718 RSK RS60 RS61

[Stormin]

Not the smoothest drive I've seen and the engine complaining at being lugged while out of the power band, painful to the ears.

[356]

[Porschinelle]

The 1958 Le Mans 24 hours race were held June 21st/22nd
For Porsche it was the occasion to enter 3 off 718 RSK
718RSK 005 race number 29 for Jean Behra/Hans Hermann
718RSK 004 race number 30 for Claude Storez/Richard von Frankenberg
718RSK 003 race number 31 for Edgar Barth/Paul Frere
This edition was raced with very bad weather conditions and only 20 off cars out of the 60 starters finish the race
Again the occasion for Porsche to proove the extraordinary reliability of their cars with 4 cars finishing out of the 5 starters
With their small 1.6 engine Jean Behra/Hans Herman were 3rd overall behind the 3 liter Ferrari 250TR of Olivier Gendebien/Phill Hill and the 3.0 Liter Aston Martin of the Withehead brothers
Edgar Barth/Paul Frere were 4th overall
The Porsche success was completerd, by the 5th place overall of the private 550 RS 0145 of Carel Godin de Beaufort/

This success was immortalised by the following video

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCRBAeNPKCI

[Rickie]

In my post #37758 the photo shows RSK race number 29. That is the Behra/ Hermann 3rd overall '58 LeMans machine. I discovered the true chassis number of this car while it was the one of two RSK's owned by Michael Graham of Greenwich Connecticut, and was able to help my friend Murray Smith acquire this car. It was restored by Tony Dutton at Northumberland Engineering and driven by him at Monterey. I was fortunate enough to race #28 in the same event.

[Porschinelle]

[Porschinelle]

Jean Behra/Hans Hermann 718 RSK 005

[Carrera_The_Kid]

Cool pictures, this has to be two distinct cars as one is running the DCM Webers and the other the IDM's. Also other differences.

[Porschinelle]

[Porschinelle]

718 RSK 003,004 and 005 + 2 off 550 RS
550 RS 0145 race number 32 of Carel Godin de Beaufort who finish 5th overall
550 RS ? race number 59 for the Swiss team Heinz Schiller/Claude Tot who finally was DNS
To these 5 cars they were another 550 RS (550-0142) carace number 34, for the private French team Jean Kerguen/Franc car who finish the race 10th overall
ie 4 cars finishing out of the 5 who started
Ferry Porsche




550 RS 0142

Jean Behra

[Bill Brown]

When did the switch to the purple steering wheel take place? I thought that was a 718 thing, but I guess not, seeing the wood wheels on all these early 718 cars.

[Rickie]

Interesting question, Bill. I think they used the maroon plastic VDM wheel on all 1959 cars without question, but it seems they switched from the wood VDM on some of the factory '58 cars which were originally so-equipped. 718-005 had a wood wheel, but had plastic in later years. Since this is hardly a manufacturing change on a large number of cars, I think it would be hard to pin down. Time for some more photo sleuthing..

PS Those were the days: when I went to the parts window at Hoffman Motors in the East 70's of Manhattan about 1960 they had about 6 to 8 maroon Spyder wheels hanging on a long hook on the peg-board backwall. They were $60.00 apiece...

[Type550]

I don't usually post on this thread, but came across these nice photos - sorry if they have been reposted!

[Miracle Man]

All the Spyders from the RSK on that i back in the 50's and 60's had the maroon steering wheels. I am going to try to post a shot of an RS-60 from 1960 Sebring. I can't exactly see the car number but it might be the winning #42

[356]

[Type550]