VIN: Never Quite the Bride - the Rothmans Racing Porsche 956 chassis 004
History of chassis 004
Chassis 004 was one of ten 956s assembled for use by the Rothmans-backed Porsche works team and one of four used during the model’s debut season: 1982.
004 first appeared as part of a three-car assault at the 1982 Le Mans 24 Hours which was to be Porsche’s second race with the 956. Having departed for la Sarthe just one day after completion, 004 was plagued with brake problems and qualified down in 14th. However, despite losing a total of 20 laps as a result of a door that flew off and a broken rear wheel bearing that necessitated suspension repairs, Al Holbert, Hurley Haywood and Jurgen Barth eventually worked their way back up the order to bag third place behind the pair of sister cars in a famous 1-2-3 finish for the 956.
At the Spa 1000km, 004 was driven by Derek Bell and Vern Schuppan who started and finished second after the works Lancia LC1s dropped out of the running.
Bell and Schuppan were back in 004 to contest the Fuji 6 Hours four weeks later. They qualified fourth, but retired when a rear tyre exploded and the car went backwards into the barriers. Schuppan made it round to the pits on the rim, but the rear suspension and gearbox damage was deemed too great to continue.
004 ended the season with a second place finish at the non-championship Kyalami 9 Hours with Bell and Schuppan once again behind the wheel.
Five brand new 956s were raced by the works team during 1983 and chassis 004 initially served as a T-car at Monza, Silverstone and Le Mans. It was then pressed into duty for the 1000km races at Spa and Brands Hatch where Derek Bell and Stefan Bellof finished second and third respectively. 004’s last appearance of the year came at the Fuji 1000km where it resumed spare car duties.
The 1984 season saw chassis 004 race on two occasions: it picked up a sixth at the Spa 1000km with Vern Schuppan and John Watson behind the wheel and ended the year with an eighth place finish for Schuppan and Alan Jones at the Sandown Park 1000km. That year it also carried out camera car duties at Silverstone and Fuji as well as serving as the T-car at Monza.
Although now a three-year old machine, chassis 004 even went on to see service during the 1985 season. Having served as the T-car at Monza, it was then driven by Vern Schuppan and James Weaver at the Silverstone 1000km but ran out of fuel at around three quarters distance.
Porsche retained chassis 004 until August 1990, at which point it was sold to the firm’s ex-development driver, Willi Kauhsen, who commissioned the company to carry out an exacting rebuild and restoration.
004 has since traded hands between a number of collectors.
Notable History
Rothmans Porsche
20/06/1982 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (A. Holbert / H. Haywood / J. Barth) 3rd oa, 3rd C class (#3)
05/09/1982 WSC Spa 1000km (D. Bell / V. Schuppan) 2nd oa, 2nd C class (#2)
03/10/1982 WSC Fuji 6 Hours (D. Bell / V. Schuppan) DNF (#2)
06/11/1982 IND Kyalami 9 Hours (D. Bell / V. Schuppan) 2nd oa, 2nd C class (#4)
10/04/1983 WSC Monza 1000km (J. Ickx / J. Mass / D. Bell / A. Hobert) T-car (#1T)
08/05/1983 WSC Silverstone 1000km (-) T-car (#1T)
19/06/1983 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (J. Ickx / D. Bell / V. Schuppan / J. Barth) T-car (#33)
04/09/1983 WSC Spa 1000km (S. Bellof / D. Bell) 2nd oa, 2nd C class (#2)
18/09/1983 EEC Brands Hatch 1000km (D. Bell / S. Bellof) 3rd oa, 3rd C class (#2)
02/10/1983 WSC Fuji 1000km (S. Bellof / D. Bell / J. Ickx / J. Mass) T-car (#3T)
23/04/1984 WSC Monza 1000km (S. Bellof / D. Bell / J. Mass / J. Ickx) T-car (#1T)
13/05/1984 WSC Silverstone 1000km (N. Mason / R. Lloyd) camera car (#16T)
02/09/1984 WSC Spa 1000 km Spa (V. Schuppan / J. Watson) 6th oa, 6th C1 class (#3)
30/09/1984 WSC Fuji 1000 km (R. Lloyd) camera car (#3)
02/12/1984 WSC Sandown Park 1000km (A. Jones / V. Schuppan) 8th oa, 8th C1 class (#3)
28/04/1985 WSC Monza 1000km (J. Ickx / J. Mass / D. Bell) T-car (#1T)
12/05/1985 WSC Silverstone 1000km (V. Schuppan / J. Weaver) DNF (#69T)
14/08/1990 sold to Willi Kauhsen, Germany, and rebuilt by Porsche
Later sold again
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Porsche - https://www.porsche.com
