Frits Hofman has a love of Porsches, it’s safe to say. He spent 10 years building this exquisite model of the 2-liter flat six in his 1966 Porsche 911, precise down to the miniature Solex three-barrel carbs. Hear it scream to 12,000 rpm. 

We never stop being amazed by the patience, passion, and craftsmanship of model engine builders.  Art and technology merge in their miniature masterpieces. This example, a 1:3.2 scale model of the 2.0L Porsche 911 flat six, was created by Frits Hofman, a retired instrument maker.

Bore and stroke of the little monster are 25 mm and 21 mm, respectively, yielding a displacement of 61.9 cc (that’s 3.77 cubic inches, Americans). A tiny mechanical pump feeds a pair of equally dinky three-barrel Solex carbs, each one machined from a solid chunk of brass. Estimatated output is 6 kW at 12,000 rpm, or 8 brake horsepower—quite a respectable figure. Ten years and 6,000 hours were invested in the project, a tribute to Hofman’s own full-sized 911 purchased in 1967.

Of course, one of our favorite aspects of this engine is the sound, which is not dinky at all. It’s surprisingly muscular, and may remind you of another magnificent noise, the one made by the legendary Honda RC166, a six-cylinder, 250 cc Grand Prix motorcycle racer from 1966.  Turn up the sound and listen to Mr. Hofman’s marvel. It’s guaranteed to make your day.