The vehicle received extensive modifications to the body and the air-cooled four-cylinder engine before being driven by technicians to the race and given the chassis number 063 (056). Piloted by Auguste Veuillet and Edmond Mouche, the car lined up 45th on the grid. Over the race, it reportedly performed flawlessly for the team even through unsavory rainy conditions, finishing 20th overall but more importantly, winning its 751-1100cc class. This win cemented its place in motorsports history and Porche’s position as a serious performance automaker from that point onwards.
So, how on earth does a car as famous as this end up halfway across the world? Well, after a very successful year of racing throughout Europe, the model was sold to John von Neumann of California who became the brand’s West Coast distributor. Unfortunately, von Neumann decided to cut the roof off of the vehicle and had it repaired and repainted red, eradicating the vehicle’s esteemed history.