RUF's one-off eighties wild child
This Porsche was originally purchased new in 1984 from a dealer in Illinois, USA. Upon delivery, the new owner/collector immediately wanted to improve the performance of his 911 and soon called upon Tore Johnson, the U.S. RUF importer and builder in Long Beach, California, to upgrade this new Carrera 3.2 to RUF BTR specification. A thoroughly comprehensive project, the car's mechanicals were overhauled as follows: Engine displacement increased to 3.4-litres, conversion to twin-plug ignition, installation of a turbocharger, quad-pipe exhaust system, RUF 5-speed manual transmission, Recaro leather seats, RUF instrument clusters and steering wheel, Simpson race harness, and RUF 5-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels.
The vision for this build didn't simply end with power upgrades from RUF, however. When the car left the U.S. based RUF workshop, it was sent to Alan Johnson Racing in San Diego. Well known for his competition focused Porsche builds and racing program, Johnson was contracted to craft an alloy body for the BTR inspired by the Porsche 935. In the hands of Alan Johnson Racing, the BTR received full custom coachwork finished in red.
With nearly 400bhp and a body resembling a 935 Le Mans racer, this Carrera is a far cry away from its original delivery specifications. Once completed, the car rolled 2,000 miles on the odometer showing at events and mildly being used at track days around Illinois and Wisconsin. Identified as the RUF RSR, the car would be road tested and recognised in the book ‘The World's Fastest Cars’ in 1989. Shortly after the build was completed, the owner of this Porsche would become the U.S. distributor for RUF parts and components.
With direct access to RUF, this project remained at the leading edge of RUF Automobile RmbH's innovations. Upon the introduction of the company's new 3.5 litre engine, it was decided that the old 3.4 litre unit would be pulled out after only powering the car for 2,000 miles. The search for ever increasing power outputs comes with its own gambles unfortunately. Upon the new platform's first track outing, the engine failed, and the car was left immobile. The project remained dormant from this point on, sitting for over 20 years.
In 2015, the car was purchased by the current owner, who was eager to continue the legacy of this fabulous Porsche and return the car back to running order. The RUF RSR was put in the hands of Perfect Power, a shop widely known in the Porsche community for their history of high performance road cars and racing success. Although many of the original engine parts for the car were still present, including the crank case, it was decided that the project would be best served by sourcing an entirely new engine. As such, a twin-turbo 3.8 litre engine built by Protomotive found its new home in the back of the 911 mated to RUF's later 6-speed transmission. This fire breathing engine now puts out over 700bhp to the wheels at full boost. The staggering power output provides insane performance on track while remaining reliable and usable for regular road use.
Bonhams will be offering this truly one-of-a-kind 1984 RUF Modified Porsche 911 "RUF RSR” at their upcoming Amelia Island Auction on the 7th March. For more information on this and other vehicles at the sale, click on the link below. Photos courtesy of Bonhams.