Lot K151.1 Kissimmee 2023 Jan 4-15

1959 Porsche 718 RSK Center Seat

Chassis No. 718-028 Main Attraction

The Rick Grant III Estate Collection

• Engine

  1587cc

• Trans

  5-Speed

• Color

  Silver

• Interior

  Tan

Estimate

$3,500,000 - $4,000,000

Highlights

• Chassis No. 718-028, Engine No. 90220
• Only 34 Porsche 718 RSKs were built and reportedly six were built in center seat configuration
• Only four 718 RSKs were factory-built with the ability to convert between center and offset steering
• Built in April 1959 and delivered new with center-seat adaptation to Christian Goethals of Belgium, who raced the car for one season
• Won 1st Overall at the 1959 Leopoldville Grand Prix in the Belgian Congo
• Placed 6th Overall and 3rd in Class at the 1960 Buenos Aires 1000km Grand Prix
• Two overall victories at the Lance Anvers hillclimb in Belgium
• Original Wendler bodywork, Type 547/3 engine and transaxle
• 1587cc DOHC flat-4 engine
• Dual Weber 46 IDM1 carburetors
• 5-speed manual transaxle
• Helically-finned 4-wheel drum brakes
• The car converts from center seat configuration to a left-hand drive two-seater in a few hours
• Part of the Rick Grant Collection since 1990
• Restored for vintage racing
• Campaigned by Grant Motorsports in more than 100 vintage racing events with John Higgins driving
• The engine was rebuilt by Porsche 4-cam master Bill Doyle at Rennwagen
• Class Award Winner at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance
• Sold on a Bill of Sale

Immensely successful with factory drivers and skilled, well-heeled privateers, Porsche’s 718 RSK Spyder debuted in 1957 with the purpose-built competition spaceframe and Type 547 roller-crankshaft, DOHC powerplant ushered in by the prior 550 Spyder. Capable of defeating many seemingly more formidable opponents, the 718 RSK finished third overall—a Porsche first—at Le Mans in 1958. Since the FIA approved full envelope-type bodies for the 1957-58 Formula 2 seasons, the 718 RSK was also available with a center-mounted steering box and scored further victories so equipped at Reims and Avus. Of the as few as 34 built, only an estimated six 718 RSK Spyders were built with center-steering, and of them, four were factory-built with provisions to quickly switch between center- and offset-steering configurations for F2 and sports-car races, including this 718 RSK, Chassis No. 718-028.

Built in April 1959, this 718 RSK was delivered new with the center-seat adaptation to successful privateer racer Christian Goethals of Belgium. In addition to finishing fourth with 718-028 in the car’s first race at the 1959 German Grand Prix, Goethals drove this 718 RSK to victory at the 1959 Leopoldville Grand Prix in the Belgian Congo. In 1960, Goethals co-drove 718-028 with Curt Delfosse to sixth overall and third in class at the Buenos Aires 1000km Grand Prix. Other notable outings in 1960 included a class win at the Formula Libre Prix de Paris at Montlhèry and a second-place podium at Spa. Additionally, Goethals scored two overall victories at Belgium’s Lance Anvers hillclimb.

After the season, Goethals commissioned Porsche to install a 1600cc engine at the factory in Stuttgart, where the car remained until Goethals sold the car to Carmelo Guiffre of Mohawk, New York. Guiffre shipped 718-028 from Germany to the United States and later sold the car to G.F. Leydorf Jr. After years of perseverance and a very lucrative trade offer, Rick Grant of Dayton, Ohio, was finally able to acquire 718-028 from Leydorf. Grant had it restored for vintage racing and entered it into more than 100 events with John Higgins driving.

Displayed at the 2009 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, 718-028 retains most of its original Wendler alloy bodywork. The twin-Weber carbureted type 547/3 engine (No. 90220) was rebuilt by Porsche 4-cam expert Bill Doyle at California’s Rennwagen Motor Company. Documents with the car include letters and telegrams dated 1963-64 from Goethals to Guiffre, shipping invoices for the car’s export from Germany to New York in 1964, an original Porsche 718 RSK Spyder driver’s manual and a Telefax from Jurgen Barth of Porsche stating the car’s factory engine and gearbox numbers. A true racing icon, 718-028 is eligible for myriad exclusive vintage racing events because it has the option to convert from center-seat to two-seat configuration.

Documents

Photo from Indy SVRA in 2014


Photo from Indy SVRA in 2014