Chassis 962 CK6/09

• 1 of 14 CK6 built by the legendary Kremer Racing

• Raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans 3 times

• Driven by Tiff Needell, Andy Evans, Francois Migault & others

• Restored to pristine condition

 

Erwin and Manfred Kremer founded E & M Kremer in 1962, working from a workshop in Cologne, Germany. As the brothers specialised in tuning and racing a variety of Porsche 911’s, their business was soon called Kremer Racing. The introduction of the Group 5 regulations allowed Kremer to develop their own version of the 935, the K1, for 1976.

The Kremer 935’s would win several European Championship titles and the Deutsche Rennsport Meistershaft. The most famous victory came in 1979, when a Kremer 935 K3 (pictured below) won the Le Mans 24 Hours outright. The Kremer brothers continued to construct and field cars throughout the 1990’s, and won the 1995 Daytona 24 Hours with a Kremer-Porsche Spyder K8.The Porsche 956 had dominated endurance racing since the introduction of the Group C regulations in 1982. For 1984, Porsche built the 962 for the American IMSA series. Outwardly similar to the 956, the 962 featured a longer wheelbase (to get the driver’s feet behind the front axle) and a steel rollcage, to meet IMSA’s stricter safety demands. 962’s were succesful in IMSA-races for almost 10 years, while the 962C (pictured below) built for the Group C regulations, starred in the World Championship from 1985 onwards.

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Porsche officialy ended the 962 program in 1988, but many privateer teams continued to race the 962, often modifying the car which by now had a 3.2 litre engine. In 1986, the Kremer brothers constructed the first 962 CK6, which did away with the original Porsche chassis, replacing it with a much stiffer aluminium honeycomb version. In total, eleven 962 CK6’s would be built, campaigned by Kremer and other teams.

This Porsche 962CK6/09 was the ninth 962CK6 built by Kremer and was originally fitted with the 3.2 litre engine Porsche had introduced for the 962C in 1985. The car, sponsored by Canada Shoes and ELF, raced in the 1991 Le Mans 24 Hours driven by former F1 drivers Tiff Needell and Gregor Foitek, plus Mexican Tomás López. CK6/09 was out of the race after just 18 laps however. For 1992, Kremer fitted a newer, water-cooled Porsche engine in CK6/09 and again the car at Le Mans for Almo Coppelli, Robin Donovan and Charles Rickett. They finished 11th overall (and 4th in the C3 class for older Group C-cars). In 1993, CK6/09 was raced for a thrid time at Le Mans by François Migault, Andy Evans and Tomás Salndaña. The trio completed 316 laps and finished 13th overall. CK6/09 never raced again after that third and final Le Mans 24 Hours outing.

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CK6/09 today presents in stunning condition having enjoyed a full restoration in recent years and not been driven since. It sports the famous Hawaiian Tropic livery in which it raced in the 1992 Le Mans 24 Hours.

The car is fitted with a rebuilt 3.2 liter water-cooled Porsche 962 engine that was handled by Xtec Engineering, and produces 672 bhp. It runs on Motec ignition receicing a new ecu loom, coil, turbos, waste gates and pipework when rebuilt. The CK6 is arguably the ultimate variant of Porsche’s legnedary 962 racer with significantly improved aerodynamics, a stiffer chassis and the best version of the Type 935/86 engine.CK6/09 would of course also be a welcome guest and is eligible for Peter Auto’s Group C series including its blue riband biannual Le Mans Classic round. Of course such a car would also no doubt be welcome at other events such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Rennsport Reunion. Prior to its next race outing CK6 09 would simply require renewal of its FIA HTP papers and crack testing.