The X---- Porsche cars

[Porschinelle]

Despite all the obstacles Paul Ernst Strahle and his co-pilot Viktor Spingle achieved a splendid performance finishing 43rd overall and 3rd overall in the 1.5 liter class (behind the 550 spyder 550-004 driven by Hans Hermann/Herbert Linge who finish 6th overall and an Osca who finish 10th overall
Out of the 400 starting cars only 182 completed the 1000 miles race
Paul Ernst Strahle acjieved an amazing performance covering the 1597 kilometers at the fabulous average speed of 109.06 km/h (including the refueling and pilots rest stops)
Another pic of Dapferle during the race

[Porschinelle]

That's all for today
Tomorrow we will make a disgression on the 1954 Mille Miglia race and particularly on the Porsche results (550 spyders + 356) before to findback dapferle for its last important race the June 1954 Osterreich Alpenfahrt

[Henk Vasmel]

Sorry, I didn't know you were building up to a climax. But seeing the (347), I couldn't resist.
Could you please repair your statement that the '55 MM was won by a Gullwing?. It was of course the very different 300SLR.
By the way, "Dapferle"'s chassis number seems to have been 1-075282. Engine number T 26 875.

[Porschinelle]

Hi Henk

Agree I made a stupid confusion between 300 SL and 300 SLR
Really stupid as I will all my life remember the famous pic of Moss and Jenkison with their face covered of dust after their victory into the 1955 Mille Miglia

[Porschinelle]

So before the disgression on the 1954 Mille Miglia a first disgression on Mercedes
After the end of the second world war, Mercedes, as Porsche had to rebuilt entirely his production and engineering forces
Based on their numerous successes before the war they tried to re-enter the formula 1 championship with the same cars they raced before the war
It was not a success
Decision was then taken in 1951 to stop the formula 1 and to tackle the spot cars world Championship the first Mercedes 300 SL (Sport Leicht) was born
The type 194 was born
In 1952 two of these 300 SL won the Le Mans 24 hours

That same 1952 years two 300 SL won the Carrera Panamericana

[Porschinelle]

At the 1955 Mille Miglia the two winning Mercedes of Moss/Jenkinson and Juan Manuel Fangio were 300 SLR type 196 S nothing to see with the 300 SL type 198
The 300 SLR were sport cars derivated from the 1954 Mercedes formula 1 race car type 196

Although their en=gine capacity was also a 3.0 Liter it had 8 cylinders in line against the traditionnal 6 cylinders in line used on the 300 SL type 198
Of couse they had an all magnesium body
This characteristics (magnesium is highly inflammable) caused the 1955 Le Mans 24 hours drama when Pierre Levegh 300 SLR hit an Austin healey close to the pit lane entrance and jumped into the crowd and took fire causing the death of 82 spectators and many many injuries
That 1955 Le Mans race was the last one for the 300 SLR

[Porschinelle]

I was only half wrong writing that the victorious car was a 300 SL Gullwing as at that same 1955 Mille Miglia Mercedes had enter
3 off 300 SLR
3 off 300 SL gullwing
and 4 off sedan 180 D (diesel)
As written on this poster it was a complete success

1 and 2 overall and 1 and 2 first in the sport car class
1-2 and 3 first in the GT class
1-2 and 3 first in the diesel class

Below Fitch/Gessel who finish 5th overall and first in the GT class with a 300 SL gullwing

[Porschinelle]

Now back to Paul Ernst Strahle
Indeed Paul Ernst was not the first to enter a VW beetle in the Mille Miglia race
In 1952 an Italian team named Mordacci/Centenari enter a straight forward 1100 cc beetle they were amongst the numerous DNF

but he was the first to enter a Porsche powered VW beetle in 1954
The above is very important for those who want to participate to one of the Mille Miglia revival
To enter a car this car had either to be one of the cars who had already raced in the original Mille Miglia race (last race in 1957) or to be similar to a car who had participated to the real race
Thanks to Paul Ernst and the Italian team every year straight forward beetles and beetle Porsche powered may enter the Mille Miglia revival as does much more expensives 550 spyders or 356

[Porschinelle]

Porsche 75 HP engine in a beetle

Okrasa engine

[Porschinelle]

As promised a little off-subject re the 1954 Mille Miglia

1954 was the 21st edition of the race

The parcours was 1597

[Porschinelle]

The parcours was 1597 kilometers long ie a little less than 1000 miles
The overall winner was Alberto Ascari on a Lancia






On a Porsche point of vue 1954 will remain as the first year where a 550 spyder (550-004 driven by Hans Hermann/Herbert Linge) was entered in the Mille Miglia

1954 will also be the year where no less than 13 off 356 raced
This race was agreat success for Porsche as hence this poster

[Porschinelle]

Indeed Porsche guys were righyt to be proud

Herman/Linge finish 6th overall and 1st in the 1.5 L class

[Porschinelle]

Richard von Frankenberg Kurt Sauter finish 29th overall and first in the GT 1.5 L class

Hampell von Trips finish 33rd and 2nd in class GT 1.5
Max Nathan/Helm Glockler finish 34th and 3 rd in class 1?5 L

Out off the 13 starters 9 356 completed the race but only the 3 above were ahead of Dapferle
More pics of the 356

[Porschinelle]

1954 Mille Miglia race will also be rembered as the year where Hans Hermann drove his 550 spyder under a train level crossing barreer a scene who had been immortalised by several painters





The 550 has also attracted another painter who represent it with a Ferrari and a Lancia

[Porschinelle]

The 1954 Mille Miglia were also important for Porsche management who after the return of the cars at the factory organised a big feast in the plant for all the workers in order to celebrate the performances of their cars and pilots





and a last pic of 550-004 taken before the race start and before the 351 race number be painted