73 RS in Olive

[Alan @ CanfordClassics]

Thanks Andy, I will load up some more pics soon.

Thanks again

Alan

[brembo]

Hi, Lilac is a great colour on an RS. We are fully restoring one at the moment, it's nearing completion now and will be at the Goodwood members meeting this month. Great colour and great number plate!



We have an Irish green and signal yellow 1:500 next. I will try and get some more pics up if interested.

Thanks

Alan

Look forward to seeing the Irish Green rs Alan

[911MRP]

James Hunt's first 500 series British-market RHD RS M472 Touring was originally Lilac (6969 I think) but it was soon repainted white -- unfortunately the pictures I have seen are black and white but one of him inspecting engine it is clearly different shade to the white car with same registration plate and rear lid sporting the Hesketh Team decal.


IIRC Hunt left Hesketh for McLaren end of 1975 so presumably the car was changed from Lilac to White and the team name applied soon after he or Hesketh acquired it. Unlikely as McLaren driver he'd want or be allowed to sport a Hesketh logo because they soldiered on for a while n F1 after Hunt left.



A magazine clipping in mid October 1972, a week after the 73 RS was launched in Paris, is referring the British market /RHD quota of just RS 51 examples from the first 500 series that were already sold (notably ALL termed here "lightweight Carrera RS Coupes" regardless of conversion order RS, RSL or RSH). Interesting the 1972 period language in that clipping is different from the current -misleading - use of the term "lightweight" that today is routinely used to refer to only M471. Folks in 1972 had not yet slipped into misuse because back then ALL these RS cars -- 500 of them were "lightweight Coupes" regardless of the conversion orders because they had thinner panels. The "Heavy(er)weights" of the final production series that were for the most part the practical consequence of the inventory of thinner guage panels running out and production approach shifting more in line with the regular series way of assembling things, were evidently not even on the radar in back then in mid October 1972. Article just announces the next 500 series. Strange how terminology and associated meaning to things like "lightweight" gets changed over time and distinctions once very important and clear get lost and go unchallenged.

Hunt's RS (or technically Lord Hesketh's RS) was one of this small quota - Hunt had it from 1973 until around 1977 - maybe later as it returned to the UK around 1980. Additional photos of James Hunt with this particular 1972 RHD UK registered Carrera RS M472.

The Sunday Times once took an interest in establishing the true provenance of Hunt's personal RS road car. Story became prominent when a 74 3.0 RS was claimed to be the actual Hunt road car but evidence was brought that his was actually a RHD touring from the first 500 series. The formerly lilac car just made it into that first batch the chassis being numbered in the very high 400s, just a couple of chassis from end of the first series run. Car is long term privately owned by family in UK last I saw of it.

Hesketh simply replaced the RS Hunt "appropriated" with the following year's RS 3.0 model from AF! one of only 5 RHD 74 RS (or 6 if the prototype that was converted to RHD is included). The story as told is that Hunt just drove the RS away to his Marbella home immediately after the Monaco GP of 73 but maybe it was part of his payment for driving for the Hesketh team, rather like John Watson's deal (coincidentally with Hexagon who are selling this olive car) for another of those rare RHD British first 500 series RS M472 -- a car that he still owns day I believe.

British Formula 1 racers of the day snapped up two of the limited 51 RHD examples available.

(I would have included photos to everything I'm referring in his t to but don't see how to do so ...or maybe don't have permission?)

Steve.

[sladey]

Fascinating stuff Steve

[hot66]

James Hunt's first 500 series British-market RHD RS M472 Touring was originally Lilac (6969 I think) but it was soon repainted white -- unfortunately the pictures I have seen are black and white but one of him inspecting engine it is clearly different shade to the white car with same registration plate and rear lid sporting the Hesketh Team decal.


IIRC Hunt left Hesketh for McLaren end of 1975 so presumably the car was changed from Lilac to White and the team name applied soon after he or Hesketh acquired it. Unlikely as McLaren driver he'd want or be allowed to sport a Hesketh logo because they soldiered on for a while n F1 after Hunt left.



A magazine clipping in mid October 1972, a week after the 73 RS was launched in Paris, is referring the British market /RHD quota of just RS 51 examples from the first 500 series that were already sold (notably ALL termed here "lightweight Carrera RS Coupes" regardless of conversion order RS, RSL or RSH). Interesting the 1972 period language in that clipping is different from the current -misleading - use of the term "lightweight" that today is routinely used to refer to only M471. Folks in 1972 had not yet slipped into misuse because back then ALL these RS cars -- 500 of them were "lightweight Coupes" regardless of the conversion orders because they had thinner panels. The "Heavy(er)weights" of the final production series that were for the most part the practical consequence of the inventory of thinner guage panels running out and production approach shifting more in line with the regular series way of assembling things, were evidently not even on the radar in back then in mid October 1972. Article just announces the next 500 series. Strange how terminology and associated meaning to things like "lightweight" gets changed over time and distinctions once very important and clear get lost and go unchallenged.

Hunt's RS (or technically Lord Hesketh's RS) was one of this small quota - Hunt had it from 1973 until around 1977 - maybe later as it returned to the UK around 1980. Additional photos of James Hunt with this particular 1972 RHD UK registered Carrera RS M472.

The Sunday Times once took an interest in establishing the true provenance of Hunt's personal RS road car. Story became prominent when a 74 3.0 RS was claimed to be the actual Hunt road car but evidence was brought that his was actually a RHD touring from the first 500 series. The formerly lilac car just made it into that first batch the chassis being numbered in the very high 400s, just a couple of chassis from end of the first series run. Car is long term privately owned by family in UK last I saw of it.

Hesketh simply replaced the RS Hunt "appropriated" with the following year's RS 3.0 model from AF! one of only 5 RHD 74 RS (or 6 if the prototype that was converted to RHD is included). The story as told is that Hunt just drove the RS away to his Marbella home immediately after the Monaco GP of 73 but maybe it was part of his payment for driving for the Hesketh team, rather like John Watson's deal (coincidentally with Hexagon who are selling this olive car) for another of those rare RHD British first 500 series RS M472 -- a car that he still owns day I believe.

British Formula 1 racers of the day snapped up two of the limited 51 RHD examples available.

(I would have included photos to everything I'm referring in his t to but don't see how to do so ...or maybe don't have permission?)

Steve.

Great info

If you want to post pics yo need to have them hosted in something like photo unkept, Flickr etc , then copy and paste the link

[yoda]

Good info Steve - any idea where the Hunt RS is now?

[Steve Warson]

NSD 298L, it is where it's been for a very long time.

http://jelenek.blogspot.nl/2010/02/jame ... al-rs.html

[210bhp]

Ahhh,

There's Oscar.

I met Oscar and James Hunt briefly in a local car park. Shook his hand and clapped the dog.
Nice moment.

Regards
Mike

[911MRP]

Thanks for advice on posting pictures, I'll try to sort it out.

The image I was referring to of Hunt with the British registered early RS before its colour was changed from lilac ( also known in UK as Royal Purple I think) to white / with red blue Hesketh Team livery applied can be bought from the National Motor Museum, apparently:

https://www.magnoliabox.com/collections ... he-1193165

Hunt lived his last decade in SW19 London. He regularly exercised his Alsatians on the Common near his home often riding with dog on a lead while he pedalled very languidly on an his old bicycle sometimes barefoot and typically wearing an old tee-shirt and raggy old jeans.

This was before I got involved in working in F1 so didn't get to know him professionally. Used to have an old Merc that he kept up on bricks and kept an old Austin A35 Van in his drive -- that seemed to be his regular wheels and used it to transport his menagerie of dogs, budgies, parrots etc around presumably.

It is sometimes reported that Hunt had a yellow RS 3.0 RHD but that car (vin 9114609099) was Hesketh's (not the ex Hunt 2.7) bought by the team owned as a replacement for the RHD first 500 series lilac then White 1972 RS after Hunt took possession of it.

More information on the early 73 RS here according to article in the Sunday Times: " A Further chapter in the car's colourful history was recounted by Nick Davies, the former foreign editor of the Daily Mirror. After Hunt was given the Porsche in the 1970s by Lord Hesketh, his former Formula One team boss, he decided he'd had enough of the car and gave it to Davies in 1980. Davies had befriended Hunt after Suzy Miller, the former F1 champion's wife, left him for Richard Burton, the actor. "The Porsche looked the worse for wear and the interior was full of sand. I had it overhauled and used it to drive to work, where I'd park in the underground garage of the Mirror building at Holborn Circus," says Davies. "I sold it about 18 months later...."

Presumably that is the point when it was acquired by its current long term family-owners in 1981.

More from the Sunday Times on these two RS: "The sound you heard after The Sunday Times hit the streets last week was Lord Hesketh's old rotary-dial telephone whirring into action, or possibly the former Formula One world champion James Hunt spinning in his grave. The yellow Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0 - said in our story of January 17 to have been given to Hunt and now for sale through a classic-car dealer for £365,000 - was not Hunt's car, according to Hesketh. Nor was the car driven regularly by Hunt. Hesketh, 59, the car's original owner and Hunt's old boss, did indeed give Hunt an RS Porsche while Hunt was driving for the Hesketh grand prix team - but it wasn't that one. It was a more common 2.7-litre RS, painted red, white and blue. [The yellow Porsche] was my car. I bought it for my pleasure and when I'd finished with it I sold it to Anthony Bamford"


Further telling of the story and another photo from 1973 of the RHD first 500 series British registered M472 can be found here:
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=YTW ... ra&f=false

I have a picture of Hesketh and Hunt alongside the yellow 74 car and maybe several others of the 2.7 RS /Hunt that I'll add when I sort this photo posting thing. Somewhere I have a video of Hunt pulling up in it at Hesketh's stateley home but haven't managed to locate that video.

Coincidentally one of Chris' customers was at school with Hunt and we were just chatting about him in his younger days this time last week. Think he was junior Wimbledon-level at tennis player and I know he played squash at representing the Royal Automobile Club at a high-level.

[Slope330]

JH arrived in that old Merc [,brown i recall ?]one evening to talk with Murray Walker at a Xmas dinner our company held , he was drinking orange juice and i sat between them sparring all night,very good natured stuff .......great evening , as informal as anything can be with 200+ people ..............i escorted him out to thank him and so on and there was the Merc 2 wheels up on the kerb , looked like he had abandoned it !

[Steve Warson]

Found these online, couldn't resist saving them

[210bhp]

Interesting that SD is an Ayrshire letter designation.

I owned OSD 260L in the 90's which I was told at the time was the only Rhd RS Carrera ever registered in Scotland (by the then only Scottish Porsche dealer Glen Henderson in Ayr). Seeing the registration number above I wonder if the Hesketh/Hunt RS was also bought through Gen Henderson.

Regards
Mike

[911MRP]

Hi Mike

Interesting, that would seem to be the case. Wasn't the early 70s registration format "xSDnnnx" until early 80s with:
S = denoting Scotland generally
SD = denoting Ayr licencing office specifically as you say?

In the link to google book that I posted above, however Hesketh does say about buying the 74 car "I went back to AFN"... which suggests that AFN was dealership he was dealing with for both his RS purchases.

With the British quota of just 51 of the initial 500 series being RHD for UK marked ....And that 500 already being sold out by the date the RS model was announced at the Paris Salon in first week of October of 1972 ....to secure one for a high profile buyer late summer of 72 Porsche GB /AFN may have had to scour the whole UK dealer network allocation to secure an available RS from what was presumably back then thought to be a strictly limited 51/500 homologation series. Even if it was not a local allocation to AFN or dealer near Hesketh team base in the stables of his house in Northamptonshire. The Hesketh/Hunt RS car in question has a vin that is actually just shy of no 500. The next 500 second series were only announced around time of the October 1972 model launch -- so at the time of ordering in 1972 I presume there was no visibility that another 500 ...let alone a further 1000 + ...would be eventually made.

My car's registration was clearly regional not London too, the second and third letters denoting licencing authority. In my car case turns out it is one of only a 5 RS sold by supplying regional dealer even in what is regarded as an pretty affluent part of Britain -- that was just 5 for dealer across all circa 100 RHD across all three RS series in 1973. I've spoken to the (now retired) dealer principal who sold my RS when new and he clearly remembers each of "his 5 quota" of cars individually including the original customers names; unprompted some 40 years later. The RS were collected from importer PCGB/AFN London Road Isleworth even if going to a regional dealership. At least according to my dealer-contact that is what happened in my car's case together with a second RS being collected by him and they were driven in convoy on trade plates up M1.

Lord Hesketh is certainly not the only aristocratic buyer of one these 51 first 500 series RHD UK RS. Professionally I am a member of the Motorsport Industry Association and every year we all meet at the House of Lords. Over the years I have become acquainted with another Lord who was an original owner of one of the first 500 cars from new -- he kept it for decades. Chris was my guest at this MIA event one year and also met him. Quite a character. Real enthusiast who has owned and enthusiastically used other early 911s. Out of the blue one afternoon he rang my home in the mood to just chat about RS but he only reached my rather bemused wife, so after eventually realising she isn't much of a classic car enthusiast he sent me a wonderful long letter all about his recollections of his time with his 72 RS and tales of some of the interesting journeys he made in a car.

Steve.

[Cortina]

Found these online, couldn't resist saving them

Hopefully the two wheeled experts among you will recognise the quite rare bike in the background...

.......... a 125cc Suzuki Stinger !! (anyone have one I can buy cheap ??)