Guide: Porsche 356 SL (Type 514)
Background
In October 1950, Porsche took a stand at the Paris Salon which, at the time, was the most important motor show on the calendar.
Here, Porsche management held a meeting with French car dealer and gentleman racing driver, Auguste Veuillet.
Veuillet wanted to become the French Porsche distributor, an agreement that was struck a few weeks later. Additionally, Veuillet suggested Porsche should race the 356 at Le Mans.
After making a series of calculations, Porsche realised they stood a good chance of victory in the 1100cc class. Veuillet subsequently contacted the Le Mans organisers (the Automobile Club de l’Ouest) and an invitation was duly sent out.
The 24 hour epic of 1951 would be Porsche’s first major international sporting event.
Up until March 1951, Porsche only offered one model in a single state of tune: the 356 with an 1100cc engine that developed 40bhp. Customers could choose either Coupe or Cabriolet bodywork.
In March ’51, a 1300cc engine with 44bhp was also added to the range.
By this stage, the 356 was being built at a Reutter-owned factory in Stuttgart after Porsche re-located from Gmund, Austria, during the winter of 1949-1950. The company had moved to Austria from its native Germany in 1944 to avoid the relentless Allied bombing raids of World War 2.
The cars built in Germany and Austria were quite different from one another. Most significantly, the Gmund derivatives had used bodywork fashioned from aluminium. By contrast, those machines assembled in Germany came with heavier steel bodies. The Gmund cars also offered better torsional rigidity and featured a narrower, more rounded cockpit which made them aerodynamically superior to the comparatively mass-produced German variant.
Porsche ultimately completed 52 examples of the Austrian-built 356. These cars were dubbed Type 356/2 and followed on from the unique mid-engined 356/1 prototype of 1948. Subsequent German-built examples were simply referred to as 356.
In addition to the 52 completed Austrian cars, Porsche had a leftover stock of eleven bare Gmund-built bodyshells that were now sitting in Stuttgart.
When it came to deciding what to base their 1951 Le Mans entry on, it seemed obvious to use these stiffer, more aerodynamic bodyshells that offered a 120kg weight-saving.
Paul von Guilleaume took on the role as Porsche’s competition team manager and Wilhelm Hild (who had worked for the firm during the war) was brought on board as head of race car engineering.
Hild initiated a series of modifications to further save weight and improve aerodynamics. Ernst Fuhrmann was given the task of extracting more power from the air-cooled Flat 4.
Because the Le Mans organisers required all participating vehicles to be production offerings that were available to customers, the new Type 514 356 SL (Sport Leicht) was subsequently put on sale. However, the overwhelming majority were retained for factory use.
Chassis
Most SLs came with new Heimscheidt telescopic front dampers that required some minor chassis modifications to fit. Boge dampers were retained at the rear.
As per late examples of the 356/2, the original cable-operated drum brakes had long since given way to a hydraulic system supplied by Lockheed. To improve cooling, the SL had air scoops attached to the backs of the front drums. The brake drums themselves were the same 230mm items used by the production 356 of the time.
Instead of the 52-litre fuel tank fitted to the original 356/2, the SL came with a much bigger 78-litre cell. To enable faster stops, a quick filler cap was added which poked through the front lid.
Otherwise, under the skin the SL was much the same as any other 356/2.
It used an identical welded steel unitary chassis with an integrated floorpan and 2100mm wheelbase. The floorpan roughly corresponded to that of the Volkswagen Beetle, but in reality had many detail changes such as box-section sills, a central tunnel and revised bulkheads. As a result, the 356/2 was considerably stiffer than the Beetle. Additionally, compared to the Volkswagen, the 356/2’s engine and transaxle had been turned through 180°.
Fully independent suspension was via transverse torsion bars and trailing arms with additional swing axles at the rear.
Steel 3 x 16-inch wheels came shod with 5 x 16-inch tyres. The handsome domed hub caps were normally left off for racing.
Engine / Gearbox
In the engine bay was a mildly tuned version of the all-alloy Type 369 air-cooled Flat 4 used by the original 356/2 and the current Stuttgart-built 356.
As usual, displacement was 1086cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 73.5mm and 64mm respectively.
Similarly, a 7.0:1 compression ratio was retained along with a pair of Solex 32 PBI carburettors.
Where the SL motor differed was its new Ernst Fuhrmann-designed camshaft and a lightened flywheel. Power went up by 15%: from 40bhp to 46bhp.
No torque figure was ever published.
Although a new 1300cc Type 506 engine would come on stream prior to Le Mans (in March 1951), Porsche stuck with the 1100 because there was no 1300cc category at la Sarthe (the next class up was for under 1500cc vehicles).
Other than special ratios, the non-synchromesh four-speed Volkswagen gearbox with its single dry-plate Fichtel & Sachs clutch was unchanged.
Bodywork
For the outer body panels, aluminium was used apart from the doors which were steel.
To smooth airflow, aluminium undertrays were fitted at either end and the nose intake was blanked off.
At Le Mans, the 356 SL ran with enclosed wheels; the front spats bulged outwards to allow full steering lock to be applied.
The rear side window glass was replaced with a louvred aluminium panel.
Quick-release front and rear lids did away with the original locks and cables. The front lid was held in place with a pair of leather straps. The rear lid was modified to improve airflow into the engine and also came with new external hinges.
Various body panels were drilled to further reduce weight. Extra Bosch spot lamps were normally fitted.
For the 24 hour race at la Sarthe, the 356 SL was further equipped with an additional roof-mounted wiper.
Interior
Inside, the SL came with an array of special parts.
The driver’s seat was switched to a fabric-covered bucket and the passenger seat was slimmer and flimsier than normal.
To save weight, the rear seats, heater and sun visors were removed. Carpet was retained for the floors and sidewalls. A box of spares was fitted in the back of the car where the rear seats used to be. An additional wheel / tyre could also be accommodated.
Door panels featured window winders, opening handles and map pockets.
The body coloured metal dash was more akin to a 356 than a 356/2. Behind the elegant ‘four-into-three’ spoke steering wheel were large readouts for road and engine speed. In between were a couple of warning lights and a small oil temperature gauge. Various faux ivory toggle switches and warning lights were installed. A glovebox was located ahead of the passenger.
When a roof-mounted wiper was present, the activation switch was located in front of the driver at the top of the windscreen.
Weight / Performance
The 356 SL was quoted with a weight of 635kg and a top speed of just over 100mph.
0-62mph times depended upon gear ratios. With the shortest configuration, a figure of around 13 seconds was possible.
Production & Testing
At the beginning of May, Porsche announced that four cars were being prepared ahead of the 1951 Le Mans (scheduled for the weekend of June 23rd / 24th). Two were destined for testing duty and two would be raced.
Unfortunately, a couple of days after the announcement, one of the cars (chassis 054) was damaged. Paul von Guilleaume had taken it to Le Mans to establish the correct gear and axle ratios. However, the unofficial test was cut short when von Guilleaume swerved to avoid a cyclist and crashed into the scenery.
The SL programme was dealt a further blow when a more serious accident happened a few weeks later. Chassis 063 (one of the cars for whom an entry had been filed with the Le Mans organisers) was undergoing a high speed autobahn test when it collided with another vehicle that had crossed the central reservation. Although the mechanic behind the wheel fortuitously escaped with only minor injuries, chassis 063 was described as a write off.
Because 063 had been on the entry list for Le Mans, one of Porsche’s other SLs (chassis 056) was re-numbered as 063 and is therefore referred to as 063(056).
1951 Le Mans 24 Hours
Porsche headed to Le Mans with two cars: chassis 063(056) for Auguste Veuillet / Edmond Mouche and chassis 055 for Rudolf Sauerwein / Robert Brunet.
With the exception of Sauerwin, all the drivers were French.
Veuillet’s company (which was now the French distributor for Porsche) assisted with preparation.
A week-long build up allowed all the teams and manufacturers plenty of time to fine tune their entries. However, two days before the race got underway, Rudolf Sauerwein had an accident that would rule chassis 055 out of the event.
During a wet and stormy evening session, Sauerwein lost control at Maison Blanche while travelling at around 100mph. Chassis 055 went off the track, turned upside down and was left blocking one side of the track. Sauerwein (who was wearing no helmet or safety belt) was thrown from the car and suffered severe leg injuries.
Although chassis 055 was repairable, there was not sufficient time to do this before the race which meant Porsche’s hopes would rest on just a single car.
The starting order for Le Mans was decided by engine size as opposed to practice lap times. As a result, chassis 063(056) lined up 45th on the grid.
The race began at 4pm. During the early stages, the DB of Rene Bonnet had a slight lead over Veuillet in the 1100cc class.
Sadly, on lap five, young Frenchman, Jean Lariviere (driving the Johnny Claes Ferrari 212 Export), overshot Tertre Rouge and sustained fatal injuries when his car left the track, jumped an embankment and ended up in someone’s back garden. Poor Lariviere sustained a massive neck trauma and was killed instantly.
Bonnet’s DB still held the 1100cc advantage after an hour of racing. However, by the three hour mark, Porsche had assumed the class lead although the DB was close behind and ready to sweep ahead should Veuillet / Mouche encounter any trouble.
Although heavy rain fell throughout the night, by 10am on Sunday morning, the solitary 356 SL was still circulating with clockwork regularity. Its 1100cc motor relentlessly thrummed away and chassis 063(056) completed the race without a major hitch.
Veuillet / Mouche went on to finish 20th overall and won the 751-1100cc class, beating Bonnet / Bayol in the DB by four laps. The 356 SL set a best lap time of 5:44:7 at an average speed of 87.6mph. 1765 miles were covered at an average speed of 73.5mph.
New 1500cc Engine
Before the 356 SL’s next competition appearance, Porsche had readied a prototype 1500cc Super engine that would be offered to customers in a slightly de-tuned form from October.
As the cylinder walls of the 1300 unit were already pushed out as far as they could go, extending the stroke was the only way to raise displacement. This was stretched from 64mm to 74mm for a capacity of 1488cc (a 202cc gain). Such a big increase was facilitated by the use of new flat top pistons.
The experimental 1.5-litre motor had a raised 7.4:1 compression ratio, a more aggressive camshaft, alloy cylinder barrels, chrome-plated bores and sodium-filled valves to improve heat dissipation. Like the subsequent production 1500cc engine (Type 527), it included a Hirth roller bearing crankshaft instead of the plain-bearing unit used by Porsche’s smaller engines. Two big Solex 40 PBIC carburettors were also fitted.
Peak output for this hot competition unit was 72bhp at 5100rpm (whereas the production version pumped out 60bhp at 5000rpm).
1951 Liege Rome Liege Rally
After the victorious outing at Le Mans (which did much to raise the company’s profile and boost to sales), Porsche filed a two car entry for the gruelling Liege-Rome-Liege Rally which took place between August 15th and 19th. The 3000 mile Marathon de la Route was held on a mix of tarmac and gravel roads and included many mountain passes. The course travelled through Luxembourg, Belfort, Annecy, Guillames, Nice, Genoa, Florence, Rome, the Dolomites and the French Alps.
The same two SLs that had been used at Le Mans were refreshed and, where necessary, repaired. To accommodate supertone horns and more powerful Bosch spot lights, the indicators were moved further outboard.
Chassis 055 (the car crashed at la Sarthe by Rudolf Sauerwein) was fitted with the new 1500cc engine and entered for Paul von Guilleaume / Heinrich von der Muhle.
The Le Mans winner, chassis 063(056), ran in the 1100cc class with Huschke von Hanstein / Petermax Muller on board. Thanks to further upgrades, the engine in this car was now producing 51bhp.
1951’s event was won by the Belgian Jaguar XK120 crew of Johnny Claes / Jacques Ickx. They became the only partnership to lose no marks in the history of the event. The runners up were fellow Belgians, Jacques Herzet / Georges Baudouin, who received 20 penalty points in their XK120.
Third overall and first in the 1500cc class went to the 356 SL of Guilleaume / von der Muhle (30 penalty points).
In the 1100cc sister car, von Hanstein / Muller placed tenth overall and claimed second in the 1100cc class (behind the Yves Lesur / Penchennati Simca 8).
1951 Montlhery Speed Records
Having achieved class wins in arguably the most important race and rally of the year, Porsche turned their attention to a series of speed records at Montlhery on the outskirts of Paris.
Over the course of three days in late September, a crew that included Richard von Frankenberg, Huschke von Hanstein, Petermax Muller, Walter Glockler and Hermann Ramelow attempted to set new standards in the International Class F and G categories for 1500cc and 1100cc vehicles respectively.
Once again, the same cars used at Le Mans and for the Liege-Rome-Liege were pressed into service. As they had done on the Marathon de la Route, 055 ran with a 1.5-litre engine while 063(056) used a 1.1-litre unit.
Despite a failing transmission in the latter stages (which meant the car was only using third gear), the 1500-powered SL established eleven new Class F records to include those for 500 miles, 1000km, six hours, 2000km, 3000km, 4000km, 5000km, 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours. During a relentless three days, chassis 055 racked up nearly 11,000km.
Three Class G records also fell to 063(056).
After the highly publicised effort, Porsche immediately dispatched chassis 055 to the Paris Motor Show which took place between October 4th and 14th.
Close Season
Over the winter of 1951-1952, Porsche completed several new examples of the 356 SL.
Meanwhile, having been comprehensively overhauled, fitted with fresh 1500cc engines and repainted to as new condition, the three remaining cars from the 1951 campaign were shipped to Porsche’s US distributor, Max Hoffman in New York.
Chassis 054 (which had been repaired after Paul von Guilleaume’s Le Mans crash in May) was sold to Fritz Koster.
Chassis 055 (the car crashed by Rudolf Sauerwein at Le Mans which subsequently went on to win its class on the Liege-Rome-Liege and set a series of 1500cc class records at Montlhery) was sold to Edward Trego.
Chassis 063(056) (the Le Mans class winner that ran an 1100cc engine on the Liege-Rome-Liege and for the Montlhery Speed Records) was sold to John von Neumann who later went on to become Porsche’s West Coast distributor.
A brand new car, chassis 061, was sold to Max Thirion (the Belgian distributor for Champion spark plugs). Thirion purchased the car for his daughter, Gilberte, to race and rally.
1952 Mille Miglia
The first appearance for a works 356 SL in 1952 came on the Mille Miglia which took place over May 4th and 5th. The 978 mile loop from Brescia down to Rome and back again attracted an enormous field with factory entries from most of Europe’s top sports car manufacturers.
The solitary works Porsche was a 356 SL for Giovanni Lurani and Count Philipp Constantin von Berckheim which ran under the Scuderia Patavium banner (chassis 060).
Another five 356s were entered by privateers.
Despite driving the last 200 or so miles stuck in third gear, Lurani and Berckheim finished in a time of 14 hours, 53 minutes and 3 seconds. They crossed the line 46th overall and were the first under 1.5-litre GT car home.
The race was won by Giovanni Bracco / Alfonso Rolfo in a works Ferrari 250 Sport.
1952 Le Mans 24 Hours
In June, Porsche embarked upon a second attempt at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
On this occasion, a trio of 356 SLs were readied.
Two were official Porsche KG entries for the 1100cc class: chassis 062 was allocated to Auguste Veuillet / Edmond Mouche and chassis 058 was allocated to Huschke von Hanstein / Petermax Muller.
The other car (also owned by Porsche) was a 1500cc version numbered 055 (the same VIN as Porsche’s 1951 machine that had since been sold to Edward Trego in the USA). This car was allocated to French privateers Auguste Lachaize and Eugene Martin.
Unlike in 1951, the 1952 build-up went without any serious problems.
As usual, cars were lined up on the grid according to engine size: Lachaize / Martin started in 31st, Veuillet / Mouche were 36th and von Hanstein / Muller were 37th.
First of the Porsches to retire was the 1.1-litre von Hanstein / Muller entry which dropped out during the sixth hour with transmission trouble.
More frustrating was the exclusion of the class-leading 1500 entry of Lachaize / Martin which got disqualified during the 19th hour because the engine was left running during a pit stop.
Fortunately, the Veuillet / Mouche machine made it to the finish line. The 1951 class winners were one of 17 crews still running at the end; they crossed the line in an amazing eleventh overall to claim the under 1100cc class victory for the second year in a row.
Veuillet / Mouche covered 1961 miles (94 more than they had done in 1951) to finish three laps clear of the Panhard Monopole Dyna X86 Coupe of Robert Chancel / Charles Plantivaux which claimed second in class.
1952 Liege Rome Liege Rally
The 1952 season also saw Porsche make another attempt on the Liege-Rome-Liege Rally which took place between August 13th and 17th.
1951 had seen a 1.5-litre SL claim third overall and first in class. Another works entry finished tenth overall and second in the 1.1-litre class.
On this occasion, just the one factory entry was in attendance with Huschke von Hanstein / Petermax Muller allocated the same car they had used a few weeks earlier at Le Mans. However, for this event a 1.5 instead of 1.1-litre motor was installed.
Also in attendance with a 356 SL were Helmut Polensky and Walter Schluter who had borrowed the car belonging to Gilberte Thirion (chassis 061). Polensky had convinced Thirion to lend him 061 in place of his regular steel-bodied 356 Super so as to have the best possible chance of success.
In addition to the brace of 356 Super Leights, 14 other 356s were in attendance making them the most numerous model in the 3260 mile event.
Bad weather, the passage of 33 cols and controls placed 100km apart made it very difficult to maintain the average speed which varied between 60kmh and 72kmh. 1951 winners Claes and Ickx crashed early on while travelling along the autostrada between Barcelona and Guillaume.
By the time the field reached Rome, only nine cars remained un-penalised to include both the SL Porsches. 55 of the 105 starters were still in the race.
Unfortunately, near Civita-Castellana (40km from Rome), Marius Heyman crashed his Ferrari 225 Sport into a tree with fatal results. Heyman was killed instantly while his navigator, Claude Leguezec, was severely injured.
Thick fog and driving rain then made for terrible conditions over the Col de Galibier and only 25 crews reached the Strasbourg control. By this stage, Polensky had a big lead over the second placed Jaguar XK120 of Jean Laroche / Remy Radix.
However, after the Stelvio and Gavia climbs, the Lancia Aurelia of Umberto Maglioli had taken the lead and opened up an almost three minute gap to Polensky. The Italian’s position at the head of the field would ultimately proved short-lived though; on the second timed climb in the French Alps the hard-pressed Lancia dropped out at Briancon with big-end trouble.
Thereafter, Polensky / Schluter went into a lead they would not relinquish. They took Porsche’s first overall competition win and finished with a seven minute and 13 second gap to runners up Laroche / Radix.
Von Hanstein / Muller had been the quickest of all the cars on the Vars, but a succession of late penalties dropped them to tenth overall and seventh in the 1500cc class.
Although only 24 crews finished (making this the most arduous Marathon de la Route ever staged), Porsche 356s finished first, third, fourth, ninth and tenth.
Privateers in 1952
In addition to the Mille Miglia, Le Mans and Liege-Rome-Liege, privateers racked up many good results with the 356 SL in 1952.
The best finish for Fritz Koster’s car (chassis 054) was victory at the Thompson airfield race in August.
Ed Trego’s example (the original 055) most significantly finished seventh overall and first in class at the Vero Beach 12 Hours in March.
John von Neumann’s SL, chassis 063(056), won races at Torrey Pines and Madera. Towards the end of the year, von Neumann had Californian metalworker, Emil Diedt, transform the car into a Roadster. The success of 063(056) in this revised configuration convinced Max Hoffman to request Porsche build a light weight Spyder (initially the 356 America Roadster and later the 356 Speedster).
Gilberte Thirion used her car extensively throughout 1952 (chassis 061) and Auguste Veuillet picked up a class win in a race at Bordeaux in May (chassis number unknown).
Close Season
Although Porsche had an out-and-out sports racing car in development for 1953 (the 550), the 356 SL was wheeled out for a couple more works appearances.
The big news for 1953 though was the formation of a new World Sportscar Championship. The seven-race series comprised the Sebring 12 Hours, Mille Miglia, Le Mans 24 Hours, Spa 24 Hours, Nurburgring 1000km, Dundrod Tourist Trophy and Carrera Panamericana.
1953 Le Mans 24 Hours
For the 1953 Le Mans race, Porsche ran two of the 356 SLs that had been campaigned at la Sarthe in 1952. Both were entered for the 1100cc class as the 1500cc category was left to the brace of new 550 Coupes.
The engines in these cars had been enlarged from 1086cc to 1091cc. One was an official works entry (chassis 058 for Auguste Veuillet / Petermax Muller) and the other (chassis 062) was loaned to Frenchman, Gonzague Olivier, who was joined by his compatriot, Eugene Martin.
Uniquely, chassis 058 (the official Porsche KG entry) arrived sporting a lowered roof line and single piece windscreen.
As usual, grid slots were dictated by engine size which meant the 356s started towards the back of the field.
Considering the class wins of 1951 and 1952, the 356 SL’s 1953 appearance at Le Mans proved a disappointment; both cars retired during the 18th hour with engine trouble.
Two hours earlier, the race had been marred by the fatal accident of Tom Cole. At 6:30am on Sunday morning, Cole’s Ferrari 340 Mille Miglia went off the road in misty conditions while passing a slower machine. The Ferrari ploughed into a ditch which forced it into a roll. Poor Tome Cole was thrown from the car on the initial impact and died instantly.
Despite the failure of both 356s, the 1953 Le Mans ultimately proved a good one for Porsche as the brace of 550 Coupes went on to cross the line in 15th and 16th on their way to a one-two finish in the 1.5-litre class.
1953 Rallye Internacional de Lisboa
The 1953 Le Mans 24 Hours marked the end for the works 356 SL in frontline circuit racing. However, there was still some life in the model when it came to road rallies. Helmut Polensky (who had won the ‘52 Liege-Rome-Liege in a privateer 356 SL), was just two points behind Jaguar driver, Ian Appleyard, in the inaugural European Touring Championship with one round still to go.
During the ten round 1953 contest, Polensky had variously driven his own steel-bodied 356 1500 Super, a Fiat 1100 and also a Lancia Aurelia B20 GT. Thanks to a win on the Rallye Internationales des Alpes (in his Porsche), a win on the Rallye Travemunde (driving the Fiat) and a second place finish on the Viking Rally (also with the Fiat), Polensky stood a great chance of winning the title which was decided by a driver’s best four performances of the year.
Accordingly, for the season-ending Rallye Internacional de Lisboa (October 13th to 18th), Porsche supplied Polensky with a works 356 SL (chassis 055, the low profile example last seen at Le Mans in 1953).
The event saw competitors from seven starting points descend on San Sebastian in Spain. However, the first leg was marred by torrential rain which saw several of the roads become impassable.
Conditions subsequently improved on the approach to Burgos. Thereafter, the mud-plastered cars had a clear run to Lisbon.
For the third straight year, the contest was won by Portuguese native, Joaquim Filipe Nogueira, who was behind the wheel of a steel-bodied 356 Super navigated by Sen. Sousa.
Just over eight minutes down the road were runners up Ian and Pat Appleyard in their XK120. Polensky / Schluter finished third overall a further 14 minutes back in chassis 055.
The result meant Polensky won the title thanks to his 37 points (10+10+9+8). Appleyard scored 34 (10+9+9+6).
Subsequent Histories
Privateers continued to race their 356 SLs for the next couple of seasons and attended some major events to include the Tour de France and Carrera Panamericana.
There was also one final appearance for a works SL which came at the Liege-Rome-Liege Rally in 1954.
1954 Liege Rome Liege Rally
For the 1954 Marathon de la Route, Porsche entered a two car team that comprised a unique Glockler-bodied 356 Coupe for Helmut Glockler / Max Nathan and a standard-looking 356 SL for Helmut Polensky / Herbet Linge.
The Glockler Coupe was an unusual looking machine with a 550-style nose, cut-away fenders, doors that extended into the roof, a vast wraparound rear windscreen and finned rear fenders with vertical tail lights.
The 356 SL was chassis 055 which Polensky had used on the Lisbon Rally in October ‘53.
Significantly, both cars were fitted with early iterations of the Fuhrmann-designed dual overhead camshaft engine that Porsche subsequently dubbed the Carrera unit.
The 1954 Liege Rome Liege Rally was held over a 3200 mile course between August 18th and 22nd. In addition to the works Porsche squad, the 99 crews that started included factory teams from Lancia, Aston Martin, Alfa Romeo and Ford.
The opening 1400 mile leg to Rome took place in appalling weather conditions; heavy rain was followed by thick mist and fog in the German mountains.
The stage from Rome to Landau saw the Glocker Coupe excluded when it failed to report at the control as a result of a fractured oil pipe.
The event then moved through rough Austrian roads and on to the Stelvio pass where conditions were again very bad. It was at this point that Polensky was able to establish a clear lead over the Gendebien / Fraiken Lancia Aurelia B20 GT.
By the time the cars reached Rome, just 62 crews were left. Road conditions were often appalling, matched only by the equally unpleasant weather.
Polensky and Gendebien continued to pull clear of the rest of the field and, by the time they reached the finish at Spa, their closest competitor was a distant 18 minutes behind.
Polensky / Linge took the win for Porsche and finished three minutes 21 seconds ahead of the Gendebien / Fraiklin works Lancia.
Victory cemented Polensky’s reputation as the best mountain driver around while Porsche, with five of the top ten places (first, third, eighth, ninth and tenth) could safely claim they built the supreme car for road rallies.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Porsche - https://www.porsche.com
