[h=2]Monterey Racers Reunion part 3 a few Porsche special editions pics[/h]
REUNION: Porsche's special GTP-themed 911s
Tuesday, 23 August 2016
Marshall Pruett (words & images)
Porsche Motorsport North America unveiled the "Andial Five" during last weekend's Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion named in honor of the competition house that was responsible for so much of the brand's success in sportscar racing.
Formally named the "Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 4.0 Andial Edition," the cars were commissioned in concert with their owners, then unveiled in the Monterey paddock and returned for the first time since their conversion.
Andial, which is now fully owned by PMNA, was formed in Southern California by Arnold Wagner, Dieter Inzenhofer, and Alwin Springer in 1975, and came to fame in the 1980s as the engine builders for Porsche's all-conquering 962 in IMSA GTP. As a tribute to Andial's GTP heritage, PMNA and renowned Porsche restorer Kevin Jeanette partnered to transform five Porsche Cup cars into custom 962-themed models for their respective owners.
"These cars embrace what Andial stands for: taking a Porsche street or race car and enhancing it for the track, and building it to the taste of the customer," PMNA CEO Jens Walther told
RACER. "What we have here, with the Andial Five, are all based on the 997 911 GT3 Cup car. All cars have previous lives; they all have race history, the owners brought the cars to us to freshen them, install any new items they wanted; paddle-shift was a popular choice, two customers chose RSR gearboxes, and all cars share a 550hp 4.0-liter engine, which is special for this edition, and that's the only common denominator."
Bringing Jeanette into the frame after the drivetrain work was complete ensured five of the most iconic 962 liveries from the IMSA's golden era were applied with perfection.
"We then worked with Kevin Jeanette and all five customers chose commemorative liveries from the Porsche 962 era," Walther added. "Kevin interpreted them and I believe he has done a magnificent job."