Over 50 Gmünd cars were built and sold primarily in Austria and Germany. To be closer to parts suppliers, the Porsche Firm, located to Zuffenhausen, Austria, near the Reutter coachworks following the war. The only Porsche to ever have the engine mounted in front of the rear axle, the 356/1 was open top 2-seater. Designed with a tubular chassis, the vehicle was air-cooled and came with a 110 cc engine that remarkably light and quick for the times. Following this first ever radical design, every Porsche 356 to follow was constructed with the engine in the rear, behind the axle.
SPECIFICATIONS:

• With a top speed of over 85 mph (135kph), a total of only 4 models of the 356 were produced in 1948. The 356/1 came with a 1.1 liter engine that was capable of making 40 horsepower. Less than 60 units were produced during 1949 and the earlier part of 1950. These very rare and unique models are known today as the Gmünd Coupes. The tiny sport cars continued to be built during 1950, but now at a factory in Stuttgart where Porsche moved production. A total of 298 units were built and delivered to their owners by the end of 1950.
• Porsche 356 A 1500 GS Carrera GT is boosted to 110 bhp/81 kW. The Speedster is replaced by the Convertible D with a larger windscreen and winding windows at the side. The 1300-cc engines are dropped from the range.
• Carrera receives extra power and is now called the 1600 GS-GT, with the sports version offering more output (1588 cc, 115 bhp/85 kW) than the de Luxe model (105 bhp/77 kW). The 356 B series is introduced in autumn, the Convertible D being renamed the Roadster.

CONCLUSION:
The sporting and Spartan Porsche 1500 GS Carrera is joined by the more comfortable 1500GS de Luxe model.