Porsche 934: the forgotten fire-breather
If we asked you to think of a turbocharged racer built by Weissach in the Seventies, the chances are you would picture the slantnosed Porsche 935, probably in the ‘K3’ specification that Erwin Kremer’s team used to win the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Thanks to its dramatic spoilers, wings and arches, the 935, in all its various specifications, is a truly memorable 911, aided by the evocative Martini livery they were campaigned in by the factory Porsche squad. However, it was not Weissach’s only forced-induction sports racer.
Built to the more restrained Group 4 parameters, the Porsche 934 was launched alongside the 935 in 1976. Like the 935, the 934 was homologated for racing by the 930, a car that more than exceeded the FIA’s stipulated production figure of “400 units over a period not exceeding 24 consecutive months”.
Apart from the reduced production requirement, the Group 4 guidelines were mostly carried across from the Group 2 regulations for touring cars. The latter controlled bespoke motorsport Modifications, instead placing much of its emphasis on stock componentry.
Iconic racers like the BMW 3.0 CSL ‘Batmobile’ had proved popular with fans and drivers in Group 2, with the rules transferring over to the ‘Special Grand Tourers’.
The rules dictated that the standard road-going shell had to be maintained (with lightening of the structural coachwork and chassis elements not permitted). However, reinforcement of the chassis was allowed, leading to the 934 gaining an X-shaped cross brace between the front wheels.
This helped stabilise the movement of the MacPherson strut front suspension, which retained the same pickup points as the Porsche 930 road car. The 934 did gain adjustable Bilstein coilover dampers all round though, with antiroll bars front and rear to add extra stiffness during cornering.
Compared to the 930, the 934’s handling also benefitted from widened three-piece BBS wheels. The 16-inch rims measured 10.5 inches wide on the front axles, with an extra two inches of girth at the rear.
To read more about the history of the 934, including the tale of Vasek Polak and his Trans-Am dominance, order Total 911 issue 120 online or download it straight to your digital device now.
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