Jonny Smith, host of The Lake Brake Show on YouTube, has checked out some stunning cars over the last two or three years. However, this could Porsche 911 Turbo could be the most spectacular of them all.
It’s a stunning 964 generation Porsche 911 Turbo owned by Phill Morrison of Driftworks fame. It’s from the legendary Japanese tuning house Rauh-Welt. They are well known for their crazy, wide-body, and aircooled 911s and this could be one of the craziest.
This particular sports car has even driven across Japan on Morrison’s honeymoon before it came home to the United Kingdom to have even more work done to it. Smith was lucky enough to get a close look and drive in this epic Porsche.
How This Porsche 964 Turbo 911 Was Discovered
964 Generation Porsche 911 Turbo Rauh-Whelt Engine Specs
|
Manufacturer |
Porsche |
|
Production Years |
1989-1993 |
|
Configuration |
Turbocharged Flat-Six |
|
Displacement |
3.3-Liter |
|
Power |
640 Hp |
|
Torque |
512 lb-ft |
|
Fuel |
Gas |
|
Notable Applications |
964 Generation Porsche 911, 965 Generation Porsche 911 |
Like many cars, this particular 911 has plenty of tales to tell and how it was first discovered in itself is fascinating. This 1992 Porsche 911 Turbo is one of the early Rauh-Welt widebody 911s, meaning later examples were actually even wider than this.
This car was a promotional car for Rauh-Welt, and it’s built to a very high standard as the beauty shots of the sports car show off. The front is 30 mm wider and the rear is 40 mm wider than the regular 964 Turbo. Morrison saw this at auction in Japan back in 2008 and was very impressed with the quality of the build on the car.
He was looking for a 911 project at the time when he had the idea of doing a crazy rotary conversion on a Porsche. However, that didn’t happen. This car then came up for auction and Morrison very quickly fell in love with it.
He originally lost the auction having not bid in time, before a friend chased it down for him for four months. He eventually found a trader in Japan, which Morrison was then able to put a deal together for the car.
That in itself is a remarkable tale, although when he got his hands on the Porsche it did have a few little problems. Morrison describes these as running issues. The engine needed rebuilding in Silverstone back in the UK which even saw more power extracted.
In total, the Porsche now has an output of 600 hp which is right up there with modern sports cars and even some supercars and grand tourers. Morrison describes it as quite a civilized car to drive when you are off the boost. Modern turbo technology, intercoolers, and a Haletch ECU helps it to run very nicely.
A Variety Of Components Make Up The Porsche’s Powertrain
Famous Japanese Tuning Houses And Customizers
- Mugen-Honda
- Powerhouse-Amuse
- Rauh-Welt
- Spoon
- Liberty Walk
There are plenty of extra components that make this a punchy and powerful 911. The engine is a 3.3-liter Promodet turbo engine, rebuilt by Fearnsport in Silverstone. It has a BornWarner EFR 8374 Turbo & Turbosmart Progate wastegate added to it.
Promodet custom manifolds are also part of the engine build, as are custom headers with Zirotec ceramic coating. The Carrera intake is also modified with an 997 Turbo IPD intake plenum, and a 82mm Bosch throttle body.
The throttle body in itself is an interesting touch, with it a modern piece that is drive-by-wire. Thanks to the modern ECU, all the components mesh together perfectly to ensure the Porsche drives beautifully. The widebody bodywork is equally extravagant with the large rear wing, beefy fenders, and wheel arches helping the 964 Turbo really stand out. The new side skirts and the large front splitter help complete the sensational appearance package for this 911.
The Japanese Quirks Of The Car Are Evident When Smith Drives The Porsche
Smith is lucky enough to get behind the wheel of the Porsche. Its Japanese origins are evident with the sound of a Japanese lady from the car’s infotainment system shouting at him as he prepares to drive off.
It’s already an interesting experience driving the car without the added triple-clutch setup. Morrison says it is terrible and is quite unforgiving with 600 hp at its mercy. That power level means Smith won’t push the Porsche too hard, but a blast of the throttle and the resulting turbo noises gives us a glimpse of that potential.
The Porsche was heavily modified in the period by Rauh-Welt in the early 1990s, with it then driven across Japan with Morrison and his wife when they were on their honeymoon.
Since it got back to the UK, Morrison reworked the car to make it a little faster and pliable, which includes features such as the Haltech ECU but also modern fuel injection and an up-to-date BorgWarner turbo under the hood. Even with those modern refinements, you still get what Smith calls a sledgehammer of power from the engine.
The changes to the engine, despite it still having a flat-six under the hood, create a soundtrack unlike any other Porsche 911 you will hear. Gone is that flat-six soundtrack, and in its place is something decidedly Japanese like a Nissan RB26 engine from a Skyline GT-R.
This means it is more like a Skyline in Porsche clothing. Driving the Porsche gives Smith a chance to experience the 991 GT3 and 997 GT brake combination in the 964 Turbo. The stopping power they provide is phenomenal, and they provide an excellent combination according to Smith.
This Porsche 964 Has Some Hard Acceleration
One of the most dramatic aspects of this Porsche is the brute force of acceleration. Heading onto a dual carriageway, Smith puts his foot down and remarks on how the car spools up and fires you down the road.
The level of torque the car has is massive, and that huge swell of power provides an old-school feeling. The other driving aspect of this car is how docile it is when you want it to be, meaning driving around town and built-up areas is very civilized without disturbing the neighbors.
Weight-wise, this Porsche 964 is quite the heavy beast coming in at 3,262 lbs which is on a par with plenty of modern performance cars. To put that weight into a bit of context, the 2023 911 Carrera weighs 3,318 lbs, so this 964 Turbo is by no means light.
However, despite that, Smith says it feels a lot lighter due to the speed of it and how quickly it gets out of the blocks. The huge grin on Smith’s face shows just how good this restomod 911 truly is.
Source: The Late Brake Show YouTube Channel
Source
https://www.hotcars.com/widebody-porsche-964-ultimate-911-turbo/
