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Porsche at Le Mans 1951


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#1 cabianca

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Posted 04 April 2015 - 15:47

I think I remember reading that Porsche prepared 4 356 SLs for Le Mans 1951, but cannot find reference to this in any of my Porsche books. Obviously only one of these (Veuillet/Mouche) ran in the race, winning the 1100 cc Class. Where I am fuzzy is the other three cars. Did four cars set out for Le Mans?

Again, I think one car was in a road accident on the way and another crashed in practice. If that is correct, what happened to the fourth car ?

Did only 3 set out for Le Mans?  Many thanks for any help you can provide.


Edited by cabianca, 04 April 2015 - 15:50.


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#2 Robin Fairservice

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Posted 04 April 2015 - 17:00

Jowett Jupiters won the 1500 cc class at Le Mans in 1950, 1951 and 1952.  In the book "The Complete Jowett History"  the is no mention of Porsche's in 1951 but in 1952 the Porsches gave Jowett Jupiters a hard time.  There is a picture, in this book, of Vieullet's Porsche, No 50, leading a Jupiter early in the race. Apparently one Porsche (driven by Martin) that had been leading the class, was disqualified for leaving its engine running during a pit stop



#3 Tim Murray

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Posted 04 April 2015 - 18:25

In his Porsche history Richard von Frankenberg said that some time before the race team manager Paul von Guilleaume had taken one of the cars to Le Mans to check the condition of the circuit and try to determine the correct axle ratio. Whilst checking the course he swerved to avoid an errant cyclist and crashed, extensively damaging the car. A few weeks later one of the mechanics was coming back in one of the other Le Mans cars on the autobahn from Frankfurt to Stuttgart when he collided with another car which had crossed the central reservation. The mechanic suffered only slight injuries but the car was a write-off. Before the race they managed to cannibalise a working car from the two wrecked vehicles. This was the car crashed in practice by Rudolf Sauerwein.

Thus it would seem that there were only three cars. Had there been more, there would have been no need to cannibalise the two damaged cars to fulfil the agreement Porsche had made to take two cars to the race.

 

In the book "The Complete Jowett History"  the is no mention of Porsche's in 1951 ...


The author was probably too embarrassed to mention that the 1100 cc Porsche had finished ahead of the surviving Jowett.  ;)


Edited by Tim Murray, 04 April 2015 - 18:26.


#4 Supersox

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Posted 06 April 2015 - 07:58

Jowett Jupiters won the 1500 cc class at Le Mans in 1950, 1951 and 1952.  In the book "The Complete Jowett History"  the is no mention of Porsche's in 1951 but in 1952 the Porsches gave Jowett Jupiters a hard time.  There is a picture, in this book, of Vieullet's Porsche, No 50, leading a Jupiter early in the race. Apparently one Porsche (driven by Martin) that had been leading the class, was disqualified for leaving its engine running during a pit stop

And the actual 1952 car  is currently for sale.



#5 Tuboscocca

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Posted 06 April 2015 - 10:55

Doesn't this book have the details??

 

 'The Last Eleven'

 

http://www.porsche35...s/orderinfo.pdf

 

Michael



#6 Henk Vasmel

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Posted 06 April 2015 - 14:44

Indeed the book "The Last Eleven" has many of the answers, probably as much as can be found after so many years. Some Car ID's are missing and the relevant cars are numbered 1-11 (hence the title), whereas only a few chassis numbers are known, and the book also clearly states that identification is not 100% sure.

 

There was never an intention of entering 4 cars at Le Mans, quite likely Porsche intended to send only two. Two cars (#1 and #10 in the book) were indeed crashed in the months before Le Mans and the remains were used to build up a new car. The book suggests that it was a new car (chassis/body) taking only some running gear of the crashed cars. That was one of the cars going to Le Mans, while the other one was another car, unconnected to the previous dramas. These were 2 of the following cars #2 (356/2-054 - 3001/A), #3 (356/2-055 - 3003/A) or #11 (356/2-063 - 3002A). It is also not clear which of these two was the one that crashed in practice. In the end only one car started. 

 

One thing is sure, the four cars involved never existed all four at the same time. Two at the same time for sure. Three at the same time possible, but then not sure if there were 3 cars earmarked for Le Mans, or that there were never more than 2 at the same time.

 

Maybe other sources can add some information that helps to unravel this puzzle. At least we have a nice starting point now.



#7 Tuboscocca

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Posted 06 April 2015 - 15:04

Indeed the book "The Last Eleven" has many of the answers, probably as much as can be found after so many years. Some Car ID's are missing and the relevant cars are numbered 1-11 (hence the title), whereas only a few chassis numbers are known, and the book also clearly states that identification is not 100% sure.

 

There was never an intention of entering 4 cars at Le Mans, quite likely Porsche intended to send only two. Two cars (#1 and #10 in the book) were indeed crashed in the months before Le Mans and the remains were used to build up a new car. The book suggests that it was a new car (chassis/body) taking only some running gear of the crashed cars. That was one of the cars going to Le Mans, while the other one was another car, unconnected to the previous dramas. These were 2 of the following cars #2 (356/2-054 - 3001/A), #3 (356/2-055 - 3003/A) or #11 (356/2-063 - 3002A). It is also not clear which of these two was the one that crashed in practice. In the end only one car started. 

 

One thing is sure, the four cars involved never existed all four at the same time. Two at the same time for sure. Three at the same time possible, but then not sure if there were 3 cars earmarked for Le Mans, or that there were never more than 2 at the same time.

 

Maybe other sources can add some information that helps to unravel this puzzle. At least we have a nice starting point now.

Thank you Henk--despite not being my topic...

 

Michael



#8 JB Miltonian

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Posted 06 April 2015 - 16:27

From "Road & Track", September 1951:

 

"Two of the 1086cc models were entered, but No. 47 crashed two nights before the race during practice in the pouring rain.  The writer (George Huntoon) happened to be about 25 yards behind the Porsche when it got into trouble and apparently the driver had over-extended himself in the downpour and got into a vicious spin at close to 100 mph.  The car turned over several times, throwing the driver out of the door and onto the course, his body blocking one side of the road and the overturned car blocking the other side.  We had a fast application of brakes and a double spin before ending up with our rear wheel only 10 feet from the injured driver's head.  Apparently he wore no safety helmet or belt and obviously his door could not have been securely fastened. The other Porsche ran beautifully and took the 24-hour grind in its stride, coming in 20th overall and first in Class G."

 

There are three pictures of the #46 entry in the January 1952 issue of "Auto Sport Review".



#9 Doug Nye

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Posted 11 June 2015 - 20:57

See:

 

https://revslib.stan...log/pz238nc1253

 

https://revslib.stan...log/hr791qb8097

 

https://revslib.stan...log/gw256sk6718

 

https://revslib.stan...log/tm289qf7971

 

Several shots of the car here under '1951 Le Mans', of course...

 

DCN


Edited by Doug Nye, 11 June 2015 - 21:00.