1966 Porsche 906

If the new owner knew that 906.016 was a weird but very real chassis number, and that it had both factory development and extensive race history, then he had the unfair advantage

When introduced in 1966 the Porsche 906-marketed generally as the “Carrera 6”-combined a multi-tubular space-frame chassis with strikingly low and curvaceous lightweight fiberglass body paneling aimed at minimum aerodynamic drag. It marked Porsche’s response to new FIA governing body regulations introduced for the 1966 season, which specified a minimum production requirement of 50 identical units before a model could qualify for homologation within the new Group 4 Sports class. According to a fax from factory customer racing director and former works driver Jürgen Barth, Porsche 906 chassis 016 was originally a works test car and participated in the 1966 Le Mans test weekend, registered “S-XE37.” Barth goes on to list the first private owner as a “W. Bock” in Italy, who purchased the Porsche 906 on May 12, 1967. Invoices with the car document its restoration and subsequent maintenance, and a report carried out on behalf of the current owner in 1998 by respected Porsche authority Dale Miller is available. To summarize, Mr. Miller believes the chassis to be genuine and the engine and transaxle to be of the correct type, but not necessarily original. The coachwork was, in common with many 906s, replaced during restoration. Mr. Miller notes in passing that chassis 016 was one of two early development cars, the other being 017. Sold strictly “as seen” but offering exceptional value, this competition coupe is “on the button,” ready to compete in a variety of events and even road registered. It offers the successful purchaser the chance to acquire a classic sports-prototype at a level usually associated with production road cars, leaving ample room to improve upon details of the restoration when and if it suits the owner.