1978 Porsche 911 SC

If you’re a fan of Porsche and enjoy their racing victory posters you might have a copy of Porsche – Die Rennplakate from 2008. It chronicles the marketing push by Porsche to promote their major racing victories since their first win at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1951. Throughout the mid-1960s and early 1970s there were numerous posters dedicated to showcasing their rally championships and overall victories, most notably at the Rallye Monte Carlo in 1968, 1969, and 1970. After 1971 the rally posters simply stopped; not because they stopped winning races – they stopped entering them entirely. Porsche’s racing department, so focused on endurance racing and Can-Am, did not have the capacity to properly support rallying at the highest level, no matter how successful they had been. In fact, Porsche factory driver and Monte Carlo rally winner Vic Elford is often quoted as saying that Porsche would have won every major rally in the 1970s if they had remained committed to the sport.

Even though the Porsche factory had removed themselves from rallying there remained a dedicated following by a select group that recognized that, even though the 911 was a 10-year old design, it could remain a competitive rally car in the right hands. Alméras Frères (Alméras Brothers Team) knew this better than anyone. Founded in 1971, they began their foray into rallying at exactly the right moment to take over where the Porsche factory left off. Beginning their motorsport adventures in the French hillclimb scene they quickly added endurance racing and rallying successes to their impressive resume. Most incredibly, after less than a decade of competition experience, an Alméras Frères prepared Porsche 911 SC, driven by Jean-Pierre Nicolas with navigator Vincent Laverne, captured an overall victory in the 1978 Rally Monte Carlo. It was an incredible result, achieved just before the Group B era of big budgets and four-wheel drive cars that would soon dominate. An opportunity not to be missed, Porsche even created a poster commemorating the victory personally thanking Jean-Pierre Nicolas and the Alméras Brothers.

Thanks to the Porsche 911’s many factory and privateer race entries there are many interesting, colorful and, dare we say it, iconic liveries to choose from when looking to visually enhance a 1970s 911. More often than not a painted hood, Martini stripes, or a Heuer logo is enough to satisfy those looking for a different look. The builder of this 1979 911 SC rally car chose to emulate the Alméras Brothers’ 1982 Rally Monte Carlo entry in more than just appearance. A true motorsport build and a very faithful representation of what the Alméras Brothers would have built in 1982, this 911 SC built by EVO Motorsport in Italy features widened bolt-on fender flares filled with wide, and tarmac rally Gotti style wheels from ROIN Technology fit with Michelin TB5R tires. Additional period-correct exterior modifications include a 934-style front valance and additional Marchal lighting, 935-style side mirrors and, in the rear, removed bumperettes and the addition of a ducktail. The inside is, again, faithful to the Alméras rally car from 1982 with a fully stripped interior featuring OMP racing seats and fire bottle, all manner of dash-mounted toggle switches, 10k VDO tachometer, removable Sparco steering wheel, map lights, drilled pedals, and diamond plate pedal boards all surrounded by a full roll cage.

After such extensive modifications you would be right to suspect the engine is not a stock CIS injected 3.0-liter. Clearly the work of an individual versed in motorsport, this 911’s type 930/60 engine (built on a 1980 3.3-liter 930 engine case) features dual fuel pumps metered by mechanical fuel injection (MFI) with individual throttle bodies breathing through tall intake trumpets. The MFI pump Bosch serial number tag indicates it has been built to provide fuel to a ‘3.0L RSR’ engine. Highly reliable single spark ignition, an aluminum oil overflow catch tank and fiberglass engine ‘tins’ round out the engine compartment. Finally, the front trunk has recently received a new fuel tank, front strut tower bar, and a relocated battery with motorsport cut-off switch. With an FIA Historic Technical Passport issued in 2018 and valid through 2028, this 911 SC rally car has been prepared for historic rallies, hill climbs and time trials, however no one will judge if you first try to set a personal best down your gravel driveway to get the mail.