Guide: Porsche 911 3.3 Turbo Sonderwunsch Flachbau Series 1 (930)
Background
Porsche originally conceived the 930 (911 Turbo) in order to homologate a pair of new racing cars for 1976: the Group 4 934 and the more highly developed Group 5 935.
Compared to Group 4, Group 5 regulations allowed a considerable degree of mechanical and aerodynamic enhancement; only the donor car’s bonnet, roof and doors had to be retained. With no mention in the rules about retaining the original headlight assembly, Porsche decided to give the 935 a radical makeover - they added new front fenders that lay flush with the trunk lid. The headlights (such a distinctive feature of every 911 thus far) were moved down to a re-profiled front apron.
Inevitably, Porsche customers began to request 935-style bodywork for their street cars. However, the factory initially had no intention of making road-going replicas.
Undeterred, these same customers found a willing array of tuners that were more than happy to carry out 935-style conversions.
By the late 1970s, a network of such firms had sprung up that enabled Porsche owners to modify their cars in practically any way imaginable; companies like BB, Kremer and DP were doing brisk and lucrative business building expensive high performance specials with trick engines, custom bodywork and gadget-laden interiors.
Eventually Porsche caved in and the new Sonderwunsch department was established at the Zuffenhausen repair and restoration department (Werk 1). Here, under the direction of Rolf Sprenger, customer racing cars like the 911 RSR, 934 and 935 had previously been assembled. In addition, Werk 1 had also been the scene for special requests by VIP customers.
The Sonderwunsch department was created in late 1980. More space was freed up when the customer racing department moved to Weissach in 1981.
Over the next few years, an ever increasing number of 911 Turbos (plus the odd normally aspirated SC or Carrera) were transformed with the Sonderwunsch department’s new Flachbau bodywork. A variety of other bespoke cosmetic and mechanical upgrades were also offered; if a customer wanted the full range of enhancements on offer, the list price of a standard 930 more than doubled.
As per the standard 930 (which was not available in the US between August 1980 and September 1985), these Sonderwunsch derivatives were officially prohibited from sale in the lucrative American market.
Bodywork
Like the 935, the 930 Flachbau’s signature feature was the smooth front fender conversion that gave a radically different look from the standard rounded wings of conventional 911s. As per the original panels, the Flachbau fenders were fashioned from steel.
In addition, the Flachbau front end came with a completely redesigned single-piece front apron made from fibreglass. Instead of the normal impact bumper, the re-profiled assembly featured a simpler and much slimmer black rubbing strip. Underneath were two rectangular headlights per side inboard of custom indicators. At the base of the apron was an elaborately contoured chin spoiler with a pair of slender cooling ducts.
To complement the re-styled front end, buyers could also specify two extra options: 935-style side side skirts and triple-vaned intakes carved out from each rear wheelarch.
Interior
One of the Sonderwunsch department’s key attributes was the ability to create truly one-off interiors – a practically limitless range of upgrades was available to those with deep enough pockets.
The standard 930 interior was much like any other 911 of the period. Instrumentation was clustered together in a five gauge binnacle directly behind the familiar three-spoke leather steering wheel. It comprised a large central tachometer with integrated boost indicator flanked to the right by a speedometer and a clock. To the left of the tach was a combined oil pressure / oil temperature gauge and a read out for oil level / fuel.
High-backed sports seats were fitted as standard and normally trimmed in leather upholstery to match the dash top, knee roll, door panels and headliner. The dash fascia was normally coloured black to match the grab handles on the doors and the centre console inlay.
All 930s of this vintage came with electric windows, a four-speaker stereo with front wing-mounted electric antenna, a rear wiper, an extended centre console, headlight washer jets and front fog lights.
Chassis
Under the skin, each Flachbau was based around Porsche’s standard steel unibody chassis.
Suspension was independent all round. At the front, a MacPherson strut arrangement was employed with lower wishbones, longitudinal torsion bars and anti-dive geometry. The back end used semi-trailing arms with anti-squat.
Bilstein shocks were fitted all round along with anti-roll bars at either end.
For the 1978 model year, Porsche had addressed criticism of the 930’s stopping power. To this end, instead of a brake system imported from the 2.7-litre Carrera, these latest 930s were enhanced with 917-derived cross-drilled and ventilated discs with aluminium hubs and finned four piston alloy calipers.
Disc diameter went from 282.5mm to 304mm at the front and 290mm to 309mm at the rear. Disc thickness was also increased.
Standard wheel rims were forged light alloy units supplied by Fuchs. They measured 16 x 7-inches at the front and 16 x 8 at the rear. Dunlop or Pirelli tyres were usually issued.
Engine / Gearbox
In addition to the uprated brake system, 1978 model year 930s also came with an engine enlarged from three to 3.3-litres. The new Type 930/60 motor was another air-cooled all-alloy Flat 6 with two valves per cylinder, single overhead camshafts and dry-sump lubrication.
Displacement was increased from 2994cc to 3299cc thanks to a 97mm bore (up from 95mm) and 74.4mm stroke (up from 70.4mm).
Compression had also been increased (from 6.5 to 7.0:1) and a larger but lighter KKK K27 turbo replaced the old 3 LDZ type.
One of the most important upgrades for 1978 had been the addition of an air-to-air instead of water-to-air intercooler which dramatically reduced charge air temperature.
Other upgrades included enlarged main bearings and beefier big ends.
Fuel-injection and ignition was via the latest Bosch K-Jetronic.
Peak output was 300bhp at 5500rpm and 303lb-ft at 4000rpm.
The aluminium-cased four-speed gearbox was given new ratios and re-designated Type 930/34.
Options
Porsche already offered a variety of regular optional upgrades for the 930 to include a ZF limited-slip differential, rear fog lights, air-conditioning and an electric sunroof.
This list was dramatically extended if your car went through the Sonderwunsch department.
Here, 930s were variously equipped with the likes of electric Recaro seats, walnut cockpit inserts, extended leather-covered surfaces, state-of-the-art audio and telecommunication systems, custom steering wheels and centre consoles, coloured instrumentation, gold surface plating, BBS wheels, uprated suspension components and exterior / interior surfaces coloured to sample.
Customers could also request the rear seats be deleted and replaced with storage boxes instead.
Power Kit Option
When the 364bhp Group B 930 arrived in the Weissach racing catalogue mid-way through 1982, a slightly de-tuned version of the competition engine was adopted as another Sonderwunsch option. It came with an enlarged intercooler, free-flow four-outlet exhaust system, increased boost pressure and a nose-mounted oil cooler.
The Power Kit yielded an extra 30bhp and took top speed well beyond 170mph.
Production
The first official Sonderwunsch 930 was completed in October 1980 for German industrialist, Gerhard Siegfried Amann.
Over the next couple of years an additional 57 cars were built up.
Because the nose arrangement fell foul of type approval requirements in several countries, Porsche adopted a revised Series 2 front end with pop-up headlights from 1983.
One additional Series 1 type 930 Sonderwunsch was subsequently built in 1984 which took total production to 59 units.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Porsche - https://www.porsche.com
