Porsche 917 - ultimate car porn....


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MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
Mark IV Lifetime
Sep 5, 2005
12,110
Fresno, Ca.
Gunnar Racing (www.gunnarracing.com) has a web site with all sorts of racing Porsche restorations. Recently they have begun restoration on a 917. Instead of web pages they are doing YouTube videos. Their YouTube site is http://www.youtube.com/user/teamgunnar

The 917 videos so far:

The start-up of the 917 engine after sitting for 30 years: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU0r99fyD0U

Part 2 of the engine start up: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk4DxZZc9So

Some drive testing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqFwN8XTWco

Some more drive testing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxCbd1Tm6Vk

Part 1, the start of the restoration: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaUHZQoG2BY

Part 2, stripping the front nose: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObYXx64dfe8

Part 3, restoration of the driver's door: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jytWCWse9xE

Part 4, removal of the rear suspension: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSqDJURGotA

Part 5, removal of the front suspension: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c4Qa1-MDiM

Part 6, removing the transmission and fuel cells: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXcvlvzetHc

It looks like they'll continue video updates, probably one or two a week while they restore the 917.

I'm a big fan of the Porsche 917 and this stuff is pure nirvana!
 
Very cool! Thanks for the linky.
 
Which 917 - the Le Mans cars, or the Can-Am? Can-Am's were 917-10's and the 917-30's.
 
they all excite me... I would be happy to have anyone in my garage.
Reminder to self: buy a lottery ticket :)
 
Which 917 - the Le Mans cars, or the Can-Am? Can-Am's were 917-10's and the 917-30's.

917 K (Kurtz (Short)) & 917 LH (Langheck (Long Tail)) was designed for LeMans. They did however race in a couple Can-Am races at Watkins Glen when the Can-Am race was scheduled for the following weekend after the FIA race.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...=&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=1&ct=image&cd=1

The 917/10 & 917/10K (w/turbo) & 917/30 were derivatives of the 917 K for Can-Am designed by Porsche with significant input by Penske/Donohue with turbos
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...rsche+917/10&start=20&ndsp=20&um=1&hl=en&sa=N
 
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Gunnar Racing (www.gunnarracing.com) has a web site with all sorts of racing Porsche restorations. Recently they have begun restoration on a 917. Instead of web pages they are doing YouTube videos. Their YouTube site is http://www.youtube.com/user/teamgunnar

The 917 videos so far:

The start-up of the 917 engine after sitting for 30 years: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU0r99fyD0U

Part 2 of the engine start up: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk4DxZZc9So

Some drive testing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqFwN8XTWco

Some more drive testing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxCbd1Tm6Vk

Part 1, the start of the restoration: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaUHZQoG2BY

Part 2, stripping the front nose: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObYXx64dfe8

Part 3, restoration of the driver's door: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jytWCWse9xE

Part 4, removal of the rear suspension: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSqDJURGotA

Part 5, removal of the front suspension: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c4Qa1-MDiM

Part 6, removing the transmission and fuel cells: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXcvlvzetHc

It looks like they'll continue video updates, probably one or two a week while they restore the 917.

I'm a big fan of the Porsche 917 and this stuff is pure nirvana!

Thank you. Porsche 917 fan as well.

Once was lucky enough to get a ride in one while piloted by Brian Redman at Summit Point. What a sound!!
 
The 917-30 was the turbo version for Can Am? Is that correct?

mardyn
 
The 917-30 was the turbo version for Can Am? Is that correct?

mardyn
Yes
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/422/Porsche-917-30.html

If you can leave black marks from the time you exit a corner till the time you brake for the next turn, then you have enough horsepower." --Mark Donohue
 
I watched a 917 crash into the barriers just before I made one of my runs here www.pageantofpower.com. Driver was fine and the car was rebuildable. It was all on big screens for all to watch.

As I sat in the GT nearing the start line, one of the marshals tapped on the window. I lowered it and he said with a smile :-

'Try not to do that please. It'll only delay the day more.'

'I plan not to' I said, and made it through the whole weekend. That day it was very wet and I was glad to be in to GT.
 
Daniel
here is more porn :biggrin
Took the shots at Daytona Porsche Reunion 2007. For 2 mio you can have one...

Desi

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PB030061.JPG

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High res in my photo gallery
 
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yep - here's some more Pic's of a 917 in Charlotte NC!
 

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'Bout how many 917s did they make?

Wow, did I read that correctly? 1/4 mile ET @ 7.3 seconds? Holy crap! Can that be right?

mardyn
 
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What's interesting is how similar the Mk IV GT40 front end and the 917's are. You could make a case that the cars are very similar from the Gurney bubble forward.
 
What's interesting is how similar the Mk IV GT40 front end and the 917's are. You could make a case that the cars are very similar from the Gurney bubble forward.

Your right! Here is the LeMans winning MKIV GT40.
 
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Love the 917 :thumbsup

Daniel
here is more porn :biggrin
Took the shots at Daytona Porsche Reunion 2007. For 2 mio you can have one...

Desi

PB030130.JPG

PB030061.JPG

What's interesting is how similar the Mk IV GT40 front end and the 917's are. You could make a case that the cars are very similar from the Gurney bubble forward.

While my Heritage retains it's tribute to the original GT, it also pays homage to the 917 Gulf paint as I added the side stripe. :thumbsup
 

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'Bout how many 917s did they make?

Wow, did I read that correctly? 1/4 mile ET @ 7.3 seconds? Holy crap! Can that be right?

mardyn


Yep - the 917 is truly the "best of the beast's". In the picture I added you can also see a pressure guage in one of the cockpit pictures. It shows 60# per sq in of pressure and measures the pressure within the frame structure of the car. If the frame cracks or is damaged and the pressure is lost - the driver pulls over. Simple way to determine the structural integrity of the car even back then.
 
"Wow, did I read that correctly? 1/4 mile ET @ 7.3 seconds? Holy crap! Can that be right?"

When one figures the car made north of 1400 hp (!!!) and weighed less than one ton, I guess you get pretty crazy acceleration times!:lol

BTW, I remember reading a quote from Mark Donohue, when asked if the 917 had enough power, he responded, "no, but almost.":rofl
 
My brother just called me and we were discussing the attributes of the 917. Consider this: it weighs probably 500 lbs less than the previously mentioned Mk IV GT40, but has nearly TRIPLE the HP!
Furthermore, think of the tire and brake technology for the period (or lack thereof) and that Porsche could dial the thing up to nearly 2000 horses for short periods as well. Acceleration must have been like that of a funny car. If high fuel prices of the early '70s didn't kill the Can Am, then this thing did.
 
I read recently that today's F1 drivers are not capable of driving it, as they are so accustomed to automatic vehicle compensations. The McLaren M20's the Porsche 917-10' & -30's, and the Shadow DN2 & DN4 took the best drivers in the world to keep them on the road.

Having seen them in their heyday, and at the Vintage races since, I am always in awe of both the cars and their drivers.
 
Daniel
here is more porn :biggrin
Took the shots at Daytona Porsche Reunion 2007. For 2 mio you can have one...

The green 917 to the right in this photo, belongs to David Piper from the UK. He drove the Le Mans Movie GT40 film car for filming the movie. I helped David some at RennFest. He will be racing it at the Killarney Circuit in Cape Town, South Africa, February 6, 7,8. There will also be some other interesting stuff. Ferrari P3's and GT40's, Cobra's and maybe a D-Type from Lord Laidlaw's stable. It's a great historic race week-end. I'll be there. Anyone care to join me? Accommodations on me.