1969 Porsche 908 LH By John Lamm
It was thought 1968 could be a championship year for Porsche’s new 3.0-liter 908. Didn’t happen. There were two wins for the 908--the Nürburgring and in Austria--but struggles with reliability meant that much of the glory the German automaker earned that year came thanks to the older 907 model. In the end, even that wasn’t enough to keep Ford from winning the Manufacturer’s Championship.
Then again, it was hoped 1969 would be a successful debut year for Porsche’s mighty 917. Didn’t happen. This time it was the 908, now well sorted out, that brought Porsche not just glory, but the championship.
There were two body styles used for the 908, one with a short Kamm-style tail and the LH or long-tail version. The latter were meant for the fast tracks, circuits like Spa, where Brian Redman’s record 908 LH lap in 1969 was 145.28 mph or Le Mans with Rolf Stommelen averaging 148.49 mph to put an LH on the pole the same year.
Rev’s Collier Collection has the most successful of the extended-bodywork 908s, chassis 025. It has a place of pride in the collection’s extensive Porsche display, but it isn’t unusual to find that spot empty. Instead, 025 is on the road, racing at a Porsche gathering in California or on display at the Amelia Island Concours in Fernandina Beach, Florida.
But you don't have to go anywhere now to check it out...just scroll down or click one of the video links and enjoy.
One of the most popular cars in Revs’ Collier Collection is the long-tail Porsche 908. That car--chassis 025-- is used frequently, here at Porsche’s Rennsport V at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Revs’ Porsche 908 LH 025 coming out of the Raidillon corner after the long climb from Eau Rouge on the Spa Francorchamps circuit in Belgium in 1969. Brian Redman and Jo Siffert drove the car to a win in the 1000-kilometer sports car race, beating a Ferrari 312P.
In Peter Harholdt’s overhead view of the 908 LH you can see its graceful swept lines developed in the wind tunnel.
Front row of the grid at Spa, 1969. Lola-Chevrolet T70 Mk3B number 3 on the pole, a Mirage-BRM M2/300 in the middle and Porsche 908 LH 025 on the outside. The Porsche would go on to win in what was also the 917’s maiden race.
During its 1968 development year, the 908s suffered numerous reliability problems, mostly due to design changes made in the search for lower weight. The final 1969 LH version weighs in at a mere 1350 pounds.
In this Eric della Faille photo from Monza in 1969, the Hans Herrmann/Kurt Ahrens 908 LH 025 leads a Ferrari Dino 206S on its way to a 2nd place finish behind another 908 LH.
The letters LH after the 908 designate it as a long-tail version. They stand for “Langheck,” which in German translates to “long rear.”
Monza’s most famous feature, its famed banking...wonder what it must have been like to be driving 025 at speed on that rough surface.
The LH long-tail 908s were used on fast tracks such as Spa and Le Mans, while the short-tail 908s were preferred for tight circuits, like the Targa Florio, even after the 917 was raced successfully.
One failure stopped 025. At Daytona it retired with a broken countershaft gear.
Revs’ long-tail--or in this case, tall-tail--LH is a certain crowd pleaser.
Thanks to the 908s in short- and long-tail form, Porsche dominated in 1969, easily winning the Manufacturer’s Championship over Ford and Lola.
Beautiful as it looks, the aerodynamics of the 908 LH were imperfect, causing the drivers to weave back and forth across the track at almost 200 mph. Brian Redman said the 908 LH, “scared me stupid,” and yet he set a lap record at Spa of 154.28 mph as he and Jo Siffert raced to a win.
Sitting on a wheelbase of 90.4 inches, the 908 LH is 187.0 inches long, about 20 inches longer than the short-trail 908s. Width measures 75.0 inches and the height a scant 38.0 inches.
An air-cooled, 16-valve flat-8 powered the 908 LH, the dual overhead camshaft, fuel-injected powerplant delivering 350 horsepower at 8400 rpm.
All business, of course, high-sided driver’s seat, crucial gauges well hooded against glare, gearshift for the 5-speed transaxle and a spectacular view out front.
Inside the nose of the 025 you can see the light latticework of the aluminum space frame was used for the 908s.
For the 1970 season, Porsche concentrated on the 12-cylinder 917 and the short, open 908/3 depending on the type of circuit. The careers of the 908 LHs basically came to an end...but not quite.
In 1972, well-known Porsche racer Reinhold Joest entered a 908 LH at Le Mans, where it finished in a solid 3rd place.