Thunder Ranch Porsche 718 RSK Central-seat Spyder Replica

A unique production by Thunder Ranch, this centre steer RSK homage is a tribute to the Porsche of the same name, built by none other than Tom McBurnie, producer of a true 1980s icon, the Daytona Spider replicas of Miami Vice fame. Tom’s Thunder Ranch brand has been creating cool cars since 1978 and Thunder Ranch have built up an International reputation for creating awesome replicas of the Porsche 356 Speedster, the 550 Spyder, and the 718 RSK. Before founding his replicar business, Tom raced and won a great many SCCA events in Porsche Speedsters and Spyders in the '60s so he knows these little cars well.

Thunder Ranch decided to replicate the RSK Spyder with modifications to the original race car styling that allows the replica to be used on the road. First designed by Chuck Beck, Thunder Ranch uses the single-crossmember 550 frame, moved forward slightly to allow the panel from dash to floor to cover it as it does in the 550. After the frame is fabricated, it's powder-coated prior to Thunder Ranch’s hand-laid DPCD blended polyester body being bonded to the frame with adhesive and rivets. The bonnet, engine cover, and doors are then hand-fitted with new or handmade hardware.

This particular RSK Spyder was built to showcase McBurnie's Thunder Ranch range at the 2005 Speciality Equipment Market Association's (SEMA) annual event in Las Vegas and was rather special. To enable the car to be US road-registered, it was regarded officially as a re-bodied Porsche 914 from 1972 and the early details on the title relate to its last owner.

Classically finished in Porsche Silver with orange accents, it was configured with a central seating position (centre steer). According to Tom, there were only four ‘centre steers’ ever built but three of them were designed to enable a swap to left-hand drive, depending on the race regulations, meaning this example is unique and, although he is still actively building cars well into his eighties, Tom swears that there will never be a second. It  poiswered by a SCAT-built, fuel-injected, 2.8-litre, VW flat-four (Type 1), with an extra large oil sump and rear located oil cooler, mated to a VW gearbox with high gearing enabling the aerodynamic little roadster to cruise at high speeds.

Thomas kept the car as a demonstrator and for personal use until 2010 before selling it to the renowned Austrian artist in glass, Joseph S Salvenmoser who had requested he refinished the car in black and the RSK then became part of the Salvenmoser Collection of important Porsches which at one point numbered over 30 classic Porsches.

In recent correspondence our vendor mentions “The car has a flip windscreen cowling which is electronically latched or unlatched similar to that of a bonnet. There is one working door (left side) and the other side is only optically a door and is, in fact, part of the main body. The wheels are machined from a solid disc of alloy and the car has no handbrake or park brake. The car is currently black and, although it looks fantastic with the colour change, I would maybe recommend it be put back to its original Silver. The body panels are free from damage but may need the twist clips renewing (not necessary just detailing). If remaining in the UK, then a set of headlights with a different dip direction will be needed.”

Prior to loaning the car to the ‘Klassiker Black and White’ show in Friedrichshafen, where it was treated like a star, he retrimmed the interior in the Saddle Tan leather you see today as he felt that, not only would it look great against the gleaming black coachwork, it would also fit perfectly with silver and orange should it be put back to original. Our vendor now feels that, having had many years of pleasure showing the car off at local Oldtimer meetings and making many new friends, the time is right to say goodbye.