904 question

On 904 018, the last car that Briggs Cunningham raced now in the Collier collection, there's a light under the front valance. No one is sure of its purpose.
Anyone here know?
Thanks
David



The Revs InstituteThe Collection1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS
1964 Porsche
Type: 904 Carrera GTS
Serial No. 904 018
1966cc twin overhead camshaft flat-four, air-cooled engine mounted midship, 180 hp at 7000 rpm


In the opinion of many an aficionado, the 904 was the greatest road-going Porsche of all. It certainly
set the pattern for a whole generation of racing Porsches, but its beauty cloaked the fact that it wasn’t as
aerodynamically perfect as it might have been, and it was overweight, too. Moreover, as caution dictated that the
intended but untried 911-based engine be scratched, it used the aging but reliable 180 horsepower Carrera fourcam
unit. The 904 was undeniably tough, with its svelte glass fiber body bonded to a sheet steel double-box
chassis, and it was certainly effective enough a performer to put Porsche back in the hunt for two liter class
domination.

The 904 made its racing debut at Daytona in February 1964, where a single car finished sixth overall
and won its class. Another 2-liter prototype class win at Sebring followed, though this time the 904 – the actual
car shown here, driven by Briggs Cunningham and Lake Underwood – came ninth overall. Homologation as a
GT class racer followed, once the obligatory 100 units were produced.

A 2-liter flat-eight prototype 904 appeared at the Le Mans test weekend, and a few weeks later led the
Targa Florio for three laps of the 45-mile Piccolo Madonie circuit. But its suspension failed, and a four-banger
904 driven by the Sicilian Baron Pucci and Colin Davis, son of Bentley Boy Sammy, crossed the line in first
place, with another 904 second.

In all, the standard 904 notched up an encouraging total of class wins and overall placings during the
remainder of the 1964 season, taking the two liter GT Championship for Porsche.

The 904 had a lot of untapped potential, said its designer “Butzi” Porsche, but the 1964 launch of the
911, whose completely new six-cylinder engine and modified MacPherson Strut front suspension represented a
clean break with Porsche tradition, rendered the 904 obsolescent. By 1966, it had been swept out by Porsche
cousin Ferdinand Piëch and his Carrera 6.

Stats
YEAR
1964 Porsche
TYPE
904 Carrera GTS
SERIAL NO
904 018
ENGINE
1966cc twin overhead camshaft flat-four, air-cooled engine mounted midship, 180 hp at 7000 rpm
WHEELBASE
90 inches
WEIGHT
1435

Photo and blurb courtesy of the Collier Collection
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Possibly for the pit crew to identify it as it approached, but if so it would be a unique application.

 

There were lights differentiating the cars back then too. The question is why this odd configuration.