Abarth Carrera GTL

[Porschinelle]

Sorry please amend the above
Buchet/schiller race number 35 car was 1013 not 1010 as indicated by mistake
Note also some differences between the Dutch Abarth (car 30) with the 2 other ones
Covered beams + 3 additionnal LP beams on an added support, instead of the 2 off original additionnal beams molded in the body

[Paolo]

For Vance,
The photo you posted #42060 is a real mystery to me. Looks like a lightly modified GTL. It is the first I have seen of this GTL. Can you provide more information as to the source of the photo, venue, date and any info. about the GTL? This could be one piece of the GTL-puzzle that has been missing? Could be very useful to my research and resulting book.
Many thanks for any assistance you can provide.
Paul (MrGTL)

[Porschinelle]

Paul

I agree with you this pic I had never seen anywhere before is quite interesting
Never see an abarth GTL with front and back bumpers, and side protection
T

[Porschinelle]

If Vance is unable to give us more details about this pic, as you are an active member of the Autodiva forum, why don't you post this pic on this forum in order to get the adivces of Lutz Montowski or Mustang 66 ?

As this pic been taken in early 70's could it be a very good copy ?

[356]

Sorry, I wished I knew guys, its just a really neat old photo I ran across.
~Vance

[Type550]

I found some old photos when i visited the Porsche Museum in 2001 (it was just a big room back then!) Across the road was the Porsche dealership and there was an Abarth on display (of course back then I did know what one was, but it looked pretty cool with the louvres on the back. I still haven't had a chance to see the current museum!

[Porschinelle]

Hi Andrew

Thanks to Paul we all know that tha above Abarth carrera GTL you saw in 2001 in the Porsche dealer showroom in front of the future Porsche Stuttgart museum was 1013

According to Paul this car is to day in the US so it should be before the move from Germany to the US

[Porschinelle]

Funny 1013 is also the car you post a color photo a few months ago on this site

[Porschinelle]

[Type550]

The car must be an omen for me! Paul is definitely the wealth of knowledge when it comes to Abarths!

[Paolo]

Hi Andrew, Vance and Porschinelle,
Vance's photo at#43379 is GTL#1008 sold new to Sweden in 1961. It shows 1008 at the 20 August 1961 Kanonloppet Races at Karlskoga, Sweden driven by Carl-Gunnar Hammarlund, better known as "Ce-Ge". This photo clearly shows how enlarged the front wheel well opening was on the GTLs after the prototype GTL#1001 was initially found to have inadequate room for front wheel movement at full lock and in full compression jounce. Andrew's photo of GTL#1013 in the Stuttgart showroom shows the same enlarged front wheel well opening. Strictly from an aesthetics standpoint, I think it is excessive and somewhat spoils the body design 'strength' that is provide by wheels/tires that fill the wheel well opening. Just one man's opinion.
Vance's photo at post#42060 of the GTL at what looks like an early 1970's PCA car show is really intriguing. More research needed to positively ID this GTL.
I have completed approx. 25% of the GTL book manuscript and am hoping to get most of it finished before 2019. Much work to be done to say nothing about the publishing process. Thanks to all abcgt contributors that keep the GTL research 'on-the-boil'! Cheers for now.

[Porschinelle]

Paul

I take advantage of your presence on the site to submit this question :



Is this car seen in the werk yard the same 1013 driven to the 12th place, by Buchet/Heinz Schiller in the 1962 Le Mans race ?


Another question on the first pic
Have you any idea why the front wheels are different from the standard Lemnetz Porsche wheels ?

[Paolo]

Porschinelle,
the GTL shown with all the workers in the factory's backyard is GTL#1001. This photo was probably taken before all the werks cars were transported to Le Mans for the 1960 event. This photo was taken approx. 9 months before GTL#1013 even existed.
I cannot make a comment about the wheels because it is an aspect of the GTLs that I have not studied in detail. Generally, I see no great changes to the GTL's wheels even when they were equipped with Porsche's own 'ring-type' disc brakes in place of the usual drum brakes. Sorry, I cannot be more definitive.
Paolo

[Porschinelle]

Thanks Paul

Indeed at the 1960 Le Mans, the front non standard Porsche type wheels were off







On the above pic the guy on the left alongside the photograph, with the helmet in his hand is Jo Bonnier who drove 718 RSK 043 (race number 33) and was DNF
1960 was an awfull year for Porsche, with none off the 4 718 RSK entered, finishing
1001 was more successfull finishing 10th overall and 1st in the S 1.6 class

[Porschinelle]

The owner of the fake blue abarth displayed now in several famous events had his car displayed at the recent Le Mans Classic, in the exhibitors and sponsors village in a special corner organised by the event organiser Peter Peter in order to celebrate the 70th Porsche anniversary
The problem is that on the 5 cars ( a 550, a 718 RSK an Abarth Carrera GTL a 904 and a recent sport car may be a 962) displayed (all registred in England) only one was for sure a real one or may be a real one recently reconstructed








As I said in the 550 topic 2 at least (the abarth and the 718 are fakes) the 904 may be a correct copy and the 550 I don't know (may be Andrew know more about it