It Took 72 Hours For This Porsche 356 To Reset a Record
This 356 covered nearly 7,000 miles in that time span.
World Record
Richard von Frankenberg is a famous name in Porsche history, a race car driver and journalist who also created the official magazine of the automaker, dubbed Christophorus. The very first issue of that rag revisited the time he set a new automotive world record in 1951 with a Porsche 356 SL in the 1.5-liter class with an average speed of 152.34 km/h (95 mph) over a distance of 10,987 kilometers (6,827 miles), covered in 72 hours, including all of his requisite pit stops.
Photos: Porsche
Along for the Ride
Von Frankenberg - fearless race car driver, roving reporter, and innovative publicist - was born in Darmstadt in 1922, and was a massive Porsche fan who craved speed. That much is evident from his recollection of the day he reset this particular record, as he takes us along for the ride with great detail.
Photos: Porsche
The Setting
This historic event took place at the once-famous L’autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry course near Paris. Each lap is 2.54 kilometers (1.58 miles) long, while the oval-shaped course consists of two straight lines and two steep turns with a concave profile, allowing for speeds well over 200 km/h (124 mph).
Photos: Porsche
Dizzying Experience
What makes this particular experience even more impressive is the fact that it caused the driver to be nauseous and dizzy, tooling around the track for the equivalent of three straight days. "As you approach the steep turn, it towers before you like a wall. Once you're inside, it's like driving on a normal road. That is, until the steep turn levels out again and, for just a moment, you don’t know what’s up and what’s down."
Photos: Porsche
Switching Off
"The record-breaking driver is the loneliest person in the world," von Frankenberg recalled. Together with co-drivers Walter Glöckler, Fritz Huschke von Hanstein, Petermax Müller, and Hermann Ramelow, the group completes each lap in just 57 seconds, taking stints of two hours each to prevent fatigue.
Photos: Porsche
Holding Up
As is usually the case, this record didn't come terribly easy, either. With Ramelow behind the wheel, the 356 shredded not just one, but two fan belts along the way, which is notable since the rules only allow one replacement. Ultimately, the second belt held up, and the crew walked away with the experience of a lifetime - and a brand-new record to boot.
Photos: Porsche
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