1969 Porsche 911S Project Car

As we learned in Science 101, liquids flow. So too do electricity and air. Water distributes itself similarly, but, as the project car is a true 911, there is no need to discuss that particularly overrated compound. The importance of fuel and electricity are self-evident and are covered here, not to show what has been done to enhance these systems but to reveal what has not and to explain why.

Air flow, as it pertains to the car's aerodynamics, will be addressed later when the S finally moves to the racetrack for testing. A selection of front spoilers and rear wings has been readied for the car so that different combinations can be evaluated to determine which works best with the new suspension and braking systems. A few other wind-cheating devices have also been added to see if there is any way to diminish the drag coefficient of the dated silhouette.

As with every automobile on the road, the most important compound flowing through the 911 is oil. But the viscous fluid is not simply the lubricating medium of the flat six, it is an intrinsic part of keeping the engine cool. It is the machine's lifeblood.

In 1969, the 911S models were equipped with a secondary, radiator-type oil cooler tucked into the forward section of the right front fender. The small horn grille between the hood and blinker was the only opening for fresh air, making this area less than optimal. For the competition RSR, the Weissach engineers relocated the oil cooler to the center of the front air dam.

Following Porsche's example and taking advantage of the RS-style spoiler that was fitted to the S, the original oil cooler was replaced with a larger, front-mounting unit from B&B Performance Exhaust. Designed for the 911, the B&B cooler fills the center opening in both the RS and RSR spoilers. Set low in the nose, the cooler receives an unobstructed air stream.

To further improve the cooler's efficiency, the trunk box was modified by Mark Spraker of Euro-Tek, a fabrication shop in Costa Mesa, California. By reshaping the box, Spraker created a cavity behind the cooler to allow the airflow to pass cleanly through the unit and then emerge under the car, thus eliminating the pressure which would have built up behind the cooler at speed.

Engine oil was transported to the original fender cooler by solid lines snaking through the chassis. I planned to incorporate these lines into the upgrade until concerns were raised that their inside diameter was too small to accommodate the increased oil flow required by the new 2.7-liter motor.

The stock lines were left in place, but the oil was rerouted via a new set of external lines obtained from Performance Products in Van Nuys, Calif. These tubes are replacement parts for the 1974-89 911 and are mounted outside the chassis just below the passenger-side rocker panel. They are the simplest way to add an auxiliary front cooler to any 911 that did not come so equipped from the factory.