Brass Knuckles In A Velvet Glove:<br /> The Lightspeed Classic
Reimagination

The Porsche 911 silhouette – iconic. Around for more than half a century, it remains instantly recognizable through its current 991 incarnation.

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Despite immense technological advancements – in a chassis that some argue has the engine in the wrong place – many believe that the 911 has grown fat and that the muscle definition has been lost.

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Enter the Lightspeed Classic – the 911 re-imagined. Blending unbeatable old school looks with updated mechanicals. The best of both worlds.

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It’s a vision turned into reality by a one-man outfit called Autoaktiv Motorsport in the industrial town of Taufkirchen, just outside Munich. Autoaktiv is run by Ralf Skatulla who is a petrolhead through and through.

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Ralf started as an apprentice with Porsche around the time the ’86 Carrera 3.2L was introduced. Early on, he was able to wrap his head around most of the developments within Porsche, right up till his end of tenure in 1999.

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During his last five years at Porsche, Ralf managed the company’s motorsports clients and quickly became accustomed to breaking down and analyzing rules and regulations to find loopholes and areas of optimisation.

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Once he left Porsche, he started looking at the road cars in a similar fashion, and he set out to build his dream.

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The idea was to hand select modern, off-the-shelf Porsche parts and plant them into a classic 911 body. This way there would be no shortage of spare parts and the car could be serviced at any regular Porsche workshop, making the upkeep of such a machine practical and affordable.

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With the passion and experience of over 25 years of Porsche racing support experience to back him up, Ralf got to work.

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In his words, Ralf wanted to “pluck a car out of dreams, and make it road and hoon-worthy.” And then some.

Making Of A Dream
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The base chassis was initially stripped naked, cleaned and repaired for rust, and then galvanized in preparation for its new breath of life. Depending on the condition of the donor chassis, additional welds and chassis stiffening are added as necessary.

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Wheel arches are enlarged to make room for the beefy 17-inch wheels. As a result, the Lightspeed sits nearly as wide as a 930 Turbo!

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The front and rear fenders, and the hood are made from carbon fibre to drop the weight down to 1,005kg dry, making it a true Lightspeed.

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The engine is a screaming bundle of joy sourced from the 964 RS that has been upgraded with titanium parts. Putting out 340ps and producing 379Nm it really makes a statement for itself.

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Just look at the beautiful flat-slider modified for use with the 993 RS injector holder assembly with six injectors from the 996 and adapted 993 engine management unit. It’s beauty in engineering.

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Breathing through an exhaust manifold sporting a 100-cell sport catalytic convertor and a muffler from the 911 RSR gives the Lightspeed Classic that familiar Porsche howl – all the way up to the 7,500rpm rev limit.

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Power is transferred to the road via a six-speed transmission courtesy of a 996 Turbo mated to a 997 GT3 RS clutch coupled with a cable-driven CAE milled aluminium shifter – this diverse combination delivers incredibly precise shifts with minimal lever travel.

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As an engineering fanboy since a kid, I just love this shifter assembly. Clack clacking through the gears is a joy in itself in this car.

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Up front, under the carbon fibre ‘frunk’, is a endurance-spec fuel tank that holds 100L of high octane fuel. The engine is mapped to run rich to improve lubrication and to be on the safe side of damaging any of the internal components during heavy and spirited use.

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The wheels are a custom three-piece Fuchs design mated with a BBS lip measuring 17×9-inch up front and 17×11-inch at the back wearing 225/45R17 and 275/40R17 tires respectively.

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For competitive roadholding, Ralf chose Bilstein coilovers sourced from the 911 RSR. The decision was made to move up a wheel size from 16 to 17 inches because there is so little development going on now in that size and the tyre width usually ends at 245.

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As you can see, this car is really made for corners.

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The braking system is lifted from a 996 GT3 Cup car, with six-piston calipers up front and four-piston calipers at the back doing the work. Drilled discs measuring 322mm sourced from the 965 Turbo fit neatly into the calipers, snug within the wheels.

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The pedals are race-spec units from Tilton and there is no assist. Add the fact that there is no ABS and every solid braking manoeuvre turns into an experience. I love the cable-driven throttle, so old school among cars these days that feature drive-by-wire throttle.

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The driver can adjust the brake force distribution front to back using a knob on the shifter unit. Steel braided brake lines are used throughout to maintain consistent pedal performance.

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The steering gear is from a 964, with tie rods from the 930 Turbo. In this unassisted form, it provides an incredible amount of feedback.

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Jumping into the driver’s seat, the Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel with the center marker is right up to your chest, not unlike a race car.

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Seats are sourced from the 997 GT2 program, offering a foldable design.

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These are incredibly light carbon buckets and are a snug fit.

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In true race-derived fashion, the door handles on the inside were ditched for neat little leather pull straps.

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The doors are incredibly minimal and leather-clad. Unlike the fenders, the doors are still made from metal and retain the side impact protection qualities.

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This little net acts as your door-sill pocket to stow your wallet and perhaps keys so that they don’t fly around the cabin when you are darting from corner to corner on some twisty German B-roads. You’ll also notice that there are no wind-ups for the side windows.

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Upon customer request, this car was fitted with power windows controlled using vandal switches on the dashboard, along with fan and demister.

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As this car is also built with track use in mind, Ralf installed a bolt-in Clubsport cage.

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It’s wrapped in leather with orange stitching to match the color of the car.

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The rest of the bare metal on the interior is covered upon customer request with a thin carpet.

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Since there is no engine up front and no real ducting to channel air to the cabin, tiny slits above the rear windshield create a low pressure zone sucking the air out of the cabin and providing a little bit of natural air circulation.

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The wing mirrors are Ralf’s own design and constructed from aluminium.

True Joy Of Machine
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What I love most of all about the Lightspeed Classic is that underneath all that metal and carbon fibre, the passion of one man really shines through. It’s one of the few cars I have come in contact with when I felt it really had a soul.

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Here’s a guy who wanted to take a classic and timeless shape and jack up the innards. And what a handsome Frankenstein he has created.

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Built from parts plucked from all corners of the Porsche spectrum, it really is a cocktail that proves to be greater than the sum of its parts. Much greater.

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This was a love affair with a difficult birth. The first few days, I was miserable – my arms hurt, my ears were ringing, I was sweating my life out and exhausted after each drive. My colleagues probably wondered why I arrived at work looking like I’d just finished a boxing match.

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It seems cheesy to say, but with every mile I drove the Lightspeed started to wrap itself around me. I discovered true #JoyOfMachine.

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This is a car so raw that it completely drags you to its own world and makes you play by its rules.

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The same badass attitude that initially terrorized your senses eventually turns you around, and that’s when the party really starts.

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As long you have enough fuel in the tank up front pushing the front axle down, you can have boundless fun throwing the Lightspeed Classic around. The fact that there is no ABS, ESP, steering or brake-assist only heightens the experience even more.

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When I initially heard about the car I didn’t expect it to work as a Porsche. It couldn’t possibly give me that tingling feeling down the spine, what with it being a mix and match of parts from all over the place. I am delighted to report that I was proven wrong and cannot wait for Ralf’s next creation!

Alok Paleri
Instagram: rennworksmedia
alok@speedhunters.com

Cutting Room Floor
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Comments



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77 comments

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1

Wow

2

That car, that location, those photos... speechless.

3

WOW...Up to par with SINGER.

4

So basically another Singer..?

5

GTRSv Really? Are you comparing a coach built awesome piece of machinery to a really well tear and rebuilt original car? Let's see if you can guess which one is which.

6

Stunning! That shifter is a work of art

7

Kraft Dinner paint scheme, cheesey.

8

Kraft Dinner paint scheme, cheesey.

9

KiwiMotoring Thank you for your comment.  We are happy you enjoyed this feature as much as we did!  And we want to know what you would like us to see in future Speedhunters features - It makes our community more vibrant and personalized - so please let us know!

10

Donx22 We couldn't agree more!

12

Gorgeous. Having been a Porsche mechanic in the past I can really appreciate the work that went into this. I like the details in this build a lot. The roll cage's leather wrap, the shifter, etc. It's the small things in something like this that really get my attention and admiration. Nice!

13

Those Bonus images.. drooling

14

@LouisYio I also tought about the Canyon Carving Lotus! Function focused design at its best.

15

I honestly can't think of a single thing you could improve on that car, absolutely gorgeous.

16

Alok Paleri ; my next favorite photographers on Speedhunters.
Worth checking all the bonus images.

18

Thanks for the kind words! :)

19

Am I allowed to swear? Because that is f**king perfect. I just need to hear that flat 6 howl now... beautiful article, I can't love this enough!

20

Ask and you shall receive, although there is a soundtrack laid over it unfortunately.
http://youtu.be/J0RpBCfH4aY

21

AlokPaleri - are you Santa Claus and has Christmas arrived early!? Too good, thanks a heap for bringing this to our attention!

22

beautifully resolved Porsche ,very close to perfect for me 

Great photography AlokPaleri really nice work

23

Please, call me Santa Kumar.

24

I like this more than the Singer, it has a OEM+ look to it. 

The funny thing is though, if Singer downgrades their cars a bit then it would look better...

25

I like this more than the Singer, it has a OEM+ look to it. 

The funny thing is though, if Singer downgrades their cars a bit then it would look better...

26

@Nate I agree, when Singer added those brilliant LMP2 headlights to their model, it made the car look weird... Some upgrades just don't work on certain cars.

27

AlokPaleri Really great photos by the way Alok. I like how you didn't go for the normal car magazine type shots. Some artistic angles and creative thinking are really a welcomed take on a genre that gets rehashed so frequently. Good job dude!

28

Now THIS is car modification. OEM+ looks, the best parts from the marque and select aftermarket components, all beautifully engineered together. 
Superb car and great write up.

29

Wow. I am speechless. A superb story about an awesome cars told with exceptionnal pictures taken in an outstanding location. That kind of article IS the reason why I come to SH.


In fact, the pictures were so good I had trouble finding my new desktop wallpaper...

30

Dat leather-wrapped roll cage tho!

Dat shifter.

Dat ass.

Good lord awwmighty...

31

@Chris AlokPaleri We are proud to continue to push the Speedhunters envelope not just in terms of subject matter but with new perspectives - from our photographers, our guest writers and all of us - 

We appreciate your comments and want to encourage all of our readers to continue to tell us what you like, what you don't like and what you would like to see.  It makes for a better Speedhunters and more Pure Automotive Enjoyment!

32

MearBiaggi We are very psyched to have Alok on the Speedhunters team - look for more from Alok in the weeks and months to come!

33

Awesome article, amazing concept, and beautiful execution. Love the attention to details with the roll bar, matching stitching, and over-engineered (properly engineered) choice of shifting mechanics. Rowing through those gears with the unassisted clutch must feel amazing.

34

Oh my! what a treat! Any idea what's the price range? Singer is a nicer car IMO but it's at the wrong price point due to ~4,000 man hours more than anything. I think this could be a big hit if priced correctly.

35

AlokPaleri

36

Loved the feel of the photos from this article, I've found my new wallpaper for the week! What a beautiful car. Truly an inspirational story behind it all, and very cool that Ralf had the opportunity to transfer his wealth of knowledge from working with Porsche into the project. Thanks for the great afternoon read SH!

37

It goes without saying that this car comes with a stratosphereic price tag...for that I would rather have a singer with its unmolested lines and attention to detail. Not to mention the fact that it is tuned for driver satisfaction. If you want a Porsche that is a beast on the track, might as well get a cup car

38

Louch It is great to get your feedback - making you speechless is our goal - and to have YOU feature Speedhunters on your desktop wallpaper is icing on the cake!  Thanks.

39

Depending on the specification, this car is between 100 and 160k.

40

It depends on the final specs, but the range is between 100 and 160k euros

41

AlokPaleri Which is about 132 to 300k cheaper than what Original 72 RS 911s are selling for now. Unreal.

42

It's a really attractive classic and clean car, but in 100% honesty when I read: "Blending unbeatable old school looks with updated mechanicals. The best of both worlds", I was hoping to see something with an engine that was actually modern, like a watercooled 997 or 991 engine, not something that has bits and pieces from the now 10-17 year old 996, with the heart of the whole thing being from a 20-25 year old 964... I do love the "raw input" setup with no driver aids such as ABS though. To me, driver AIDS are just more advanced driver HIV.
What I'd really love to see is a 993 (or older) with a 997GT3 or 991 complete powertrain, although I can't say I'm keen on the drive by wire aspect, which I'm sure can be addressed.

43

New! Lightspeed Briefs!  For the discriminating crotch.
Couldn't help myself.

But yes, that car looks incredible.  I love that idea of old school body and new technology in one package.

45

HamzahKattan I agree but the Singer is executed way better... Not even the same ballpark.  The singer is made for the street, this is a basically a race car...  This will suck to drive on the street.  Honestly I bet you could build something similar for the same money.

46

steelyknives Except body panel on a singer has been molested... they just did such a good job you never notice only the doors, glass and hood are unchanged.

Singer is the ultimate street car... This car is a race car that is still street legal.. Different beasts similar ideas.

47

A true PBE car.Parts Bin Engineering.Just like a lot of petrol heads do picking parts from oather models and making there dream car.
Only difference is i doubt its put togather in a shed in the owners garden!!!
What a cool car.

48
Gianluca FairladyZ

Man wrapped roll cage! Now that's looking diffrent than anything i saw :) Very nice!

49

Everything is great about this, brother Alok. Everything.

50

AlokPaleri Damn porn music....I guess it fits.

51

dont think ive ever seen a roll cage thats wrapped in leather...!
nice pictures btw!

52

TraderPhil1 SPLENDIDE !!!

53

ALarigaudrieBFM c'est incroyable ce qu'ils arrivent à faire de ces vieilles Porsche au look intemporel

54

TraderPhil1 C'est ma préférée, celle de 72-73... en targa, on touche au sublime

55

ALarigaudrieBFM tu connais la Porsche Singer ?

56

TraderPhil1 Oui, superbe exemple de beau néo-rétro aussi

57

ALarigaudrieBFM extraordinaire, bon $500.000 aussi !

58

TraderPhil1 ... le prix d'un travail artisanal soigné et fiable... Ca les vaut sans doutE.

59

ALarigaudrieBFM pièces fabriquées sur mesure, tu imagines !

60

ALarigaudrieBFM renaudlaffont pub pour Porsche sur #BfmBiz Bravo les gars, le service pub à bien bossé

61

ALarigaudrieBFM renaudlaffont pub pour Porsche sur #BfmBiz Bravo les gars, le service pub à bien bossé

63

Amazing pictures!

64

Wow great photos that bank road looks like mira,love the 1st and 8th photo

65

Fantasticly cool story, guys!

67

These were taken at the Bosch Proving Grounds in Boxberg, Germany. That's a 3km oval with a 32° banking.

71

Actually you'd be surprised. When Ralf's next project is finished, I'll show you his workshop.

72

I agree to a certain extent, but this particular car was a realization of a dream of one particular man - a man who believes air cooled is the sexiest incarnation of the 911 ever. This is purely a subjective decision on his end :)

73

Second last photo first chapter... Phat ass and tyres! Nice article!

74

Second last photo first chapter... Phat ass and tyres! Nice article!

75

Fantastic!

76

Unless this guy has been around since before the Singer company, he is basically copying. Maybe the other way around though I suppose.

77

In Germany you can't drive a Singer Porsche on the streets. And this has it's reasons. This one you can.

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