VIN: the Martini Racing Porsche 935 chassis 006 R20
History of chassis 006
The 935 / 78 was the last and most highly developed 935. Only one example was ever finished (chassis 006) although the spare was finally completed many years later (007).
Reserved for works use, chassis 006 was initially shaken down at Porsche’s Weissach proving ground in early March prior to heading for Paul Ricard where further tests were carried out.
The car made its competition debut at the Silvertsone 6 Hours in mid May. By this time, 006’s fully faired doors had been modified to a semi-shrouded configuration after the FIA deemed the original set-up illegal.
First qualifying took place in damp conditions, but Jochen Mass still smashed his 1977 lap record by over four seconds. In the dry afternoon session, Jacky Ickx lopped another seven tenths off to secure an easy pole position.
Chassis 006 was no less dominant in the race; Ickx and Mass ultimately finished seven laps clear of the competition.
Next up was the Le Mans 24 Hours where Rolf Stommelen and Manfred Schurti drove the 935 / 78. They qualified third after flying down the Mulsanne Straight at over 227mph.
However, the build-up to the race saw 006 blow a piston which necessitated a complete engine rebuild. The problem started when the car was driven to the circuit in heavy traffic as part of a misguided publicity stunt. 006 got caught in gridlock and prolonged low speed running overheated the engine which caused the blow-up in practice.
Unfortunately, 006’s race was delayed by a multitude of niggling problems. Having initially been forced to circulate at a conservative pace to run-in the new engine, the 935 / 78 was variously delayed by a faulty fuel pump, a stuck throttle, leaking radiators, a loose windscreen, a faulty distributor and a failed fuel-injection pump. Additionally, a persistent oil leak meant it needed a complete refill every 16 laps (the minimum distance permitted).
In total, chassis 006 spent nearly three hours in the pits and made around 35 stops. Nevertheless, Stommelen and Schurti managed to finish eighth overall.
The 935 / 78 next appeared at the World Sportscar Championship season finale on September 3rd: the Vallelunga 6 Hours.
Jacky Ickx was joined by Manfred Schurti and they claimed pole position by seven tenths of a second.
In the race, Ickx made a good start and rapidly established a big lead over the chasing pack.
It seemed 006 would take Porsche’s second World Championship win of the year. However, disaster struck with just ten minutes to go when Ickx coasted into the pits with a snapped fuel-injection pump belt. With no time to make a fix, the 935 / 78 posted a DNF.
Two weeks later, Porsche ran 006 at the annual 200 mile Norisring Trophy non-championship race.
This time Jacky Ickx drove single-handedly. He had set the fourth fastest time in qualifying when the car emitted a huge cloud of smoke; a holed piston necessitated an overnight engine rebuild.
As the race got underway, Ickx dropped to sixth off the line. He remained there until lap 14 when severe handling problems caused by a broken brake balance bar forced 006 into another retirement.
Chassis 006 was subsequently freshened up, after which it became an exhibit in the Porsche Museum.
Notable History
Martini Racing
14/05/1978 WSC Silverstone 6 Hours (J. Ickx / J. Mass) 1st oa, 1st Gr.5 class (#1)
11/06/1978 IND Le Mans 24 Hours (R. Stommelen / M. Schurti) 8th oa, 3rd Gr.5 2.0+ class (#43)
03/09/1978 WSC Vallelunga 6 Hours (J. Ickx / M. Schurti) DNF (#1)
17/09/1978 IND Norisring Trophy (J. Ickx) DNF (#40)
Retained by Porsche
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Porsche - https://www.porsche.com
