1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS

1964 marked a defining year for Porsche, with the introduction of the 911 and 904 Carrera GTS ushering in an exciting new era. Styled under the direction of F.A. “Butzi” Porsche, these models established design and engineering principles that would underpin the company’s future successes on road and track.

The 904 was the first Porsche production model to employ fiberglass construction. Its lightweight body was bonded to a boxed steel chassis, creating an exceptionally rigid structure weighing just 650 kg. The car’s advanced design yielded outstanding aerodynamic efficiency, allowing significantly higher top speeds than Porsche’s earlier Spyder models.

While it represented a radical departure in many respects, the 904 retained Ernst Fuhrmann’s legendary four-cam, four-cylinder engine in its ultimate production form. The highly developed two-liter Type 587/3 featured a plain-bearing crankshaft and produced approximately 180 bhp.

Campaigned by both the Porsche works team and privateers, the 904 proved remarkably versatile, excelling in endurance racing, rallies, and hill climbs while recording more than 300 class and 145 overall wins. Equally significant, it was the last Porsche competition model conceived as a true, dualpurpose machine – capable of winning races while remaining a rewarding high-performance road car.

The example offered here, chassis 904-043, was completed on March 6, 1964, finished in the rare combination of orange paintwork and blue velour upholstery. Just three of the 107 production 904s were originally delivered in orange, the others being 904-023 and 904-055, both sold new in the Netherlands. Shortly after completion, 904-043 was delivered through famed Florida Porsche dealer Brumos to its first owner, Jack Ryan of RBM Motors, a Volkswagen dealer based in Griffin, Georgia.

Ryan acquired this Carrera GTS with assistance from his friend Bill Bencker, a longtime Brumos associate and accomplished amateur racer. The pair had hoped to receive a 904 in time for the 1964 Daytona Continental, but the car allocated to them was instead delivered to a European customer. Chassis 904-043 was then made available and flown into Atlanta before being trailered to Jacksonville days before its debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring.

Assigned race No. 39 and driven by Ryan and Bencker, 904-043 had an eventful outing. Early in the race, it sustained front-end damage and later suffered a rod bearing failure. Despite these setbacks, the pair completed sufficient distance to be classified 31st Overall.

Ryan remained committed to the 904 and campaigned it throughout the remainder of 1964. The Carrera GTS appeared in SCCA and USRRC events across the Southeast, where Ryan’s consistent performances placed him 4th Overall in the SCCA E-Modified standings, behind fellow 904 driver George Barber. Among the season’s highlights was an entry in the Bridgehampton Double 500, one of North America’s most prestigious events. Ryan concluded the year at Bahamas Speed Week, where 904-043 captured class victories in both the Nassau Tourist Trophy and Trophy Race.

For 1965, Ryan overhauled the 904 and expanded his driver lineup by recruiting Ted Tidwell, a champion powerboat racer and Porsche driver known as the “King of the Hill” for his many victories at North Carolina’s Chimney Rock Hill Climb.

The team’s first major outing came at the Daytona Continental in February. Facing a field that included Cobra Daytona Coupes, Ferrari 250 GTOs, and factory-supported Porsche entries, Ryan, Bencker, and Tidwell drove 904-043 to an impressive 9th Overall, 3rd in Class result.

One month later, the team returned to Sebring for another attempt at the famed endurance race. To better suit the demands of the event, 904-043 was fitted with flared front fenders, American Racing magnesium rear wheels, and Goodyear Blue Streak racing tires. Driven by Ryan and Tidwell and wearing race No. 43, the Porsche finished 28th Overall and 5th in Class.

As he had the previous year, Ryan concluded his season at Nassau, entering the 904 in the Tourist Trophy, Porsche Race, and Trophy Race.

For 1966, Ryan shifted focus to campaigning his Porsche 911 and offered 904-043 for sale in Competition Press magazine asking $7,500.

In the late 1960s, chassis 904-043 was offered for sale through Kendon Porsche of Harbor City, California. By this time, the original four-cam engine had been damaged, and prospective buyers were given the option of purchasing the car as-is or with the engine rebuilt.

The Porsche was eventually acquired by Eugene Dodd of Indianapolis, an active Porsche Club of America member and SCCA racer. Dodd sold the original four-cam engine to noted Porsche expert Jim Perrin and installed a 911 T engine in its place. In 1970, he sold 904-043 to Dean Bangert of Orland Park, Illinois, who kept it a short while before advertising it in Autoweek.

Bangert’s advertisement attracted the attention of Dr. David Stinchcomb, an ophthalmologist based in New Mexico. He acquired the car in January 1973 and, upon the arrival of suitable spring weather, traveled to Chicago with a friend to collect it. The pair then drove 904-043 back to Albuquerque, a journey of some 1,200 miles.

Their trip was detailed in “Trial by 904,” published in the December 1974 issue of Porsche Panorama:

“We concluded the trip with a real sense of accomplishment in getting the car back in one piece, and a real appreciation for the intrinsic reliability of the machine. It revealed a potential for extraordinary performance combined with a purity of line unrivalled by any other Porsche race car. Its restoration to a condition more in keeping with its rarity and virtues should provide much satisfaction. The initial thrill of sweeping quickly through the quiet, darkened streets of the Chicago suburbs to begin the 1200 mile journey will not soon be forgotten.”

Remarkably, 904-043 remained in Dr. Stinchcomb’s care for more than five decades. During this period, the car was repainted silver and regularly shown at Roadrunner Region PCA events, and occasionally appeared at club gatherings in Texas and Colorado.

At one such event, Dr. Stinchcomb was approached by an individual who owned the car’s original matching-numbers engine. An agreement was subsequently reached to reunite the surviving components, including the original case, cylinder heads, and crankshaft, which accompany the car today. In addition to its transaxle (904-045), chassis tag, and data plate, 904-043 retains these important original elements, underscoring its well-preserved nature.

More recently, the car was acquired from Dr. Stinchcomb, concluding an extraordinary 50-year custodianship. Now offered for the first time in decades, 904-043 stands apart for its rare original color scheme, documented period competition history at Sebring, Daytona, Bridgehampton, and Nassau, long-term enthusiast ownership, and uncommon authenticity. In all respects, it is a truly exceptional example of Porsche’s groundbreaking 904 Carrera GTS.