1971 Porsche 911 ST/GT Coupe

This is one of the original factory-built 911STs, which were essentially a sportier version of the 911S. This car went first to Richie Ginther's All American Racing Team, which entered it at Le Mans in 1971 - the same year the movie Le Mans debuted. The team, with John von Neumann as benefactor and Alan Johnson and Elliot Forbes-Robinson as drivers (backed by thousands of grassroots 'donors' who had purchased patches and decals to support the effort), was the first American team to race a Porsche 911 there. As a 911ST, it started with a 275 horsepower, 2,492cc, SOHC air-cooled, horizontally opposed 6-cylinder engine; Bosch mechanical fuel injection; a five-speed manual gearbox; independent front and rear suspension; and four-wheel disc brakes. Ginther replaced the suspension bushings; installed a stiffer stabilizer and torsion bars, brake cooling scoops, wide wheels and tires; and lowered the car. On test day, 'Sloopy Jr.' was the fastest of the 20 Porsche GTs and of the Group 4 GT cars. Regrettably, the car suffered engine problems on lap 50, in hour eight, and retired. Bill Yates bought the whole of Ginther Racing the following year and continued to race and revise this car as 'The Red Bron' through 1993 - although he kept the original parts and documented his changes. It was later sold and restored to its Le Mans condition.