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The racing car from the Porsche Heritage and Museum department has been restored to its original condition from 1987 over the past year and a half. “It feels like coming home,” enthuses Stuck, stroking the left fender. He only has fond memories of the victorious racing car with the starting number 17. “When we met after more than three decades, we surprised Hans-Joachim Stuck and at the same time dared a little journey through time. The history of the motorsport chapter about the 962 C is unique, ”says Achim Stejskal, Head of Porsche Heritage and Museum. In the Weissach development center, where the vehicle was once built and later restored to its original state, Hans-Joachim Stuck also meets his then racing engineer Norbert Singer and designer Rob Powell, who was responsible for the livery design of the 962 C in black, yellow and Red is responsible.
Porsche 962 C restored down to the last detail
35 years ago, the now 70-year-old won the championship title of the prestigious and hard-fought German "ADAC Würth Supercup". During the series for Group C sports car prototypes, which was held for the first time, he tested the then new Porsche PDK dual clutch transmission at racing speed. The appearance of the vehicle changed for the second race, the 200 miles from Nuremberg at the Norisring, with the acquisition of the sponsor Shell. In the following year too, Porsche started in yellow and red and Stuck did everything in his power to successfully defend his Supercup title. The 962 C then began its second life as a test vehicle in the aerodynamics area in Weissach, and later it slumbered in the sports car manufacturer's corporate collection.
Armin Burger and Traugott Brecht from historical motorsport were jointly responsible for the dismantling of the 962 C. “In the warehouse, we kept walking past this vehicle. About a year and a half ago we decided to get him out of there, transfer him to Weissach and start the work, ”recalls Burger. He and his team had to rebuild many parts because they were no longer available, others were able to take them from a sister vehicle. “The cooperation with the other Porsche trades was great. We found almost everything we needed within a radius of only 30 meters, ”he explains. Right at the start of the dismantling work, he invited Rob Powell and Norbert Singer to the historic motorsport workshop.
the underbody is completely rebuilt
“When you hear the right people talking on the vehicle, everything is immediately clear. We learned an incredible amount from our two contemporary witnesses, ”summarizes Burger. The experts completely rebuilt the underbody, changed the arrangement of the radiators and made many other bodywork adjustments. Then they present the championship vehicle of the Supercup to the European trade press as part of a journalists' workshop in the Weissach development center.
Even 962 years later, Rob Powell, Livery Designer of the 35 C, did not arrive without adhesive tapes of different thicknesses, stencils and design sketches from back then. “Strietzel Stuck immediately liked the design on my first sketch,” he recalls. Hans-Joachim Stuck throws him an affirmative nod over the roof of the vehicle, while the designer sticks the lines with tape and attaches a template to the headlight: “This is very important, for example, to plan the cutout correctly for the painters. By the way, I still think the color combination yellow and red is modern, ”says Powell, putting the rolls of tape over his arm.
Double clutch transmission tested in the 962
Meanwhile, Hans-Joachim Stuck is ready for the first laps on the run-in and test track. “I'm a big fan of the Porsche PDK dual clutch transmission and I'm proud that I was able to try it out in the 962 back then. Being able to keep your hands on the steering wheel when changing gears under full load felt very good right from the start, ”he sums up. Today the PDK is available in every Porsche. The second surprise for the native Garmisch-Partenkirchner is waiting just a few meters from the proving ground: Hans-Joachim Stuck discovers his red racing suit from the eighties and is pleased that it still fits in. “For me, my time with Porsche was the most successful of my entire career,” he says, putting on his helmet with the white stars and getting in. In contrast to the basic model, the 962 C has a wheelbase that is 120 millimeters longer and pedals that are located behind the front axle that has been moved forward.
“We warmly welcomed Stucki to Porsche. He was always one of those drivers whose feedback I was able to interpret precisely, such as the feedback from a sensor, ”reports Singer, who introduced an aluminum monocoque for the first time with the Group C vehicles 956 and the successor 962 based on it, as well as the underbody Ground Effect. Stuck starts on his first lap on the two and a half kilometers long test track. All spectators fall silent and look after the Group C vehicle. “The car automatically takes me on a journey through time and brings back many wonderful memories. I'll never forget the atmosphere at the racetracks, ”says Singer and smiles.
first public appearance a few weeks ago
The 962 C made its first public appearance a few weeks ago at the museum's digital sound night. In the coming year it will appear more often in front of an audience: on the occasion of the upcoming anniversary “40 years of Group C”, the racing car will take part in a number of driving and presentation events. “The 962 C was one of the few cars that I was allowed to drive alone, without teammates, with exactly the set-up that I wanted. You never forget a vehicle like this ", summarizes Stuck and promises:" In 2022 we will celebrate our fortieth birthday! "
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Porsche 962 C returned to its original state down to the last detail
Photo credit: Porsche
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