Diligence and ambition always characterized him, the ingenious inventor and engineer Valentin Schäffer, who was responsible for numerous racing engines at Porsche. He celebrates his 90th birthday on October 8, 2021. "We would like to congratulate Valentin Schäffer on this special day and thank him for more than three decades of engine development and construction," says Fritz Enzinger, Head of Porsche Motorsport.
Valentin Schäffer was born in Hungary on October 8, 1931. He started as an engine mechanic at Porsche in 1955. "I actually wanted to go to engineering school in Stockach, but love brought me to Tamm near Ludwigsburg," says Schäffer. "I also received a very warm welcome from the team at Porsche. I was able to start working in the racing department the day after my job interview." Shortly after joining the company, he was already working on the 547/2 engine for the Porsche 550 A Spyder RS.
Six years later, he passed his technician and master craftsman exams in 1961. As he was not only particularly hard-working, but also particularly capable, the company appointed him Head of Racing Engine Development in 1966. His boss is Ferdinand Piëch, who heads the entire development department from 1965, and one of his team colleagues is Hans Mezger. Schäffer retired in 1989, but remained so closely associated with the company that he continued to work for it for another five years.
With his help, many engine types were created over more than three decades. Early highlights of his career as an engine developer include the Carrera four-cylinder Type 547 with a vertical shaft drive, as well as the eight-cylinder vertical shaft engines Type 753 and 771, with which Porsche celebrates victories in Formula 1, the European Hillclimb Championship and the World Sports Car Championship.
"The 771 with eight cylinders was my absolute favorite engine. And it was the best engine for hill climbs. I worked on this engine every day for a long time and tinkered with the exhaust system for a few more horsepower," says the father of two about the racing engine with a liter output of 138 hp. Sometimes he even got carried away on Sunday mornings: "Then I drove to the test bench and tried it out until I got the engine running," says Schäffer. "Even when I was on vacation, I was always thinking about work and always wanted to get back to Porsche quickly."
Schäffer's numerous racing assignments from 1956 to the end of 1980 are unforgettable. He traveled around the world for his work and experienced many famous races, including races in the CanAm series, participation in the Targa Florio and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He was also there on June 14, 1970, when Porsche took its first Le Mans victory with the 917 KH and drivers Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood. "I had already been to the USA for the first time in 1958," says the jubilarian, who was involved in the successful six-cylinder engines of the Type 906 Carrera 6 and 910, among other things.
He also helped design the eight-cylinder, three-liter engine for the 908 as well as the six-cylinder boxer engine type 916, which served as the basis for the Porsche 908 and for tests on the twelve-cylinder type 912 for the 917. To this day, the twelve-cylinder engine is one of the highlights of the Porsche engineer's career and of the company itself. The turbo versions of the 917 represent a further challenge. In 1971, Valentin Schäffer rethought the turbo engine from the ground up, which quickly earned him the nickname "Turbo Valentin".
"Even though many people glorify it today, it is a simple engine," says the former Porsche engineer modestly. The 912/52 turbo engine, which is used in the 917/30 Spyder, sets a world speed record at the Talladega Superspeedway on August 9, 1975. Mark Donohue achieves an average speed of 355.78 km/h on the 2.66-kilometer oval.
Even in retirement, Valentin Schäffer remains closely associated with the brand. He is still available to talk to journalists, technicians and interested fans. He accompanies Porsche events, trade fair appearances and festivities, most recently the Digital Sound Night.
Schäffer was involved in the development and construction of the following engine types:
- 547/2 with 4 cylinders for the Porsche 550 A Spyder (1956)
- 753 with 8 cylinders for the Porsche 804 Monoposto (1962)
- 771 with 8 cylinders for the Porsche 718, 904, 906, 910, 907, 909
- 901/20 with 6 cylinders for the Porsche 906 (1966)
- 901/21 with 6 cylinders for the Porsche 907, 910 (1966)
- 908 with 8 cylinders for the Porsche 908 (1968)
- 912 with 12 cylinders for the Porsche 917 (1969)
- 912/51 with 12 cylinders for the Porsche 917/10 (1972)
- 912/52 with 12 cylinders for the Porsche 917/30 (1973)
- 911/78 with 6 cylinders for the Porsche 908/03 Spyder Turbo (1975)
