VIN: the Team Schuppan / Team Davey Porsche 962 chassis 143
History of chassis 143
Chassis 143 was delivered to Team Schuppan in May 1989. It was the first 962 equipped by the factory with Bosch MP 1.7 Motronic engine management. Other new equipment fitted to this latest generation 962 included an uprated cooling system and electronic wastegates.
Vern Schuppan had driven for the factory Porsche team every year between 1982 and 1988. In 1983, Schuppan, together with Al Holbert and Hurley Haywood, took victory at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
In late 1987, Schuppan established his own team. Based in High Wycombe, England, Team Schuppan would primarily compete in the Japanese Sportscar Championship and at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Thanks to his strong factory connections, Schuppan was able to acquire the first of these updated 962s delivered in 1989. That year, chassis 143 ran alongside Schuppan’s principal race car, the ex-works 962, chassis 008.
Concurrently (and with Porsche’s blessing), Schuppan was developing a carbonfibre tub to replace the 962’s standard aluminium honeycomb chassis. The first of Schuppan’s composite monocoques would be ready in September 1989.
Chassis 143 made its competition debut at the 1989 Le Mans 24 Hours. The new car wore a red colour scheme and appeared with backing from Japanese consumer finance company, Takefuji Corporation.
To drive, Schuppan enlisted Jean Alesi, Will Hoy and Dominic Dobson.
The brand new car suffered brake problems in practice along with several other minor niggles that took time to sort. It qualified 22nd.
In the race, a good opening stint by Hoy saw chassis 143 move up to just outside the top ten.
However, late in the second hour, Dobson was clipped by Bob Wollek’s Joest Porsche while going through traffic at Arnage. A lengthy repair job to rectify the damaged nose and tail ensued back at the pits.
Dobson was back in the car for his second stint when chassis 143 went up in flames shortly before 9pm.
Hurtling down the Indianapolis Straight, a faulty fitting in the fuel system caused one of the fuel lines to spray petrol onto the turbos which melted the brake lines. With the back end of the car engulfed in flame, Dobson struggled to bring 143 to a stop. He edged up against the barrier to help scrub off some speed and just about managed to get out in time.
Afterwards, chassis 143 was returned to the Porsche factory where it was completely rebuilt.
The freshly repaired car made one final appearance in 1989. It contested the Fuji 1000km race in early October where it again ran in red Takefuji livery.
Martin Donnelly and Johnny Herbert qualified fastest of the Porsches in fourth.
On the wet track, Donnelly stormed away to lead the opening laps, but he dropped to second when slowed by a spinning backmarker.
After the field had made their initial routine stops, Donnelly again found himself out front following the first of many pace car interventions. However, he was then black-flagged for passing a backmarker under yellow flags.
Herbert took over, but the new shallow rain tyres were not to his liking. The extra stop for fresh rubber dropped the car further down the leaderboard. It finished sixth after a fine display by both drivers.
For 1990, Team Schuppan ran two new cars (chassis 146 and TS01C – a carbon tubbed example).
Chassis 143 was loaned to privateer, Tim Lee-Davey.
Lee-Davey was a good customer of Schuppan’s. He had purchased the first of Schuppan’s carbonfibre 962 tubs and ran two such cars at various times in 1990 (chassis 138.001 and 138.002).
Chassis 143 sometimes appeared alongside one of Davey’s composite-tubbed 962s, but it was mostly used as a spare after two of his pay drivers defaulted on their contracts for the season.
Chassis 143 therefore saw very little use in 1990.
The car was disqualified for being underweight at Monza. It should have placed 14th in the next race at Silverstone, but went unclassified for posting a final lap that was too slow. Chassis 143 subsequently only appeared as a spare.
Following a low-key 1990 season, chassis 143 was sold to a Japanese collector and retired from competition duty.
It subsequently went through the hands of a US custodian before returning to the UK.
Notable History
05/1989 sold to Vern Schuppan, England (Team Schuppan)
Red Takefuji livery
11/06/1989 IND Le Mans 24 Hours (W. Hoy / J. Alesi / D. Dobson) DNF (#33)
08/10/1989 JSC Fuji 1000km (M. Donnelly / J. Herbert) 6th oa, 6th C1 class (#33)
Loaned to Tim Lee-Davey (Team Davey)
Yellow & White livery
29/04/1990 WSC Monza 480km (A. Toledano / F. Ballabio / B. Giacomelli) DSQ (#20)
20/05/1990 WSC Silverstone 480km (P. Stott / A. Toledano) NC (#20)
Sold to a Japanese collector
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
