Porsche 910 Race Car

Production period:	1966 to 1968
Class:	race car
Body versions:	Coupe, Roadster
Engines:	Gasoline : 2.0-2.2 Liters
Length:	3860-4113 mm
Width:	1680-1710 mm
Height:	765-980 mm
Wheelbase:	2300 mm
Curb weight:	450-600 kg

The Porsche 910, also called Carrera 10, was a race car of Porsche KG. The car was an evolution of the Porsche 906 and was used from 1966 to 1968 by the factory team in the sports car world championship and the European mountain championship.

History

The German Porsche 910 obtained a series of outstanding results. With the exception of a few occasions on which a variation with an 8-cylinder engine (engine capacity from 122.04 cu in, 2,000 cu cm, to 134.24 cu in, 2,200 cu cm) was rated, all efforts were concentrated on a single model of racing car, the 2000 prototype, and this policy gave excellent results. The engine, the usual air is the direct descendant of the 91.53 cu in, 1,500 cooled "boxer”, type built for the F 1 in 1962. with the advantage of doing away with the surplus weight. Of the cooling system. A direct development of the 906 which appeared in 1967 for Prototype racing. It featured a much lighter chassis, lower bodywork and 13-in magnesium wheels. The original version, which was homologated for 1969 in Group 4 as a Competition Sports Car on the reduced (for 1969) production figure of 25, had a much
developed version of the 906 engines with twin overhead camshafts per bank of cylinders.

The 906 was a commercial success for Porsche with more than 50 vehicles sold and also a sporting success with the P2.0 and S2.0 class victories in the Sportscar World Championship and the 1966 European Championships title winning title. Nevertheless, Porsche realized that with a cheap series-produced racing car in the long term in the World Championship brand overall victory was not possible.  In developing the 910 had already been planned, only the use of the Porsche factory team and no sales of new cars to customers. Thus the 910 was contrary to the 906 the first Porsche sports car, which received no more permission for the public road traffic. 

The basis for the 910 was the predecessor 906, whose basic structure, engines and transmissions were adopted. As a sports car prototype no 50 vehicles were necessary to get the homologation, for a total of only 35 pieces were manufactured. 

Model Development

910 Coupé (1966-1968) 

The first Porsche 910 1966, like the Porsche 906, equipped with a 2.0-liter six-cylinder boxer engine type 901. As usual at Porsche, the engine had air cooling with axial fan. The valves were controlled by an overhead camshaft driven by chain per cylinder bank on each.  The fuel-air mixture was prepared by an injection system. The motor has made in a compression ratio of 10.3: 1 maximum of 162 kW (220 hp) at 8000 / min. 

A year later, some vehicles were to start at the Targa Florio in place of the six-cylinder engine an air-cooled 2.2-liter eight-cylinder boxer engine type 771. this type of engine also has been used previously in 906 in some races. In order to keep the weight of the engine is low, many engine components are made of light material. So, the crankcase was made of magnesium. The cylinder heads were made of light metal. Fully assembled, the engine weighed 145 kg and thus only about 10 kg more than the six-cylinder engine. Two overhead camshafts per cylinder row, which were driven by vertical shafts, controlled the valves. The 10.2: 1 ratio engine reached a peak output of 198 kW (270 hp) at 8600 rpm. Further technical characteristics of the engine were dry sump lubrication, Bosch -Einspritzanlage and a transistor dual ignition. The spark plugs had platinum electrodes.

For the transmission of power to the rear axle, Porsche used a fully synchronized 906 gearbox type 906, which was derived from the standard gearbox of the Porsche 911. In addition, a slat was limited slip differential fitted. 

The body outer skin of the 910 was made of plastic and was glued to the supporting grid frame. The aerodynamically designed shape was similar except for a few differences in the body of the Porsche 906. So opened the coupe doors forward and were not opened as the predecessor as French doors up. The roof was put on and could be removed, which met tall grown drivers. Another distinguishing feature between the two types was the engine cover, which was made of translucent Plexiglas 906, which ran streamlined obliquely from the cockpit to the rear. In contrast, the 910 behind the cockpit had a spoiler lip and below a horizontally arranged, painted in body colour plastic plate. The tail could be completely unfolded backwards, to access for maintenance work on the engine and transmission. The race car offered space for two seats and was designed as a left-hand drive. It was possible to get in from both sides of the vehicle. In use, only the driver's seat was left in the vehicle.

In addition to the stabilizing and supporting function, the frame construction also served as an oil pipe system. In the steel tubes, the engine oil was routed from the engine to the radiators in the car front and back. These and other weight-reducing regimen for the tires, the vehicle weight of 580 kg could kg by 40 compared to the 906 to be reduced. 

1967 equipped Porsche some 910 with an eight-cylinder instead of a six-cylinder engine. These 910/8 had 600 kg a slightly higher curb weight than the already used since 1966 910/6 models. From the outside, both vehicles differed by modified engine covers at the rear. 

The chassis of the 910 was redesigned. The car had independent suspension with wishbones and front and longitudinal push rods back. For suspension and damping progressive coil springs and hydraulic telescopic shock absorbers were used. Forward and rear transverse and continuously adjustable stabilizers reduced the inclinations of the vehicle in curves. 

The hydraulically operated disc brakes were separated by a dual-circuit system in a front and rear circuit. The brake force distribution could be adjusted and adapted to the requirements of the driver and the track. Together with the 8-cylinder engine, Porsche first used internally ventilated brake discs in the 1967 Targa Florio instead of the standard brake discs. In order to save in the race brake pad change time, Porsche introduced in 1967 so-called quick-release brakes at the end of the season, could be replaced by simply folding in which a spring bar, the brake lining.

The developers achieved a large weight saving by switching from 15-inch wheels to 13-inch wheels. Porsche 906 used 15-inch steel wheels, which were fastened with five-wheel nuts. The 910 received lighter 13-inch die-cast magnesium wheels with central locking fastened with a light metal hex nut. At the front, 5.25-13 tires were used on 8J × 13 rims and 7.00-13 tires on the rear on 9.5J × 13 rims, as used in Formula 1 tires. 

910 Bergspyder (1967-1968) 

The 910 Bergspyder used in the 1967 and 1968 European Mountain Championships was most clearly distinguished by the bodywork of the coupés used in the brand world championship. In construction, the developers used many lightweight materials to keep the weight of the vehicle low. So, the lattice tube frame was made of lightweight aluminium instead of the usual steel. The body outer skin was made of very thin plastic and had no doors. The driver sat in an open cockpit with a low windshield and no roof. 

At the rear was in 1967, first operated via the suspension through flap (spoiler) to increase the contact pressure at corner entrances. The next year it was replaced by two separate flaps left and right, which were also adjusted via the suspension, and differently, depending on the degree of unloading or loading the wheels during extension or compression. 

Together with other weight-reducing components made of titanium and measures such as the use of a small only 15- to 16-liter gas tank, the Bergspyder weighed only about 500 kg in the 1967 season. For the following season, the weight could be reduced to again kg 450th 

The suspension and tires were taken over by the circuit model almost unchanged. Only with the brake system did Porsche use very light brake discs made of beryllium and callipers made of titanium. The beryllium brake discs alone saved 14 kg compared to standard steel brake discs. 

The Bergspyder had the air-cooled eight-cylinder boxer engine of the type 771, but compared to the coupe only had a capacity of two litres and was made of lighter components. This made 198 kW (270 hp) at an engine speed of 8800 / min. The compression was 10.5: 1 higher than the 2.2-liter engine. 

To keep the curb weight low, the designers abandoned an alternator and instead used a battery of light silver cells, which ensured the power supply of the ignition system for the short hill climbs. 

Race History

The Porsche 910 made its race debut on August 28, 1966 in Switzerland at the mountain race Sierre Montana-Crans. In the race, Gerhard Mitter and Hans Herrmann drove the coupe to second and third in the overall standings. The Italian Ludovico Scarfiotti won the victory with a Ferrari Dino 206P. 

• Major Successes: 1967:
• 4th and 1st in class (Siffert/ Herrmann), Daytona 24 Hours race
• 3rd and 1st in class (Mitter/Patrick), Sebring 12 Hours race
• 3rd and 1st in class (Rindt/Mitter), Monza 1000 km race
• 2nd and 1st in class (Siffert/ Herrmann), Spa 1000 km race
• 1st (Hawkins/Stommelen); 2nd (Cella/ 3rd (Neerpasch/Elford), Biscaldi), Targa Florio
• 1st (Schütz/Buzzetta), 2nd (Hawkins/ Koch), 3rd (Neerpasch/ Elford), Nürburgring 1000 km race
• 1st (Mitter/Schütz), 2nd (Stommelen/ Neerpasch), Circuit of Mugello; 3rd (Siffert/McLaren), BOAC " 500 " race 

In 1967, the Porsche factory team mainly used the 910 coupes alongside the 906, which had already been tested in the previous year, in the endurance race of the sports car world championship. At the 24 Hours of Daytona, Hans Herrmann and Joseph Siffert drove the car to fourth place behind the more powerful Ferraris 330P4 and victory in the prototype class up to 2 litres. arrived at Sebring 12 Hours race Scooter Patrick and Gerhard Mitter with third place in the overall standings podium and the class victory, followed by Jo Siffert and Hans Herrmann, who finished fourth. In the race, Porsche had only the much more powerful motorized Ford GT40give up.  Also, in the following 1,000-km race at Monza and Spa-Francorchamps, the Ferrari and Ford prototypes could play to their engine power on the fast-track sections against the Porsche and refer it to the third and two. 

In the 2-liter class, the 910 was equal to the Ferrari Dino 206S. The Targa Florio won Paul Hawkins and Rolf Stommelen with the first used 910/8 in front of two other 910 of the factory team and ensured a triple victory.  At the 1000 km race at the Nürburgring in 1967 joined Porsche with six 910 and celebrated with drivers Udo Schütz and Joe Buzzetta first overall victory in this since 1953 discharged race. Three more Porsche 910s followed in places two to four. Three of the 910 were equipped with the 2-liter six-cylinder and the 2.2-liter eight-cylinder engine. During the race, the 910/8 disappointed with two failures with valve damage and fourth place. In contrast, the equipped with the six-cylinder engine 910 recorded a triple victory. 

At the 24 Hours of Le Mans , Porsche already used the 907 as the successor to the 910, which placed fifth behind the Ferrari 330P4 and Ford GT40 in the overall standings. The 910 Coupé, driven by Rolf Stommelen and Jochen Neerpasch , finished the race as the sixth vehicle. reached the last win in an endurance race 1967 910/8, driven by Gerhard Mitter and Udo Schütz, the 500-km race at Mugello.  At the end of the World Championship of 1967 season with the Porsche 910 winners in the 2-liter class was.

For the European mountain championship Porsche developed the opposite of the coupe much lighter mountain Spyder. With this racing car, Gerhard Mitter won four of the eight mountain races and secured the championship title ahead of his team-mate Rolf Stommelen. The used by Ferrari Dino 206S Spyder was the 910/8 Bergspyder clearly inferior and could not intervene in the title fight crucial. 

In 1968, the Porsche factory team no longer used the 910 except in the European Mountain Championships. Gerhard Mitter won with the further improved 910/8 Bergspyder in seven out of eight starts of the season even more clearly than in the previous year. Since Ferrari announced a new vehicle for the Hill Climb Championship, Porsche developed the 909 Spyder Mountain, which was only completed at the end of the season and drove in only two runs of Rolf Stommelen. Mitter preferred the proven 910/8 Bergspyder, especially since Ferrari did not use a new racing car and the championship was no longer in danger. With the victory of the season 1968 Mitter and Porsche won after 1966 and 1967 for the third time in a row the European mountain championship title.

Porsche put in the brand world championship 1968 the newly developed 907 one. The 910s racing car with the 2-liter six-cylinder boxer engine sold Porsche to private teams, some of which achieved victories in the P2.0 class with these vehicles. Thus, won at the 6-hour race of Brands Hatch, 1000 km race of Monza and Spa-Francorchamps and 500 km race at the Austrian ring each a 910 Coupe in the 2-liter prototype class. 

In 1969, the FIA ​​lowered the minimum number of vehicles for a sports car homologation from 50 to 25. Since the Porsche 910 with six-cylinder engine, also known as 910/6, sold more than the necessary minimum number of private customers, the race car received approval for the S2 .0 class. Private teams then successfully put the 910 in the brand world championship in the 2-liter sports car class. In the 1969 season, the car finished three out of six races as a class winner and one race in second, third and fourth in its class. One of the biggest successes of 1969 S2.0-class victory at belonged to 24-hour race at Le Mans, in the Christian Poirot and Pierre Maublanc drove the car to ninth place in the standings.  In the following season achieved 910 in five runs three times the class win and, in each case, a second and third position.

In addition to the sports car World Cup, the Porsche 910 was used in the British sports car championship. In 1966 founded race series until 1968 were mainly only the Porsche 904 and the 906 represented as a homologated sports car. In the season years 1969 and 1970, various private teams used the 910/6 and regularly reached top ten finishes.  The 1970 season the stakes of the 910 in the British Sports Car Championship ended.

From 1970, some teams started with the 910 in the European Sports Car Championship and the Inter Series, both of which were re-founded that year.  In the attached occurred rounds of the European Championship, the drivers were able to place regularly in the top ten ranks. From 1971 to 1973, the 910 was only occasionally used in races of the World Sportscar Championship, in the 1000 km race at the Nürburgring and once in 1972 at the 12 Hours of Sebring .1971 achieved Sepp Greger and Rudi Lins with the vehicle at the Nürburgring eleventh place in the standings and victory in the 2-liter class.  This was the last major success of a Porsche 910 in this series.