This car was very special : it was run for as much as nine years and seventy thousand miles. It also appeared under many disguises, from the original 935 body to the K3, 934, again 935K3 and 930S. It was a car which destiny was bound to earn many race success, until 1986. Dick Barbour purchased one of the 935/78 that the Porsche factory offered for sale. Dick Barbour, Brian Redman and John Paul Sr drove this new car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He also entered a 935/77, which Bob Garretson, Steve Earle and Bob Akin would drive, and this car would be badly damaged when Bob Garretson had an horrifying accident on the Mulsanne straight. Trying to avoid a much slower car, the car was completely destroyed, but Bob Garretson emerged unhurt. Back to the US, the wreckage was completely stripped from every part. A new chassis had been purchased from the factory, and a new car was being built, using some of the salvaged parts. The chassis was number 0090030, and the car was ready for the 1979 Le Mans race. From the four cars entered by the Dick Barbour Racing Team, this one was the most efficient, and it ended up in second place with Rolf Stommelen, Paul Newman and Dick Barbour at the wheel. The team again placed second at the Watkins Glen 6 Hour race. In 1980, the Dick Barbour cars were now owned by Bob Garretson, and John Fitzpatrick became the new team lead driver. He and Dick Barbour drove one of the new Porsche 935K3, purchased from the Kremer Bros in Germany. The Old war horse was converted to K3 specs before the Sebring race. Bob Garretson, Bobby Rahal and Kees Nierop drove the car to a ninth place finish, while John Fitzpatrick and Dick Barbour won the race in the real K3. At Riverside, Bobby Rahal and Bob Garretson finished second, behind the sister car. Then, after a string of bad results, Bobby Rahal took a second place at Sears Point, and a third place finish at Road America with Bob Garretson. In 1981, Bob Garretson and Dick Barbour teams would separate, and the car would remain at the Bob Garretson shop, for further improvements. The suspensions would be modified by Jerry Woods, while the body was altered to provide better aerodynamics and improved intercooling for the engine. Bob Garretson would enter the 1981 Championship, with various co-drivers, and he would win the World Endurance Drivers Championship, as well as the Porsche Team Cup. Brian Redman, Bobby Rahal and Bob Garretson had begun the season by winning the 24 Hour of Daytona race. The car, which was slightly modified, was used as a rent-a-car in 1982. Because of a limited budget, the car would be raced whenever a driver would pay for it. Otherwise, it would remain at home. The last 1982 race of a six race string was the Le Mans race, where Bob Garretson, Anny Charlotte Verney and Ray Ratcliff placed eleventh. At the end of the season, the car would be sold to Wayne Baker, who wanted to convert it to GTO specs. It would be raced as a 934! Gone were all the aerodynamics devices and narrower wheels were compulsory. Single ignition and single turbo were required too. Wayne Baker had kept most of Bob Garretson's crew and the team would strengthen the chassis, taking advantage of the rules, also using some new fiberglass equipment to provide some aerodynamic assistance. Jerry Woods redesigned a new induction system, with a larger air to air intercooler. It was then critical to maintain the engine's performance because of the restrictions added by the small wheels and higher weight. The car proved better than they expected, with an unequaled overall win for Wayne Baker and Jim Mullen at Sebring. It was the only time a lower class car won overall, and it was not an underrated win! The team won their class at Riverside, Charlotte, took a second at Lime Rock. At Sears Point, however, the car would be partly destroyed when Jim Mullen had an off road excursion. The grass caught fire and the rear end of the car took fire. The car would be repaired, as every member of the team would set to work on the car. The car would start the race and finish third in class in what seems to be a feat. Wayne Baker and Jim Mullen won again their class at Portland. Another fifth place in classs earned Wayne Baker the GTO Championship. Not so bad for a car which was not so young! For the Daytona Finale race, the car was again converted to 935K3 specs. It would be raced at the 1984 24 Hours of Daytona, and the team placed fifth overall. It would be run in some other races in 1984 and placed ninth at the 1985 24 Hours of Daytona, but it was clearly outclassed. The GTP cars now ruled the IMSA Championship. Chet Vincentz had run a Porsche 934 which also had been converted from a 935, but the car was to be destroyed in a test session at Riverside. He would purchase the 935K3 back from Wayne Baker and convert it back again to 934 specs. The old war horse would simply never die! He would use a 962 engine, however. Chet Vincentz had some high placings with that car, but the car was not a contender for the class win. For 1986, he would again modify his newly acquired car, adding a slant nose to the 934, for better aerodynamics. The rules allowed him to do it since Porsche had a 930S, with a similar slope nose. He placed second at Road Atlanta behind Scott Pruett Ford Mustang. He also had a great race at West Palm Beach, finishing fourth after starting from the back of the grid. He scored two other top ten placings in 1986. In 1987, Chet Vincentz and co-driver John Bauer's best placing was a fifth at West Palm Beach. The car was clearly outdated and could simply not be a contender to the GTO tubeframe cars. By the end of the 1987 season, Chet Vincentz retired the car. It has become a show car which deserved some rest, at last! This "old war horse" is one of the most versatile and successful car ever.

Chet Vincentz drove this impressive Porsche 930S, which began life as a Porsche 935.

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