Ken Block's 1978 Porsche 911 SC "Safari" rally car is up for sale in the United Kingdom through Collecting Cars.
Safari-style builds have become quite popular for their rugged looks, but this 911 also has a true rallying pedigree. It was driven by Block in the 2022 East Africa Safari Classic Rally in February. It remains in as-raced condition, complete with a layer of dirt and dust.
Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino raced the car over eight days in the rally, with the drivers spending more than 18 hours behind the wheel on racing stages. Along the way, Block and Gelsomino encountered elephants, giraffes, zebras, camels, goats, and other wildlife that required them to slow down or stop. While the duo set eight fastest times in the 22 stages, several flat tires and a mistake resulted in repairs to the car and a two-hour penalty.
The 911 was built by Tuthill Porsche, which has been building 911 rally cars since 1992, according to the listing. The firm started by stripping an original late1970s/early 1980s-era 911 SC down to the body shell. That shell was then strengthened with reinforced plating, and the mounting points for the EXE-TC five-way adjustable dampers were beefed up.
Other modifications included underbody protection, a whale tail rear spoiler, and a roof scoop. The car rolls on 15-inch Braid alloy wheels with Dunlop Direzza 86RW tires.
Tuthill Porsche also rebuilt the stock 3.0-liter flat-6, which now produces 280 hp. It drives the rear wheels through a 5-speed manual transmission and limited-slip differential.
The Safari 911 is one of several new cars Block has commissioned and raced since ending his exclusive partnership with Ford in 2021. After selling a few of his Blue Oval cars, Block has leaned toward German automakers. The Safari 911 will be succeeded by the Hoonipigasus, a 1,400-hp 911 Block plans to race at the 2023 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) in Jun). Block also has a partnership with Audi focusing on electric cars that's already yielded the Audi S1 E-Tron Quattro Hoonitron, a wild tribute to the Quattro S1 rally car.
Anyone interested in buying the car can contact Collecting Cars. For the rest of us, be sure to check out the racing action shown in the embedded video.
