Le Mans 24 Hours, 20/21 June 1964: Porsche 904/8 of Edgar Barth/Herbert Linge before the start of the race
The introduction of the Type 904 heralded a new direction for Porsche’s race cars. Gone were the aluminium-bodied racers, as the 904 spearheaded a generation of GRP-bodied Porsches that culminated in the World Manufacturers’ Championship title, and that all-important Le Mans 24 Hour crown. This is Part II of the Porsche at Le Mans story…
Porsche at Le Mans 1964 – June 20/21
For Porsche, the 1964 motor racing season represented a watershed, insofar as its race cars were concerned. Aimed at the FIA 2.0-litre Grand Touring category, 1964 saw the introduction of the Porsche 904 Carrera GTS, the first of the so-called ‘plastic’ Porsches. The FIA stipulated that 100 examples of the 904 were required in order to meet homologation requirements, which meant that a roadgoing version would also be needed as Porsche thought it unlikely that they would sell that quantity of full blown racers.
