Porsche 904
The Porsche 904 was the 718 replacement in the GT class. The car had a revolutionary fibre-glass body that was designed by 'Butzi' Porsche, son of Ferry Porsche. He was only 28 by the time his design was officially presented at the Solitude circuit in November 1963. The car had a new two-litre engine with four overhead camshafts that was claimed to produce 180 bhp at 7,200 rpm.
For the purpose of a quick homologation in the GT class one hundred cars where produced immediately and available for private customers. The 904 made its racing debut at the Daytona 2000kms in February 1964. The most important win in its first season was no doubt the overall victory by Davis and Pucci in the Targa Florio, with the other works car of Linge and Balzarini coming second.
The next couple of years the 904 would score numerous class wins for the factory as well as privateers in endurance races such as the Le Mans 24 Hours, the 12 Hours of Sebring, the Nürburgring 1000kms and the Rheims 12 hours. In 1966 the 904 found a successor in the 906, the last of the top-notch Porsche racing cars to be homologated as a road-going car.
Porsche 904 video
904-019
It seems that the only time Carel actually raced a Porsche 904 was in the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1964, retiring early in the race. That particular car (904-019) was owned by Carel, who sold it to American Bruce Nole right after the race. It passed ownership only once before it ended up in the hands of Chuck Stoddard, an ex-racer with strong Stuttgart connections. Today the car is known as one of the most original 904s and is part of a Porsche collection in Ohio.
904-072
Carel also owned 904-072, which was the car that Gerard van Lennep wrecked. It remained in Maarsbergen for a long time after Carel's death until it was sold off. It is unclear whether the car was ever restored in running condition.
904-092
De Beaufort seems to have owned a third 904. That car, 904-092, was sold to England where it was raced by Patrick Godfrey and later by Alain de Cadenet. After that it became part of collections all over the world, including the privately owned Japanese Porsche Museum. At present 904-092 is located in the United States.
The winning 904 GTS in the 1964 Targa Florio, driven by Colin Davis and Antonio Pucci.