1961 Genie Porsche Mk4. 2 Liter Sports Racer

History

Update: The Rolex Monterey Reunion will feature USRRC cars for 2025. This Genie is an excellent contender for another win there. 

In the early 1960’s Joe Huffaker began building racing cars in the San Francisco Bay Area. He would become famous for his successful designs that ranged from Formula Juniors, to sports racers, to Jaguars, Trans-Am cars, IndyCars and more. Many championships were won behind the steering wheels of Huffaker built cars. 

The 1959 and 1960 Formula One World Championships had just been won by Jack Brabham driving the novel rear engine Coopers. He and Cooper’s “Rear Engine Revolution” would also invade Indianapolis in 1961, changing the game for both Formula One and at Indy. Simultaneously Joe Huffaker was doing the same cutting edge rear engine revolution thinking, designing, and building in the U.S. It was at this time, in 1961, that he introduced his rear engine Genie Mk.4. This would be one of the first ground breaking rear engine sports racers built, and long before Lola and McLaren would attempt it. 

This particular Genie Porsche was built in 1961. While its earliest racing history is yet to be unearthed, one of the recent prior owners of the car used to race against this Genie in the 1970’s and early 1980’s in Northern Pacific SCCA Region races. Back then he remembered the Genie having a modified Decker body and being powered by a Porsche flat four engine with a four speed gearbox. At one point the Genie was raced out of McGee Motorsports at Sears Point Raceway. 

Many years later, in 2006, this same former owner found the Genie in Orange County. It was an old clapped out roller at that point and needed a full recommissioning. He bought the car and brought it to Huffaker Motorsports to do the work. 

Joe Huffaker Jr. examined the car. He said it was the straightest old Genie sports racer chassis that he had ever seen. However, they thought it best, due to the original frame’s age, to measure the chassis to use the original as a pattern for Joe Jr. to build a new frame and undertake the restoration, which he did. During the restoration, the car’s original chassis number was transferred to the new chassis. 

Due to soaring costs, the project stalled for several years. It was picked up again and the car was completed around 2015. Since then the Genie has raced in several vintage races including CSRG at Sonoma Raceway. It also won the 2018 round of the Rolex Monterey Reunion.

Description

During the restoration a 2 liter Porsche 914 engine and gearbox with Hewland internals was installed. After a couple of races the engine was replaced with a FAT Performance/Rimco Porsche 914  engine. Before installation, Huffaker Motorsports went through the engine and dyno-tuned it. 196 h.p. and 218 torque. Dyno sheets available. The engine has had only one race weekend on it since.  

The Genie is equipped with a fully adjustable heim joint suspension and four wheel disc brakes fed by braided steel lines. It has Smiths gauges, an Odyssey gel battery, and current Lifeline belts. The car has a FuelSafe fuel system and Momo steering wheel. The shocks are coil over Koni adjustables. The Porsche’s power is transmitted through CV joints and U-joints.

The Genie Porsche is a piece of American racing ingenuity and history. It is in excellent condition, and just a handful of races from restoration. 

Compare this Porsche powered Genie sports racer to any other Porsche powered sports racers, and we think you will find this Genie to be a serious bargain. In addition, because of its period innovative cutting edge design, the car can be a great entry for the finest vintage racing events worldwide, and will provide the new owner a lot of competitive fun on the track. 

Feel free to contact Art Hebert directly at ahebert@MotorsportSMarket.com, or at 707-328-2452. The Genie Porsche is going to get sold.

All vehicle descriptions are accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing. Corrections, and supplemental information, are always welcome. Buyers are responsible for confirming vehicle histories, condition, and authenticity to their own satisfaction prior to purchase. Motorsports Market is not the owner of the vehicle and assumes no liability for errors and omissions.

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