In less than two weeks Monterey 2022 will start and one of the main attractions is a 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 which was previously owned by the late Hollywood actor Paul Walker from the “Fast and Furious” film franchise.
Unlike other Hollywood actors who have very little knowledge of how to drive really fast cars and their driving expertise are only due to cinematic magic, Walker was actually known to be a very skilled driver. He performed many of the driving stunts in the movies he’s in. Over time, the actor who was also a car enthusiast himself, was able to gather a reputable collection of vehicles for his personal use. It was really a tragic time when he met his untimely demise as a passenger in his newly purchased Porsche Carrera GT in 2013 at a young age of 40.
Walker owned many collector cars, and Germany’s finest machines seem to have a special place in his heart. This 911 Carrera RS 2.7 with chassis no. 9113600901 is the epitome of the type of car that Walker seemed to love. In an episode of “The Tonight Show” in 2011, Walker told Jay Leno of the story of when he purchased the 911 Carrera RS 2.7. Walker’s excitement was evident in the episode as he talked about this very special Porsche.
The 911 Carrera RS 2.7 was the brainchild of Ernst Fuhrmann. In 1972, he became the chairman of the board at Porsche. He took inspiration from the recent racing success of the legendary Porsche 917 at the time. It was able to take back-to-back victories at the 1970 and 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans. Fuhrmann felt that Porsche would benefit from taking the lessons from their racing success and incorporating them in the cars like the 911. Porsche produced road-worthy special editions of those cars and it was the ultimate manifestation of the “Win on Sunday and Sell on Monday” mantra.
Starting in the 1950s, they have given the RS moniker – which means Rennsport or race sport – only for the most special of vehicles. The 911 RS 2.7 was homologated for use in the FIA Group 3 Grand Touring series. On the other hand, they produced 60 examples of the 911 RS 2.7 specifically for FIA Group 4 competition.
Porsche engineer Norbert Singer was the man responsible for the development of the 911 RS 2.7. Singer was also the one who was mainly responsible for the development of the all-conquering 917. His name is now immortalized in the form of Singer Vehicle Design. It is the place where vintage Porsches are restored, reimagined, and reborn. It is currently being managed by former car designer Rob Dickinson.
The 911 Carrera RS 2.7 enjoyed success both on track and in the showroom. Porsche initially planned to produce only 500 homologated examples of the car. Fortunately, demand for the car grew so big that Porsche decided to produce 1,580 cars instead. The 911 Carrera RS 2.7 eventually became a real collector’s gem. Even today, the 1973-only model is one of the most coveted performance models in Porsche’s lineup.
Paul Walker’s light-yellow Carrera RS was produced in March 1973 with the Touring package, and it currently has a mileage of 93,774 km. Powering the example is a 2.7-liter, 210 HP flat 6-cylinder engine with Nikasil cylinder coatings and Bosch mechanical fuel injection that is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. Jerry Woods Enterprises in Campbell, California restored the drivetrain and suspension of the example. There are black accents above the yellow paint form a Porsche callout above the rear bumper guards. The windows and headlights were given chrome trim rings to give it an elegant look.
Autobahn Interiors of San Diego restored the black interior of the 911 Carrera RS 2.7, with the beautiful black and white Pepita Houndstooth inserts on the Sport bucket seats. It has VDO gauges, 8,000 rpm tachometer, and a 300 kph speedometer.
Throughout the design of the car, weight-reduction features are notable. The steel body panels are thinner with the standard 911, matched with lighter and thinner windows. It is also evident in the spartan interior, though it was given a heater and defroster to make it easier to drive in colder weather. It is also noticeable in the fiberglass rear deck and lightweight ducktail spoiler with a distinct Carrera RS logo. Completing the lightweight design is a limited-slip differential, flared wheel arches, and Avon tires on Fuchs wheels.
The sale will come with an FIA paperwork.
Monterey 2022 will be held from August 18 to 20, and this 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 is Lot S69 and is estimated at $1,000,000 to $1,250,000.
