INCORPORATING lessons from the preceding 904 GTS program, Porsche’s 1966 906 model – officially the Carrera 6 – was a significant departure in design.
Unlike the 904’s ladder chassis and bonded fibreglass body, the 906 featured a multi-tubular frame with unstressed, ultra-thin fibreglass panels to minimise overall weight.
A total of 65 chassis were built: 52 with 2.0-litre six- cylinder carburettor engines, nine with fuel injection, and four with experimental 2.2- litre eight-cylinder motors.
In customer specification, the 906 was 200 pounds lighter than its predecessor.
Competition success was immediate. The 906 won its class and finished sixth overall on debut at the 24 Hours of Daytona.
Class victories followed at Sebring, Monza, Spa, Nürburgring and Paris.
Any doubts about the car’s prowess were silenced with outright wins at the Targa Florio and Circuito del Mugello, plus an impressive fourth-place finish and class victory at Le Mans.
The 906 remained a dominant force in two-litre sports car racing until replaced by the 910 in 1968.
Chassis 906-115, completed on March 9, 1966, was delivered to Italian amateur racer Ermanno Spazzapan, who competed under the pseudonym “Mann”.
Having previously raced Porsche 356 models, his acquisition of 906-115 marked his step into sports prototypes.
Like other customer-spec 906s, it was equipped with a six-cylinder Type-901/20 engine featuring a magnesium elektron crankcase, titanium connecting rods, forged alloy pistons, and dry-sump lubrication.
Producing 210 horsepower at 8000 rpm, power was delivered through a five-speed Type-906/1 gearbox.
Mann debuted 906-115 at the Stallavena-Boscochiesanuova hill climb on April 17, finishing second in class. Over the season, he entered nine more events – eight hill climbs and one circuit race.
He secured outright victory at Antignano-Monte Burrone and finished second overall in Vittorio Veneto.
Third-place finishes followed at Cividale-Castelmonte, Bolzano-Mendola, and the Coppa Alpe del Nevegal.
His only circuit race, the Coppa Agip at Vallelunga, saw him finish second in class behind another 906 driven by “Noris”.
The car went on to have several owners, and competed in the grueling 500 Kilometers of Mugello, part of the World Sportscar Championship, finishing tenth overall and third in class behind two other 906s.
Arguably, 906-115’s finest performance came at the Imola 500 Kilometres in September 1968.
Under current ownership, the car has been meticulously maintained by Road Scholars of Durham, NC, with over $60,000 spent.
Lightweight, powerful, and remarkably versatile, the Porsche 906 remains one of the most celebrated sports prototypes of its era.
Chassis 906-115 stands out for its originality and significant competition history, making it an exceptional entry into historic racing’s most prestigious events.
SOURCE: 1966 Porsche 906 | Private Sales | RM Private Sales
