Vic Elford talks about how he talked Porsche into Rallying

“This car I know is going to be a winner. I want to drive it.” – Vic Elford

1967 was a good year for Porsche and Vic Elford. They took the new and unproven 911 out for a spot of rallying, and they did OK.

This episode of Roads & Rides’ Legends of Racing catches up with Vic Elford to hear about his year in 1967, when he took the Porsche 911 out to test its limits in motorsport.

His year kicked off in earnest at the end of 1966, when he left Ford and went to Baron Huschke von Hanstein, Porsche’s then-competition director, to ask for a 911 to take racing. At the time Porsche had no particular interest in rally racing; no rally budget and no rally department, but they lent Elford a car, with no support, to enter the Rally Corsica.

And that was enough. He mastered the Rally of a Thousand Corners and took third, piquing Porsche’s interest enough to contest the Monte Carlo Rally and begin taking things seriously.

From there he began to uncover the potential of the 911, and stormed the world of rally racing, stopping off for some British saloon car racing and autocross on the way.

It’s an engaging story from a fascinating and down-to-earth period of racing, and Vic tells it magnificently. Enjoy