Tracing Race car history

[charlieboy]

I bought a new car over the weekend, the previous owner has done a bit of searching and seems to think that the car has some previous race history but was unable to find any race pictures or solid proof. He has promised to send on all the information he has dug up but for now all I have is the sponsor name on the car (Frank Shorter Sportswear) and the drivers name on the door (Erik Henriksen) also that the original shell was build/prepared by Russell Lewis.

Does anybody recognise this car? Anyone suggest where I should start looking to find out about it's history? There is a scrutineering card in the window for Brands hatch 1991 if that could help? Apparently it was raced in the 80's and 90's......... any help anyone???

I'm not 100% sure what I'm going to finish up with when I get on with the project, but for now I'm intending putting the 964 3.6 engine in and getting it road worthy to use as transport to Le Mans for the 24hr in June. after that I will have to decide what body style and paint scheme I'm going to end up with.







I shall start a thread in the restorations/projects section when I start on the car just thought that I'd ask some ????'s and post some pics for now....

Steve

[Mike]

Try Russell Lewis at RSR ENGINEERING. Phone: +44 (0) 1428 602911

[charlieboy]

Thanks Mike,

Apparently the previous owner did that and got limited info, I shall also be trying just to see what I can find out.

No real reason to know anything, just interested in the history.

Thanks again

STEVE

[roger]

If its any help - from the Atlas FI bulletin board :
http://forums.autosport.com/showthread. ... adid=97944

"Frank Shorter sponsored the Porsche Cars GB Porsche Supercup (and other championships) in 1991/92"

Roger

[charlieboy]

Thanks Roger,

I found that thread with google the other day and forgot about it whilst following a a long trail. I think I'll register with the forum and post a couple of pics in the thread and see what that turns up......

STEVE

[jwhillracer]

From Summer 1991 -



Cheers!

JW

[Lightweight_911]

Might be worth contacting Peter Tognola as he was one of the sponsors:

http://www.tognolaengineering.co.uk/

[charlieboy]

JW nice one very interesting, is that out of Porsche post? how did you manage to find that so quick???

Andy good spot, I've just emailed Tognola then looking at the gallery on their website there's a small thumbnail of the corner on a bumper with their sticker on......... clicked on this and look what I find....



Thanks
STEVE

[charlieboy]

Just had this response from Peter Tognola...........


Hi

yes I built this car for Erik Hendriksen in the late 80's . The donor car was an SC which he raced in the Porsche Classic series . I rebuilt the car to replica RSR spec with 3.5 engine on weber alpha ECU . He then raced car in Porsche open , also it was driven by Derek Bell at one round at Brands Hatch . I will check records if we have any more info
http://www.tognolaengineering.com/images/gal-r2-4.jpg


Peter Tognola




Anyone friends with Derek Bell???

STEVE

[Ferry Man]

after that I will have to decide what body style and paint scheme I'm going to end up with.

I'd leave well alone. It looks cool like that.

[jwhillracer]

after that I will have to decide what body style and paint scheme I'm going to end up with.

I'd leave well alone. It looks cool like that.

I'll second that, and with the car's history, it should be kept the same. Where's it been for the last 18 years? What spec engine is in it now?
The article was from Summer 91 PP. There may be more around that time - I'll have a look when I have a mo. I remember it racing around that time.

Cheers!

JW

[charlieboy]

after that I will have to decide what body style and paint scheme I'm going to end up with.

I'd leave well alone. It looks cool like that.

I'll second that, and with the car's history, it should be kept the same. Where's it been for the last 18 years? What spec engine is in it now?
The article was from Summer 91 PP. There may be more around that time - I'll have a look when I have a mo. I remember it racing around that time.

Cheers!

JW

It will almost definitely be staying the same.

The original reason for looking for a new project was to build a wide RSR in the valiant colour scheme, this turned up at short notice...... only last Tuesday night! then it was deal done and back in Aberystwyth by Saturday afternoon!

From what the guy I bought it of said, it was one of a pair that were raced, the engine blew in one so the engine was removed from this one to be used in the other for a race and that was how it was left, apparently in an aircraft hanger for about 13 years (how much truth or rumour there is in any of this story I'm not sure neither was he!) He then went up to see and buy another car from a dealer (who's name I can't remember but will find out) around Newcastle I think he said, he ended up buying this car and the road car that he originally went to buy! He bought it as a rolling shell, he had someone lined up to build the car for him, he sourced an engine and box but the project never moved so he got bored and decided to sell.......

The engine/box he bought 964 3.6 and 915 with lsd are with the car and for now I will probably put them in just to get me going, I guess in time I would like to build a similar spec engine to what it had originally but as we all know that will cost loads of £££££££'s so for now will make do with the 3.6.

Thanks for your posts keep them coming lets see what else we can dig up about this car!

STEVE

[higs356]

What a great thread ...small world this ...which makes me curious if its possible to piggyback on this ... Steve ...I'll move it to another thread if you wish but wanted to see if the people in the know could perhaps help me too

My car was also a racecar and was involved in PCGB in the 90s ...I can trace it back to a guy called Sydney Dore. The car was running on a standard Carrera 3 engine and 915 with LSD...From the pics I have when it was being repainted ...It was then a dark metalic blue with a white star/s on the doors and 6 inch red stripe above the sill between the arches.
It also has a "Mobil 1" sticker and seems to have another sticker reading "Motorsport News "
I'm not sure if this was a series sponsor or for the particular car.

The car had SC/Impact bumper bodywork, a whale tail but strangely had early RS arches. From the paint layers it had been red at some point and originally was a viper green 73 car.

Any of you more experienced race heads know of the car or the driver???

[PTCSRS]

RE graphics , as I said I built the car in late 80's . An interesting point we had a sharp deadline for the press launch at PCGB and had many late nighters . The graphics which were copied from a sample of material fom Frank Shorter and were applied individually for each stripe . The work on graphics started 5pm day before launch working straight through to 9.am next day and then taken straight to Reading .

Re Derek , Erik knew him and as he was honorary chairman I think of club organisation . He arrived morning of race having never seen car and in 15 min practise put car on pole , at least 2 935's in race !

Peter Tonola

[smallspeed]

Anyone friends with Derek Bell???

Des?..