www.QV500.com - Porsche 356 B Carrera GTL Abarth
 
By the late fifties, Porsche’s four-camshaft 356 Carrera was losing ground to more specialised machinery from Alfa Romeo and Abarth. To remain competitive, the firm understood that a lighter, more aerodynamic version would be required. Facts surrounding these rare cars are murky, but it's generally agreed that Porsche’s first port of call for their new racer was Carlo Abarth. Abarth was approached in late 1959 with a view to his outfit working the same magic on the German marques Carrera GT as they had so successfully done with Fiat-based machines bearing the famed Scorpion logo.
   
After assurances from Carlo Abarth, Porsche initially thought Zagato would be responsible for executing bodywork. However, the Milanese carrozzeria's contribution never materialised and Abarth eventually commissioned ex-Bertone designer, Franco Scaglione, to design the re-profiled bodywork. Rocco Motto in Turin would fabricate it. But Rocco's contribution was merely a fleeting one as, having manufactured the first three shells and received part payment for the entire run, he disappeared on what was described at the time as 'an unplanned holiday'. Production quickly got switched to another Turinese body builder, the little Viarengo & Filipponi firm moving heaven and earth to complete the last 18 aluminium shells. After all the logistical problems of working with the Italian's was over, the GTL was able to do its talking on the track, securing a hat-trick of of Le Mans 24 Hour class victories between 1960 and '62. The first example was completed in late February 1960 and would have been finished sooner if only there had been sufficient space for the engine - its dimensions not having been taken into consideration when the prototype was designed back in Italy! All 21 were built on chassis's and floorpans taken directly from Porsche's 356 B Carrera GT, this car featuring all-round independent suspension and hydrualically operated drum brakes. Discs were quickly introduced though, the factory using an experimental set on their works entry in 1960's Le Mans 24 Hours - the GTL's third race.
 
No less than five different types of engine were used in these cars between 1960 and '64, 1.6-litre motors initially with 115bhp being fitted but soon afterwards, both 128 and 135bhp units saw service, both with straight-through competition exhausts. Even hotter two-litre versions with 155 and 180bhp were also plumbed in, but quite amazingly, even with the intermediate 128bhp 1.6 installed, Herbert Linge and Paul-Ernst Strahle were timed at 150.2mph down the Mulsanne Straight in 1960's Le Mans. The only existing body parts carried over from the regular 356 were the headlamps although these were now set well back into the front wings and could later be fitted with Plexiglas covers.
   
Scaglione's elongated nose housed a prominent radiator duct flanked by two distinctive pods that were either used as brake-cooling channels or supplementary light bays. Another interesting detail was the heavily louvred engine lid that in true Abarth style could be propped wide open. Some cars even featured cockpit-controlled scoops located between the two highest banks of vents on the rear lid. But although Scaglione was able to reduce the GTL's frontal area by an impressive 16% compared to the regular 356, instantly acquitting it with a far more drag resistant profile, it certainly wasn't the prettiest thing on the track. Inside, cockpits were spartanly finished as you would expect, identical aluminium bucket seats to those of the GT normally being trimmed in black leatherette with velour centres. Porsche instruments were housed in a new lightweight aluminium dash. Binnacles of early GTL's featured two main dials, later models housing three, but all were fronted by an exquisite triple aluminium spoked, wood-rimmed Nardi steering wheel. Pretty uncomfotable for most tall drivers though, the GTL's cut-down windscreen meant headroom was at a premium. Various weight-saving measures ensured the Porsche-Abarth tipped the scales around 50kg lighter than a regular Carrera GT, but the German marque were unhappy for a number of reasons. Poor build quality, leaking seals and an insufficient steering radius convinced them that the collaboration with Abarth should go no further.
 
However, Porsche couldn't have been disappointed with the GTL's record in the World Manufacturers Championship. They would go on to take three consecutive class victories at Le Mans and no less than four in the Targa Florio. Porsche also secured a hat-trick of class wins in the Nurburgring 1000km, Germay's highest profile endurance race. There were three class wins at Sebring and two at Montlhery, GTL's also triumphing at Daytona, Bridgehampton and the Rossfeld Hillclimb. There has always been some disagreement with regard to exactly how many were originally built, but we believe 21 cars were eventually manufactured with chassis numbers ranging from 1001 to 1021.
           
Rd. Race Drivers Team / Entrant Overall Class
1960 / 3 Targa Florio Linge / Strahle Paul-Ernst Strahle 6th 1st GT2.5
1960 / 4 Nurburgring 1000km Greger / Linge Porsche 7th 2nd S1.6
Strahle / Walter Paul-Ernst Strahle 10th 1st GT2.0
Koch / Stausberg Scuderia Colonia 13th 3rd GT2.0
1960 / 5 Le Mans 24 Hours Linge / Walter Porsche 10th 1st S1.6
1961 / 2 Targa Florio Pucci / Strahle Porsche 6th 1st GT2.5
Linge / von Hanstein Porsche 7th 2nd GT2.5
1961 / 3 Nurburgring 1000km Hahnl / Zick Fritz Hahnl Jr. 6th 1st GT2.0
Gunther / Mahle Siegfried Gunther 7th 2nd GT2.0
Koch / Leineweber Gerhard Koch 9th 3rd GT2.0
Pflugbeil / Ruschenbaum Ernst Pflugbeil 11th 4th GT2.0
Bianchi / Clemens Jean Sage 13th 5th GT2.0
de Beaufort / Pon Ben Pon DNF -
1961 / 4 Le Mans 24 Hours Linge / Pon Porsche 10th 1st GT1.6
Buchet / Moneret Auguste Veuillet DNF -
1962 / 1 Daytona 3 Hours Bonnier / von Hanstein Porsche DNF -
1962 / 2 Sebring 12 Hours Bonnier / Gurney / Holbert Porsche 7th 1st GT1.6
Barth / Strahle Porsche 9th 2nd GT1.6
1962 / 3 Targa Florio Herrman / Linge Porsche 6th 1st GT1.6
Barth / Pucci Porsche 10th 2nd GT1.6
Hahnl / Strahle Porsche DNF -
1962 / 4 Nurburgring 1000km Barth / Linge Porsche 6th 1st GT1.6
Koch / Mahle Paul-Ernst Strahle 9th 2nd GT1.6
Pon / Slotemaker Ben Pon DNF -
1962 / 5 Le Mans 24 Hours Barth / Herrman Porsche 7th 1st GT1.6
Buchet / Schiller Auguste Veuillet 12th 2nd GT1.6
de Beaufort / Pon Porsche DNF -
1962 / 6 Clermond-Ferrand Barth Porsche 14th 2nd GT1.6
Buchet Robert Buchet 17th 3rd GT1.6
1962 / 7 Goodwood TT Pon Ben Pon 10th 4th GT2.0
1962 / 8 Bridgehampton 400km Holbert Chuck Cassel 1st 1st GT2.0
1962 / 9 Montlhery 1000km Koch / Linge Gerhard Koch 7th 1st GT2.0
Pon / Slotemaker Ben Pon 8th 2nd GT2.0
Barth / Buchet Robert Buchet 18th 4th GT2.0
1963 / 1 Daytona 3 Hours Bonnier Porsche 5th 1st GT2.0
Holbert Porsche 7th 2nd GT2.0
Cassel Chuck Cassel 8th 3rd GT2.0
1963 / 2 Sebring 12 Hours Holbert / Wester Porsche 9th 1st GT2.0
Barth / Linge Porsche 10th 2nd GT2.0
Cassel / Sesslar Porsche Car Imports 15th 1st GT1.6
1963 / 3 Targa Florio Koch / von Schroter Paul-Ernst Strahle 12th 1st GT1.6
1963 / 5 Nurburgring 1000km Koch / Strahle Paul-Ernst Strahle 10th 1st GT1.6
Kuhnis / Schiller Scuderia Filipinetti 12th 2nd GT2.0
Greger / Klass Porsche DNF -
1963 / 7 Rossfeld Hillclimb Barth Porsche 1st 1st GT2.0
Muller Scuderia Filipinetti 5th 2nd GT2.0
1963 / 9 Wiesbaden Rallye Gastell / Walter Hans-Joachim Walter 2nd 1st GT1.6+
1964 / 1 Daytona 2000km Kurkjian / Streeter Mike Kurkjian 13th 3rd GT2.0
Cassel / Pabst Chuck Cassel DNF -
Merino / Torruellas / Higluera Porsche Car Imports DNF -
1964 / 2 Sebring 12 Hours Cassel / Sesslar Carl W. Lindell Inc. 12th 2nd GT2.0
Merino / Torruellas Porsche Car Imports DNF -
Bentley / Ward / Witmer Kenneth G. Chambliss DNF -