With events like the Monterey Motorsports Reunion,
the Goodwood Revival, the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique, and the Le Mans
Classic, vintage racing holds untold action for those who still believe “they
don’t make ’em like they used to.” All you need is the right car to
participate. And this could be just the ticket.
It’s a 1968 Porsche 908 – one of only a handful
short-tail, ex-works examples still in existence. And it’s been announced as an
early highlight for the Pebble Beach auctions this summer. A further evolution
of the 904, 906, and 907 that came before it, the 908 had an incredibly long
lifespan, remaining in competition up until the early 1980s – exceedingly rare
for a racing prototype.
This was a rare early example used by the factory
team, but it was only raced the once in period. That was at the Spa 1000 km
race in ’68, when it crashed out early and was retired. A Swiss collector
bought it from the factory and put it in storage for decades until it was
discovered in the early 1990s by an American expert, who brought it to the US
and sold it to a collector on the West Coast.
Its new owner commissioned a comprehensive
restoration and has enjoyed driving it over the past dozen years in historic
racing events – including the second, third, fourth, and fifth (latest)
editions of Porsche’s Rennsport Reunion. It also featured in the Porsche by
Design exhibition at the North Carolina Museum of Art. But now it’s ready for a
new owner.
The auctioneer expects it to fetch upwards of US$ 2.3
million when the gavel drops in late August at the Monterey Conference Center.
Scope it out in the extensive and artful gallery of images below by Robin Adams
for RM Sotheby’s.
