Chris Harris's 911 for sale
Discussion
I like it, colour looks a lot better in the Autocar video. The airvents in the instrument panel are a nice touch.
I also think it's worth mentioning the project 2.8RSR re-creation currently having much of the mechanical work done at Unit 11. It's being undertaken by a UK specialist (I forget who, sorry) for a Hong Kong client and will be finished in viper green (underside of shell already done, rest will be done once all/most mechanical stuff is finished). I don't think the shell stiffness has been quite as much of a priority as it was to Mr Harris, likewise the dampers won't be quite so high tech, but a lot of work has still gone into the chassis and shell.
I don't know all the details, but keep nosing around it everytime I'm there. The engine is based on a 964 3.6 but made to look like an RSR motor, with authentic-looking bare fibreglass fan shroud (custom made) and lots of other good bits (engine cost approx £35k), the rear trailing arms have been modified so that turbo calipers can be fitted (in the opposite position to standard ones), but you'd never know (unless you knew it shouldn't be that way). Whilst it's been kept very light, it does have aircon fitted, but I think I would too in Hong Kong.
It should be mentioned in the article on Unit 11 in the September edition of 911 World (due out about now I believe) and I would hope the finished car will warrant an article somewhere too, with details of the whole project (i.e. donor car details, paint and trim etc) from the specialist/dealer who's client commissioned it.
I don't know what the total budget is and how it'll compare to the Harris car, but I would expect it to be an ideal one to compare it to.
Having seen the work so far, I can certainly see where the time goes doing these things, why people do it and also the huge cost involved. If you're wealthy enough to afford it, and nothing currently available quite lights your fire, then why not have something created that does?
I also think it's worth mentioning the project 2.8RSR re-creation currently having much of the mechanical work done at Unit 11. It's being undertaken by a UK specialist (I forget who, sorry) for a Hong Kong client and will be finished in viper green (underside of shell already done, rest will be done once all/most mechanical stuff is finished). I don't think the shell stiffness has been quite as much of a priority as it was to Mr Harris, likewise the dampers won't be quite so high tech, but a lot of work has still gone into the chassis and shell.
I don't know all the details, but keep nosing around it everytime I'm there. The engine is based on a 964 3.6 but made to look like an RSR motor, with authentic-looking bare fibreglass fan shroud (custom made) and lots of other good bits (engine cost approx £35k), the rear trailing arms have been modified so that turbo calipers can be fitted (in the opposite position to standard ones), but you'd never know (unless you knew it shouldn't be that way). Whilst it's been kept very light, it does have aircon fitted, but I think I would too in Hong Kong.
It should be mentioned in the article on Unit 11 in the September edition of 911 World (due out about now I believe) and I would hope the finished car will warrant an article somewhere too, with details of the whole project (i.e. donor car details, paint and trim etc) from the specialist/dealer who's client commissioned it.
I don't know what the total budget is and how it'll compare to the Harris car, but I would expect it to be an ideal one to compare it to.
Having seen the work so far, I can certainly see where the time goes doing these things, why people do it and also the huge cost involved. If you're wealthy enough to afford it, and nothing currently available quite lights your fire, then why not have something created that does?
thegoose said:
Oh, I forgot to mention that I have a Paul Stephens car at much more affordable money available at the moment, and also a sensibly priced 1970 car which, whilst already very nice and useable as it is, would make a great car to start any early-911 re-creation from.
Bit of a curate' egg, that car on your site. blackpack, lightweight bumpers, impact Fuchs, pastiche Durrants and non-period colour. I can't make up my mind whether I like it or not. If you look at what Paul does on his cars in terms of exterior period detailing, I can only guess that whoever specced your car had his own reasons for not going the whole hog.Did your car have a total repaint and as far as you can tell, was it fitted with "proper" pre impact bonnet and wings or did was the conversion done on a "cut and shut" basis?
The conversion was done by Paul Stephens in 2005 AFAIK and as such was kind of a development mule for them. It had a complete re-paint in the original colour, the bonnet is an extension of the original (they now use custom made aluminium ones at £1500 a pop). Their current cars are quite different, but then look at the prices (£60k+ ?). If you want the same look for a 1/4 of the price (and a lot of people would prefer the purer driving experience of a 3.2 compared to a 964 in this kind of look car) then it is a particularly good car and you don't have to do any work yourself to convert to a retro look. Not for everyone, but then nothing is, is it? I really like it, in fact I nearly taxed it for my girlfriend to take to the Silverstone Classic, but then I came to my senses and gave her an A8 instead
thegoose said:
The conversion was done by Paul Stephens in 2005 AFAIK and as such was kind of a development mule for them. It had a complete re-paint in the original colour, the bonnet is an extension of the original (they now use custom made aluminium ones at £1500 a pop). Their current cars are quite different, but then look at the prices (£60k+ ?). If you want the same look for a 1/4 of the price (and a lot of people would prefer the purer driving experience of a 3.2 compared to a 964 in this kind of look car) then it is a particularly good car and you don't have to do any work yourself to convert to a retro look. Not for everyone, but then nothing is, is it? I really like it, in fact I nearly taxed it for my girlfriend to take to the Silverstone Classic, but then I came to my senses and gave her an A8 instead
Sure. I think that had it been in an "earlier" colour, I might have been coming up to see you 
Ultrasound said:
Love the critism of the car,
a part's bin special! Yeah verging on WRC dampers, also go find out who they were set up by. Hand build flat 6 by Tuthills, like who are those guys (Safari Rally? What's that?. Go and read the work done on the shell of this car.
No history?. Go and buy an inferior product then with some of that 'history'.
Best bit is the crisism of viper green, as someone above said, that powder blue and orange is terrible looking isn't it, that will never catch on.
It's not often a car comes along which is better that the sum of it's exclusive, properly set up, well thought out parts build by experts for a person with true passion and knowledge of the topic with no expense spared.
It may be his scene and it may be your scene, but the fact that a knowledgeable individual has spent a fortune building his personal dream car doesn't make it worth that in the market place. All the things you say may be true, but what you say comes over like a letter to Max Power. a part's bin special! Yeah verging on WRC dampers, also go find out who they were set up by. Hand build flat 6 by Tuthills, like who are those guys (Safari Rally? What's that?. Go and read the work done on the shell of this car.
No history?. Go and buy an inferior product then with some of that 'history'.
Best bit is the crisism of viper green, as someone above said, that powder blue and orange is terrible looking isn't it, that will never catch on.
It's not often a car comes along which is better that the sum of it's exclusive, properly set up, well thought out parts build by experts for a person with true passion and knowledge of the topic with no expense spared.
rubystone said:
thegoose said:
You'd have been too late - just took a deposit on it 10 minutes ago.
Now then, about my silver 1970 car..............
Didn't see that on your website....Now then, about my silver 1970 car..............
p:
Not photographed it yet. Hoping to do both that and a nice 964 coupe tomorrow. Watch this space....
willdew said:
How do we think Chris's car compares to the Paul Stephens "modern classics"?
I don't think the two are comparable.PS has taken a 964 bodyshell, tidied up the motor, given it a retro look with a nice interior and lookalike fuchs. I like his cars very much... if I were in the market for a retro look 911, but needed a daily driver, I'd be very interested.
Chris has taken a '72 shell, had it stiffened and prepared by one of the best historic rally workshops around, fitted it with a hand built 320bhp+ motor, a bespoke interior, Recaros etc etc, and dampers worth about 8 grand.
Dynamically they appear to be world's apart. The green monster is a car to be taken out on sunny days and on trackdays, the PS special is an (almost) daily driver.
I'm with you, Willdew, in that the Harris porsche is almost, my perfect 911... next to a 993RS
If I had the readies at hand, I know who I'd be calling....
straight8 said:
It seems that as DR is sinking faster than the titanic, Harris is facing the reality of chasing a pipe dream!
wow. 3 posts. 3 attacks on DR. and an annonymous profile. this thread is about a magnificent porsche, no place for your personal attacks on the ownerEdited by fbrs on Wednesday 20th August 20:57
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