1973 Porsche 911 R-Gruppe Hot Rod

model history

R-Gruppe is an enthusiast club founded in California in 1999 united by similar thoughts regarding what makes for the ultimate Porsche. An R-Gruppe car is built using a pre ’73 911 and features specialised performance upgrades often formed from the Porsche factory parts catalogue the ‘Sports Purpose’ manual - a highly detailed guide to uprating production 911 derivatives of day (911 L, T and S) that influenced the build of this car.

Cars are modified with period correct flair for the driving experience rather than concours perfection. Lightweight panels, uprated engines, wide flares and purposeful interiors are hallmarks, but no two builds are alike. Membership is by invitation, and the cars reflect their owners’ personalities as much as Porsche heritage. The group’s mantra is simple: drive them hard, enjoy them fully, and let individuality shine within the iconic silhouette of the long-bonnet 911.

this car

Chassis 9113200078 was supplied new in Seattle, Washington as a 1973 model 911E in Sepia Brown. The car was purchased by Jeff Smith in 1999 from Dan and Doris Dixon who had owned the car since the 1970s, using it regularly in Porsche Club America autocross events accumulating 140,000 miles on the clock.

Being a long-bonnet 911 in need of restoration, it suited Jeff’s desire to build an R-Gruppe inspired hot rod. He deliberated extensively about the direction he wanted to take the build in, originally wanting to build a narrow body with a 2.5L long-stroke engine which developed to 2.8L high butterfly engine before deciding on a 993 3.8RS spec engine – more powerful and torquey than any air-cooled alternative.

The bodyshell was fully restored with the usual weight savings made including  removing sound deadening, fitting a lightweight RS rear bumper and arches, fibreglass bonnet and engine lid before painting it Signal Red, a colour his interior decorator mother chose, little knowing that it was a certain Indycar Champion’s favourite colour.  

Jeff took his recently completed build to R-Gruppe’s annual meet in 2006 where it is overall attention to detail gained all the attention at the meet, so much so that Porsche Excellence magazine had to do a piece on the build aptly titled ‘Weapon of Mass Destruction’.

The car then sold to Steve Harris, a well-known US-based architect and Porsche enthusiast and then caught the eye of famed racing driver, Dario Franchitti, but not just because of it’s colour - a personal favourite of Dario’s. Having driven the car once he was hooked, describing it as the perfect mix of new and old and loving its attention to detail. He bought it in 2009 using it to drive to race meets across the USA while he competed in IndyCar. Dario’s affection for the car was documented in another magazine article, Porsche Panorama in 2013.

Deciding the car was a keeper, Dario shipped the car to the UK with him in 2014. He had Porsche experts Parr fettle it after its transatlantic trip which involved fitting a quick shift kit, adjustable spring plates and servicing the dampers. He continued to regularly use the car having Porsche Reading service it before deciding to part ways with it in 2021 when he tasked Sports Purpose with selling it.

The current owner was similarly taken by the build and the fact it had been set up so well by so fastidious an expert enthusiast. After a year of use he gave the car to Tuthill Porsche who removed the Varioram intake system to fit their high butterfly throttle body setup with SC/RS style air filter housing along with their custom motorsport wiring harness, Motec ECU, 12 Bosch coil on plug ignition coils and a new clutch.

The EXE-TC dampers were also re-valved to Tuthill’s latest spec and Tuthill’s Classic lightweight carbon seats were fitted though the original RSR Recaro’s remain with the car. The car has been snagged in Sports Purpose’s own workshop and will be thoroughly set up for fast road use by the gurus at Center Gravity prior to delivery.