ATTACK OF THE CLONE
It’s a 993 RS in all but its VIN plate, that would have most experts fooled. We take a drive in the ultimate clone
In keeping with the pro 993 theme of this issue, we've been saving this Speed Yellow machine up to offset the Blues Brothers duo that have have been rampaging across the preceding pages.
In order to touch base with what is clearly a 993 RS, we're in a surprisingly quiet corner of a typical Slough trading estate at Heritage Autowerks, a Porsche outfit that tends to fly under the radar but has some serious clients that require serious service and builds. Parked up outside are a couple of Singer modded 911s and sitting on a ramp inside is a 993 GT2. But actually all is not quite as it seems. The 993 RS is – not that you would know it, even after forensic examination – a replica, as is the GT2 for that matter. The Singers? Oh, they're real all right. Heritage Autowerks is the UK service agent for the American built masterpieces.
Heritage Autowerks is the domain of genial American, Greg Cranmer. He sits behind a desk that is made from the bootlid of a Ferrari 250 SWB, and amongst the general Porsche and Ferrari memorabilia that adorns the walls is a framed poster for the puppet spoof film 'Team America', which marks him out as a man of acutely developed comic taste and one who is not afraid of poking fun at his own country. We like him and we like the car, too.
For Greg, this 993 RS rep is a rolling example of his art and eye for detail, built for a client who wanted the best, but not necessarily the baggage that comes with a real RS these days. By that we mean he wanted a car that could be driven rather than worshipped from a safe distance.
The starting point was a 993 Carrera 2, manual in Speed Yellow, with sports seats and suspension. Nice car, rare colour at a time when most 993s were rather more subdued, and ideal for RS transformation. It arrived with Greg looking rather tired and in four different shades of yellow, but mechanically sound. Greg's client had recently bought the car from its previous owner who had had a great deal of work done on it mechanically with 9m, which included a desirable 9m/colin Belton built engine, lightweight flywheel, limited-slip diff, full RS suspension, RS mounts and gear linkage. It was kind of close to an RS, but at the same time barely within touching distance, when it came to the details that really go the extra mile to finish the job. And finish the job was exactly what the new owner and Greg set out to do. The brief
was for the 'works' and a 'crisp' replica.
There's only one way to tackle such a job and that's to strip and start again. And besides, this C2 was suffering the indignity of a sunroof, which obviously needed to go. A big job, says Greg, that involves drilling out all the spot welds, but worth it for authenticity. And while the shell was stripped it was soundproofed with Wurth sound proofing foil, to make it a little more refined on the road. The interior received full RS treatment, with colour coded, hardshell sports seats, door cards, carpets and steering wheel. Any tired trim and switchgear was replaced, too.
A genuine factory bodykit is complemented by genuine RS split-rim Speedlines, with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, that according to Greg really change the dynamic of the car. The geometry was set up on a full Beissbarth suspension rig.
Finally, the engine was sent back to 9m for a build more in keeping with its RS aspirations, which included 9m's billet aluminium cylinder heads, cams, Varioram upgrade and a new clutch for good measure. This build isn't short of paperwork and invoices, but the £27,000 for this work alone does rather catch the eye. The result, though, is a healthy 330bhp, which is a good 30bhp up on standard.
The result is indistinguishable from the real thing and has the most picky of experts fooled. Even detailers to the stars, Topaz Detailing, who fitted the paint protection film, and who get close-up and personal with every type of Porsche, didn't spot that they were effectively fitting up a fake.
Greg is happy for us to take the yellow peril for a spin and we don't need to be persuaded. As it stands, this homage is effectively the last of the air-cooled RSS and the last to use the compact 911 bodyshell, albeit with the full 30+ years of 911 development and evolution. This is most noticeable in the suspension department, with the LSA (Lightweight Stable Axle) rear suspension. The engine and six-speed gearbox are considerably more advanced than even the 964 RS and light years ahead of the mechanically injected 2.7 RS of 20-years previous. Indeed, compared to the original RS, the 993, replica or not, is bordering on civilised. It's all relative though and the current digital 991 RS is a different beast again sharing only the traditional rear-engined layout and 911 silhouette.
A run up the M4 beckons – which the 993 handles perfectly well – before peeling off
This homage is effectively the last of the air-cooled RSS
for the Marlborough Downs and some proper roads. Stable is the word for the faux 993 RS experience. Perhaps lifted from the LSA suspension designation, the homage feels planted in a way that no “other air-cooled 911 does, to the point that it’s not immediately apparent that it’s rear engined, helped no doubt by its low centre of gravity, too. It's obvious that some tricks of the 993's suspension were fast-tracked on to the 996.
The extra bite of the 9m built engine gives the 993 a different feel from the mid- range up. The air-cooled chunter and chatter is still there, peaking with a howl and augmented by the lightweight flywheel and non-damped clutch, while the gear change is mechanically satisfying. Again it's a big step from the raw 964 RS, but then Porsche probably didn't want to replicate that hardcore experience. And I realise that we are largely referring to this as an RS, and comparing it to other RSS, but then that's effectively what it is. And of all the aircooled RS models it is the most useable, while still retaining its edge.
Ah, useable. Perhaps that is ultimately the point of this car. With 993 RS prices where they are (currently around £300,000), then a replica is a way to get to the action without risking the investment, although to build one might actually be beyond its completed value nowadays, with a decent donor 993 coming in at, say, £50,000+ for a good Varioram C2. But that is not necessarily the point. Whatever the variables, here is a 993 RS rep, built to the very highest of standards, that would fool anyone and delivers the complete RS experience.
It's just one path to tread. Others are available as illustrated, with the Blues Brothers duo. For some folk, what comes out of the factory is just the starting point, a blank canvas. And then there's folk like Greg Cranmer who can take the canvas and create a masterpiece. Sadly we had to give it back. PW
The extra bite of the 9m engine gives the 993 a different feel