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 The
928 in Le Mans!
(scale 1)
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| Yes
! A 928 ran
in the « 24h du Mans ». And even if it seems a strange idea, it did well. It
finished the race both times it took part. Let’s take a look at the real
car before talking about the 1/43 scale model. |
1983
Everything started
in the autumn of 1982. A mechanic from Limeil-Brevannes, Raymond
Boutinaud bought a slightly damaged 928. He wanted to repair
it for everyday use, but he had also been thinking of taking
part in the 24 hours race for a long time. He didn’t want
to prepare a 930, so with a few friends, he decided to prepare
the 928 : operation 928 L.M. had begun...
The preparation
of the car was very short because a sponsor backed out at the
end of the winter. The main idea was to lighten the car (to
1235 kg which is the minimum weight for group B) and to boost
the engine a bit (350 h.p.). The assistants were putting the
finishing touches to the electric wiring during the "weighing
in" for the event.
During testing, the car stood
out … by clocking the slowest times. The best lap was made in 4’35’’94,
which is 177,769 km/h average (110,336 mph). The car was recorded at 267 km/h
(166 mph) on the straight line of the Hunaudières. This is a huge difference
with Jacky Yckx’s 956 which obtained the pole position in 3’16’’56
(an average of 246,560 km/h (153,20 mph)). The fastest speed was signed by
another 956 (Newman N° 12) with 371km/h (230 mph). This is a difference of
more than 100 km/h (62 mph) between the slowest and the fastest ! |
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The pilots were Raymond
Boutinaud, Alain Lepage and Patrick Gonin.
The race started well : at 19h00
the 928 was 29th on 49 cars, but the front left hub broke and it took
3 hours and 20 minutes to make and fit a new piece. The car then drove well to
the end.
Here are the race events :
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Bilan :
After 24 hours, the Porsche
is 21st but non classified because the distance driven was
too short : 3193,599km (1984,4 miles) at an average of 133,066km/h
(82,68 mph). |
1984
Raymond Boutinaud, encouraged
by the previous year’s race, decides to have another go. After reinforcing
the hubs (911 parts modified), and boosting the engine, he takes
the car to Le Mans.
It is still last in testing,
but laps in 4’28’’74 (182,531 km/h (113,41 mph) average).
The improvement is very noticable even if the car is way behind Bob
Wollek
(3’17’’11 with his Lancia LC3)
This time, the car is driven
by Raymond Boutinaud, Philippe Renault and G.Guinand.
There isn’t much to say
about the race, the car runs well until 10 o’clock the next morning. This
time, it’s the left cylinder head gasket which is tiring. The team has
to slow down till the finish.
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Bilan :
This time the car is classified.
It is 22nd (out of 22...) in general and 3rd in B group with 3475,991
km (2159,88 miles) at an average of 144,832 km/h (89,995 mph). The best lap was
timed at 4’27’’7 (better than in testing). The car used 35,67
litres average per 100 km (7,92 mpg). |
Conclusion :
The 928 L.M. adventure stops
there. Raymond Boutinaud decided not to try again. He still owns the car, even
if, when I saw it in 1995, it looked more like a 5000 piece puzzle. His still
has the intention to race it in GT class. |
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he car has of course been
made into kits. Provence Moulage offered two versions (1983 & 1984)
in the eighties. They are correct apart from a slight mistake in
the colour for the 1983 version. In that year, the car was very well
painted.
The background colour was white, but you can only see it at the
back and on the roof. For the rest, there is a superb arlequin motif
on the
bonnet, and the sides are a beautiful metalic green. The problem
is that the background of the transfers for the sides of the car are
a pretty
blue colour (instead
of green !)
For those who are
interested in the details, the exhaust was on the side that year,
it was just in front of the rear right hand side wheel. There was
a small aluminium protection just above. Raymond Boutinaud says
the car sounded american like that, and he didn’t like it.
The inside was very bare, painted a black matt colour, apart from
the security frame which was an aluminium colour. The car had its
original steering wheel.
The 84' model is faithful.
You can recognize it by its scorpion on the bonnet. R. Boutinaud is Scorpio.
Did he imitate Carlo Abarth ?
There is also a transkit
from which you can make the 1983 tries model. A transkit is a set
of pieces which allows you to make a particular model from a standard
kit bought elsewhere. This technique was used in the 80’s.
The testing version is different
from its race counterpart by the rims which are a different model (RONAL) and
because it had less stickers because the sponsors arrived too late. Unfortunately you
still have to use the transfers with a colour problem.
Whatever the version
you want to build, you will have to be very patient. All these
models are of course out of production, you will have to look for
second-hand models.
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:
Sportwagen
magazine N°34, July 1997 (still available on order)
24
Heures du Mans 1983, ACLA (Automobile Club de l'Ouest) (out of order)
24
Heures du Mans 1984, ACLA (Automobile Club de l'Ouest) (out of order)
You
may find those two books in English version in second hand (good
luck!)
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