PROVENANCE
William Wuesthoff, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (acquired new via Porsche Car Import Inc. in 1960)
Bruce Jennings, Towson, Maryland (acquired from the above in 1963)
Dr. William Jackson, Denver, Colorado (acquired in the late 1960s)
Heritage Classics, West Hollywood, California (acquired from the above in 1999)
Peter Le Saffre, Boston, Massachusetts (acquired from the above in 2000)
William E. Connor II, Incline Village, Nevada (acquired from the above by 2004)
Larry Bowman, Woodside, California (acquired from the above in 2012)
Private Collection (acquired from the above in 2015)
Current Owner (acquired from the above)
RACE HIGHLIGHTSSCCA National Road America, Wisconsin, June 1960, Wuesthoff, No. 77 (6th Overall, 1st in Class)
SCCA National Meadowdale, July 1960, Wuesthoff, No. 77 (6th Overall, 1st in Class)
SCCA National Kentucky State Fairgrounds, August 1960, Wuesthoff, No. 77 (4th Overall, 3rd in Class)
SCCA National Watkins Glen, New York, September 1960, Wuesthoff, No. 192 (4th Overall, 1st in Class)
SCCA National Road America, Wisconsin, June 1961, Wuesthoff, No. 77 (6th Overall, 2nd in Class)
SCCA Regional Milwaukee State Fair Park, June 1961, Wuesthoff, No. 77 (1st Overall)
SCCA Divisional Indianapolis, July 1961, Wuesthoff (1st Overall)
SCCA National Meadowdale, Illinois, July 1961, Wuesthoff, No. 77 (4th Overall, 1st in Class)
SCCA National Indianapolis, August 1961, Wuesthoff, No. 77 (5th Overall, 3rd in Class)
SCCA Regional Wilmot Hills, Wisconsin, May 1962, Wuesthoff (2nd Overall, 1st in Class)
Mosport 200 Miles, June 1962, Wuesthoff, No. 79 (1st in Class)
SCCA National Road America, Wisconsin, June 1962, Wuesthoff, No. 77 (6th Overall, 1st in Class)
SCCA Divisional Wilmot Hills, Wisconsin, July 1962, Wuesthoff, No. 77 (2nd Overall, 2nd in Class)
SCCA National Meadowdale, Illinois, August 1962, Wuesthoff, No. 77 (2nd Overall, 2nd in Class)
Road America 500, September 1962, Wuesthoff, No. 76
SCCA Divisional Milwaukee, September 1962, Wuesthoff, No. 77 (1st Overall)
SCCA National Road America, Wisconsin, June 1963, Wuesthoff, No. 77 (5th Overall, 1st in Class)
SCCA Divisional Meadowdale, Illinois, June 1963, Wuesthoff, No. 77 (1st Overall)
SCCA National Meadowdale, Illinois, August 1963, Wuesthoff, No. 77 (2nd Overall, 1st in Class)
USRRC Continental Divide, Colorado, August 1963, Wuesthoff, No. 77 (4th Overall, 2nd in Class)
EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS
Castle Hill Concours d’Elegance, Massachusetts, 2001
The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, California, 2006
Porsche Race Car Classic, California, 2011
Rennsport Reunion IV, California, 2011
Colorado Grand, 2016
Colorado Grand, 2017
Le Mans Classic, 2018
Le Mans Classic, 2021
Unveiled in January 1960, the RS60 represented the ultimate evolution of Porsche’s aluminum-bodied, four-cam Spyder – an iconic series of sports racing cars originating with the Type 550 of 1953.
The RS60 was, in essence, a refined version of the highly successful works RSKs built for the 1959 racing season. While the RS60 maintained the internal Type 718 designation, this much-improved Spyder featured a larger cockpit, unequal-length wishbone rear suspension, improved brakes, and more modern 15″ wheels. Although the front and rear track remained unchanged, the wheelbase was stretched by 4″ providing greater engine bay access and additional room for driver and passenger. The longer wheelbase, advanced suspension, and smaller wheels also had a profound effect on handling, making the RS60 much more predictable than the RSK that it replaced.
In keeping with the chassis improvements, the Wendler-built aluminum coachwork also benefited from subtle revisions. The most obvious external change was a taller-framed windshield of FIA-mandated height. Other than minor variations to the nose, doors, and head fairing, the RS60’s bodywork shared a great deal with its predecessor.
Equipped with Porsche’s potent Type 547/3 four-cam engine, the RS60 was a sophisticated, highly efficient sports car perfectly suited for technical circuits and open road races. With a dry weight of just 1,210 lbs., the latest Spyder possessed exceptional roadholding, braking, and acceleration. Few contemporary sports cars offered such a well-balanced package.
Whereas the 550 and RSK Spyders were perennial favorites in the under-2,000 cc class, the RS60 was the first Porsche that posed a real threat to the largecapacity sports racers that competed for outright wins.
In 1960, Porsche placed 2nd in the FIA World Sportscar Championship thanks to its works RS60s, which triumphed at the 12 Hours of Sebring and the Targa Florio. Privateer RS60s were similarly effective, winning both the European Hillclimb Championship and the SCCA National Championship in the E-Modified Sports Racing class. In total, just 17 RS60s were built, four of which were retained for Porsche’s own works team.
For a limited-production, small-displacement sports car, the RS60 left an indelible mark on international motor sports.
The RS60 presented here, chassis 718-060, is an exceptional example of Porsche’s ultimate Spyder model, possessing a successful period competition history, well-documented provenance, and uncommon originality.
One of only six customer RS60s delivered new to the US, this car was originally ordered through Porsche Car Import Inc. of Northbrook, Illinois, on behalf of William Wuesthoff, a gentleman driver and new car dealer in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
In 1957, Wuesthoff began his racing career with Porsche, campaigning a Super Speedster in club events. Although Wuesthoff raced a variety of cars throughout his career, his greatest successes were found behind the wheel of four-cam Porsches.
During his remarkable nine-year career, Wuesthoff drove for some of the most successful private teams and raced against the era’s best drivers, including Augie Pabst, Joe Buzzetta, and Bruce Jennings. Throughout this period, Wuesthoff’s racing exploits were supported by the sales of his dealership, Concours Motors Inc., which specialized in foreign marques like Volkswagen, Jaguar, Lancia, and, of course, Porsche.
As documented by copies of original factory invoices, 718-060 was originally finished in silver and equipped with a Type 547/3 four-cam engine, no. 90254. The brand-new $9,000 RS60 was delivered to the US in June 1960, just in time for the summer racing season. Upon its arrival, Wuesthoff painted a distinctive metallic blue accent on the body, making his car immediately stand out from other silver Spyders.
In his first season with the RS60, Wuesthoff captured three consecutive class wins, the first at Road America. From there, 718-060 went on to win its class at the Wisconsin Grand Prix at Meadowdale in July and the Kentucky Derby Road Races in August. The last race of the season took place in September at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix where Wuesthoff drove 718-060 to an impressive 2nd Place finish behind Roger Penske’s RS60.
The success continued into 1961, with Wuesthoff’s Porsche opening the season with a strong 2nd Place result at the Road America June Sprints and a win in Milwaukee. At the Wisconsin Grand Prix in July, Wuesthoff drove the RS60 to a 1st in Class finish in the under-2,000 cc class, placing 4th Overall.
In spring 1962, Wuesthoff scored a major victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring, co-driving Frank Rand’s RS60 with Bruce Jennings. Not only did the team manage to win their class, they also finished 3rd Overall and captured the coveted Index of Performance.
For the remainder of the 1962 season, Wuesthoff returned to 718-060 and continued his remarkable string of success. Following a 3rd in Class at Wilmot Hills, the RS60 went on to 1st Place finishes at Elkhart Lake, Meadowdale, and Milwaukee.
For 1963, Wuesthoff occasionally ran 718-060 with a more powerful Type 547/5 engine and, despite increasingly sophisticated competition, the three-year-old RS60 still dominated the under-2,000 cc category, racking up class wins at Indianapolis, Road America, and Meadowdale. In a later outing at Meadowdale, Wuesthoff drove the RS60 to a remarkable 2nd Place in the under-5,000 cc race. In the last race of the 1963 season, 718-060 finished 4th in Class, just behind the RS61 of Don Wester.
In September 1963, Wuesthoff and Augie Pabst won the Road America 500 with the first Elva-Porsche, a car significantly faster than the aging four-cam Spyder. This introduction to the Elva-Porsche ended Bill Wuesthoff’s career as an RS60 driver.
In four seasons, 718-060 was campaigned in 17 races, finishing in the top-three places all but once and taking home an astonishing 12 class wins. Among privately entered RS60s, this record stands as an exceptional achievement.
Almost as impressive as the RS60’s competition record was its impeccable condition after four seasons of active racing. Throughout its career, Wuesthoff’s RS60 avoided serious incident and was meticulously maintained by Chicago-area Porsche expert Glen Carroll. In an interview with Porsche historian Jim Perrin, Mr. Carroll recalled Wuesthoff’s special qualities as a driver and intuitive feel for the machinery:
“Bill never had an accident with the car. He was extremely careful with his car and didn’t stick his nose in where it didn’t belong. He was leading a race at Milwaukee one time and he came in and said there is something wrong in the transmission. When the transmission was later torn down there was a chip in a gear, and Bill had felt that when he was racing. He was an excellent driver and you had to really work to pass Bill.”
In late 1963, Wuesthoff sold 718-060 to legendary Porsche racer Bruce “King Carrera” Jennings. According to his longtime mechanic Heinz Bade, Jennings planned to race the RS Spyder and replaced the standard drum brakes with Porsche’s innovative new annular-type disc brake system, as used on the Carrera 2. However, not long after acquiring 718-060, Jennings lost his interest in the Spyder project and the RS60 was raced sparingly, if at all.
After passing through the hands of an unknown New York-area owner, the RS60 was sold to Dr. William Jackson of Denver, in the late 1960s.
Known for his discerning eye and exceptional taste, Dr. Jackson was one of the first American collectors to appreciate the significance of early Porsche racing cars. At its height, Dr. Jackson’s collection included some of the most important examples of the marque, from early four-cam Spyders and 356s to significant Turbo Era 911s. For approximately 30 years, 718-060 remained a fixture in this remarkable collection, benefiting from minimal use and careful preservation.
In 1999, Heritage Classics of West Hollywood, California, purchased several significant cars from Dr. Jackson’s collection, including 718-060. Later that year, Alex Finigan discovered the RS60 while in Southern California and purchased it on behalf of his client, noted East Coast collector Peter Le Saffre. Soon after, the Porsche arrived at Paul Russell and Company, where a detailed inspection revealed wonderful original details including an untouched section of Wuesthoff’s metallic blue paint, still visible after 35 years.
Following a sympathetic restoration, including an engine rebuild by four-cam specialist Bill Doyle, 718-060 was sold to William E. “Chip” Connor II, joining his world-class collection. Under his ownership, the RS60 benefited from first-rate preparation and meticulous upkeep. It was displayed, on rare occasions, at leading events such as The Quail and the Porsche Race Car Classic, and campaigned at Rennsport Reunion IV and the Monterey Historic Automobile Races.
In 2012, California collector Larry Bowman acquired the Porsche and it remained in his care for three years. Later, under a subsequent owner, the Spyder successfully completed the back-to-back editions of the Colorado Grand (2016 and 2017) and was maintained by four-cam specialist Jeff Adams of Speedsport Tuning in Danbury, Connecticut. Most recently, 718-060 was campaigned at Le Mans Classic, a testament to its mechanical fitness.
In total, Porsche built just 28 examples of the RS60/61 Spyder for customer use. As with most successful sports racing cars, many of these Porsches were raced, wrecked, or modified to varying degrees to remain competitive. Consequently, most examples have been at least partially re-bodied and very few are powered by original Porsche-built four-cam engines, let alone the numbered unit with which they left the factory.
Throughout its successful four-season racing career, Bill Wuesthoff treated 718-060 with uncommon care. As a result, this RS60 retains its original Wendler-built aluminum coachwork as well as its factory-delivered engine, no. 90254. Only a handful of Porsche Spyders can make such a claim. In fact, the only notable deviations from its factory-delivered specification are its correct-type replacement transaxle, installed during Wuesthoff’s ownership, and the upgraded annular-type disc brakes fitted by legendary American Porsche racer Bruce Jennings in the 1960s.
Chassis 718-060 is a magnificent representative of Porsche’s final four-cam Spyder – a car with an outstanding racing pedigree, exceptional originality, and a chain of distinguished owners beginning with three decades in the ownership of pioneering collector Dr. William Jackson. Today, this car appears very much as it did 60 years ago, when it was doing battle with Ferrari Testa Rossas, Scarabs, Listers, and Lotus on the fast-paced circuits of the American Midwest.
While every four-cam Spyder possesses an innate appeal, this RS60 – widely regarded as one of the finest and most original extant – is an undisputed star.
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