5R539 revisited

[TransamEd]

I found another nice crisp b/w picture at a recent classic car exhibition ...showing 5R539 after its roof was cut and used in hardtop form at the SPA 1968 event. The only way for driver Claude Dubois to continue racing with his R-Shelby in his preferred class.


Note all the details - a nice task for the eagle-eyed researchers (wiper, electric cut-off button beneath the windshield, bumper openings, Le Mans rear flapper in the wheelhouse et...), because you'll find them on Mr. Dietrichs and Mr. Kienens hardtop later. Claude Dubois once said that he sold the car to his best memory to a german guy (Mr. Dietrich worked for Kleber).

Now look at this Stanford revslib picture and compare Mr. Dietrich/Kienens car at the 1970 DMV Rhein Cup Touring to the 1968 SPA 5R539.
https://cdm17257.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/custom/single-image?id=390316&collection=p17257coll1

I also have the ONS race logbook of Mr. Kienens car showing that "5R539" was registered as a 1969 car in 1969 for them.

[Coralsnake]

Thats quite the disguise

[Richstang]

Nice find TransamEd!

Other than the race number change to "177" the sponsor stickers look about the same as the July '68 SPA 24hr race.
By '69 the fenders were cleaned up a bit with less stickers.

[TransamEd]

Note also the curious strange white short "paint stripe", probably a quick scratch repair under the #177 and in the ONS race pass.

[gt350cs]

Can't recall knowing that the top was replaced. If I once knew, I must have forgotten. That tends to happen more often these days....

[6R07mi]

TransAm Ed,
I had these photos supposedly from 68 Spa with door #2.

These are from Revs Institute® Archives, Eric della Faille Photograph Collection, just don't have the new links.

[The upload folder is full. Please try a smaller file and/or contact an administrator]

regards,
jim p

[TransamEd]

Yes, that is the 24hour SPA, the above #177 pic is still marked with big letters from the photographer with 1968 SPA, must be another race or exercise.

This is the 24 hour SPA appearance with #2
https://cdm17257.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/custom/single-image?id=14150&collection=p17257coll1

[deathsled]

A monstrous offense to an R model. Downright sacrilege.

[Richstang]

Note also the curious strange white short "paint stripe", probably a quick scratch repair under the #177 and in the ONS race pass.

I did notice that. It's oddly shaped, it could be a scratch repair or residue left behind from a sticker that was peeled off.
A few of the photos from SPA show something in that same location, but not all of them.

[TransamEd]

Seems to be glue residue from the stripe. Here is 5R539 still in original dress after Le Mans 1967 at one of the Zandvoort/Netherlands 67 races acc. to the picture description.


Note that acc. to Claude Dubois own narrating and registered in the bible for SPA 1967 most drivetrain components from 5R539 were put on another hardtop with #2 racing (which appeared in a dark color) but later those items were put back in the white 5R539.

For 1968 the roof of 5R539 itself got removed.

Those signs and the paperwork are proof (to me at least) that the real body of 5R539 went to Dietrich/Kienen.

The other hardtop used for 1967 Spa only with R drivetrain components is the one that was thought to have been sold to them, but the now available pictures tell a different story.  Look at the below pic and it clearly shows that this was a base car only.

[gt350cs]

Great pictures, Thanks.

[Richstang]

A monstrous offense to an R model. Downright sacrilege.

In today's world yes, but back then it was the only way to keep racing.

At least the roof has been put back in place in a more recent photo from 2004.
TransAmEd has posted that before.

[gt350cs]

Thanks for the added information rich.

[chris NOS]

A monstrous offense to an R model. Downright sacrilege.

In today's world yes, but back then it was the only way to keep racing.

At least the roof has been put back in place in a more recent photo from 2004.
TransAmEd has posted that before.

No, it looks like 539 finished her life with the hard top roof stil welded on it , the car that showed  up in france can't be 539 if we follow step by step the pictures and story that transamED has been studied for many years  .

[TransamEd]

The question marks arise then after following this trail further.

This is 5R539 at the Salzburgring driven by Rolf Kienen. It seems to have got an aditional roll bar enforcement, but the rest of details are still visible.


This is it ..I think in Spa if compared to the upper picture of the pits


and in Monza 1971 with Kienen/Hegels driving.


Which takes us closer to the dilemma. The Dietrich/Kienen/Jüntgens owned car got wrecked later after being in the way in their body shop.