Porsche Enthusiasts Club Forum

I guess most of you are aware that we @ Hartech decided to go racing this season for the first time and were lucky enough to line up two excellent drivers - Paul Follet (968CS) and Ben Demetrio (968 and former Champion) and helped rebuild the cars for the seasons racing ahead (mainly Ben's as it had been unused for a season out of racing).

A new experience for us - lots to learn and it neccessitated the purchase and familiarisation with corner weight scales etc. Unfortunately the car came to us with no dampers (away being overhauled) so we had to start fresh with the geometry.

We rebuilt the engine with all new parts (including pistons) and fixed the 4th gear synchromesh, stffened the LSD, replaced brake parts etc and went to the first race - the Porsche Club Championship - round 1 @ Brands Hatch last weekend.

It's quite a responsibility to prepare a car in such experienced company for such good drivers and so we were unexpectedly surprised to get 2 * 2nds (and a fastest lap) and 5th and 7th - ending up 2nd and 5th in the Championship.

There were quite a few other mechanical failures at the event (which vindicated the time and expense preparing our cars) and Ben's car was not perfectly set up - the good result probably having more to do with his brilliant driving skill than our preparation (to be honest) but results are results whatever anyone says and we are really pleased with the first outcome.

He was with a second of the winner in both races (experienced Mark Sumpter driving for Paragon) and the 3rd place car was a long way further back both times.

We have been trying to improve the car since and the next event is @ Croft over the Easter Weekend.

We are not expecting to always be so lucky - but hope springs eternal as always you have to be an optimist to embark on anything like this!

With interest nurtured - this may change the final build of the Mk 2 3 litre 16 valve 944 - turbo to an endurance racer for the next seasons series - utilising all the additional strengthening and cooling changes not to withstand 500 bhp plus but instead to provide reliability at perhaps more like 400bhp with lots of torque again.


Baz

Thanks for taking the time to tell us about this Baz, I would love to come and spectate at a race.Can you post up dates for the series?

Good post thanks for that! Be interested to see how you get on.

Croft this weekend Sat and Sun.
Donnington 14 and 15 May
Thruxton 11 and 12 June
Rockingham 16 ans 17 July
Oulton Park 13 and 14 August
Silverstone 30 Sep and 1 Oct

Hope you enjoy it.

Baz

No Knockhill?