German
The 904 is a hodgepodge mixture of Carrera, Spyder and the new 901. The factory plans to drop a few eight-cylinder engines into the roomy chassis and run them as works prototypes, leaving private customers to compete in the GT division with Old Faithful, the four-cam four-cylinder, now with slightly larger valves and pumping out a reliable 180 DIN bhp.
The "GTS," as it is called nowhere but in script on the right rear fender, is in living fiberglass; a Porsche patented version thereof called Pantal. The shells are molded by Heinkel and bonded directly to the frame side-rails, thereby gaining 50 % rigidity. The frame, comprising wide- based box sections, looks light but awfully archaic. If you prang it, body and chassis (both designed by Porsche's Schroeder, who also did the more aesthetically - pleasing 901) must be replaced as a whole unit.
The front suspension, derived from the Formula I cars, consists of double A-frames, coil springs and telescopic shock absorbers. At the rear, radius rods lead to a complicated system involving a single lower control arm, a reversed upper wishbone, an angled hub carrier, non-splined but double U-jointed halfshafts, a link to the anti-roll bar, coil springs and telescopic shocks. An anti-roll bar is also used at the front; other than these, there's not a torsion bar in sight. All pretty hairy, but it does give GP-caliber road holding.
The five-speed transmission is a beefed-up version of the 901 unit, disposed behind the rear axle (engine amidships) and Dunlop-Ate disc brakes, similar to the 901's, are used at all four wheels. If you have a Teutqnic posterior, the bucket seats should fit well. They don't adjust; like Ford's Mustang, the steering wheels and pedals swing fore and aft.
If, by some chance, the 904 is not the potent weapon it's expected to be in the two-liter class, the factory still has the eight-cylinder to offer as an option.
ENGINE:
Air-cooled horizontally opposed four, 4 main bearings.
Bore x stroke. . . . . . .3.62 x 2.92 in, 92 x 74 mm
Displacement. .. . .. .. . . . . . .120 cu in, 1966 cc
Compression ratio. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .9.8 to one
Carburetion. . . . Two Weber 46 DCOE downdraft Valve gear. .
Four gear- and tower-driven overhead camshafts
Power (DIN)......................... .180 bhp @ 7000 rpm
Torque. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148.3 Ib-ft @ 5000 rpm
Specific output. .1.5 bhp per cu in, 91.5 bhp per liter
CHASSIS:
Unit-construction, steel box-section rails reinforced with fiberglass superstructure.
Wheelbase. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90.5 in
Track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F 51.8 in, R 51.6 in
Length. . . . .161 in, width 60.6 in, height 42.0 in
Ground clearance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4.8 in
Curb weight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1435 Ibs
Weight distribution front/rear. . . . . . . . . .48/52
Pounds per horsepower.. . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . .9.78
Suspension F: Ind., wishbones and coil springs, anti-roll bar.
R: Ind., reversed upper wishbone, single lower control arm, coilsprings, anti-roll bar.
Brakes. . . Dunlop-Ate 9.5 in discs front and rearTires. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dunlop SP 5.90 x 15
DRIVE TRAIN:
Clutch. . . . . . . . . . Haussermann single dry plate
Transmission. . . . . .5-speed all-synchro gearbox
Speed in gears................................................mph
1st. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 49
2nd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 78
3rd...................................................................109
4th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138
5th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162
ACCELERATION: (factory figures):
Zero to.........................................................seconds
30 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 2.4
40 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 3.3
50 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 4.6
60 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 5.7
70 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 6.7
80 mph . . . . . . . :. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 8.4
90 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10.1
100 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12.0,Standing 1,4 mi. . . . . . . . . . . . . .15.0 @ 109 mph
Author: ArchitectPage
