Ken Block-Driven 1978 Porsche 911 SC 'Safari' Hits Collecting Cars Auction Platform - with video 31.05.2022: This Porsche 911 SC ‘Safari’ by Tuthill Porsche is a fantastic custom competition build, which was driven by rally legend Ken Block in the 2022 East Africa Safari Classic Rally in February, and which remains in ‘as raced’ condition.

This Porsche 911 SC ‘Safari’ by Tuthill Porsche is a fantastic custom competition build, which was driven by rally legend Ken Block in the 2022 East Africa Safari Classic Rally in February, and which remains in ‘as raced’ condition.



The core of the build is a substantially strengthened original shell, subject of a raft of Tuthill Porsche upgrades to ensure it is capable of surviving the gruelling 5,000km event.


Its engine is a 3.0-litre flat-six from a 911 SC, fully rebuilt to safari specifications and producing around 280bhp, driving the rear wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox and limited-slip differential.


The car is wrapped in Ken Block’s 2021 “It’s A Living” livery.


It is a road legal, UK registered vehicle.



EQUIPMENT AND FEATURES

First run in 2003, the legendary East Africa Safari Classic Rally is a nine-day rally covering up to 5,000km across the region. It has rightly earned a reputation as the world's toughest rally, and has become a particularly popular event for Porsche enthusiasts looking to drive arguably the ultimate off-road 911s.


This car is based on an original 911 SC, where the original shell has been fully stripped down and blasted back to bare metal before being strengthened. Tuthill’s team spends around 350 hours bolstering the support through the shell, adding in double-skin plating and reinforcement, including uprated mounts for the dampers.



For this particular build, the bodywork was enhanced to the 911 SC/RS style.

VIDEO

There is full underbody protection, including safari roo bars, plus a ‘whale tail’ rear spoiler, aerodynamic wing mirrors with inset LED spot lights, and a safari roof vent. The side windows are strong and lightweight Perspex.
It rides on white 15-inch Braid alloy wheels, wrapped in 205/65R15 Dunlop Direzza 86RW rally tyres.


Inside, the car has a fully stripped out rally specification cabin, with the inner shell and dashboard also painted in the body colour. There are lightweight door cards, and a pair of Recaro bucket seats trimmed in black fabric. Custom foot rests are also installed for driver and passenger.



A full welded-in roll cage has been installed, along with a bespoke Tuthill Porsche wiring loom and re-routing, racing harnesses, plumbed-in and handheld fire extinguishers, heated windscreen, and a Monit G-series trip computer. A wheel nut gun and other tools are mounted in the door cards.

Ahead of the driver is a dished Sparco steering wheel and a Stack rev counter.


At the front, there is a 90-litre fuel tank wrapped around a circular well that can accommodate two spare wheels.
The original 3.0-litre SC base engine has been fully rebuilt, using a rally camshaft to achieve the desired torque and driveability, and completed to safari specifications with around 280bhp. This is coupled to a bespoke safari gearbox with plate type limited-slip differential, plus a Tuthill gear shifter with extended lever. There is also a safari competition exhaust with an x-pipe silencer.



Its suspension is by EXE-TC 5-way adjustable dampers, complemented by fully strengthened rear arms and a safari specification steering rack.


The brakes have a custom Tuthill Porsche calliper setup, which is a universal fit, enabling the same calliper to go onto any corner of the car for optimum endurance event compatibility.




CONDITION


Tuthill Porsche has been building 911 rally cars since 1992 and currently holds the best finishing record, bar none, in the East Africa Safari Classic Rally. Its cars are built for the ultimate endurance test and with over 30 years of experience they are known for ‘building the best’.


This 911 is presented in ‘as raced’ condition following its use by Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino on the East Africa Safari Classic Rally between 10th and 18th February 2022. As can be appreciated in the photo gallery, there is some relatively minor damage to the lower body panels, notably the rear arches and lower front bumper, and some temporary tape repairs.


Inside, there is dust and small debris from the rally, but it would look smart again after a full clean. There is some minor damage around the headrest on the driver’s seat, but the passenger seat appears to be in very good shape.
There are no known electrical or mechanical faults.


It was put through an MOT test on 26 October 2021 following the build, which resulted in a first-time pass with no advisories.


Fully road legal, this 911 can be used on a multitude of international rally events or just as the ultimate rally 911.



SUMMARY



This Porsche 911 SC ‘Safari’ is a superb custom rally car, built by the specialists at Tuthill Porsche, who have notched up multiple wins on the legendary East Africa event with their robust event-focused machines. This car completed the 2022 event in the hands of Ken Block, the well-known professional driver and founder of ‘Hoonigan Racing Division’, and it is now offered for sale to another enthusiast, who may wish to add it to a collection of bespoke Porsches or use it in off-road events themself.



The description of this auction lot is, to the best of the seller's knowledge, accurate and not misleading. Collecting Cars requests a range of detail about the lot from the seller, and performs a level of due diligence. However, bidders must satisfy themselves as to the accuracy of the description, and conduct any research they feel is necessary before committing to a bid. Please see our Terms and Conditions for full details.


All UK-registered cars and motorbikes on Collecting Cars are run through an online HPI check. On the HPI report, this vehicle shows no insurance database markers for damage or theft, and has no finance owing.




- Jeff Perlman - photos Khalid Bari