Porsche 911 SC RS

www.QV500.com - Porsche 911 (1978 - '83) Part 6: 911 3.0 SC RS

Despite recently embarking upon a three-year programme to win the gruelling Paris-Dakar desert race, Porsche had no intention of returning to traditional rallying. That was until Rothmans, the title sponsor of Porsche's works Group C team, asked the factory to produce a rally car for the 1984 season. This is where the 959 should have come in, but as the project was running well behind schedule, Porsche obligingly created the 911 SC RS. It was based on the old 3-litre SC as opposed to the newer 3.2 Carrera because the larger engine would have forced it into a class with a higher weight limit. The arrangement was for Porsche to produce the car, Rothmans to sponsor it and David Richards Prodrive team to develop and run the competition versions.

This was all done under the banner of the Rothmans Porsche Rally Team and a programme principally revolving around the 1984 European Rally Championship was run in conjunction with a sole car for the inaugural Middle Eastern series. For homologation, 20 examples had to be built, five of which went to Prodrive, the remaining 15 cars being sold as street versions for DM 188,000 (around £60,000 or $90,000). Based mainly on 911 Turbo underpinnings (albeit with a normally-aspirated engine), the SC RS inherited the Turbo's wide-arched bodywork, wheels, tyres, brakes and suspension. Porsche had planned to fit helicoidal springs, however, as the SC wasn't originally equipped as such, they had to wait until 1985 to homologate them. The suspension was independent all round with lower wishbones, and 19mm torsion bars at the front and a semi-trailing arm with 26mm torsion bars at the rear. Brakes were from the turbocharged road car and featured adjustable balance control, front calipers being used all round.

Porsche's familiar air-cooled three-litre flat six was mounted longitudinally behind the rear axle and was dimensionally unchanged at 2994cc. SC RS motors were designated Typ 930/18 and featured a host of special developments. Compression was raised from 9.8 to 10.3:1 thanks to new forged pistons, the Bosch K-Jetronic mechanical fuel injection being replaced by a six piston Kugelfisher pump. There were also redesigned cylinder heads and new overhead camshafts with altered valve settings for a higher rev limit. Output was initially rated as 255bhp at 7000rpm. Transmission was via a Typ 915 five-speed gearbox enhanced with a supplementary oil cooler, different ratios and a reinforced clutch. Another oil cooler was positioned in the front bumper and a 40% locking non-slip differential installed. The wide-arched Turbo-style bodywork consisted of a steel body with alloy for the wings, doors and front lid, glassfibre being used for the bumpers, rear lid, sills and spoiler. Inside, the rear seats, carpet, soundproofing, door trim, heater and most of the electrical equipment got junked, thinner glass being utilised for the windows to further save weight. Racing seats were fitted along with lightweight door trim, the SC RS being homologated at a mere 960kg. With 255bhp driving the rear wheels, this was enough for a top speed of 153mph, 0-60 in 4.9 seconds and 0-100 in 11.5.

Of the 20 SC RS built, five went to Prodrive who were running the Rothmans Porsche Rally Team. These cars were further developed for use in the 1984 European and Middle Eastern rally championships. They each got high performances shocks, a reinforced strut brace and larger torsion bars (now 22mm front and 27.5mm rear). Two alternative final drive ratios were used (8:35 and 7:37 compared to 8:31) along with a competition clutch and Rally exhaust system. Beginning the season with around 270bhp, this was raised to in excess of 290bhp within a few months. The bodywork was modified to incorporate quick-release panels and the cockpit equipped with an aluminium roll cage. Chief driving duties in the ERC were allocated to Henri Toivonen, the gifted Finn also being contracted to Lancia that year for a World Rally Championship assault with the awesome 037. In 1984, Toivonen won the Ypres 24 Hour, Milles Pistes, Costa Smerelda and Madeira rallies and held a commanding lead in the standings before missing several rounds after sustaining a back injury whilst at the wheel of an 037. He eventually ended up second to Carlo Capone in a Jolly Club entered Lancia. The Rothmans Porsche Rally Team did win the Middle Eastern series though with Saeed Al Harji securing a hat trick of victories.

In all, the team secured seven rally wins in 1984 but the writing was on the wall for rear-wheel drive machines. Against the new breed of Group B specials with their mid-mounted engines and four-wheel drive (a mere 200 of which had to be built for homologation), production-based models were becoming increasingly marginalised. Consequently, the SC RS programme was scaled down for 1985 although a reinforced chassis and transmission, helicoidal springs and improved oil ducting were all introduced. The European and Middle Eastern assaults were bolstered by an attack on the Irish rally championship, Al Harji being joined by drivers Bill Coleman and Bernard Beguin. Five more rally wins followed along with the Irish and Middle Eastern crowns, other notable results having been second place finishes on the Tour de France and Alsace events.