@Bzking23 the 917 was a widowmaker in its early days it was a Killer that could go at 240mph with 1150bhp coming out of its backside they banned that car after a few years of it absolutely decimating everything that it raced in....
thank god could you imagine what that car would be like to drive I want one! and its on my birthday wish list too hehehehe
I doubt the 1100hp turbo version from Can-Am would last in a 24 hour race. Though I have little doubt Porsche could make it reliable enough for the race with minor modifications.
I saw the Gulf 917s at Brands Hatch in '71 and they were loud. If I turned my head away as the car drove past the exhaust could communicate directly with my eardrum, and it hurt! So when one came round I kept my head pointed straight at it. When two came round together I just clapped my hands over my ears.
These were fabulous years for sports car racing, now they all look the same and it's dull. Just look in this film at the Alfas, Chevrons, Corvettes, Ferraris - lovely! Happy days...
Goddammit. I wish I could go back in time to see amazing cars such as this and the GT40. I was born in '97 so I never got to see these so... Yeah. /sadface.
Well, I also didn't get to see these while they were making history, being that I was born on the year, month & day on which the 917 was born. Which was when they revealed it to the world at the Geneva car show
However, being born in '97 means that you also didn't see the 917's fantastic offspring, the 962 that, when paired with Derek Bell, became legendary. For a young teenager, IMSA & all its flying sparks was fun to watch
god dam ferrari. Pedro was the man. full of skill and absolutely fearless. anyone who saw the race between him and Siffert in the rain knows where it is
Between the FIA and Enzo Ferrari, the 917 really never stood a chance, after beating everything anyone could and did throw at it, both in Europe and America. Talk about level playing fields. If it was brought back today, with today's technology, you wouldn't see it for dust. The era of the deisel truck would be over.
When are you guys going to learn the difference between a 620hp 917 Le Mans car and a 1100hp turbocharged 917/30 CanAm car?
The Le Mans cars did NOT produce 1500hp. they produced about 620. The 917 CanAm car looked nothing like this one and did not compete in endurance races in Europe.
917s were a great car but they were NOT unbeatable and Ferrari did actually win a few races with their 600hp 512.
But these few victories didn't impede the birth of well deserved legendary reputation of Porsche 917 as racing cars,by contrary,did the Porsche cars shines still more.
The trouble is that people now believe that a Ferrari of 5 litres and 600hp was smashed by a Porsche of the same capacity which, they claim, produced 1500hp.
I'm the first to recognize that your claim is true. The only Porsche that power is claimed to reach 1500hp was 917/30 with two turbos, to run in the american CANAM races. Untill where I know the 1971 season Porsche 5 liters engine had 620hp.
Do you remember that Porsche 917 was allowed to run in 1981 LeMans race, adapted to rules of then ?
If wasn't the unsuitable gearbox,borrowed from a 917/30,the 917 had real chances to win again the race that done him famous 10 years later. FIA had so extreme fear of Porsche 917 cars that done them outlaw in 1972, doing same thing with this successor,Porsche 962 after LeMans victory in 1994.
This car was fraught with troubles. However, it's raw power made it formidable. It was hard to drive, having traction problems, lift problems, wheelbase, and mechanical failures.
Once the tail was shortened, suspension ailments corrected, and power delivery smoothed out,it was all over for the competition. Grand Prix, Can-Am, and street courses, were all subject to the King.
Great car... Hurley is a Great guy... Had the pleasure of getting a ride in the #59 car 911 Turbo with Hurley at the wheel in Gainesville at a DE event that Brumos does for its customers several times a year. Hurley is as humble as he is legendary. I believe that his fine character shines through in his interview here. What a thrill it was to spend a day with Hurley, Don and Chuck from Brumos. A class AAA organization preserving sports car history! John Russell
If I ever win the major lottery prize here, Australia, I WILL buy a 917 Porsche. Just to have it in an enviromentally stable building and take it out every now and then and let the banshee loose. With todays technology, Porsche should revist the 917 and show the rest of 'em how it's done. It would show a clean pair of heels to anything going around today, screw the diesels, thats not a car it's a truck!!!
ppl go all crazy saying the veyron is Concorde no the hell it anit cars like the 917 787b mercedes sauber gt40 these car were made in the last 60 early 70 and 80 and will whoop the shit out of any car in the present day veyron does 0-60 in 2.5 sec the 917 did it in 2.3 and that was because the engines put out 1100 to 1500 no wonder it still hold the record at the nurburgring it was doing 260+ on the straights this concord not the veyron
There's another car,in our days,that also does 0-60 in 2.5 seconds and also having the final speed of more than 400km/h: is the Dauer Porsche 962. It hadn't the engine with same hp as Veyron, but is a superb super sport car, with more than 730 hp for only little more than 1.000kg weight.
@LeoAndRas ha you are right my friend the Porsche 962 indeed was or is and epic car you know i just do not get some ppl sometimes you hear all this bitching about how the veyron will destroy any car alive hmm no there are cars in japan such as the 787 & 787b That will leave the veyron in secs in a straight line the 917 and 962 as well actually every group c car would leave the veyron for dead i love how tech it is but it is so fugly.=)
Geelar-Sorry for the delay but here is the answer to your question: The 2010 Le Mans winning Shell/Audi R15 (diesel powered!) covered 3362.1 miles, beating the previous record of 3315.2 miles set in 1971 by the Gulf/Porsche 917. Some minor track changes since '71, notably a chicane on the Mulsanne to slow down cars that were approaching 240 mph, but I am convinced that with modern tires and electronics the 917 would still be a world-beater. Cheers.
The sheer GRUNT of these things. Emerson Fittipaldi took his mum for a full tilt blast around Le Mans for her birthday and she fainted. Apparently the 917 still holds the distance record for Le Mans for the 24 hours.
It actually did from 1971 to 2010. Back in 1971 the winning Porsche 917K managed 5335km. In 2010 that was finally broken with the winning Audi R15 with 5411km.
Still, holding the record for 39 long years is quite an achievement. One has to remember how much better tires, aerodynamics and chassis are today. The 917 was designed using pencil and calculations. No fancy computers or advanced simulation programs.
The Porsche 917 was a giant leap when it was introduced.
The sheer GRUNT of these things. Emerson Fittipaldi took his mum for a full tilt blast around Le Mans for her birthday and she fainted. Apparently the 917 still holds the distance record for Le Mans for the 24 hours
Yes,you're right: it happened in 1971 Le Mans race,when the record was stablished by a Porsche with magnesium chassis. But wasn't in Le Mans that Fittipaldi's mom fainted,but in Interlagos olg circuit.
@LeoAndRas G'day mates, I have a video of Emerson talking about the fateful drive in the 917 with his mum and he definately says Le Mans was the track where she fainted.
I was barely 16 in 1970 when I saw Pedro Rodriguez win the 24 hrs of Daytona. The sight of that blue and orange 917 leaving the infield and hitting 200+ mph on the highbank at 3AM still gives me a thrill. That and the fact that it took 39 years (this year) for anybody to cover more ground at Le Mans than the 917 did in 1971. Unquestionably the greatest race car of all time.
WOW ok wish i were in your place, but u make yourself sound ancient... lol, Anw who and what team beat the amount of ground covered? And is the 917 still the car that held the fastest Le Mans Win? If you could answer my queries it would be much appreciated =D
Now Peter Piper picked peppers but Run rocked rhymes Humpty Dumpty fell down that's his hard time Jack B. Nimble what nimble and he was quick But Jam Master cut faster Jack's on Jay's dick Now Little Bo Peep cold lost her sheep And Rip van Winkle fell the hell asleep And Alice chillin somewhere in Wonderland Jack's servin Jill a bucket in his hand And Jam Master Jay's making out our sound The turntables might wobble but they don't fall down.. Yeah............Everyone else can pretty much go home
Der Porsche 917 das war ne granate .. in der 30er ausführung mit 1100 ps und 0-100 in sek. 0-200 in 5,1 sek schlägt jedes motorrad heute noch ey einfach brutal nur die fahrbarkeit war nicht einfach ^^ einfach ne legende
Seroyer2 is right. These guys had no idea that what they were doing was a death wish. Sure am glad they did it as this was an awesome time for sports car racing. The 917 will always be remembered as the greatest by many of us.
It had alot to do with cost. Can-Am was virtually unlimited racing and the 917 was the ultimate, no one could afford to beat it let alone compete. Its a shame becuase it was the greatest racing competition the world has ever known. After that it basically priced itself out of existance.
I agree with you completely...it was THE greatest racing competition of all time.Witnessed the likes of Stewert,Revson,Donohue,Seifert,Follmer,Gregg....saw them all at Laguna Seca(the old 1.9 mile track).I feel lucky that I was able to witness those cars and drivers.
The Penske Sunoco Kirk F. White FERRARI 512M was often the faster car, in 1971, but it never won a race. It's polyester resin body would fall apart or the fsilure ofsome other bits would slow or stop it.... putting it back to 3rd or 6th or a DNF...
Perhaps you can put me right here - isn't that the very car that Mark Donohue drove in '71?
But ultimately he got entirely sick of the way the Italians were a little slap-dash, didn't deliver the correct spare parts, tried passing off a rebuilt engine as a new engine, etc. etc.
So Donohue promptly went and joined Porsche, developed the 917/10 and - were it not for a severe, mid-season crash - would have won the title in '72 ahead of George Follmer? (But won in '73 instead with the 917/30.)
Even today, the 911 is just an improved VW beetle; no one with a clean design ever chose a rear engine design for racing; Porsche races them to sell them. None of their racing designs are rear engined. 917 was a clean 12 cylinder mid engine racer, which so dominated it's class everywhere, it caused the rules to be changed, just like the 7 liter Ford GT's did. Few cars can make that claim, certainly not the 911.
2) Professor Porsche was making and winning things like hill-climbs in his home-made, rear-engined little cars from the age of 12.
3) I rather hazard a guess that anyone who puts "Beetle" and "911" into the same sentence is trying to be offensive and smear the good name of Porsche or the 911.
4) Until Porsche/AutoUnion/Lotus, all racing cars were Front-engined!
this car is faster than a bugatti veyron and has a much higher top speed aswell. one time this car produced 1560 hp! and it was also driven by steve mcqueen. up to this day, no car manufacturer can beat its lap record at le mans and that record was made in 1970! i think people will agree that this is the best porsche ever made...
Pedro Rodriguez!!!
lecheparavaka 5 days ago
@Bzking23 the 917 was a widowmaker in its early days it was a Killer that could go at 240mph with 1150bhp coming out of its backside they banned that car after a few years of it absolutely decimating everything that it raced in....
thank god could you imagine what that car would be like to drive I want one! and its on my birthday wish list too hehehehe
JBL9996666 1 month ago
wow the 917 made the gt40 look primative
Bzking23 2 months ago 4
@mclarenmercedes and that was only the 620 HP version. imagine the 1100+ HP version doing the same race.
TedMan55 2 months ago
@TedMan55
I doubt the 1100hp turbo version from Can-Am would last in a 24 hour race. Though I have little doubt Porsche could make it reliable enough for the race with minor modifications.
McLarenMercedes 2 weeks ago
Unbeatable Legends: Porsche 917, Pedro Rodriguez, Joe Siffert!
pezzyy99 2 months ago
the best car i have seen in my life
tektro95 5 months ago
I don't understand some people around here: how can you possibly dislike this video?
Thanks for posting it.
ghibli608 6 months ago
I saw the Gulf 917s at Brands Hatch in '71 and they were loud. If I turned my head away as the car drove past the exhaust could communicate directly with my eardrum, and it hurt! So when one came round I kept my head pointed straight at it. When two came round together I just clapped my hands over my ears.
These were fabulous years for sports car racing, now they all look the same and it's dull. Just look in this film at the Alfas, Chevrons, Corvettes, Ferraris - lovely! Happy days...
SunZoomSpark33 6 months ago
Goddammit. I wish I could go back in time to see amazing cars such as this and the GT40. I was born in '97 so I never got to see these so... Yeah. /sadface.
THAREALDAN 6 months ago
@THAREALDAN
{I was born in '97 so I never got to see these}
Well, I also didn't get to see these while they were making history, being that I was born on the year, month & day on which the 917 was born. Which was when they revealed it to the world at the Geneva car show
However, being born in '97 means that you also didn't see the 917's fantastic offspring, the 962 that, when paired with Derek Bell, became legendary. For a young teenager, IMSA & all its flying sparks was fun to watch
Chuichupachichi 5 months ago
god dam ferrari. Pedro was the man. full of skill and absolutely fearless. anyone who saw the race between him and Siffert in the rain knows where it is
MrPorsche91730 6 months ago
3 gears from 25 to 225 mph? damn
skiraf 6 months ago
Fuck! I was enjoying this video until it suddenly stopped!!
vexviper 7 months ago 8
Between the FIA and Enzo Ferrari, the 917 really never stood a chance, after beating everything anyone could and did throw at it, both in Europe and America. Talk about level playing fields. If it was brought back today, with today's technology, you wouldn't see it for dust. The era of the deisel truck would be over.
kellyswoodyard 7 months ago
The 917 would make me pee my pants.
dwcdaid 9 months ago
When are you guys going to learn the difference between a 620hp 917 Le Mans car and a 1100hp turbocharged 917/30 CanAm car?
The Le Mans cars did NOT produce 1500hp. they produced about 620. The 917 CanAm car looked nothing like this one and did not compete in endurance races in Europe.
917s were a great car but they were NOT unbeatable and Ferrari did actually win a few races with their 600hp 512.
Camerameister 9 months ago
But these few victories didn't impede the birth of well deserved legendary reputation of Porsche 917 as racing cars,by contrary,did the Porsche cars shines still more.
LeoAndRas 7 months ago
@LeoAndRas I don't think I implied they did.
The trouble is that people now believe that a Ferrari of 5 litres and 600hp was smashed by a Porsche of the same capacity which, they claim, produced 1500hp.
Camerameister 7 months ago
I'm the first to recognize that your claim is true. The only Porsche that power is claimed to reach 1500hp was 917/30 with two turbos, to run in the american CANAM races. Untill where I know the 1971 season Porsche 5 liters engine had 620hp.
LeoAndRas 7 months ago
@LeoAndRas Okay, we're agreed on that.
Now all we have to do is persuade the rest of the internet!
Camerameister 7 months ago
917 Porsche, the one, the only, the end!
kellyswoodyard 9 months ago
Do you remember that Porsche 917 was allowed to run in 1981 LeMans race, adapted to rules of then ?
If wasn't the unsuitable gearbox,borrowed from a 917/30,the 917 had real chances to win again the race that done him famous 10 years later. FIA had so extreme fear of Porsche 917 cars that done them outlaw in 1972, doing same thing with this successor,Porsche 962 after LeMans victory in 1994.
LeoAndRas 7 months ago
This car was fraught with troubles. However, it's raw power made it formidable. It was hard to drive, having traction problems, lift problems, wheelbase, and mechanical failures.
Once the tail was shortened, suspension ailments corrected, and power delivery smoothed out,it was all over for the competition. Grand Prix, Can-Am, and street courses, were all subject to the King.
arklat 10 months ago in playlist anos 70
Great car... Hurley is a Great guy... Had the pleasure of getting a ride in the #59 car 911 Turbo with Hurley at the wheel in Gainesville at a DE event that Brumos does for its customers several times a year. Hurley is as humble as he is legendary. I believe that his fine character shines through in his interview here. What a thrill it was to spend a day with Hurley, Don and Chuck from Brumos. A class AAA organization preserving sports car history! John Russell
CorporatistNationTV 10 months ago
If I ever win the major lottery prize here, Australia, I WILL buy a 917 Porsche. Just to have it in an enviromentally stable building and take it out every now and then and let the banshee loose. With todays technology, Porsche should revist the 917 and show the rest of 'em how it's done. It would show a clean pair of heels to anything going around today, screw the diesels, thats not a car it's a truck!!!
kellyswoodyard 10 months ago
@kellyswoodyard 918 spyder...
Bahamuttiamat 9 months ago
The 917 & I were born on precisely the same day, March 13, 1969, when Porsche introduced it to the world at the Geneva Motor Show
Of course, the 917 is the greatest racing car in history... for it is a true "Speed Racer" car... it is the real life "Mach 5"
Chuichupachichi 11 months ago
this car induces wheel spin at 200 miles an hour.
L34dF4rm3r 11 months ago
ppl go all crazy saying the veyron is Concorde no the hell it anit cars like the 917 787b mercedes sauber gt40 these car were made in the last 60 early 70 and 80 and will whoop the shit out of any car in the present day veyron does 0-60 in 2.5 sec the 917 did it in 2.3 and that was because the engines put out 1100 to 1500 no wonder it still hold the record at the nurburgring it was doing 260+ on the straights this concord not the veyron
LUPENTV07 11 months ago
There's another car,in our days,that also does 0-60 in 2.5 seconds and also having the final speed of more than 400km/h: is the Dauer Porsche 962. It hadn't the engine with same hp as Veyron, but is a superb super sport car, with more than 730 hp for only little more than 1.000kg weight.
LeoAndRas 11 months ago
@LeoAndRas ha you are right my friend the Porsche 962 indeed was or is and epic car you know i just do not get some ppl sometimes you hear all this bitching about how the veyron will destroy any car alive hmm no there are cars in japan such as the 787 & 787b That will leave the veyron in secs in a straight line the 917 and 962 as well actually every group c car would leave the veyron for dead i love how tech it is but it is so fugly.=)
LUPENTV07 11 months ago
german engineer art ;)
Minomoro 11 months ago
The car that killed off can- am lol :D
After this, nothing was as spectacular anymore!
mustachos1993 1 year ago 2
sexy timeless body design
kinmanyuen 1 year ago
My dream car at 15 years old in 1970 . 1985 930 in the garage at 56 . If I win the lottery .......
mmyculm54 1 year ago
3 gears in LeMans... LOL thats amazing
almostunimportant 1 year ago 2
Geelar-Sorry for the delay but here is the answer to your question: The 2010 Le Mans winning Shell/Audi R15 (diesel powered!) covered 3362.1 miles, beating the previous record of 3315.2 miles set in 1971 by the Gulf/Porsche 917. Some minor track changes since '71, notably a chicane on the Mulsanne to slow down cars that were approaching 240 mph, but I am convinced that with modern tires and electronics the 917 would still be a world-beater. Cheers.
huntcorp1 1 year ago
The sheer GRUNT of these things. Emerson Fittipaldi took his mum for a full tilt blast around Le Mans for her birthday and she fainted. Apparently the 917 still holds the distance record for Le Mans for the 24 hours.
kellyswoodyard 1 year ago
@kellyswoodyard
It actually did from 1971 to 2010. Back in 1971 the winning Porsche 917K managed 5335km. In 2010 that was finally broken with the winning Audi R15 with 5411km.
Still, holding the record for 39 long years is quite an achievement. One has to remember how much better tires, aerodynamics and chassis are today. The 917 was designed using pencil and calculations. No fancy computers or advanced simulation programs.
The Porsche 917 was a giant leap when it was introduced.
McLarenMercedes 10 months ago
If the Porsche 917 hadn't been impeded of stay running,isn't impossible that the longer distance record be with him.
LeoAndRas 7 months ago
The sheer GRUNT of these things. Emerson Fittipaldi took his mum for a full tilt blast around Le Mans for her birthday and she fainted. Apparently the 917 still holds the distance record for Le Mans for the 24 hours
kellyswoodyard 1 year ago
Yes,you're right: it happened in 1971 Le Mans race,when the record was stablished by a Porsche with magnesium chassis. But wasn't in Le Mans that Fittipaldi's mom fainted,but in Interlagos olg circuit.
LeoAndRas 11 months ago
@LeoAndRas G'day mates, I have a video of Emerson talking about the fateful drive in the 917 with his mum and he definately says Le Mans was the track where she fainted.
kellyswoodyard 11 months ago
my dad saw those John Wyer Porsches at the 1000km of Spa... he was only 17
DVGTS1 1 year ago
I agree sooooo much.....they killed Can-Am.....but it should have made it a great catch up game....but the PTB's
I hate rules ,hate control,hate government Yes I am a caucasian male who believes in freedom,and I am a terrorist
doowaditti 1 year ago
I agree sooooo much.....they killed Can-Am.....but it should have made it a great catch up game....but the PTB's
I hate rules ,hate control,hate government Yes I am a caucasian male who belieives in freedom,and I am a terrorist
doowaditti 1 year ago
What i dont get is if Porsche wanted Attwood to race the 917, why didn't they place him with the "factory" entry with JW-gulf
Suprahampton 1 year ago
Is this documentary available on DVD?
danf321 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Nur durch Nutzung einer Suchmaschine Geld verdienen!! Was will man mehr.. Tixuma.de + 2 EUR Gutscheincode 3A797H7Z
Alexandres1983 1 year ago
Cars today are crap compared to these le mans cars
Minon157 1 year ago
I was barely 16 in 1970 when I saw Pedro Rodriguez win the 24 hrs of Daytona. The sight of that blue and orange 917 leaving the infield and hitting 200+ mph on the highbank at 3AM still gives me a thrill. That and the fact that it took 39 years (this year) for anybody to cover more ground at Le Mans than the 917 did in 1971. Unquestionably the greatest race car of all time.
huntcorp1 1 year ago 3
@huntcorp1
WOW ok wish i were in your place, but u make yourself sound ancient... lol, Anw who and what team beat the amount of ground covered? And is the 917 still the car that held the fastest Le Mans Win? If you could answer my queries it would be much appreciated =D
Geelar 1 year ago
Airrachet 1 year ago
siempre fuiste el mejor y es por ti que prohibieron el usar motores de 5 litros o mas en le mans... te amo!!!!!!!
diamondblade2000 1 year ago
pedro Rodriguez was cabron jejejeje
ricardoeldelmustang 1 year ago
These cars are still the best ever.
Dd
ipecaquana 1 year ago
there ARE other cars with 1500 hp BUT the incredible low weight ist the important thing ...
FLOwRAY 1 year ago
No car made since even comes close....1500 horsepower.
upstart1776 1 year ago
Can you imagine driving a 917 on a wet track? Talk about bravery.
spartus09 2 years ago
Ask Pedro Rodriguez. He could do those things. Insanely fast in rain.
McLarenMercedes 1 year ago
This guy makes me want to go to sleep...
Jaiv74 2 years ago 3
Isn't that the car that Bruno von Stickle had in the 1977 Disney film "Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo"?
Raptormon132 2 years ago
it was a kit car based sorta on the 917, but yes
vivaSchumi7 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
AHHAhaha
hahahahahhahahahhahahhahahahhahahahahahhahahahhahahahhahahahhahaahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahhahahahhahahhahahahahahhahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
gokupotenziato 2 years ago
so fucking powerful that they had to ban it because it was winning too much rofl!
THEcrimeEATER 2 years ago
that guy had a serious case of "mouth not moving with his words" lol
rangerbass519 2 years ago 8
haha i wish i could talk like that
ryanark12345 2 years ago 2
Der Porsche 917 das war ne granate .. in der 30er ausführung mit 1100 ps und 0-100 in sek. 0-200 in 5,1 sek schlägt jedes motorrad heute noch ey einfach brutal nur die fahrbarkeit war nicht einfach ^^ einfach ne legende
MrFriscoJoe 2 years ago
this is the history of porsche dvd, very interesting however i would use the 1971 917 as it was the fastest before they banned turbo cars
DJGaryGold 2 years ago
the 'ultimate cars' on discovery turbo ,right?
calvintola 2 years ago
no its a dvd dedicated to the 917`s
citydriver 2 years ago
that car is 40 YEARS old!!!!!! and still the best ever
vivaSchumi7 2 years ago 87
yes v much so
latenightpilgrim 2 years ago
amen
McLarenMercedes 1 year ago
you had to be crazy as hell to get into this car, and do what these men did.
seroyer2 2 years ago
Seroyer2 is right. These guys had no idea that what they were doing was a death wish. Sure am glad they did it as this was an awesome time for sports car racing. The 917 will always be remembered as the greatest by many of us.
wrenhour 2 years ago
powerrrrrrr!!!!!
AssasinsClann 2 years ago 5
very great car
emifisa 2 years ago 5
where did you get this video clip from?
Michael6200 2 years ago
Interesting comment right at the end. A case of the so often used 'if you can't beat it - ban it!' attitude - shame.........
Factnotfictionpeople 2 years ago 5
It had alot to do with cost. Can-Am was virtually unlimited racing and the 917 was the ultimate, no one could afford to beat it let alone compete. Its a shame becuase it was the greatest racing competition the world has ever known. After that it basically priced itself out of existance.
nezy37 2 years ago 2
So true...
latenightpilgrim 2 years ago
I agree with you completely...it was THE greatest racing competition of all time.Witnessed the likes of Stewert,Revson,Donohue,Seifert,Follmer,Gregg....saw them all at Laguna Seca(the old 1.9 mile track).I feel lucky that I was able to witness those cars and drivers.
getmynut 2 years ago
The greatest sportscar EVER...
latenightpilgrim 3 years ago 14
The Penske Sunoco Kirk F. White FERRARI 512M was often the faster car, in 1971, but it never won a race. It's polyester resin body would fall apart or the fsilure ofsome other bits would slow or stop it.... putting it back to 3rd or 6th or a DNF...
jcarroll330P4@
375GTB 3 years ago 5
Comment removed
Tj930 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Perhaps you can put me right here - isn't that the very car that Mark Donohue drove in '71?
But ultimately he got entirely sick of the way the Italians were a little slap-dash, didn't deliver the correct spare parts, tried passing off a rebuilt engine as a new engine, etc. etc.
So Donohue promptly went and joined Porsche, developed the 917/10 and - were it not for a severe, mid-season crash - would have won the title in '72 ahead of George Follmer? (But won in '73 instead with the 917/30.)
Tj930 2 years ago
So that's the reason they put up the chain-link fence at the 'corkscrew' at Laguna.
getmynut 2 years ago
wen they got this car sorted out...
this car was god and nothing touched it
seabass0591 3 years ago 3
Porsche wins Le Mans in a rear engined 935 learn about Porsche history before talking for free
adrianmontaiuti 3 years ago
Buggati veyron can Reach 187 mph (300 kmh) in 18 seconds, Porsche 917 was reaching 200 mph (320 kmh) in 12 seconds. Todays Formula 1 cars are reaching 188 mph (300 kmh ) in 8 seconds.
andriusssska 3 years ago 6
emagine that porsche with f1 technology
siniqdrakon 3 years ago
Even today, the 911 is just an improved VW beetle; no one with a clean design ever chose a rear engine design for racing; Porsche races them to sell them. None of their racing designs are rear engined. 917 was a clean 12 cylinder mid engine racer, which so dominated it's class everywhere, it caused the rules to be changed, just like the 7 liter Ford GT's did. Few cars can make that claim, certainly not the 911.
nitestar95 3 years ago
Comment removed
Tj930 3 years ago
1) Porsche GT1: mid-engined 911.
2) Professor Porsche was making and winning things like hill-climbs in his home-made, rear-engined little cars from the age of 12.
3) I rather hazard a guess that anyone who puts "Beetle" and "911" into the same sentence is trying to be offensive and smear the good name of Porsche or the 911.
4) Until Porsche/AutoUnion/Lotus, all racing cars were Front-engined!
Tj930 3 years ago 2
"4) Until Porsche/AutoUnion/Lotus, all racing cars were Front-engined!"
Rumpler's mid-engined, mi- radiator Mercedes presaged the Lotus 72 by nearly half a century, placing 4th and 5th at Monza in '24.
And don't forget the Coopers that convinced Chapman that mid was the way of the future.
IsaacBickerstaffEsq 3 years ago
greatest racing car ever made
macmacma 3 years ago 68
Can you imagine this car with ground effect,
turbo engine as seen on 917/30 and tail as seen
in 962 ?
LeoAndRas 3 years ago
I second that!
Jaliya48 3 years ago
well not in my opnion but ok
mattsur93 3 years ago
2nd best porsche ever 1st is the 911 series.
mattsur93 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
No, the first is the CGT!!
porschecarreragtmay6 3 years ago
this car is faster than a bugatti veyron and has a much higher top speed aswell. one time this car produced 1560 hp! and it was also driven by steve mcqueen. up to this day, no car manufacturer can beat its lap record at le mans and that record was made in 1970! i think people will agree that this is the best porsche ever made...
34Zattara84 3 years ago 5