1998 Schuppan 962C
In 1984 driver Vern Schuppan became interested in developing a carbon-fiber tub for the 962 racing series. The British-based Team Schuppan worked directly with the factory.
Schuppan recalls: “We contracted the UK company ‘Advanced Composite Technology’ to develop the tub and tool up to produce it, building an initial batch of five. Reynard subsequently took this over and built another five for our 962CR road car project, with a total order of 25 such chassis.
Porsche approved the carbon composite tub design and carried out a number of tests on the first unit completed. There were a number of companies at that time constructing replacement tubs for 962s, some using carbon panels riveted to aluminium and some partly in aluminium honeycomb. Ours was the only full carbon tub.
Tim Lee-Davey purchased one from me (and later another). The first tub had its initial outing at Spa and I was interested to see how the carbon car handled and shared the driving with TLD and also crashed it after being punted off by Schlesser’s Sauber-Mercedes in the very fast left-hander before the Bus Stop chicane. I tested it alright – and found the chassis to be strong…and safe!”
In 2010, Bonhams sold chassis 962-138 which had been converted with a Schuppan tub for the 89/90 race seasons. It was raced extensively in the 1989 race season World Championship and finished 19th overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Bonhams sold the car for Sold for $491,000 inclusive of Buyer’s Premium
In Detail
| submitted by | Richard Owen |
| type | Series Production Car |
| built at | Germany |
| production | 5 |
| engine | Air Cooled, Boxer-6 |
| position | Mid, Longitudinal |
| aspiration | Twin KKK Turbos |
| valvetrain | DOHC, 4 Valves per Cyl |
| fuel feed | Fully-Electronic Bosch Fuel Injection |
| displacement | 2649 cc / 161.7 in³ |
| bore | 95 mm / 3.74 in |
| stroke | 70.4 mm / 2.77 in |
| power | 462.3 kw / 620 bhp @ 8200 rpm |
| specific output | 234.05 bhp per litre |
| bhp/weight | 756.1 bhp per tonne |
| body / frame | Fiberglass Body over Carbon Fiber Monocoque |
| driven wheels | RWD |
| front brakes | Discs w/Twin Calipers |
| rear brakes | Discs w/Twin Calipers |
| f suspension | Wishbones w/Coil-Overs |
| r suspension | Rocker Arms w/Coil-Overs |
| curb weight | 820 kg / 1808 lbs |
| wheelbase | 2650 mm / 104.3 in |
| length | 4800 mm / 189.0 in |
| width | 2000 mm / 78.7 in |
| transmission | 5-Speed Gearbox |
| top speed | ~349.2 kph / 217 mph |
Auction Sales History
Jägermeister 1988/89 Schuppan 962C-138 – sold for $491,000
Ex-Tim Lee-Davey/Vern Schuppan/Amalfitano Collection. Here we are delighted to be able to offer this beautifully restored, rebuilt and ready-to-run 3-liter twin-turbo engined example of the ultimate Porsche Typ 962 design – chassis ‘962-138’ as campaigned for two years in the FIA’s contemporary World Sports Car Championship series of premier-league endurance races, by the celebrated British racing driver Tim Lee-Davey.
This Group C competition Coupe contested two WSCC-series qualifying rounds in 1988, at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) on September 18 that year and at Sandown Park, Melbourne (Australia) on November 20. Co-driven by Tim Lee-Davey and Tom Dodd-Noble it finished eighth in the Spa 1,000Kms, and then with Colin Crang as co-driver, Lee-Davey ran the car in the Sandown Park event to finish sixth. During this season the decision was taken to rebuild the car around a moulded carbon-composite monocoque chassis, not due to any accident damage suffered by the original aluminium tub but because it was deemed a good idea at the time to replace the alloy sheet structure with the stiffer carbon-composite replacement. We understand that the project was initiated by Australian former Le Mans-winning Works driver Vern Schuppan’s British-based Team Schuppan organization, and was endorsed by Porsche AG. All drawings were provided directly by the factory who took an active interest in the project and who at one time showed interest in purchasing chassis from Mr Schuppan’s company.
He recalls: “We contracted the UK company ‘Advanced Composite Technology’ to develop the tub and tool up to produce it, building an initial batch of five. Reynard subsequently took this over and built another five for our 962CR road car project, with a total order of 25 such chassis.
Since joining the Amalfitano Collection, this immaculate Porsche 962C was last used in the 2007 Porsche Rennsport Reunion at Daytona, driven by Brian Redman. It suffered an engine failure there which was rebuilt by Klaus Fischer, Amalfi Racing’s respected technical chief. He then tested the car in the late-2008 Savannah Targa 66 event, after which the engine was removed for dyno test and tuning in 2009. The car was then test-driven by none other than former Porsche Works team star driver Brian Redman at Moroso Park in May 2010. Since 2000 only the late Michael Amalfitano, Brian Redman or Klaus Fischer have driven the car, Brian occupying the driver’s seat at the Rennsport Reunion events of 2001, 2004 and 2007.
Auction Source: Bonhams 2010 Exceptional Motorcars and Automobilia
