FEBRUARY 2017 PANORAMA 59 58 PANORAMA FEBRUARY 2017

SINGER VEHICLE

DESIGN BRINGS A

SPECIAL PORSCHE

TO IDAHO FOR A

TOP SPEED RUN AT

HEMINGWAY’S FINAL

RESTING PLACE.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY RANDY WELLS

FEBRUARY 2017 PANORAMA 61 60 PANORAMA FEBRUARY 2017

During the Sun Valley Road Rally, a 3.2-mile section of State Highway 75 is temporarily closed off by the local sheriff, making it the longest no-speed-limit public road in North America with spectator viewing. At the start line, there’s a subtle, uphill left-hand curve. Then it’s straight on and slightly downhill to the fastest speed achievable past the grandstands, one car at a time.

One of the cars participating in 2016 was a highly modified 1990 air-cooled Porsche 911 “reimagined” by Singer Vehicle Design of California. The company was founded by Rob Dickinson, a former lead singer and guitarist for the ’90s alt-rock group Catherine Wheel, and takes its name from noted Porsche engineer Nor-

bert Singer. The car participating in the Sun Valley Road Rally is sometimes referred to as “Florida,” due to its unique Hemingway Blue color and because the owner calls the Sunshine State his home.

For the rest of the year, the owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, enjoys a second home near Idaho. Given the 911’s namesake and color specification, the Singer team thought it would be fitting to transport “Florida” from Hemingway’s former residence to his fi-nal resting place in Idaho.

SUN VALLEY WAS DEEMED the perfect venue to establish a top speed for this Porsche 911 modified by Singer. An-other of Singer’s reimagined 911s, with the same 4.0-liter engine and gearing, was tested by Road & Track maga-

zine in 2015. They quoted a top-speed estimate of 176 mph. That turned out to be on the money: Florida’s own-er achieved a maximum speed of 176.2 mph in sixth gear while on the rev limiter at the finish line in Idaho.

The day before the rally, the Sun Valley Auto Club and the town of Ketchum hosted a free-to-the-public Cruise & Car Show. More than 200 vehicles, including exotics, hot rods, muscle cars, and vintage classics, came from miles around. Also on hand for its debut was another of Singer’s modified 911s, this one known as “Norway,” complete in a color called Pistachio. Dozens of additional Porsches from the Silver Sage Region of PCA arrived after their own tour.

In all, 7,500 people gathered in Ketchum, a town with

a year-round population of fewer than 3,000. A raffle at the car show saw 1,170 tickets sold, with the lucky win-ner receiving a 2017 Macan S from Porsche of Boise. Proceeds from the family-friendly rally and raffle went to the Drug Coalition of Blaine County, a local program that focuses on promoting drug-free and healthy life-style choices for young people.

“In the last two years, the Sun Valley Road Rally has become one of the fastest growing events in town, but we didn’t get here alone,” says Dave Stone, founder of the Sun Valley Road Rally and owner of the Sun Valley Auto Club. “The community has been supportive, with everyone from restaurants to the Blaine County Sher-iff’s Department pitching in. We couldn’t do any of this without them. We live in a very special place.”

With its alpine meadows and spruce forests nestled under

9,000-foot peaks and perpetually azure skies, Sun Valley, Idaho

holds an irresistible allure for those of adventurous spirit. Ernest

Hemingway first came here in 1939. He instantly fell in love with

the area and returned to make it his home 20 years later. Today,

Sun Valley is widely known for its majestic scenery and recreational

activities. Skiing, biking, trail riding, and golfing, as well as the

famous writer’s gravesite, are just some of the attractions.

And on one weekend last July, this isolated valley drew thousands of

automotive enthusiasts from all over North America.

Sun Valley is the

perfect location

for stretching the

legs of a special

car. Painted

Hemingway Blue,

it sports a custom

fuel cap and

Singer emblem,

among several

unique features.

FEBRUARY 2017 PANORAMA 63 62 PANORAMA FEBRUARY 2017

single detail and millimeter,” he states emphatically. “I don’t know anyone else who does this as much as we do. We are not going to do a halfway version. We’re only going to do the very best possible.

“Our goal is to celebrate Porsche’s heritage using the benefit of modern insights, techniques, and new materi-als,” Rob continues. “We restore the finest air-cooled chassis while incorporating the purest 911 bodywork. Then we turn the volume up to 11 on certain aspects. Our goal is for the owner to end up with the ultimate 911.”

TO THIS END, Singer strips a 964 to bare metal, changes the front bulkhead to accommodate a classic long hood, and switches the outer panels to carbon fiber with soft-ly sculpted RSR-type items from the Aria Group in Irvine. This results in a 300-pound weight loss.

Next, customers are offered a choice of three en-

gines: a 300-hp 3.8-liter, a 350-hp 3.8-liter, or a 390-hp 4.0-liter. Finally, the suspension and transmission are upgraded with Öhlins shocks and a Porsche 993 six-speed with optional limited-slip differential. Singer can also do a five-speed and/or 993-type all-wheel drive if requested. And that’s before adding custom wheels, in-terior finishes, and other appearance items. Even a Tar-ga 964 has been restored for owners.

“Rob shot probably 100 different colors on metal just to get a taste of what the possibilities were,” says the owner of Florida. “Once we had narrowed it down, my wife and I spent days selecting the perfect shade of blue. Later, we chose from five different interior swatches laid out on top. Rob named the final exterior color Heming-way Blue because it reminded him of Florida’s waters.”

Each owner is presented with a physical sheet that lays out some of the possibilities for chassis dynamics,

Part of what makes this event unique is that it’s a spectator event, unlike other high-speed time trials. All 800 tickets sold out three weeks beforehand. And Porsche Cars North America was the title sponsor of the event for the second year in a row.

THE RALLY WAS CONCEIVED in 2009 as a charity speed event among friends, and less than a decade later is a world-class automotive weekend. Arguably, the event’s preparation is equaled by the work required to modify a Porsche 911 to Singer’s standards.

Rob Dickinson revealed his earliest plans for a mod-ified Porsche almost ten years ago. The drawings he spread out on a table at R Gruppe’s 2007 Treffen in San Luis Obispo were “top secret.” They showed an early classic 911 reimagined with uniquely widened flares and modern features, like Hella xenon headlights and later

Porsche brakes. It had 17-inch wheels even then. After having studied car design in the U.K. and work-

ing at Lotus, Rob was encouraged by his mentors, Peter Stevens of McLaren, Julian Thomson of Jaguar, and Si-mon Cox, now at Infiniti. By 2009, Rob had started his own business, inspired by several R Gruppe “big block” builds and his own custom 1969 911 restoration.

Today, the reimagined 911 Rob first envisioned is a distilled package that’s a celebration of the best of Porsche’s air-cooled cars. As proof, the car referred to as Florida struck a chord in the hearts of everyone who saw it in Idaho. Ironically, Singer is based in Sun Valley, California, just north of Los Angeles.

There, in a large customized warehouse, 1989-1994 Porsche 964s are modified to each individual owner’s specific wishes. Each completed restoration is exclu-sively driven by Rob’s singular vision. “We sweat every

A sports car cabin

fit for a king

requires custom

leather bucket

seats, great A/C,

unique bullet-

shaped mirrors,

aluminum pedals

and trim,

interwoven fabric,

and a tachometer

that reads to

11,000 rpm.

This 911 looks

fast standing still.

Inside the engine

compartment is

an Ed Pink

4.0-liter flat six

boasting 390 hp

at 7200 rpm.

FEBRUARY 2017 PANORAMA 65 64 PANORAMA FEBRUARY 2017

transmission gearing, engine cam performance, and var-ious treatments that can be modified. That’s when the real fun begins, as the owner and Rob envision what might be even more desirable.

Even the positions of the blinker and wiper stalks are personalized, as well as the special leather-embossed steering wheel, horn, and light switch. For seating, sev-eral options are available, and each is custom fitted to the client, right down to thigh and lumbar support. You can also specify a leather-wrapped roll bar, full cage, or seam welding—or not.

Unlike many previous Singer-restored 911s, this one has no external oil cap, as requested by the owner. It’s

also one of the first with the 4.0-liter engine. Singer switched to Ed Pink Racing engines for the powerplant’s build last year. More than 100 hours go into each flat six, with trick parts like custom 50-mm Jenvey throttle bod-ies, Mahle forged aluminum pistons, Carillo rods, and an Arrow Precision crankshaft.

“All the 4.0-liter heads are proprietary to us,” says Singer’s test driver Seamus Taaffe. “It’s a stroked motor, with large yet reasonably sized valves, designed by Ed Pink. Luckily, he’s just down the road from us in Van Nuys. The result is an engine with a prodigious linear torque curve. There’s never a point when you’re driving the car around a corner and the power suddenly surges. We’ve rev-limited it to 7200 rpm for longevity, even though our tachometers read to 11,000.”

“There’s no point in changing what works well,” adds Seamus. “And there’s no advantage in re-engineering something when it doesn’t need to be. It’s part of Rob’s mantra about our services. We touch everything, but we only change what we think we can improve.”

For example, stock Porsche 964 solid lifters are used instead of 993 hydraulics. Brakes are upgraded 993 Tur-bo units with just a few tweaks. A finessed GT3 oil pump is employed. The stock 964 oil tank in front of the right rear wheel is modified for better lubrication. And custom oil lines lead to a larger oil cooler in the nose of the car. The front pan is pocketed for efficiency, and three fans turn on automatically as needed.

On the other hand, the engine’s plenum is one of a kind. Singer starts with a genuine 997 RS part and then removes all casting marks before a ceramic coating is applied. All metal surfaces in the engine compartment and trunk are smoothed over as well. Then the sound mat and front trunk upholstery are color coordinated and hand stitched in marine-grade upholstery or carpet that’s easily cleaned. The center-fill fuel tank houses a race tank with a safety bladder. When a fuel filler on the side fend-er is requested, a genuine Porsche tank is employed.

IT TAKES ABOUT eight months to complete each car. Af-terwards, 500 test miles are put into each example to specifically dial in the customer’s goals. “I made several trips to L.A. to have the car fitted to me and my needs,”

“It’s kind of a guy’s equivalent to

getting a diamond. It’s a pretty

special jewel.”

Opposite: Perfect

setting. Perfect

stance. Left: Front

compartment

detailing is

meticulous. A

center-fill tank is

wrapped in

marine-quality

upholstery that

looks the part and

holds a tool kit.

FEBRUARY 2017 PANORAMA 67

says Florida’s owner. “And I’d be hard-pressed to say that there was ever an issue. It’s kind of a guy’s equiva-lent to getting a diamond. It’s a pretty special jewel.”

Singer first approached the owner about taking Flor-ida to the Sun Valley Rally at the 2016 Amelia Island Concours, where the car made its debut. He serves on the board of a charity that provides accessibility of re-sources to those recovering from drug and alcohol ad-diction, so the idea of donating to a similar charity ap-pealed to him. Singer brought a team of three specialists to support the owner and car at the event.

Mild-mannered yet internally competitive, the owner is thrilled with his Porsche 911 restored by Singer and

his Sun Valley experience. “Going as fast as possible in the car is something I’ve always wanted to do, and I’m completely satisfied with my car,” he reports. “It’s very fulfilling, whether you’re driving around town, at an event like this unrestrained by speed limits, or looking at it in your garage. It can play a lot of different roles. The only problem is that my four-year-old daughter wants me to go fast all the time.”

Fortunately, this car has the modern underpinnings it needs for high-speed runs like this, with dampers that can be adjusted to deal with high- and low-frequency bounces. They can also be easily dialed back with Öhlins’ 40 steps of adjustment to soak up the heaves on Florida’s highways caused by intense heat. “You can get it to the point where it drives almost like a Panamera!” the owner exclaims.

WHILE ON A TEST DRIVE with Seamus through Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains, I became privy to the car’s capa-bilities. Poise and predictability are virtues this vehicle possesses in spades. There are no suspension noises or the kind of over-damping you sometimes find in other restorations. Cornering is flat on foot-wide rear rubber, and the ride is superb no matter what surface is encoun-tered. The optional carbon-fiber bucket seats are luxu-rious and securely supportive.

While not exactly a featherweight at 2,743 pounds, this bespoke beauty goes down the road like nobody’s business thanks to the 390-hp 4.0-liter engine, with just the right amount of sonorous serenade trailing behind.

Nothing seems out of place or calls attention to itself. Your experience is guaranteed genuine. And it’s all wrapped in a refined body and interior that are as unfor-gettable as Sun Valley itself.

It’s not surprising that this is the car that many early- 911 fans aspire to drive. The owner agrees. “The early cars are just amazing because they’re so mechanically pure,” he enthuses. “This car has lots of the modern amenities, like power steering, air-conditioning, and ABS, without feeling like you’ve lost that connected feeling to the car.”

Another advantage is that it’s not irreplaceable, like an investment-grade vintage 911. Still, the aroma from the tactile suede/leather woven interior is as compelling as any supercar you will find. And the door pull action is the best I’ve felt on any 911.

68 PANORAMA FEBRUARY 2017

“QUALITY WITHOUT COMPROMISE. That’s something that separates us,” confirms Matthew Henry of Singer. “There’s a lot of stuff that Rob was able to look at early on, and go, ‘Hey, I could take something from this gen-

eration, and I could take something from that genera-tion. Why not use the best of the best from various 911s?’ Fortunately for us, the 964 chassis allows the retrofitting of these core components. And because it’s the last of the rear-trailing-arm models, it retains much of the early 911’s heritage and character.”

Ultimately, more than 150 vendors and 4,000 man-hours go into customizing a Porsche 964 to reimagined and improved condition. The obsessive attention to de-tail that goes into each 911 that Singer modifies makes them individually special, right down to the bullet- shaped mirrors, nickel-coated hinges, and brass-plated lug nuts. On close inspection, you realize this car is a piece of art.

Sun Valley and this distinctive automotive event are special, too. “I love that even as this car show and road rally have become bigger, we are seeing families come from all over the U.S. to enjoy Idaho and its outdoors with us,” says organizer Dave Stone. “The faces on the kids seeing their favorite cars for the first time are so wonderful. I love that we can give them that.”

THE TOP SPEED OVERALL at the 2016 Sun Valley Road Rally was 230 mph, achieved by one of the

crowd favorites, a Bugatti Veyron Vitesse Hellbug powered by a 1200-hp, 8.0-liter turbocharged

W16 engine. Slowest speed honors belonged to Peggy Baker and her fun-loving girlfriends in the

Sun Valley Auto Club Lincoln Continental at 55.4 mph. Dave Stone, the club’s founder, achieved

106.5 mph in his 1960 356B coupe with only 60 hp on tap!

Porsche Driving Experience instructors Cass Whitehead and John Lewis were on hand to set top

times in a brand-new 2016 911 Targa S Coupe and Panamera Turbo. Their goal was 200 mph in

the Panamera loaded with passengers, and they nearly achieved it! The fastest woman was Carol

Bowman of Boise, Idaho in a 2015 Porsche Turbo S at 206.7 mph. In fact, the 997 Turbo S was the

most consistent car to top 200 mph that day.

Besides the special-built Bugatti and the 911 modified by Singer, the rarest car to run was a

U.S.-legalized 2011 Aston Martin One-77 (one of 77 made) that topped out at 201 mph. Verifying

their respective top speeds were a McLaren 675LT, an Audi R8, a Dodge Viper, a Ferrari 458, and a

Ferrari F430. In all, 41 drivers negotiated the course in six heats.

At the Saturday night driver’s banquet, each entrant received a complimentary “speeding ticket”

written up by the local sheriff and ready to hang on the wall. The event’s entrance fee was surely less

than what it would have cost to fight it! —RW

On the Run

1990 911 modified by SingerEngine 4.0-liter SOHC F6

Power 390 hp @ 7200 rpm

Torque 315 lb-ft @ 5950 rpm

Transmission 6-speed manual

Suspension: front Strut-type, trailing arm

rear Strut-type, trailing arm

Brake calipers: front 4-piston

rear 4-piston

Brake rotors: front 12.7 in., vented

rear 11.8 in., vented

Wheels: front 17x9 in.

rear 17x11 in.

Tires: front 225/45R17

rear 265/40R17

Length 163.0 in.

Wheelbase 89.4 in.

Height 49.3 in

Width (w/o mirrors) 69.0 in.

Curb weight 2,743 lb

0-60 mph 3.3 sec (est.)

Top speed 176.2 mph

Price $575,000

For an inside look at the 2016 Sun Valley Road Rally, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag1WstqabwU