Let’s begin with a little information about what is a Luftgekühlt. Its a cumbersome name but a fabulous event, and now perhaps a fabulous style of car. Simply put, the word is German for “air cooled” and if you’re a Porsche fool like me and few million others, you know the ethos this represents.
In the Porsche vernacular, Luftgekühlt represents all the air-cooled cars in the the manufacturer’s history, from the Pre-A 356 through the 993 model line, which ended in 1998. More specifically, Luftgekühlt is the brainchild of two-time Le Mans class winner Patrick Long and noted Southern California creative director Howie Idelson. A true Porsche happening.
Luftgekühlt™ is a brand founded initially as a series of automotive-themed events featuring a tightly-curated list of historically significant or interesting cars – both race and street. There’s no set formula for our events, but we’re excited by cool venues, fun people and creative expression, so you can bet those elements will always be in our recipe.
The third Luftgekühlt happening is happening (sorry) April 9/10 in Vernon California, just a few minutes south of downtown Los Angeles. Here’s all the scoop about that: http://luftgekuhlt.net/#about-section.
Now, about the fabulous car you see in these photos. Luftgekühlt™ has teamed with a variety of partners to build this car, and hopefully more in the future, in a style that properly celebrates the air-cooled Porsche Thing. Its main purpose is to be sold at auction for charity on Sunday, April 10, during the Luftgekühlt™ event. RM Sothebys will handle the auctioning of the car, so you know it’ll all be first class and done right. So know you know the when, and where, here’s a bit more about the what…
Big day for Luftgekühlt™! After a string of teasers, we’re now into final assembly on the #luftauto, our first custom car. #luftauto is a natural extension of Luftgekühlt co-founders Patrick Long and Howie Idelson’s vision: a custom-built, rally-inspired 911 featuring creative details from some of the foremost brands, builders and automotive artists in the industry today, including Rod Emory of Emory Motorsports, Joey Seely, owner of E-Motion Engineering, and Deus Ex Machina’s Carby Tuckwell. A dream list of suppliers is involved too, including Pelican Parts, KW Suspension, BRAIDusa, Recaro, WEVO, Pirelli, Tarett Engineering, Rothsport, ERP Suspension and Rennline.
Excitingly, we’re partnering with RM Sotheby’s, the standard-setter in the world of collector car auctions, to promote and execute the auction of the car. The auction will happen live on-site during Luftgekühlt on April 10, 2016, and will feature not only the #luftauto but also a few other items offered by some interesting and cool brands, with proceeds to benefit the Autumn Leaves Project, a charity dedicated to funding pancreatic cancer research.
A team of enthusiasts working for enthusiasts, RM Sotheby’s has set the standard in the exciting world of collector car auctions. With more than 35 years’ experience in the hobby, the company hosts an enviable calendar of events in some of the world’s top automotive destinations. From Arizona to Paris, Monaco to Monterey, RM’s world-class events continuously raise the bar when it comes to quality of product, inventiveness of presentation, unparalleled client service and record-setting results. We at Luftgekühlt couldn’t be more thrilled to have them on board.
As stalwarts in the Porsche community, we were also happy to partner with Pelican Parts to outfit the car and help us dial it in. Having their expertise and inventory available to build the #luftauto on an aggressive timeline has been a fundamental aspect of the build, as our team of engineers, fabricators and designers have collaborated on the shared vision of the car.
SPECIFICATIONS
BASE CAR
- 1985 911 Carrera Coupe
- Production Completion Date: 11/12/1984
- Engine Number/Type: 64F00572 (M930/21)
- Transmission Number/Type: 74F00252 (G915/68)
- Exterior Paint Color/Code: Grand Prix White/P5
- Mileage 79,000
ENGINE/TRANSMISSION
- 3.2L numbers-matching motor
Recent major engine service as part of build, including all gaskets and seals, valve adjustment, all filters and fluid, new wires, plugs, cap and rotor, coil, starter motor, ignition switch, sensors and relays, cleaned and balanced injectors
- Sachs clutch
- SSi headers and sport exhaust
- Stock transmission with Guard Transmission limited-slip differential
- WEVO engine and transmission mounts
- WEVO precision shift joint
- Rebuilt axles
- Rennline Engine Mount Cross Bar
- Rennline alternator strap
- Clewett ignition wires
SUSPENSION
- KW Suspension custom-designed and hand-built long-travel dampers
- ERP Suspension control arms, subframes, tie rods, spring plates and monoballs
- Tarrett Engineering suspension components
EXTERIOR
- Custom lights and grilles by Emory Motorsports
- Custom, powder coated front and rear bumpers, designed by Emory Motorsports and fabricated by Brian Coats Motorsports
- Custom front and rear skid plates by Emory Motorsports
- Auto Foreign Services roof rack
- Ducktail and mirrors by Getty Design
INTERIOR
- Custom roll bar, fabricated by Brian Coats Motorsports
- Recaro lightweight sport buckets
- RS door panels
- Schroth Rallye 4 belts
- Rennline floorboards
- WEVO shift lever, gate and coupler, powder-coated
- CNC-milled custom American Walnut / Hard Rock Maple shift knob, by Modernica
- CNC-milled custom Walnut veneer sub-floors, by Modernica
- OMP Rally steering wheel
WHEELS, TIRES, BRAKES AND FITMENTS
- BRAID Winrace competition monoblock wheels – 15”
- Pirelli P-Zero Rally 195/70-15
- PMB restored calipers with slotted rotors
- Porterfield brake pads
- Rennline strut tower brace
- Goodridge brake lines
- Custom-designed hydraulic handbrake by Emotion Engineering and Emory Motorsport
For those interested in bidding on the car, registration is required, directly with Veronica Perry in RM Sotheby’s Los Angeles Office. She can be contacted at vperry@rmsothebys.com or +1 310 559 4575. The suggested value of the car is $100,000 – $150,000; please note it is offered with reserve.
I will be there and I hope to see you there too. It’ll be a great Porsche Happening promise.