Just in: Four classic Porsches with iconic racing decos

One of the first articles I wrote for Lamley remains one of my most popular. It was a pretty simple countdown of 10 favourite racing Porsches from my collection. After this week’s arrivals, I might have to make it a Top 14 (actually 15, because I put 11 in my Top 10!).

Not all of my 1:64 racing Porsches were featured in that article, and I’ve added more in the intervening three years – including the Hot Wheels Gulf 917 last year. That’s the great thing about (or possible fool’s errand of) collecting race cars – there’s no chance that every one that ever raced will appear in model form, but there’ll be another one along in a minute.

We talk a lot here on the blog about how this is a golden age for 1:64 collectors. It’s certainly a wallet-draining one. That goes for models of racing Porsches, too. Earlier this year, my mate Alex looked at four new issues from the revitalized Minichamps 1:64 line. Other writers have chimed in on new Porsches, too, either here or on YouTube. Today it’s my turn.

It just so happened that three pre-ordered racing Porsches arrived from Tokyo Station in the same box, each in iconic racing liveries. A day later, I obtained another one, and something of a Grail item at that. I figured I’d take some photos and show you what I got.

100% Hot Wheels Porsche 917

We’ll go through them in no particular order starting with this, the last variant I was missing of the original short-tail Porsche 917 casting with the opening engine cover.

I’d been looking for a few years but these 100% 917s are far from cheap now. Amazingly I was given this car by a friend. I am very, very grateful!

All that remained was to extract it from its convoluted packaging without destroying its beauty. What was left of the rubber bands, notorious for their tendency to decompose and weld themselves to the paint, came off with a little assistance from isopropyl alcohol and a Q-tip. The damage was limited to a tiny nick where the paint thins around the nose of the car – I couldn’t be happier to have gotten away largely unscathed!

After the mild disappointment of the Gulf car in the Porsche 50^th anniversary set, this 1970 Le Mans-winning version is bang on the money. I love the yellow ‘hippy’ car from Kyalami that year, but the red Salzburg machine might just top it. It’s an all-time great livery that’s been replicated on a few tributes in modern times. If the roundels on the doors of the Hot Wheels were a little bigger, it’d be a perfect reproduction.

I once met Richard Attwood, who co-drove this car with Hans Herrmann, and interviewed him for a story I was writing. I knew then that I wanted one of his cars in my collection and I’m delighted to add this spectacular 917 to the larger Majorette version (below right) I got last year. Note that the engine cover shut line on the Hot Wheels closes up tighter than is shown in the pics, I forgot to adjust it before shooting.

Here are some more pics of this glorious Hot Wheels model in two colours, with the Sparky Martini 917 from Sebring ’71 thrown in for good measure.

(find Hot Wheels 100% 917 on eBay)

Schuco Porsche 911 Turbo S LM GT

I already have a load of 911s but I try not to duplicate the different years and generations, otherwise things get quickly out of control. This Schuco fills a 964-shaped gap in my collection.

If you’re thinking this should be billed as a Tarmac Works collaboration, you might be right. Honestly, I’m a little confused – unlike the next model you’ll read about, it’s not billed as such, yet it has a Tarmac model number and was sold through the Tarmac webstore, among other channels.

Whatever the model’s true brand identity, the real-life Brumos car raced at Sebring in 1993. It had quite the driver lineup – Walter Röhrl, Hans-Joachim Stuck and Hurley Haywood – and that all-star cast delivered a class win and seventh overall after 12 hours (a GTP Eagle-Toyota took the overall win, in case you were wondering).

The model’s a hit. You basically can’t go wrong with the Brumos colours and with some new, premium 1:64 2.7 RSs hitting the market, I’m hoping someone will model the classic 1973 Daytona-winning RSR as well.

The gold lattice wheel centres are arguably a bit too big and if you want to get really picky, the small supplier logos along the sill are a fraction too large. But whatever. It looks great, rolls well and is very reasonably priced for the detail.

Here’s my new Schuco with the 2019 Brumos tribute car from Daytona, as modeled by Sparky.

The Schuco/Tarmac tie-up has put out a Martini Racing version of this casting as well, which also looks great in the pictures I’ve seen. Check out both versions on eBay at the link below.

(find Schuco Brumos Porsche on eBay)

Schuco Porsche 911 GT2

The second Schuco 911 in the box represents the car that was raced at Le Mans in 1998 by Jean-Pierre Jarier, Carl Rosenblad and Robin Donovan. The 993 GT2 looked amazing with its PlayStation sponsorship and led its class but failed to finish. A 911 GT1 took the overall win while the Oreca Vipers kicked the remaining Porsches’ behinds in GT2. (Note to model makers: let’s have a Viper please!)

The Schuco model is fabulous – the shape looks right, deco is on point, there’s a detailed interior and the wheels are close enough (and roll pretty well). Granted, some parts appear to be shared with the Turbo S (wheels, roll cage) but you can’t argue with the price – it feels like great value at less than $20.

PlayStation colours appeared on a bunch of cars at Le Mans – Vipers, Pescarolos, Peugeots and Orecas among them. A revived Pescarolo Sport team is apparently planning a Le Mans return next year with a Peugeot 9X8 LMH – wouldn’t it be cool to see the PlayStation name back at the 24 Hours, especially given the current hype around the Gran Turismo movie?

(find Schuco PlayStation Porsche on eBay)

Ixo/Tarmac Works Porsche 935 K3

And finally… Who doesn’t love a Porsche 935? Like the 911, I felt it was worthy of a place in my children’s book 20 Great Race Cars (forgive the shameless plug). I already had a bunch of Porsche 935s but none of the later, Kremer-developed variants. When I saw the announcement for this Apple-sponsored car from 1980, I knew this was the one to check that box.

I’d been hoping someone would do the #71 Apple 935 – which Bobby Rahal, Bob Garretson and Allan Moffat raced at Le Mans – for a while. I know lots of Lamley readers love the RWB Porsches, including the Apple 964, but I’d always rather see a classic deco like this on the original car.

This model from Tarmac’s Hobby64 line is predictably fastidious in its recreation, including the classic Motter Tektura font. There’s also some motor and exhaust detail underneath.

My only question marks surround the wheels. One issue is that the discs don’t fill the rims as much as they perhaps should. Another is the colour. The Dick Barbour-run car did race in IMSA with the wheel colours as per the model – yellow front, blue rear – which makes me think it likely also had those wheels available at Le Mans. But I’ve only found pictures online of the real car in that race either with yellow hubs at the rear, or with blue rear wheels and pink up front.

I guess the car’s retirement around half-distance limits the number of pictures available. If anyone knows the truth, please let me know!

I should add too that this is a Hobby64 release so, disappointingly but predictably, it won’t roll off your desk. Nevertheless, it looks fabulous. Here it is with an earlier 935 in Martini colours made by Minichamps 64.

(find the Tarmac 935 on eBay)

Hope you’ve had fun looking at these four classic Porsche race cars in all-time great liveries. Let me know in the comments if you’ve come across any cool Porsche racers lately. Until next time!

(follow me on Instagram @diecast215)