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Noch ein Buch über den Carrera RS 2.7? Nein, dieses Mal geht es um den Nachfolger, der als sogenanntes G-Modell zwar die gesamte Technologie erbte, sich aber mit seinen Faltenbalg-Stossstangen optisch deutlich vom wertvoll gewordenen Vorgänger unterscheidet.

Ryan Snodgrass verdient sein Geld als Software-Ingenieur, seine Liebe zu Porsche entstand unabhängig davon. Und es muss echte Liebe sein, wenn man sich derartig tief in das Thema hineinkniete. Snodgrass nutzte ein “Sabbatical”, um aus dem vielen Material, das er zum Porsche Carrera 2.7 MFI, gebaut zwischen 1974 und 1976, gesammelt hatte, ein Buch zu komponieren, das kaum eine Frage offen lässt.

Das Buch ist so erfolgreich, dass der Autor postwendenden einen Verlag gründete und 2018 das nächste Werk, dieses Mal zum 930 Turbo, nachschob.

Es ist sicherlich kein Zufall, dass Snodgrass bereits im Vorwort des englisch gehaltenen Buches seine Vorbilder bei der Konzeption seines Carrera-2.7-Werks nennt, nämlich Matthias Bartz’ Dino Compendium und das Carrera-RS-Buch von Konradsheim/Gruber.

 

Interesting perspective from Ben Horton of Horton's Books in the Feb 28th issue of Autocar magazine discussing potential collectible books, including the Carrera 2.7 book:

What’s the next best thing to buying a Porsche Carrera 2.7? Buying a book about it.

Specifically, Ryan Snodgrass’s definitive guide to the model, published by Parabolica Press in 2015 and called, helpfully, Carrera 2.7. Just 2500 were printed. There are about 300 copies of the Limited Edition version left, each costing £225. Sounds a lot? Don’t worry: in two years your investment could be worth £1000.

A long time coming with many Porsche enthusiasts anxiously (and patiently) awaiting its arrival, the Turbo 3.0 book is nearly here. The individually numbered Turbo 3.0: Limited Edition and the very special Turbo 3.0: Publisher's Edition books will begin shipping from the United States in early March 2018 to those who pre-ordered the book prior to November 15, 2017. Pre-orders placed after November 15, 2017 will begin shipping 3–4 weeks later in order of the original purchase date. Please see our FAQ for more details on shipping and availability. If you haven't already, place your pre-order now before the 15% pre-order reduced pricing on the Limited Edition ends in February 2018.

We still have copies of the award-winning Carrera 2.7: Limited Edition book available for shipping from both United States and, for European customers, our warehouse in Germany. The above photo highlights the size differences between each Carrera 2.7 and Turbo 3.0 editions, with each slightly taller than the next.

Voici une belle découverte faite par hasard qui mérite un intérêt tout particulier pour tout passionné d’automobile et de Porsche : le livre “Carrera 2.7” écrit par Ryan Snodgrass, publié par Parabolica Press. Ce très beau livre de 406 pages, en édition limitée (2500 exemplaires), écrit en anglais, traite des Porsche 911 de 1974 à 1976 motorisées par le fameux 2.7 l de 210 ch de la Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7. C’est une véritable bible sur les modèles 911 ayant été équipés de ce fabuleux moteur Flat 6 doté d’une injection de carburant mécanique (MFI).

Much has been written about the Porsche 911, in fact there are few manufacturers in the world, that could boast as having as many books written about one of their models. But as can be expected, many of these books cover selected top models, and those perceived as less salubrious models are usually relegated to books covering all models.  Fresh attention though has been directed at the classic car market in recent years, with the result that prices have been rising steadily for the more sought after models. Those who are fortunate enough to be Porsche enthusiasts, will have seen the prices of the Carrera RS 2.7 skyrocket, although...

CARRERA 2.7 BIBLE: Spare a thought for the poor old Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 of 1974. Until recently, it was almost invisible in the shadow of its more illustrious sibling, the Camera 2.7 RS. And yet the Camera 27 shared an identical engine and much of its DNA, including the wide-hipped shell, with the attention-grabbing RS. Of late, market values have grown to reflect its true place in the Porsche pantheon. And now you can celebrate this relatively unsung hero with a new book dedicated to the model…

This short clip highlights a press operator doing press checks during printing of our Carrera 2.7 book in Germany. The operator periodically pulls off forms from the offset press to check and adjust the colors and black levels across sections of the pages by increasing/decreasing each of the five inks on each stripe. The process includes comparing to proofs as well as the previously printed forms that would be sewn next to each other in the book.

We are ecstatic that the Carrera 2.7 book has been shortlisted for the "Publication of the Year" category in the prestigious 2016 International Historic Motoring Awards (IHMA). Considered to be the "Academy Awards" of the historic automotive world, the IHMA searches to find the ‘best of the best’ within the international historic motoring community, culminating with the red carpet black-tie awards ceremony at the magnificent Guildhall in London on November 17th. Launched in 2011, the IHMA categories celebrate the diversity, achievements and depth within the worldwide historic motoring industry. Presented in association with Octane magazine and EFG Private Bank, the panel of expert judges assess the nominees that have been shortlisted in each category. Judges such as Derek Bell, car designer Peter Stevens and Pink Floyd drummer and...

Just when you thought you owned every Porsche coffee table or reference book you needed, along comes Carrera 2.7 by Ryan Snodgrass. The iconic 1973 Carrera RS may be well documented, but its successor, the Carrera 2.7 MFI produced from 1974-1976, is a car little known by Porsche enthusiasts—until now. The book begins with a brief history of the 1973 Carrera RS, explains why the Carrera 2.7 MFI was produced and the reason North America received a "watered-down" version. In addition, there is a chapter on special models, including the Carrera 2.7 Turbo, the Belgium Police Targas, and the extremely rare and desirable Sondermodell 1976—the final Porsche production car with...

The following was originally published as "The Car That Inspired a Book: Ryan Snodgrass’ 1976 Carrera 2.7 MFI" by Randy Wells in the February 2016 issue of Road Scholars Magazine:

“To whom much is given, much is expected.”

This might seem like an unusual quote to open an automotive story, but it happens to fit. Ryan Snodgrass of Washington state has made a lot of good decisions in his life, including his choice of career and family. It’s also allowed him to take on the monumental task of researching an underappreciated Porsche that uses the same engine as the legendary 1973 Carrera 2.7 RS.

Road Scholars Magazine last visited with Ryan in December 2015 when editor Randy Leffingwell extolled the virtues of Ryan’s soon to be released book, Carrera 2.7. The 7.5-pound, 406 page reference features 830 beautifully reproduced high-resolution photos, more than half of which have never been seen. It also contains a lot of new information on the ‘74-76 G-series Euro Carrera 2.7, including obscure celebrity cars, racecars, and rare accessories.

So, what is it that motivates someone to take time away from a lucrative career to produce a “bible” on a car that was built for only three years in the mid ‘70s? Well, it might only take one drive in a Porsche 2.7-liter MFI powered 911 to appreciate what propelled Ryan to publish his book using the best paper, inks, and printing presses available.

“I was compelled to do it as a lifelong lover of car books,” explains Ryan. “I had amassed a small library of automotive specialty books and appreciated how the best ones had complementary photos and text that increased one’s connection with a particular car.”

Georg Konradsheim’s Carrera RS was one of those books. Coincidentally, at the same time Ryan was first considering authoring a book, Georg was updating his. After contacting Georg for guidance, Ryan was introduced to his designer, Christoph Mäder. “The two men became good mentors, advisors, and friends, and they supported me throughout the project,” Ryan notes. But perhaps we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves. Let’s look at the car that inspired Ryan’s book.

There is one thing to know about the Euro 1976 Carrera 2.7. It is remarkably similar to the ‘73 Carrera 2.7 RS of Georg’s book. The difference is the ‘74-76 Carrera 2.7 was built on an impact bumper body and interior, instead of the earlier long hood form. The weight and horsepower output of the later Carreras 2.7 is virtually identical, and, as expected, the driving experience is very much the same also. That’s not surprising given the legendary Typ 911/83 2.7-liter RS-spec MFI engine was used in all of these cars.

“I started looking for a ‘74-76 Carrera 2.7 MFI in 2009,” Ryan recalls. “I was surprised by the lack of information available on these models, even on the Internet. In the United States, the model was largely unknown at the time, even to real Porsche enthusiasts, as we never received them as exports because they were non-compliance to emissions standards.”

After a year of searching, Ryan finally found a 1975 Light Yellow Euro Carrera 2.7 stateside. This particular Porsche had been featured on the cover of a magazine and was one of the best-sorted 911s he’d ever driven. Shortly after that purchase, the owner of a ‘76 Silver Carrera called and asked if Ryan wanted to take on a disassembled project. It was Ryan’s complete restoration of this car back to original factory specs that inspired his book.

Undoubtedly, every rest-of-the-world Carrera is a special car. At about 1,635 coupes and 630 Targas, the Carrera 2.7 of 1974-1976 is of limited production, unique character, and historical significance. Total production compares closely to the roughly 1,590 1973 Carrera RSs built. The silver ‘76 911 that Ryan purchased in late 2011 is an especially rare car. It’s a Carrera 2.7 MFI “Sondermodell,” a “special edition” variation of the ‘76 911 with VIN #911 660 9050 (the 40th produced out of 113).

Ryan reports, “The Sondermodell coupes were not standard production 911s. They never appeared in factory brochures, and most Porsche books don’t even reference them. They were only sold in Germany, basically through the backdoor, during the last two months of the 1976 model year. They were the last model-year street Porsche with MFI.”

The Sondermodell has the option code M405. For 1976, that meant several performance items were added, including SC style rear flares, Bilstein shocks, limited-slip differential, 18mm rear anti-roll bar, 6 and 7×15-inch Fuchs, and most importantly the 911/83 RS MFI engine. Weight was trimmed by eliminating the heavy bumper crush absorbers, electric windows, rubber-lined carpet, and carpeting on the door pockets.

There are other unique features original to this ’76 Sondermodell, like the lack of a badge on the rear deck lid, a blue Perma-Tune Ignition box, orange “Langzeit Garantie” galvanized decal, front spoiler, and the attractive early rear whale tail.

Ryan remembers, “911 660 9050 had been sitting in the back of a San Diego body shop in primer for the better part of twelve years. Eventually the owner decided to sell it because he realized he wasn’t going to complete the project anytime soon. When I went to inspect it, parts were strewn in the rafters, storage closets, and in piles around the shop. The chassis had been completely stripped and was just a bare roller covered in layers of dust.”

With the coupe’s cabin jammed full of parts, it was shipped to Tim Morris at German Master Tech in Bend, Oregon. There, an 18-month ground-up bare metal restoration was undertaken. “We were very careful to ensure that every part was original or correctly date coded. We wanted it to look exactly as it left the factory,” says Ryan. “I did the part sourcing, research and planning, including traveling to multiple private collections and visiting the factory archives in Stuttgart on four separate occasions. The process of going through this restoration proved critical in understanding these cars from the perspective of producing a book.”

In 1976 Porsche switched from doing a partial galvanization to a new process of dipping the entire body of each 911. Thankfully, when Ryan’s ‘76 Carrera was previously painted, the shop didn’t take the paint down to bare metal, which ensured that the original galvanized coating remained on the car. The tub was also very original and rust free except for the battery box and lower windowsills.

Since the Carrera 2.7L MFI motor had not be run for over a decade, it was completely torn down and rebuilt. The final reassembly and tuning was done at Rothsport Racing in Oregon. PMB Performance in Utah restored the stock brakes, and Harvey Weidman of California refinished the date matching Fuchs.

Ryan managed to source all the needed parts including an original black 1976 dash without A/C vents or speaker grills. The interior was then delivered to Tony Garcia at Autobahn Interiors in San Diego. Luckily, Tony found just enough NOS MacLachlan red tartan material to finish the seat inlays. “There is a big difference in the feel, color vibrancy, and crispness of OEM tartan fabric that you don’t get with today’s reproduction,” Ryan states.

At Master Tech, everything, including the wiring harness, was removed before the most methodical final metal finishing, painting and reassembly.

Complete and underway, this Carrera with its MFI induction rewards with a glorious sound and instantaneous throttle response. It has a remarkable feel compared to the US version of the Carrera of 1974-1975, which used the less powerful 2.7 CIS (K-Jetronic) injected engines that meet the California and US emission standards.

Being from the Pacific Northwest, Ryan’s not afraid to drive his Sondermodell anywhere, even in the rain. Along the way he’s won “Best in Class” at the Concours on the Avenue event during the 2013 Monterey Historics week.

Serious automotive collectors consider Porsche’s Carrera 2.7 RS to be the archetypical iconic long hood 911, and deservedly so. For the short hood 911s, the Euro Carrera 2.7 has the same soul and is equally captivating. Ryan knows this and his book portrays the complete story of these remarkable, unheralded sports cars.

The Carrera 2.7 book review in issue #9 of AUTOMOBILSPORT magazine:

Now come on, please - not another Porsche book? On a 911? Well, have some patience, dear reader. For despite the flood of Porsche-related reading material on the market, Ryan Snodgrass has managed to create something extraordinary. The connection to the recently relaunched definitive book on the preceding model becomes obvious at first sight. This is no surprise, as the layout and design for the 1974–76 Carrera 2.7 book was done by the same graphic designer. But it is the content and amazing details that make this one even more special. Snodgrass covers every – and we mean absolutely every – aspect of the initial impact bumper model Carrera, in the process setting a new standard for technical details. There is also a special goody that makes the book attractive for race fans: in a chapter dedicated to the fabulous IROC RSRs, for the first time we've found a complete and beautifully illustrated documentation of the 15 cars that raced in the United States in 1973/74.

Summary: 9.5 out of 10
A brilliant piece on the initial impact bumper Carrera 

German review:

Schon wieder ein Porsche-Buch? Und dann auch noch über einen Neunelfer? Doch Geduld, lieber Leser - in der Flut an Lektüre über die Zuffenhausener Fahrzeuge ist Ryan Snodgrass hier etwas Außergewöhnliches gelungen. Sofort ins Auge fällt die Verwandtschaft zum 2015 neu aufgelegten Standardwerk über das Vorgängermodell. Das verwundert nicht, denn Grafik und Layout kommen aus demselben Haus. Der Inhalt und die Detailtiefe jedoch sind es, die dieses Buch in eine andere Liga heben. Snodgrass behandelt wirklich jeden Bereich des ersten G-Modell-Carreras aufs Ausführlichste und setzt in Sachen technische Details einen neuen Standard. Auch für uns Rennsportfans hält der Autor einen Leckerbissen bereit: In einem umfangreichen Kapitel über den IROC-RSR findet sich erstmals eine vollständige und hervorragend aufbereitete Dokumentation zu den 15 Autos, die 1973/74 in den USA für Furore sorgten.

Fazit: 9,5 von 10
Ein brillantes Werk über den ersten G-Modell-Carrera

"Book of the Month" review in the June 2016 issue of Vintage Cars:

CARRERA 2.7: RIVALUTARE LE "BUMPER"

Nel mondo delle Porsche 911, la parola "bumper" è associata all versioni meno desiderabili in assoluto della mitica berlinetta di Stoccarda. Forse per quella versione base i cui 150 CV, a fronte di 2,7 litri di cubatura, Sembrano una contraddizione in termini con la storia della Casa di Stoccarda. Sta di fatto che dei modelli con i "paraurtoni" necessari a rispettare l'omologazione USA, pochi parlano. E infatti la letteratura al riguardo è scarsa. Ora però c'è chi si è preso la briga di scriverne, con un libro dedicato al-mo dello più prestigioso tra i "bumper, e più che oltre desiderabile più potent: la Carrera del 2.7 1974-1976 Che sarebbe poi l '. evoluzione della mitica 2.7 RS. La prima 911. questa, con il motore MA, cioè a iniezione meccanica di carburante. Una macchina da 210 CV, potent e Aggressiva. che, per stessa ammissione dell'autore, è servita per esplorare lo sviluppo dell 'intera serie -Bumper "(nel codice Porsche le Serie G. H e I) e restituirle dignità collocandola nel solco del momento storico in cui nacque: quello della crisi Petrolifera e dell'austerity. Ecco quindi che sotto questa lente i modelli "sfiatati" (Carrera a parte) assumo-no il ruolo di Spartiacque nella storia della Casa, divenendo quelli che hanno permesso alla Porsche 911 di continuare la sua storia. Come dire che, se a non Zuffenhausen avessero avuto il coraggio di mettere sul mercato questa serie, forse la 911 non sarebbe arrivata fino a noi. Emblematica (e bellissima) in questo contesto è la lettera di fine anno che Huschke von Hanstein, all'epoca direttore comunicazione della Casa, scrive a un possessore di 911 in quel periodo. Lettera nella quale è evident lo sconcerto per il fatto che si sia obbligati a viaggiare a 80 km / h per Risparmiare carburante (i limiti di velocità sono una misura frustrante per i piloti Provetti "), ma anche si conclude con la speranza che" come tutte le cose hanno fine, anche questa austerity finirà, e ci auguriamo molto presto. "Una lettera che mostra, al lettore, quanto in profondità si sia nella ricerca per la andati stesura di quest'opera, divisa in Capitoli che l'sviscerano argomento in tutte le sue sfaccettature: mec-canica, telaio, carrozzeria, interni, modelli speciali, corse, accessori (numerose pagine sono dedicate, per esempio, ai crick, agli attrezzi di bordo e ai ricambi in dotazione per il pronto intervento) e. con una parte che iconografica definire ricchissima e suggestiva è ancora poco. Un libro da intenditori.