Orange Segment

914 in action in the AvD Histo Monte

The Porsche 914 was an unusual beast. When released in 1969 it was seen as out of step with Porsche’s thinking. Certainly very different from the fêted 911, initial reception was a little mixed: it didn’t look like a Porsche, it used VW parts, it was mid-engined, and it only came with with a targa top.

Even professional drivers were put off by its twitchiness when pushed to the limit. But that didn’t stop this quirky Porsche taking-on the big boys. And winning. In Europe, 914s came home first in their class and took overall victory numerous times, and repeated the feat in the US. 914s were driven to at least 41 class wins, in addition to a minimum of 71 podium positions. They’re still winning, with 914s regularly used across the US and Europe to this day.

The 'original' 914

Cast your mind back to 2016, and you may recall the release of Roy Smith’s Porsche: The Racing 914s. This comprehensive study of the motorsport exploits of the 'funny little car' created as an entry-level Porsche proved much more popular than we ever imagined, gaining a place in BookAuthority's Best Car Racing Books of All Time. Originally a hardback limited to 1500 copies, we've decided to bring this great book back to the bookshelf in paperback format.

If you're not familiar with the 914's origins, or Roy's book, you'd do well to take a look at our 2017 interview with Roy – watch it on the book page over on our website, or here …

As chance would have it, and whilst working on the new edition, we received a message from a customer, Tolo Palmer, enquiring if the book was being reprinted. Nothing too unusual there; we get such enquiries all the time. What is unusual, though, is that Tolo’s friend owns a couple of 914s, including one in Roy's book. 

Tolo (centre), and Dominik (right) with co-driver Gerd Ottenburger in 2015,
after his fifth win in Mallorca.

We simply couldn’t resist sharing some of Tolo's story. Over to you, Tolo …

I grew up in Mallorca, and one day in 2003, being 11 years old and a little ill, my mother took me to see the doctor, followed with a visit to a local town bakery. While taking my medicine, I started to feel the ground shake and hear a loud noise. But it wasn’t the medicine: I turned my head to see a beautiful, original, orange Porsche 914/6 GT. I immediately ran behind the car, which stopped to turn at the next junction, and saw a line full of stunning classic cars behind it –  a 911ST driven by Walter Röhrl, and a 911SR driven by Jürgen Barth, to name just two.

 

I was so excited that as soon as I got home I told dad what had happened. He told me that there was a Classic rally going on, and that we could go and see it on Saturday. The day came, and we went to the race track, spending the whole day there. Ever since then, I’ve been a classic car lover.

 

The rally was held again the following year, so I went to see some of the stages. Sliding around the track, and smoothly driven – and driven hard – was an orange 914/6 GT, similar to the one I saw last year. On the last day of the rally, again at the track, the orange 914, driven by Dominik, took the overall win in the Trofeo Baleares Clasico, part of the European Rally Championship.

 

I had a photo taken of me leaning on the car (right), and hoped to see it again the following year. Sadly, that didn’t happen, but in 2008 Dominik returned to Mallorca with a beautiful 911 3.0 RS. Being just a teenager, my English was pretty poor, but I was very curious and went over to Dominik to ask for his autograph, which he supplied with pleasure.

 

On the second day of the Rally, Dominik saw me in the service area and came over to chat. I was very shy but couldn’t resist asking him if he still had the orange beauty that won in 2004. That put a big smile on is face, and after an interesting conversation he offered for me to spend the final day of the Rally with his service crew at the track.

 

On that day, I took the photo of me and the 914 to show Dominik and the crew: they loved it. Better still, Dominik won the Rally, and jumping out of his 911 afterwards, handed me his gloves as a memento. I put them on and sat in the car in tears of joy! Our good friendship has grown ever since. In 2009 he brought me a set of his first race overalls as a memento, and won the Rally Mallorca once again.

 

Going back to the 914, I went to Germany for a few years, where a 914 replica was being worked on. Dominik said that when the car was ready (it was finished in 2014), he was going to use it at the Eifel Rallye Festival – so, of course, I went. Dominik had owned an original 914 since 1999, but it sat idle in Dominik's workshop until 2015, when it was raced for the last time at the AvD Histo-Monte Rally – and won!

 

In 2022, for my 30th birthday, Dominik took me on a rally stage in the 914. I have quite a lot of experience around cars, but this all new to me; I couldn’t even put my seatbelt on. All I can say is that before we crossed the finish line, I was in tears. So many emotions came together for me, a mix of nostalgia and, I think, love. But that car is very special; as special as my friend Dominik. And that’s how I came to befriend a very special 914 and its very special driver.

Now, that’s a story all us petrolheads can relate to. Dominik’s original 914 was special for a number of reasons, not least of which being its appearance in Roy's book. But his replica is equally special. Following his 2015 win, and after being offered a lot of money for the car, Dominik had something of an epiphany. It dawned on him that, should he total the 914, he wouldn’t simply be destroying any old car, he would be destroying a very important piece of Porsche history. 

The replica 914, Mallorca 2014

Dominik decided to make a clone of his original 914, which he still owns, but is now retired from competition. So began a journey of discovery, as Dominik built-up a 914 road car shell into a machine suitable for the rallying circuit. Originally, the replica was intended to be a straight copy, but studying the FIA's historic racing regulations, he soon realised that there were many areas of the car that could be changed without falling foul of the rules. 

The build that followed involved a deep-dive into the nitty gritty details. The end result? A car with 250 shorter, lighter or smaller replacement components, and a 140Kg weight saving over the original car – an 800Kg rally rocket. The car has even been catalogued as 'the best rally Porsche 914 ever made.' The work Dominik undertook, and the racing exploits of this 914, deserve a book of their own; we don't have that, but, fortunately, in 2018 Petrolicious penned this great piece on the 914: take a look here. 

We’d like to thank Tolo for sharing his photos, his story of friendship and two very special 914s. We wish Tolo, Dominik, and, of course, the orange 914 many long and happy races in the future!

Hi-ho Silver!

It'll come as no surprise to hear that Roy has a 914 of his own, it is his second 914 and its a tad special. Incredibly, the paperwork trail verifies nearly every year of its life – not something many classics can boast. And this is no ordinary example. The car left the factory almost exactly 53 years ago – the 12th October 1970. The 13th car produced that day, this was a special order, specced with black paint, tinted windows, 1.7-litre 4-cylinder engine, and sporting factory Minilites, pus a rarely requested limited-slip diff option. 

The car was ordered by an American Porsche-loving couple. They wanted a car to run in motorsports events across the US, and ended up winning several Porsche Club of America awards. It was later sold to another couple who continued to compete with the car. They even took it to Italy, while the husband was stationed with the US military there, before returning to the USA in the 1980s.

Brought to the UK in 1990 by non-other than Henry Pearman, of Eagle fame (you really must check out his collection), it was sold by the Lenham Motor company, Kent, to its first UK owner, whose partial restoration included changing the colour to silver. In 1994 it was acquired by a 914 fan and made several appearances in magazines during his 25 year ownership, before it was acquired by Roy in early 2020.  

Roy commissioned Greatworth Classics near Banbury, to install a fresh, period 6-cylinder Porsche 2.7-litre engine, with high compression heads, polished ports and a reprofiled cam, fully balanced, its 5-speed 'box retaining the limited slip diff. Body and chassis are original, apart from the usual work needed to keep a 53 year old car in perfect condition, and now of course has uprated suspension, and brakes. 

So, there is the tale of some very special 914s. You can discover even more of the 914's racing exploits and successes in Roy Smith’s Porsche: The Racing 914s, reprinting in paperback format, and available in the UK early next year. Keep your eyes on our social channels for more details closer to publication, or head over to our store and pop your email in the Notify Me field to get an email when the book is available to buy.

Porsche
The Racing 914s

Roy Smith

The remarkable little car that turned into a big hearted racer. A study in pictures, statistics, factory information, and interviews, that show the Porsche 914 in a whole new light.

£40 UK 🇬🇧 $65 USA 🇺🇸 $78 CAN 🇨🇦

V5934 • Paperback • 22.5x22.5cm • 320 pages • 452 pictures
ISBN: 978-1-787119-34-5 • UPC: 6-36847-01934-1

Click here to find out more

If you’ve an interesting story to tell us, get in touch by email, or send a message on social; we’d love to hear it.

Plenty of Porsche!

You know how much we love all things Porsche here at Veloce, so today's blog post is a bumper Porsche post, packed with plenty of news, books, and photos to keep you entertained!

First off, at the beginning of last month, members of Porsche Club Great Britain (PCGB) came together at the 2017 Porsche Charity Day, to help raise over £12500 for Chestnut Tree House, a children's hospice based in Sussex. Formed in 1961, PCGB is Europe's largest Porsche club, and organises a host of events throughout the year. 

Held at Goodwood on the 7th of October, the charity event was also supported by PARR Porsche and Vroomphoto, and coincided with the club's popular track day. Thirty-six cars took part in the main event, while 150 gathered for a lunchtime parade around the historic circuit. The combined efforts of the Porsche community, and the extra involvement of PCGB, helped to increase the total from 2016's benchmark of £8000.

"In 2012, when the three of us were sitting at Goodwood Circuit's Aero Club Café and came up with an idea for raising funds for Chestnut Tree Children's Hospice as a one-off event, we never dreamt it would evolve into the day it has." Said Porsche Enthusiasts Jonathan Trees, Tony Clinch and Andrew Wilson. "Each successive year has grown and has now raised over £37000 for the Children's Hospice. This would never have happened without the continued growing support from everyone involved, so a big thank you. We would also like to thank Parr Motorsport, Porsche Club GB and Vroomphoto who have so kindly donated their time and have helped make the event what it is today."

"Porsche Club GB is proud to have supported this year's event and offered sincere thanks to all those who were so generous with their donations," said PCBG general manager Chris Seaward. "We look forward to working with Jonathan, Tony, and Andrew in 2018 to build on the momentum of this year." 

It's always great to see people raising lots of money for charity whilst doing something they love!

Remember a few weeks back when we had Roy Smith join us at Veloce HQ to sign copies of his new book Powered by Porsche – the alternative race cars? Well, the good news is, you can now purchase your own signed copy! Just add that you would like a signed copy in the comments sections when you got though the checkout on our webstore, and we will supply you with a signed bookplate as part of your order.

Roy has also supplied us with this new image of one of the cars that features in Powered by Porsche – the alternative race cars.

Martin Ridehalgh, Keith Martin, and Roy Smith with the Dulon Porsche

The car is the Dulon Porsche, which features on pages 127 and 132 of the book. It dates from the 1970s, and is awaiting the return of its Porsche 906 engine that is currently in build at Autofarm. Martin Ridehalgh was the driver in period of the Dulon Porsche, and its current owner and driver is Keith Martin, well known in Historic circles for racing a Dulon in the Masters series. 

And as if Roy Smith's latest book isn't enough, another new Porsche book has recently been wheeled off the press: Porsche Boxster & Cayman. Written by prolific Porsche maven Brian Long, this book is the definitive history of the 987-series Boxster and Cayman lines. Covering all variants from 2004 to 2012, this tome is packed full of information and contemporary illustrations sourced from the factory, it is the perfect guide for enthusiasts, historians, and those looking for authenticity.

With Christmas just around the corner, either of these books would make an excellent gift for the Porsche fanatic in your life. And, if you fancy going that extra mile for that special someone in your life, you could do no better than Brian Long's in-depth look at the entire history of the air-cooled Porches – The Ultimate Book of the Air-cooled Porsche 911. Limited to just 911 (what else?) copies, this elegant – not to mention hefty – volume comes in its own slipcase; a truly special gift for that truly special person in your life! Available only from the Veloce website.

New Release: Powered By Porsche

Just delivered to Veloce HQ is award winning author Roy Smith's latest book, Powered By Porsche. 

Limited to just 1500 copies, Powered By Porsche– The Alternative Race Cars is the first book of its kind, detailing the non-Porsche racing cars that utilised Porsche engines throughout history, illustrated with some never-before-published pictures that will give you a whole new insight into the world of Porsche.

Reviews for this tome have just starting reaching us, and we thought we'd share a few with you ...


"Porsche must be the most over-catered-for marque in motoring literature. However, this makes Roy Smith's stunning 466-page, meticulously researched tome on, in effect, Porsches that aren't Porsches, thoroughly welcome. 
"It takes an unusual decade-by-decade A-Z format, which causes the timelines to ping about a bit, but finds itself dividing naturally into two halves – the Porsche-engined specials from the earliest days of Ferdinand's engineering consultancy and nascent marque, and the further developments of its super successful sports-racers of the Seventies and Eighties.
"In many ways its the American Porsche-based cars that make for the most interesting and colourful reading, and which help to reinforce the understanding that often what were seen as factory efforts by the public owed much to the ingenuity of the likes of Brumos, Kremer and Holbert. There's also plenty of madness in here, with twin-engined racing cars, Porsche-eninged aircraft and road going Group C cars. Limited to just 1500 copies, [it is] beautifully presented and and incredible feat of research."
– Classic Cars



"At 468 pages and boasting 799 pictures, the Powered By Porsche – The Alternative Race Cars book is a hardback your coffee table will feel as it lands with a mighty thud. The first book to cover those non-works cars that raced with Porsche engines, the book has been put together by Roy Smith, a man with a passion for historic motorsport tales. Spanning the birth of the hybrid car in the 1890s, to the Daytona Prototypes, it is full of encyclopaedic details. It includes lots of unpublished images, anecdotes and insight you won't have come across before, it might even answer a few burning questions you may have."
– GT Porsche



"In his 15 years as an author Roy Smith has differentiated his works by studying areas that other historians have tended to neglect. Now in Powered By Porsche, Smith looks at other racing cars which have used Porsche engines and often chassis and running gear as well.
"Powered By Porsche is an encyclopaedic work unearthing any number of Porsche racing projects and contributes a great deal of background to half a century of Porsche auto racing competition. It will be of particular interest to North American readers, for as the author shows, most of the teams using Porsche motive power were here and he has clearly researched them in considerable detail. Roy Smith's latest offering is a veritable treasure trove for marque historians and an immersive pleasure for general fans."
– Kieron Fennelly



Today, we had the pleasure of welcoming Roy to the office once again, to sign some copies of the book for those who helped him compile this impressive work. Complete with interviews with team owners, drivers, and the people from Porsche, as well as answering questions that Porsche fans have always wanted to know, this book is not to be missed, and would make the perfect Christmas gift of any automotive fan!

You can order your copy direct from us, but make sure to be quick, as this limited edition book is sure to be a popular one!

The Racing 914s – A Review

Just in this month is this review from Doug Lloyd of Porsche Panorama, Roy Smith's limited edition book, Porsche – The Racing 914s. Here's the review in full.

"Dense, detailed, and comprehensively illustrated with 452 colour and black-and-white images, Roy Smith's Porsche – The Racing 914s is a rich history of the Porsche 914, in particular the 914/6 GT that raced in Europe and the US in the 1970s.

"With an introductory chapter that discusses the advantages of mid-engine racing cars as being more balanced and better handling that their front-engine brethren, the book continues to a history of the gestation of the 914. Originally a VW-Porsche joint project, the 914 was conceived as a 'people's Porsche' that should not diminish 911 sales but would also be suitable for racing. Succeeding chapters delve into 914/6 GT development and racing, including the 1970 and '71 seasons in Europe and privateer team efforts through the early '70s.

"As racing in Europe at the time was so much more than simple road course competition, there are also sections on hill climbs and rallying. A particularly interesting chapter is devoted to Herbert Linge's efforts to promote safety in auto racing, and blessing from Porsche for his team to develop a 914 into essentially the very first race-speed safety car, including emergency equipment, fire extinguishers, and other safety gear. Prior to that time, tracks had little interest in safety and its attendant costs, with some at best having an on-site retired fire truck. 

"Later chapters discuss 914 competition in the United States, and later private and vintage efforts leading up to modern times. 

"It is clear that Smith is very well-versed in his subject, as the detailed information in the book is meticulously researched, including numerous interviews with the racers, mechanics, and team owners. The last chapter is simply race records from the period. He also covers marketing and promotional challenges, and shares his thoughts about what could have been if perhaps the 914 had been better developed and made more powerful. 

"Porsche – The Racing 914s, is beautifully illustrated, but it is not really a coffee table book: Rather, it is a comprehensive historical look at the 914 and its place in Porsche's racing history."

Sound like a good book to you? You can purchase your copy here; hurry, they are limited editions!

For more on Roy Smith and his Racing 914s book, check out our full interview we did with him ack in December of last year, over on our YouTube page.