BRUN MOTORSPORT 1966–2009

The man, the machines and the mustache – the rise, fall and rise of the Porsche-beating privateer

Few teams can claim to have defeated a Works racing outfit within just a year of setting up shop, but Walter Brun did just that. With 964 pages, this expansive, $495, three-volume set chronicles the life and works of ‘Walti’ between 1966 and 2009 – yet it is Brun Motorsport’s rise and fall from 1983 to 1991 that anchors the tale. But to focus on this era is to diminish the talents of one of Switzerland’s most driven performers.

By the end of the 1960s he’d come to prominence in circuit racing and hillclimbing, winning a European title in the latter in 1971, the same year as his Le Mans class victory in a Porsche 907. After a decade of privateer racing in BMW Procars, DRM and endurance events, Walti moved into team management, and having bought the assets of the GS-Sport team, he purchased a Porsche 956. This brought Walti’s first Interserie win, and much more competitive showings in sportscar events.

The second volume runs from 1984-87, and covers a tumultuous period. Successes soon followed, with Brun’s first WSC victories and a DRM title for Stefan Bellof, but it would be marked by tragedy. Bellof’s death at Spa in 1985 in a Brun car is still a great source of pain for Walti, as revealed in his foreword. However, it spurred the team on to greater success in 1986. Brun won the WSC, beating the Works Porsche team, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz, and would be highly competitive around the globe.

That’d be the high point, though – from 1988, there was a disastrous foray into Formula 1 (as EuroBrun), and a brave but doomed attempt to build the team’s own endurance racer. By the end of 1991, it was all over. As covered in volume three, Walti stepped away from the limelight, taking the rest of the 1990s to pay off his debts. But the passion never went away, and in 2000 he returned to the track for sporadic GT racing efforts up to 2009.

This is all captured in sumptuous archive photography, printed on quality paper. It’s a shame there isn’t space for Thomas Nehlert, Eckhard Schimpf and Peter Wyss to relay more tales of Walti’s unconventional antics. You do get fleeting hints of this character, with rare images of Brun gatecrashing Fiorano with a Porsche 959 for a magazine twin test with Gerhard Berger in a Ferrari F40 – the two swapping places midtrack, much to the chagrin of the Ferrari PR team.

This is only a small moan, however, because this lovingly produced book, which was instigated by Brun’s son Sascha, is a delight for avowed Group C fans. Just 350 copies are being printed, and it comes highly recommended. sportfahrer-zentrale.com

Lime Rock Park: The Early Years 1955-1975

The US’s oldest continuously operated road-racing circuit has had as much drama offtrack as on, with financial crises, legal wrangles and disputes with race organizers. Tragedy and turmoil were also backed up with superb action, and this 680-page, $225 book is brimming with stories and 900-plus images. Terry O’Neil’s tribute to ‘the road-racing center of the east’ is filled with intrigue, and a great sense of the early days. daltonwatson.com

Jim Hall’s crew chief and then embedded in Carroll Shelby’s team, before striking out on his own with IECO, tuning the Chevrolet Corvair and later assisting with the setting up of the Petersen Museum. Although Sonny rubbed shoulders with the greats, it doesn’t stop this being a refreshingly personal book ($40, 320 pages), and his tangible enthusiasm for motor sport and down-to-earth nature shine through – and that’s before you get to his other passion, wine. evropublishing.com

Saint Christophe: Dashboard Badges of the Golden Era of Motoring

Balcaen

While most teenagers were building box carts, Sonny was crafting a Top Fuel dragster at home. He was always destined for great things, and his talents took him to the door of Lance Reventlow and the Scarab team. From there he became

While keeping an image of St Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, about yourself or your carriage was nothing new, by the 1920s a steady trade in intricate coins and medallions to be affixed to dashboards sprung up. Maximiliano Garay’s exquisite guide to the firms involved, such as Hermès, Lalique and Cartier, plus lovingly rendered imagery, make this 312-page, $90 book a fascinating read. Just 500 copies are being produced. artonwheels.com.ar

Watches

Breguet Classique Calendar 7337

This is the latest version of the Classique collection introduced in 2009. Its open-tipped hands, offcentered dial and guilloché pattern hark back to the brand’s early baroque stylings. The 7337 contains one of Breguet’s thinnest movements; the Caliber 502 is just 2.4mm thick, which slots into the 39mm white- or rose-gold case beautifully. Here, the offcentered dial is adorned with a hand-engraved Clous de Paris hobnail

Tudor Black Bay Chrono S&G

Motor sport and diving don’t usually make a good combination, but this watch is the exception. It celebrates Tudor’s long association with both sports, and boasts ‘Snowflake’ hands with pushers inspired by the first Tudor chronographs. At 41mm, it comes in matt black or sunray satin-finish champagne. It uses the MT5813 chronograph caliber, and features a steel-and-gold bracelet, jacquard strap or bund. It’s $7250 as pictured. tudorwatch.com guilloché pattern. The white-gold version has a blue alligator-leather strap, while the rose-gold model has a similar strap in brown. It costs $44,860 breguet.com

Franck Muller Racing Collection

Franck Muller’s latest iteration of its popular Vanguard series takes the model line into automotiveinfluenced territory. Its hand-applied indexes and numbers have been inspired by motor sport aesthetics, while in place of the regular springbar strap, the Racing Collection models feature a strap that’s integrated

Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Chronograph

This new take on the Pontos S blends the sporty vibes with a luxurious air. Featuring a sandblasted dial that comes in silvery white, it features two counters on the north-south axis, plus seconds, date and day displays. The bezel is crafted from scratchresistant ceramic, and is equipped with a tachymeter. Its doublestepped lugs and elongated push pieces hint at classic Maurice Lacroix models. The ML112 caliber is visible through a sapphire-crystal pane, while there’s a choice of either a nylon-and-nubuck leather strap, or a steel bracelet. It costs $3350 mauricelacroix.com into the case with two unseen screws. The rubber strap is designed to hug the wrist as closely as a racing driver on apex. The movement is automatic, and the model range is available in 18k rose gold or stainless steel, with a chronograph or classic hours, minutes and seconds. A variety of colors are available, and prices begin at $10,200 franckmuller.com

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THE 996 HAD PROVEN TO BE A POPULAR model, even if ardent Porsche enthusiasts did not quite take to the ‘fried-egg’ headlights. Mechanically the new 997 was an evolution of that car, but inside and out it was a welcome return to a design reminiscent of the 993.

Upon launch it was available with either a 325bhp 3.6-liter flat-six engine, which was a carry-over from the 996 (Carrera), or a newly developed 355bhp 3.8-liter power unit (Carrera S), and you could choose from coupé, convertible or Targa bodystyles. A four-wheeldrive set-up was introduced later in 2004, complete with a wider bodyshell. For this guide, we’ll be focusing on the naturally aspirated 997s, including the GT3 models.

When it came to transmissions, a newly designed six-speed manual unit or a Tiptronic automatic were the original choices. Other than the additional power, the S versions also came with Porsche’s new PASM stabilitymanagement system.

The big update came in 2007, when new direct-injection powerplants were introduced, adding even more muscle. At the same time, the sporty PDK transmission replaced the aging Tiptronic unit. In 2011 the 399bhp 3.8-liter Carrera GTS arrived, with the wider, four-wheel-drive bodyshell. It could be had in both coupé and convertible guises. However, perhaps of greater interest to those who like to exercise their cars on the track is the GT3 model, which came in two distinct eras and with various RS versions, all of them increasingly hardcore. Launched in 2006, this era of GT3s would be the last to use the infamous Mezger engine, which could trace its lineage back to the racing cars of the 1970s. The GT3 model was facelifted in 2009, swelling swept volume to 3.8 liters and power still further – but that was just the start...

Engine And Gearbox

Although intermediate shaft (IMS) bearings have been known to fail on a number of earlier non-Mezger engines, the issue is nowhere near as bad as some online naysayers have made out. Post-2005 models have upgraded bearings, and Gen 2 cars got rid of the IMS shaft completely. The rear main seal (RMS) can also drip oil,

Model history

2004

Porsche 997 launched as second water-cooled 911. 325bhp

3.6-liter Carrera and 355bhp 3.8 Carrera S models made available, with either six-speed manual or Tiptronic transmission options.

2006

GT3 launched with 416bhp 3.6-liter Mezger engine and Porsche Carrera Cup-inspired chassis and body.

2007

Non-GT3 models facelifted. Directinjection engines mean no more IMS and an additional 25bhp for both models. Dual-clutch PDK replaces Tiptronic gearbox. Lighter, stripped-out RS variant launched in US a few months after Europe.

2009

Facelifted GT3 arrives with 429bhp 3.8-liter engine. RS model with 15bhp and more weight saving launched a year later.

2011

Carrera GTS with 399bhp introduced. Short-run GT3 RS 4.0 launched, with 493bhp.

2012

997 production gradually ceases.

Specs (997 S and GT3)

Engine 3.8-liter flat-six Power 355-399bhp

Top speed 182mph

0-60mph 4.4 seconds

Economy 22mpg (est)

Engine 3.6/3.8/4.0-liter flat-six Power 416-493bhp

Top speed 193mph

0-60mph 3.9-4.3 seconds

Economy 18mpg (est) and this can be sorted out when the clutch is replaced, because the gearbox needs removing to get to the seal. Cars built from 2007 onwards are less affected by this issue. If there’s oil dripping from the back of the engine, it could be due to the tandem vacuum pump; this is more common on Gen 1 models, largely because they are older.

Meanwhile, a small percentage of Gen 1 cars are affected by bore scoring – predominantly S models. An oily deposit on the left-side exhaust pipe and/or ticking during idling are tell-tale signs. A borescope will give you the best indication, so the only way to know is to get in there and have a proper look via a specialist inspection. Another tell-tale sign is one exhaust, again usually the left, being more coked up than the other.

The radiators are mounted behind the front bumpers, where leaves tends to accumulate and cause blockages and corrosion if not cleaned out regularly. The coolant crossover pipes are made from rubber, but with aluminum ends that go into steel. Corrosion can form here, so get the car in the air to find any issues or leaks, because it’s an expensive repair; you have to drop the subframe.

ABOVE The Mezger engine in the GT3 models is extremely robust – remarkable, considering it can rev to 8000rpm. OPPOSITE Despite online horror stories, the IMS bearing issue on non-Mezger-engined 997s isn’t as bad as you might imagine.

Manual gearboxes are robust, as are both the Tiptronic and PDK versions. Also, some of the specialists recommend transmission oil changes whenever the clutch needs replacing, which is around every 50,000 miles.

The GT3’s Mezger engine is a robust unit, with very little that goes wrong. However, given that the car will in all likelihood have seen track use – and not necessarily with the most adept drivers – do get the ECU checked by a specialist for any signs of damaging overrevving or messed-with gearchanges.

Suspension And Brakes

Front suspension-arm bushes are known to deteriorate, leading to uneven tire wear. On the test drive, take the car over white lines and cat’s eyes – if you get two clonks, the bushes need replacing. Also look for splits in the rear coffin bushes and front A-frame bushes.

The braking system is typically strong on all variants, and more than up to the task of fast roads. However, the static pipes can corrode. They are mounted in plastic clips on the underbody. One of them goes around the top of the gearbox, and if it needs removing you have to take the trans out. Mud gets stuck to these clips, leading to corrosion.

As befits a track-oriented car, GT3 brakes come in for a lot of punishment. Carbonceramic components were a pricey option when new, yet several aftermarket companies offer more cost-effective replacements. Some owners have fitted GT2-spec larger anti-roll bars to tame understeer, but this can make GT3s tricky on the limit.

Bodywork And Interior

The 997 was well galvanized, so any major rust is likely to be from poor accident repairs. However, you may find corrosion around the door-striker plate attached to the rear wing, and around the catch on the underside of the front bonnet. For GT3 models, it’s well worth taking a look for gravel rash on the body in front of the rear wheels, and do check for any stones stuck in the undertray or floorpan.

Inside, the only obvious signs of wear and tear on good cars should be around the driver’s side bolster and gearknob. Air-con condensers can wear out, so check that all is working well. These are mounted in the nose of the car, and it’s an expensive job to fix.

Which to buy

The 997 was a strong seller throughout its life, and its looks have aged well as subsequent 911s have piled on the pounds. The more powerful S is most common, with either Tiptronic or PDK trans in Gen 2 guise, and four-wheel drive was also popular. Convertibles generally command higher prices than the Targas and coupés, and are rarer, too.

A Gen 2, S or non-S, is the pick of the bunch, because these are less common – Porsche made a lot fewer due to the banking crisis. The ultimate ‘normal’ 997 is the manual GTS, which is priced accordingly. While the PDK models are great, it’s the manuals that will hold their value best due to their rarity.

The 997 GT3 is being recognized as peak GT3 – plenty fast enough and reliable, and without the bloat of far newer cars. However, they’re not as extreme as the early 996 GT3s.

The RS versions – in particular the 3.8 and 4.0 models – are collector gold dust, but any GT3 will leave you astonished at the ability and sheer fun that come from a flat-six that revs to the heavens.

All values are taken from Hagerty Price Guide, winter 2022. Deduct 10-15 percent for non-manual transmissions.

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