Photo: Valkyrie Racing
Who would have thought that a 1956 Porsche 356A classic sports car could go to Antarctica and traverse 356 miles (573 km) of snow and ice? Well, Denver-based racer and philanthropist Renee Brinkerhoff did, as she embarked on the so-called Project 356 World Rally, which is both an expedition and a humanitarian mission.
She set out to cover nearly 20,000 miles (32,000 km) over all seven continents, gaining media exposure for her charitable foundation, Valkyrie Gives, in a bid to end child trafficking, which is something we can all get behind.
Of course, driving in Antarctica is completely different than pretty much anywhere else, which is where engineer Kieron Bradley, a UK-based explorer, comes into play. He basically taught the classic Porsche how to ski, which is an achievement in and of itself.
“Success for Renee and her car will come from the thoughtful balance of appropriate technology we’ve added, and the mass reduction implemented,” he said.
Since Antarctica is getting 24 hours of sunlight this time of year, things such as lights, framework, fire extinguishers and the wheels could all be removed in favor of tracks, ski, and crevasse bars, to go with a specialized brace and suspension system.
“The ski we’ve created must do 40-50 percent of the work, by compacting and prepping the snow for the track unit to follow over, with the underside blade guiding the direction – this ensures the tracks will not submarine under the light snow.”
Other highlights of the vehicle include the dual-sided solar panel (reflects both sun and snow), a roll cage, 4-ton bag jack, rear track suspension mount frame, temperature gauge for early gearbox overheat detection, rear window exit point, rear engine frame winch point, a 12V low temperature compressor and accessibility from within the cabin so that the occupant can reach survival dress, water and communication equipment.
Of course, driving in Antarctica is completely different than pretty much anywhere else, which is where engineer Kieron Bradley, a UK-based explorer, comes into play. He basically taught the classic Porsche how to ski, which is an achievement in and of itself.
“Success for Renee and her car will come from the thoughtful balance of appropriate technology we’ve added, and the mass reduction implemented,” he said.
Since Antarctica is getting 24 hours of sunlight this time of year, things such as lights, framework, fire extinguishers and the wheels could all be removed in favor of tracks, ski, and crevasse bars, to go with a specialized brace and suspension system.
“The ski we’ve created must do 40-50 percent of the work, by compacting and prepping the snow for the track unit to follow over, with the underside blade guiding the direction – this ensures the tracks will not submarine under the light snow.”
Other highlights of the vehicle include the dual-sided solar panel (reflects both sun and snow), a roll cage, 4-ton bag jack, rear track suspension mount frame, temperature gauge for early gearbox overheat detection, rear window exit point, rear engine frame winch point, a 12V low temperature compressor and accessibility from within the cabin so that the occupant can reach survival dress, water and communication equipment.
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