My Car Quest

April 16, 2024

A Trip To The Porsche Museum

by Don Meluzio –                
 
I recently visited the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart with my son Derek. While we were at the Museum we stopped in the Historical Archive Department to see my friend Jens Torner.

You may notice quite often when you see an article about an historic Porsche, it will include a thank you to Jens. As we were looking through the archives I noticed some design models. I have been collecting Porsche models for about 40 years, and was a long time member of the old Porsche Modell Club based in Germany. My Porsche 924 Racecar originally had a Porsche Modell paint scheme!

I asked Jens if we could take a look at the Design Models, and asked if it would be alright if I photographed them. I am sure you will agree they had some really interesting models. One thing that I would appreciate My Car Quest readers to understand is that we were quickly breezing through, and it is not like I wrote things down. Jens was on his lunch break and was of course very busy, so don’t be surprised if I describe something incorrectly.

Let’s begin with a model of the Porsche 695, or the T7 Prototype as it is also called. The 695 was built in 1961, some 2 years before my Porsche 901 Prototype, #13327. It is similar to the 911, and has some really cool differences from the later 901.
 

Porsche 695

Porsche 695 Model

There was another Model that was very similar to the 695. By its condition it looked older, and actually could have been a predecessor to the 695 , but as I mentioned I didn’t ask! Sorry!

Predecessor to the Porsche 695?

Predecessor to the Porsche 695?

The Porsche 956 on the bottom is the actual model for the 956 Rothmans Car. The top two are, I believe, models that were made for various sponsors and vendors. They were beautiful models.

Porsche 956 Model

Porsche 956 Model

Jens took us into the Workshop to look at some of the cars that were being prepared for various vintage races and shows.

Jens and Don at the shop

Jens and Don at the shop

Now here we go with the memory of an old man. I believe looking at the length of the body, the white car on bottom is the four Seater 911, or should I say rear seats larger than the small typical 911 rear seats. On top I believe is a Boxster Prototype or early production project.

Porsche Models

The model of the Porsche 935 (below) is, I believe the Moby Dick, and it is the actual windtunnel model that was used to test the aerodynamics. You can still see the tape on the model!

Porsche 935 (Moby Dick?)

Porsche 935 (Moby Dick?)

There are some benefits to being one of the older Porsche Guys; I was actually in The Wind Tunnel at Weissach! Das ist now Verboten, with the cutthroat competition of the car business today, you do not get into Wessach.

I was there in 1989 and 1991 with the Porsche Cup Banquet. At that time I saw the 962 Model being tested in the windtunnel. I actually rode with Roland Kussmall on the test track. I can honestly say that I reduced my lap times the next year after finding out just how fast you can actually go with out losing it.

The models below are of designs that were done for Volkswagen. Although none of them were used in entirety, you can see parts of many Volkswagen models that were used throughout the years.

Porsche Model

Porsche Model

Porsche Model

Porsche Library

If there is anything that is known about Porsche history, it is probably here

This was too much, we actually found all of the results from my races throughout 1989-1992. I sent all of my race reports to Jurgen Barth and he obviously put them all in the Archives. This was pretty darn cool.

Jens Torner and Don Meluzio in the Porsche Archives

Jens Torner and Don Meluzio in the Porsche Archives

When we were there the featured model was the 959, below.

Porsche 959 Model

Porsche 959 Model

I hope you enjoyed looking at the Models, maybe in the near future I can report on some of the fullsized Models!

Let us know what you think in the Comments.

Don Meluzio is an avid car lover and collector. He owns the Porsche 901 Prototype.

He competed in the Porsche Racing Program from 1988 through 1992. In 1989 he finished 15th in the Porsche Cup USA. In 1991 he finished 9th in the Porsche World Cup. A top 15 finish earned a trip to Stuttgart, where at the Porsche Cup Banquet Professor Porsche presented him with his cash award and a gift. During this time he had already acquired the Porsche 901 Prototype.

He is the president of the Iso & Bizzarrini Owner’s Club and lives in Pennsylvania USA.

Porsche Museum

Porsche Museum

 

 

Porsche Museum

Porsche Museum

Summary
A Trip To The Porsche Museum
Article Name
A Trip To The Porsche Museum
Description
A trip and photos from the Porsche Museum written by an avid Porsche lover and collector.
Author

Comments

  1. Thank you for the Porsche Museum Visit! I am also a huge model fan and loved those 956 models – gorgeous!

    • Don Meluzio says

      Larry, Do you collect anything in particular ? Of course I primarily collect Porsche models, and to be specific 1/43rd scale, and I tend to like Solido models the most. I am glad you enjoyed the visit. Don

  2. Thanks for sharing your trip to the Porsche Museum.

    I particularly love the 959 as I was (still am) a huge fan of the US version 962. Al Holbert, also from Pennsylvania and Derick Bell were so dominate in the IMSA Camel GT series during the 80’s. I was also racing at the time and had the fortune to work with a team during the Miami Grand Prix. The highlight of the weekend was sitting on pit wall sharing a moment chatting with Derrick Bell as Al was out Hot lapping. AJ Foyt had a ride in a 962 and had a bad weekend.

    • Don Meluzio says

      Anthony, You are sure right about the fact that Al Holbert and Derek Bell dominated a lot of races in the 80s in a 962.I too live in Pennsylvania, and we used to have our Porsche Club meetings at Holbert Porsche, it was always quite a thrill to visit the race shop.If you don’t mind me asking, what team were you with in Miami? I am glad you enjoyed the article. Don

      • Mike Gue’s team Essex Racing.

        He was the VanDieman importer at the time, and I was racing one in FF2000. Having an IMSA license, and the race was held between my events, I went to Miami for vacation and work with his team. It was a two car team, and I got to work on a Jim Downing Kudzu Camel Lights car with Buick power. The drivers were Charles Morgan and a French guy, can’t remember his name. Wow to think that was nearly 30 years ago.

  3. David Schultz says

    Thanks for sharing this wonderful story–and photos–with everyone. Nicely done!

  4. Those are some very large models! The book issued to German troops during WWII about Berndt Rosemeyer and his lady Ellie Beinhorn featured a photo of a very large model of an Auto Union C type, I believe. It held a prominent place on a mantel over his fireplace. And, compare the size of the “greenhouses” of those early models to those offered today. I looked at a display Camaro parked in a Costco today, and that is a dramatic contrast to what most of us grew up with. Must be a lot of drag the engineers felt they could clean up!

  5. Ciaran Payne says

    I have 1 of the 956 models that I was given when working for a UK Porsche Dealership as General Manager, and due to space predicaments I would be interested in selling at the right price, securely packaged for shipment anywhere at the cost to the buyer. Let me know through Mikes blog initially.

  6. Hi Ciaran,

    Can you contact me at mark(dot)amsterdam(at)gmail(dot)com?

    Regards

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