Description

Please note that this lot is offered on Bill of Sale only

Chassis No. 907 025
Engine No. 907 025

Imagine a race victory so popular at Porsche and so characterized by one man that instead of the traditional race victory poster featuring a speeding, colorful car, it instead featured the happy, but completely drained image of the man who willed that car and team to victory. 'Quick Vic' Elford's drive, along with co-driver Umberto Maglioli, at the 1968 Targa Florio in this Porsche 907, chassis no. 025, remains a legendary Bunyanesque tale within Porsche and throughout the larger racing world. It was not a one-off success. Elford's races throughout that 1968 season, in all manner of competition cars, gave him the confidence to push this 907 lap after lap - each of his final three laps of the Piccolo Circuito delle Madonie circuit (44.74 mi) a new lap record - to catch and pass an astonished Autodelta team, showing their Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/2 a clean pair of heels all the way to the finish, a hat trick of Targa victories for Porsche. In typical Elford style, the post-race celebration began with a drink and a cigarette or three followed by hearty congratulations by all involved. That racing season was a special one for the 907 and Elford, with a number of remarkable victories, however no season in his career matched his 1968 performance and no race in 1968 equaled his win at the Targa Florio in 907 025.

Vic Elford – 1968

There is not enough room in this catalog description to contain the enormity of Vic Elford's 1968 racing season but it suffices to say it was one for the ages. In an era of multiple discipline driving Elford was the undisputed master. He began the season at the Monte Carlo Rallye with an impressive victory while driving a factory entered 2.0-liter 911 T. In the first - and most prestigious rally of the season - Elford and his navigator David Stone came from behind in the final stage to beat fellow Porsche driver Pauli Toivonen by over a minute. Such was the intensity of Elford's final charge through the snow and ice he later recounted, 'it took me three attempts before I was able to light a cigarette.' After the prize-giving ceremony in front of the royal palace that Saturday afternoon Elford was on a plane via New York to Daytona – and not to relax on the beach. Elford, as a factory driver, was entered along with Rolf Stommelen to pilot one of four new 2.2-liter flat-eight Porsche 907 langheck (long-tail) coupes in the Daytona 24 Hours. To cut to the chase, Elford won that one too, Porsche's first ever overall win in a 24-hour race. Now able to vacation in Florida just three short weeks later Elford finished second in a 907 at the Sebring 12 Hours. A fine third followed back at home in the Brands Hatch 6 Hours, again in a 907, before his next race with Porsche System Engineering at the aforementioned 52nd running of the Targa Florio, 5 May 1968, a race win to be discussed in great detail shortly. After his victory in the Targa, Elford went on to win the Nürburgring 1000 Kms in the new 3.0-liter Porsche 908. An unfortunate DNF at the Spa 1000 Kms followed, however a brilliant fourth in a wet French Grand Prix driving for BRM, his first Formula One race, no doubt made up for it. A string of notable results throughout the remainder of the season followed and the result at the end of the year was Elford leading the way in three of Porsche's five victories en route to second overall in the World Sportscar Championship, just three points behind Ford and their 4.9-liter GT40s. Add in his Monte-Carlo rally victory and Formula One points on debut, it is clear that Elford was at the top of his game in 1968. Starring in three completely different forms of international motorsport that year, his star shone no brighter than in the Targa Florio, 5 May 1968 at the wheel of this Porsche 907, chassis no. 025.

Porsche 907 025 – 1968 Sebring 12 Hours – Ludovico Scarfiotti / Joe Buzzetta

In advance of the Targa Florio, Porsche 907 025 was first pressed into competition at the 1968 Sebring 12 Hours. Following a dominant 1-2-3 sweep at the Daytona 24 Hours Porsche's 907 was the clear favorite. Former Ferrari factory driver Ludovico Scarfiotti and New Yorker Joe Buzzetta were paired together in 907 025, start number 50 for the 12-hour race on the bumpy concrete runways of Hendricks Field, a former United States Army Air Forces heavy bomber base. After qualifying 8th in a field of 71, Scarfiotti made up a few positions during the Le Mans start, moving up to 5th. However, instead of competing for 12 hours, 025 lasted only about 20 minutes. The reason? A possible missed shift, overrev, and expected loss of power left it parked in pit lane and later left to sit in the paddock infield until it was time for Porsche System Engineering to pack up and head home with another 1-2 finish. Once repaired, 025 was likely the freshest 907 in the factory's fleet and consequently given a plum driver pairing for its next race, the Targa Florio.

Porsche 907 025 – 1968 Targa Florio – Vic Elford / Umberto Maglioli

To say 907 025's 1968 Targa Florio was eventful is quite the understatement. There are many points along the nearly 45 mile lap to catch a driver out, no doubt most are handled by a bit of off-throttle opposite lock and quickly forgotten about. Partnered with Targa Florio legend Umberto Maglioli (wins in '53 and '56), Quick Vic qualified 907 025 on pole, putting them both in prime position to capitalize on the speed of his Porsche. Elford later credited his speed to his slightly loose style of driving he first honed in Rallycross back home in England and a mental pace notes system, very useful throughout the long Targa lap.
As is tradition, each car starts the Targa Florio in 20 second intervals. With the prototypes starting last Elford blasted away on his first lap; he was through the town of Cerda, heading into the mountains, just 10 km from the start before 025 suddenly had no drive. Fearing the worst, he got out and noticed the centerlock wheel nut had come loose on the right rear, removing the wheel from its splines. At that point Elford recalls the, 'most amazing scene I have ever experienced.' 'Before I could even get the jack out of the car, spectators swarmed down from their vantage points above the road and physically lifted the car while I retightened the wheel.' Continuing on, Elford and 907 025 reached 'Bivio Polizzi', the unofficial pitstop halfway through the lap . Once there, Porsche race mechanics replaced the rear wheel and Elford continued.

Again, just a few kilometers down the road, in a much faster downhill section, the same wheel nut loosened. 907 025 left the road with the result being a broken magnesium wheel and a punctured front tire. As before, the race-mad locals came to the aid of Elford and 025. The rear wheel was once again retightened and the front received a space-saver spare! Starting off slowly, Elford's confidence in the stopgap solution grew and he was soon 'flat-out' with 025 on the run back to the pits. With all four wheels and centerlock nuts changed he was sent back out for his second lap, albeit 18 minutes behind the leading car. With overall victory out of sight Elford decided that he would aim for the lap record, however he didn't count on 907 025 lasting through a day long qualifying session!

After three incident free laps Elford pulled in and handed 907 025 to his co-driver Umberto Maglioli. As a solo winner of the Targa Florio in both 1953 in a Lancia D20 and 1956 in a Porsche 550 Spyder, Maglioli was known to have the elusive combination of speed and ability to keep his car in perfect condition. True to form, after just two laps, the Italian handed 907 025 back to Elford in the very same condition he received it, now up into fourth place. Porsche timekeepers had noticed during Maglioli's time at the wheel that Elford and 025 had been so quick in his first stint they had a chance to catch the leading Alfa Romeo if they could keep their qualifying pace for the last three laps.

Leaving the pits once again Elford and 025 would reel off three successive lap records, the last more than one minute faster than the previous record. With half a lap to go 907 025 passed Alfa's leading Tipo 33/2 and extended that lead to over three minutes at the finish! Furthermore, 907 025 lopped nearly 10 minutes off the previous best race time finishing in an incredible record time of 6 hours 28 minutes and 47.9 seconds which included the 18 minutes to retighten and replace the 907s wheels on the first lap. Incredible stuff from both Elford and 907 025 with both Elford, Maglioli, and the 907 receiving top billing on that world famous Porsche race victory poster.

907 025 – Post Targa Florio 1969-1970 – Siegfried 'Sigi' Lang

Slowly phased out during the second half of the 1968 race season, the life of any 907 as an entrant by the Porsche factory was a short one. The motorsport department realized they were in a horsepower war and soon created the 908, in effect a 3.0-liter 907. 907 025's crowning achievement, winning the Targa Florio, would be its final time entered and raced by Porsche System Engineering, however it was not the end of its competitive racing career. Sold to Siegfried Lang and entered by his “Valvoline Racing-Team” for 1969 it DNF'd at the Monza 1000 Kms with Rolf Stommelen and Lang at the wheel before racing in a number of local sprint and hillclimb events across Europe to close out the season. With a successful end to his season, it appears that Lang preferred entering 025 in hillclimb events. On most weekends throughout the racing season the European Alps hosted numerous hillclimb contests and, with lower entry and maintenance costs, they proved extremely popular even if they were inherently more dangerous than traditional circuit racing. Lang proved to be a natural fit for these exciting events with his 907, with first places at Eggberg, Rochefort-La Tourne, and Luzzone in 1969. Close to the end of the hillclimb season on 31 August 1969 Lang was involved in a shunt at the Ollon-Villars hillclimb. He saw a silver-lining with an opportunity to have 025 rebuilt - reportedly at Porsche - as an open-cockpit Spyder to better suit the hillclimb competitions he favored so much. Lang and 025 began the 1970 season on the right foot with wins at Riedenburg and the 'Swiss Races' at Hockenheim before a shunt at Eggberg that unfortunately proved fatal. It must be said that the Swiss pilot was known to be friendly and extremely well-liked among the close knit group of European hillclimbers who, like their brethren in Formula One, had gotten used to such tragedy in a very dangerous era of motorsport.

907 025 – Patrick Scalli and Dr. Julio Palmaz

It is understood from the consignor that after Lang's unfortunate accident, 907 025 passed to French racer Gérard Cuynet and then to Pierre de Siebenthal, a former racing pilot and race car preparer. It was in de Siebenthal's possession that 025 came to the attention of noted Porsche prototype authority Dale Miller. Clearly aware of the car's significance in the annals of Porsche and Targa Florio racing history, 907 025 crossed the Atlantic in the year 2000 and entered the workshop of Patrick Scalli of Gloucester, Massachusetts. Miller had entrusted the car to Scalli for his client Dr. Julio Palmaz. In the more than capable hands of Scalli this supremely significant 907 - still in Spyder configuration - would be restored back to its former self that once basked triumphantly in the Sicilian sunshine. Well known across the world as a passionate medical researcher and for inventing the balloon-expandable stent, Dr. Julio Palmaz harbored another passion throughout his life; collecting special Porsche race cars. Not simply concerned with owning a 550 Spyder, Dr. Palmaz owned the 1956 Targa Florio winning 550 driven by Maglioli. No normal 917 would do; Palmaz located and purchased 917 023, the 1970 Le Mans 24 Hour winner driven by Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood. As so it was with his choice of 907. Dr. Palmaz sought out the most historically important example extant - 907 025.

Scalli recollects that the Spyder frame was placed on a chassis table and was 'in reasonably good condition' however he notes in a letter (a digital copy of which is on file) that the accompanying body 'was in very poor condition.' While Scalli perfected the frame to return it to coupe configuration, he notes that, 'the original numbered engine was sent to Carl Thompson in Long Beach California.' There in the experienced hands of Gustav Nitsche the original 2.2-liter flat eight was rebuilt to original specifications. With 025 nearing completion in Gloucester the chassis and engine were reunited in the summer of 2002 with an initial shakedown occurring at a local closed course; a day surely full of fantastic sights and sounds for those fortunate to be in attendance! Scalli then matter of factly notes that, 'Once completed and tested it was shipped to its owner, Dr. Julio Palmaz, of Napa, California.' As chronicled above, the Porsche sports racing prototype collection of Dr. Palmaz was at that time the finest assembled in one location - with the possible exception of the Porsche Museum itself. While with Dr. Palmaz, 907 025 took pride of place in his winery's display room. Under Dr. Palmaz's stewardship, this 907 was twice a winner at Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, in 2007 in the Targa Florio Class, and later in 2012 as the winner of the Corporate Award for the Best Example of Race Car Engineering.

907 025 – Recent History

In 2012 and for the next four years, the well-awarded 907 025 would join the fantastic collection of automobiles in the Fica Frio collection. Unsurprisingly, several of the finest Porsche examples contained within were sourced directly from Dr. Palmaz. Full of vintage race cars, Fica Frio would feature the-best-of-the-best automobiles from the golden era of racing of the 1960s and 1970s. While there is no evidence that Fica Frio put this Targa Florio - and Amelia - winning 907 in harm's way on the race track it must be safely assumed that they occasionally ensured that the 2.2-liter flat-eight remained in fine fettle. Perhaps with priorities changing, 907 025 then entered the consignor's collection in 2015. In advance of taking delivery, the consignor requested that Paul Willison, former longtime mechanic and crew member for Brumos Racing and owner of Willison Werkstatt review the car, make the necessary adjustments, and perform a road test. Today, it is in very similar condition to when it left Scalli's workshop just over 20 years ago, a testament to the quality of his restoration and the care and maintenance it has received since then. To put it mildly, the opportunity to find, and possibly acquire a Targa Florio winning Porsche - let alone the chassis noted by Porsche as achieving their storied 1968 race win - is ephemeral. Porsche 907 025, raced in Florida and across the European continent and piloted by racing legend Vic Elford is hands-down one of the most world-famous Porsche prototype racers of the 1960s - even if it didn't appear on Porsche's victory poster.

*Please note that additional history file information is available upon request to qualified bidders