VIN: the Trust Racing Team Porsche 956 chassis 108
History of chassis 108
Chassis 108 was ordered by the Trust Racing Team to contest the 1983 Japanese Sportscar Championship and Fuji Long Distance Series. It would replace a Group 5 Toyota Celica LB Turbo campaigned during 1982.
Founded in 1977 and based in Chiba, Trust remains a major supplier of aftermarket high performance automotive components to this day. The company is particularly well known for its exhaust systems and turbocharger kits, some of which are sold under the famous GReddy brand.
Finished in Trust’s trademark white, yellow and blue colour scheme, chassis 108 made its competition debut at the Japanese Sportscar Championship opener, the Suzuka 500km on April 3rd, where Naohiro Fujita and Vern Schuppan started from pole, set fastest lap and took victory.
This result set the tone for a dominant 1983 season in which Fujita and Schuppan racked up five wins from six outings. The only race that chassis 108 did not win was the Fuji 1000km on October 2nd which served as a joint World and Japanese Sportscar Championship event. On this occasion, Schuppan and Fujita finished third behind the two works Rothmans 956s of Stefan Bellof / Derek Bell and Jochen Mass / Jacky Ickx.
Trust retained chassis 108 for 1984 when Schuppan would be co-driven by Yoshimi Katayama.
The new season kicked off in a similar fashion to 1983 had ended with chassis 108 winning the Suzuka 500km Japanese Sportscar Championship race on April 1st.
The car’s next outing came in the Fuji Long Distance Series opener on June 3rd, however, an accident on lap 47 saw significant damage incurred to 108’s front left chassis cross and longitudinal members, its left front shock absorber mount, underbody and pedal box.
Although the damage was repairable, Trust wanted a running car for the Fuji 1000km in late July and elected to have 108’s salvageable components fitted to a new monocoque: chassis 118.
Chassis 108 was retained by Porsche until 1988 at which point the monocoque along with a fresh engine and gearbox were sold to Siegfried Brunn who subsequently rebuilt the car to original condition.
Notable History
Trust Racing Team, Chiba
White, Yellow & Blue livery
03/04/1983 JSC Suzuka 500km (N. Fujita / V. Schuppan) 1st oa, 1st C class (#1)
05/06/1983 FLD Fuji 500km (N. Fujita / V. Schuppan) 1st oa, 1st D class (#6)
24/07/1983 FLD Fuji 1000km (N. Fujita / V. Schuppan) 1st oa, 1st D class (#6)
28/08/1983 JSC Suzuka 1000km (N. Fujita / V. Schuppan) 1st oa, 1st C class (#1)
02/10/1983 WSC Fuji 1000km (V. Schuppan / N. Fujita) 3rd oa, 3rd C class (#6)
27/11/1983 FLD Fuji 500 mile (N. Fujita / V. Schuppan) 1st oa, 1st D class (#6)
01/04/1984 JSC Suzuka 500km (V. Schuppan / Y. Katayama) 1st oa, 1st B class (#1)
03/06/1984 FLD Fuji 500km (V. Schuppan / Y. Katayama) DNF (#1)
Damaged at Fuji and returned to Porsche
Monocoque stripped with its components installed to chassis 118
1988 sold to Siegfried Brunn, Eberbach
Rebuilt with new engine gearbox
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Suzuka Circuit - https://www.suzukacircuit.jp/en/
