The Porsche 917 is a rare racing car. When a car enthusiast comes across this iconic car, they are super happy.

2023 was a very successful year and you have no doubt read about it in our coverage. And this was also the case for the Porsche 917. From February 2023 to February 2024, we actually saw 10 units pass our review. And with the 55th anniversary of this racing monster on the horizon, we want to review them with you.

1 – PORSCHE 917 KH – GULF – JOHN WYER AUTOMOTIVE 1971 – 026

We start, of course, at Rétromobile 2023. On Fiskens’ beautiful stand, we found this Gulf 917 KH. Start number 22 competed in the 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans and was the star of Steve Mcqueen’s film “Le Mans”.

In the “real” 24 hours of Le Mans, this 917 was a contender but in the film, chassis 917/26 was the winner. We already covered this iconic Porsche in a previous article where you can find all about it here.

2 – PORSCHE 917 K81 KREMER – 1981

Two months later, we actually saw two at the Autoclassica in Essen. This Kremer 917/K81 is the very last example of the Porsche 917 built in 1981. The build itself was done at the Porsche Kremer team of Erwin and Manfred Kremer. Erwin, after visiting a museum and seeing a 917, had got the idea to build one himself for the 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans.

He received approval for this and even help from Porsche with plans and provision of parts. We also saw this 917K81 at Rétromobile in 2017 and you can read the full story here. Its participation in the 24 hours was not really a success but of course it remains a unique car. It may not be a 100% original 917 but it comes very close. This Kremer Porsche will be auctioned in May at the RM Sotheby’s auction in Monaco. The auction house expects proceeds of between £3 million and £4 million.

3 – PORSCHE 917 KH DAVID PIPER – 5 LT

Another second 917 at Essen with a green one from the David Piper team. And Essen really was the place of the non-original Porsche-built ones. As well as the Kremer, this green one was also a homebuild done by the Piper team. Piper bought a bare chassis from Porsche that he used to work on his own. This 917, in its typical green Piper colour, was given its own chassis number with 5 LT. It would subsequently become the team’s most widely used 917.

Besides these 5 LT, Piper also had two original Porsche-built 917s in service with chassis numbers 917/010 and 917/012. We will come across the latter later.

4 – PORSCHE 917 KH 023

Last summer, Porsche’s 75th anniversary was celebrated in grand style at the Festival of Speed in Goodwood. And the most important 917 was, of course, there too. Chassis number 023 provided the first Porsche victory in the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans. This year Porsche is doing one for its 20th overall win.

023 sees the light of day in March 69 and is one of white 917 models lined up in the factory courtyard on 21 April that year for the homologation of the 917 by the CSI ( now FIA ). After the 917’s unsuccessful debut in 1969, 023 is converted to a KH version for 1970. This stands for Kürz Heck or short version. The 917 ends up with the “Salzburg” team and makes its racing debut in the 1000km of Brands Hatch on 12 April. Denny Hulme and Vic Elford achieve second place there. At Monza, there is a abandonment with a defective tyre, followed by a third-place Elford and Kurt Ahrens in the 1000 km of Spa-Francorchamps.

On 14 June, 023 Porsche makes history by adding a drowned 24 hours of Le Mans to its record with a new driver crew. Richard Attwood and Hans Hermann are, in France, the best in the very wet conditions. The season ends with a fourth place in 1000 km of Austria. In addition to Attwood, Vic Elford is now back in 023.

In the winter of 70/71, 023 joins the Martini Racing Team. There are still entries in the 1000 km of Buenos Aires and the 24 hours of Daytona. In both races there is a finish. At the end of August 71, Porsche sells the car to American dealer Vasek Polak. In 1972, Polak restores the 917. Eight years later, he sells, the now white car, to the Matsuda Collection in Japan.

Through intermediary Symbolic Motors, 023 ends up, in 2000, with Julio Palmza. Several participations in Porsche Rennsport meetings, the Amelia Island concours and the Montery Historic at Laguna Seca follow. In 2011, the 917 changed hands again and ended up in the Carlos Monteverde collection, which still owns it today. 023 participated in several Concours d’ Elégance meetings in the UK and was even loaned out for an exhibition at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart. And Porsche, however, has an identical copy in its collection. There are also participations in the Festvial of Speed in 2018 ( 70 years of Porsche ) and 2023 ( 75 years of Porsche ).

5 – PORSCHE 917 KH – 013

At the FOS at Goodwood, we saw another 917 with a lot of history: chassis 013 in Gulf trim. 013 is also one of the 25 white 917 models used for the CSI approval at Weissach on 21 April 1969. Like 023, it remains in Porsche stock throughout 1969 and will be converted to a 917 KH version the following winter and join John Wyer’s Gulf team.

There is an initial foray into the 1970 Daytona 24 Hours, where this 917 is used as a backup car. It does take part, of just over 3 hours, in practice runs. In Sebring, it does start in the 12 hours and there Pedro Rodriguez/Leo Kinnunen and Jo Siffert take fourth place with it in the final classification. After that, 013 is leased to Solar Productions for the filming of Steve Mcqueen’s Le Mans movie. There, with David Piper at the wheel, there is a very bad accident. The Porsche is totally destroyed and Piper loses the lower part of his leg. The wreck returns to Porsche in Weissach. There, 013 is repaired with a new chassis ( 034 ). After the repair, its official designation is now 917 013/034, it returns to John Wyer to compete in the 1971 World Cup races.

Pedro Rodriguez and Jackie Oliver win the 24 hours of Daytona, the 1000 km of Monza and the 1000 km of the Osterreichring. Then Derek Bell and Gijs Van Lennep achieve second place in the 1000 km of Montjuïc in Barcelona and then win the 1000 km of Monthléry. At the end of the season, 013/034 goes back to Porsche in Weissach and will serve there for a while for an expo.

In early 1974, a certain Mark Finburgh, an English lawyer, stops by to buy a 917. Meanwhile, the Gulf Porsche stands in a courtyard of the factory under a tarpaulin. At Porsche, they first try to sell a 908 to Finburgh but he stands firm and wants a 917. So they end up in the courtyard where the 917 is languishing. A deal is made and Finburgh is the new owner, something he still is today, by the way. And that is certainly unique in the classiccar racing car world.

Finburgh is having the 917 restored at Kremer Racing in Cologne. After that, 013/034 makes its appearance in several English Museums. Then, in the 1980s, there are entries in classic motorsport competitions. First in the English Supersport series with David Piper as pilot and then, especially in the 1990s, Finburgh himself takes part in Le Mans Classic, the forerunner of Spa Classic and the German OGP at the Nürburgring, among others. Mark stops competing at the beginning of this century and from then on there are only demos such as at the FOS in Goodwood, participations in multiple concours d’élégances and numerous exhibitions at classic motorsport events or museums. Between 2006 and 2015, for instance, 917 013/034 will join the collection of the Spa-Francorchamps museum in Stavelot for an extended period, six times. It is by far the 917 that makes the most public appearances.

On the front starting number there is an inscription “For Pedro”, a nice tribute to Pedro Rodriguez who, together with Jackie Oliver, won 3 World Cup races with it. Unfortunately, Pedro died, at the wheel of a Ferrari 512 M, on 11 July 1971 during an Interseries race at the Norisring. This is also the reason why the last two races Derek Bel and Gijs van Lennep finished the remaining races with 013/034.

Along with 023, this 013/034 is definitely one of the most important 917 KH models in history.

6 – PORSCHE 917/30 TURBO  – 001

And at the FOS, we did get a real treat. Besides the 023 and 013/034 cars mentioned earlier, there was also this CANAM or Interseries 917/30 turbo in Vaillant trim. It is the first chassis of the 917/30 series and will serve as development for the later Penske Sunoco Porsches.

The chassis is really an experimental version. It is self-adjustable and adjustable in length to test out different wheel bases. This 917 turbo will only be used as a test car between November 1972 and May 1973. It is mainly Mark Donohue who takes on the test work. He is, however, occasionally assisted by Willy Kaushen and Georg Follmer. In May 1972, the experimental car is put in the state of the 917/10 turbo ( the first model ) for participation in the Interseries championship. Vic Elford wins the very first race, in a Jägermeister version, at the Hockenheim circuit. After that, the car comes in a Weisberg version for Helmut Kelleners. The latter achieves two fifth-place finishes with it in Santa Monica and Hockenheim.

In 1974, it is Herberth Muller at the wheel, of the 917, now in Martini colours. He wins at Cassale, at Kassel-Calden, at Hockenheim and at the Nürburgring, and finishes second at Silverstone and again at the Nürburgring. Muller, of course, is the overall winner of the championship.

917/30-001 will make one more appearance at the Hockenheim circuit in 1975. The Martini colours are replaced by a green Vaillant version. Once again Muller is at the wheel and in the final race there is another victory. A fine finale.

The car will then head for the Porsche Museum where, in Martini trim, it will be exhibited. Later, it will also be at the Deutsches Museum in Munich and the Technical Museum in Vienna. In 2018, 917/10-001 will get back its Vaillant version and will make its appearance at the Goodwood Members Meeting in it. Porsche pilot Neel Jani was given the honour of completing the demo laps there, on the occasion of 50 years of Porsche 917. The car still belongs to the Porsche Museum collection today.

7 – PORSCHE 917 KH – 012

Mid-summer last year saw the opening of the ” Nationales Automuseum – The Loh Collection” in Dietzhölztal, Germany. It is a gem of a museum that itself boasts its own Porsche 917 ! The exhibited car has the chassis number 012 but the David Piper version comes from 021. A bit odd? Yes but at Porsche back then it sometimes happened that chassis were swapped instead of repaired. And that was also the case with this 012 or 021.

And like any 917 with a chassis number up to 025, this 012 was present at the homologation party on 21 April 1969. And like most, 012 remained in Porsche’s unsold stock all year. A conversion to the 917 KH version followed in November. On 8 December, 012 appears on the Daytona racetrack to carry out preliminary tests for the 24 hours at the end of January. After five hours of driving, the test stops after Kurt Ahrens crashes. The wreck returns to Weissach and the chassis is used to repair another Porsche with chassis number 021. This one is then given number 021/012. The 021 chassis is later restored and given the number 012/021. The exhibited version currently wearing 012 did once use 021in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970. Those end with a bad accident and 021 returns to Porsche for repair. Porsche changes the chassis and then 021 ( now 021/12 ) moves to the Martini Team and will be carried out in its legendary “Hippie” version.

Chassis 012 is again repaired by Porsche and sold to David Piper with number 012/021. There is another participation in late 1971 in the 1000 km of Kyalami ( with Lucky Strike sponsorship ) with a fourth place finish. Four more Interseries races followed in 1972 with the best result being two third places in Hockenheim and Kimola. Christ Craft was the pilot on duty there. Piper then sold the 917 to Peter Norman who gave it a silver bodywork colour. The Porsche will remain in his possession for 17 years. This is followed by a sale to Peter Kraus, who has it fully restored and painted a white colour. The 917 then ends up in his museum. After the closure of this museum, 012/021 heads for the Netherlands to the Louwman collection. But two years later, the 917 crosses the big pond to the USA and ends up with Christian Zuger. Who commissions a full restoration a year later in 2009. This is carried out by Gunnar Racing in Palm Beach. After this restoration, there are “appearances” at the Montery Historics in Laguna Seca, the Concours d’ Elegance of Amelia Island and the Porsche Rennsport Reunion. It is pilot Gijs van Lennep who, 41 years after his Le Mans participation, gets back behind the wheel of 012/021. In 2014, the 917 is then bought by “The Loh Collection”. Last year, it was one of the centrepieces in their “100 years of Le Mans” exhibition on the occasion of the opening of their new museum.

8 – PORSCHE 917 KH “Hippie” 021

Coincidence or not but the next in line is the just-mentioned chassis number 021 which was given the chassis of 012 by Porsche Motorsport after its accident. By now, you already know the story about the homologation and the 25 pieces because this 917 was also part of the original 25 and is converted to the KH version in April 1970. The 917 is sold to the AAW team. We saw this 021 at the 100 years Le Mans expo during Interclassics Brussels in late 2023.

Today it is known as the “Hippie” version in a dark blue with green trim lines but 021 starts its career in the yellow/red version like the previous 917 with chassis number 012. Its debut in the 1000 km of Monza is completed with eleventh place for Hans Laine and Gijs Van Lennep. In the 1000 km of Francorchamps, they do better with a fifth place finish.

In the 24 hours of Le Mans, after an accident, there is a abandonment, as already mentioned in the part of 012. 021 goes to Porsche for repair and equipped with the chassis of 012, a fortnight after Le Mans, there is already a start in the 200 meilen of Nürnberg at the Norisring. Martini has since become a partner of the AAW team. Gijs Van Lennep achieves a fine second place. He repeats this, a week later, at an Interseries race in Hockenheim. And another week later, the “Hippie” already takes part in the Six Hours of Watkings Glen near New York. Van Lennep finishes ninth in this race with Gérard Larrousse. A day later, there is a participation in a CANAM race. Among all the heavy American violence, Van Lennep achieves sixth place. In August, two more Interseries races follow in Karlsgoga ( P4 ) and Keimola ( P1 ). Each time, Van Lennep is behind the wheel. In Zandvoort, he also wins his home race with the “Trophy of the Dunes” and in the 300 km of Hockenheim he comes third. The 1000 km of Monthléry, together with Larrousse, end with a abandonment due to an engine failure. In late 1970, there is another participation in the 9 Hours of Kyalami. Jo Siffert and Kurt Ahrens finish nicely second there. This is also immediately the last race of this “Hippie” Porsche, which will no longer be used in 1971.

In 1972, Porsche sells the 917 to Freisinger. However, the latter does not find any interested parties. 021/012 remains in his workshop for four years. Then Joachim Grossmann comes along and buys the 917. He has it converted for street use. Apparently not really ideal after all, because a year later already a new owner follows who has it restored to its racing car version. The latter sells the 917 ten years later to Indycar pilot Bobby Rahal, who competes in it with Brian Redman at Le Mans Classic in 2002. Rahal then sells the car to Juan Barazi, who competes with it in Peter Auto’s Classic Endurance series. 021 makes another appearance at legendary tracks such as Monza, Silverstone, Francorchamps and the Nürburgring. It will also finish the FOS at Goodwood and Silverstone Classic.

In early 2007, 021 is bought by Belgian Vincent Gaye. He has the 917 undergo a full restoration at Mecauto’s classic racing team. Three years later, 021 is back in the running of the 1970 Six Hours of Watkings Glen. In 2012, the 917 is exhibited at Rétromobile Paris and participates in Le Mans Classic. This is followed only by demos such as at the Festival of Speed at Goodwood and static exhibitions such as the Ferdinand Porsche expo and the 75th Porsche anniversary at the Autoworld museum in Brussels.

9 – PORSCHE 917 KH – 020

We closed 2023 at the Porsche expo “Driven By Dreams” at the Autoworld museum in Brussels. This expo was organised to mark the 75th anniversary of the German marque.

Our highlight of this exhibition was undoubtedly this 1971 Martini Porsche 917 KH with chassis number 020. And this is a former winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring with pilots Vic Elford and Gérard Larrousse.

Chassis 20 is also, of course, one of the twenty-five 1969 homologation models. After the 917’s somewhat disastrous debut in the 24 hours of Le Mans, there is a conversion of the bodywork to the KH version. 020 ends up in the Porsche Salzburg team together with 023. 023 was featured earlier and provides a first Porsche victory in the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1970. A third place in the 1000 km of Brands Hatch is the best annual result for 020.

In winter, 020 joins the Martini Porsche Team. There, only four races are scheduled. Besides the win at Sebring, there is a ninth-place finish at Brands Hatch. In mid-1971, a conversion to the spyder version is planned for 020. However, this does not go ahead as the 917 is bought by American dealer Vasek Polak. At that time, the latter owns both 020 and 023 ( 1970 Le Mans winner ). During restorations, the chassis numbers of both cars are even swapped. This will later be corrected after a lawsuit. In 1999, there is a change of ownership. Polak sells 020 to Frank Gallogy. The latter takes part in several events such as Porsche Rennsport and the Amelia Island Concours with his new toy. Three years later, Gallogy sells the car to Wayne Jackson. The latter then puts the 917 up for sale for $2,250,000 but fails to find a new owner.

In 2003, 020 makes its appearance at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours, and a year later it is offered by Christie’s at their Rétromobile auction. The estimated price of 1.5 to 1.8 million euros is not met. A year later, with Christoph d’ Asembourg, a Belgian customer turns up and now Jackson is able to sell the car. The new owner first competes with it in the Classic Endurance races and also starts in the 2006 Le Mans Classic. After that, 020 disappears from the scene. Ten years later, it reappeared during the Porsche 917 demos at the 74th Goodwood Members Meeting. In late 2023, it was the star of the Porsche expo at Autoworld. And a 917 in Martini trim remains a lollypopular sight after all.

10 – Porsche 917 KH – 030

Closing we do, where we started but a year later at Rétromobile 2024, with chassis number 030. And as the number itself makes it clear, it was not present on the homologation day of 21 April 1969. The chassis itself was there by then but at that time it was a spare chassis stored in Porsche’s stock. It remained there until it was used in January 1971 to build a 917 KH with a bonnet with the vertical side wings. Initially, there are wind tunnel tests for 030. In June that year, there is a participation in the 1000 km of the Osterreichring. At the wheel Gérard Larrousse and Helmut Marko ( current advisor Red Bull ). Due to a broken suspension, there is a abandonment. The race will be the only one 030 will fight. Two days later he reappears on the same circuit. This time equipped with an ABS braking system from Tedix. 030 will be used until 1972 to develop this braking system that we have all been using today in our street cars for years.

In 1973, Porsche, commissioned by Count Rossi ( Martini ) converted the 917 into a street version. A few more will be converted later but 030 is the only one done by Porsche itself. The car is given a number plate of the US state of Alabama. In 2009, 030, with Count Rossi at the wheel, makes an appearance at the Festival of Speed at Goodwood. In 2018, it is sold to François Perrodo. The latter pays 32 million euros for his new toy. 030 appears in the “Porsche 917” class at the Concours de Chantilly in 2019. English dealer Joe Macari had brought 030 as an expo model. The 917 was not for sale.

SPA CLASSIC

Want to see these mythical Porsche models at work for yourself? You can, and perhaps sooner than you think. Peter Auto will organise a genuine Porsche 917 demo during their Spa Classic event. Four times they will make their appearance on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. We will already see at least 043, 025, 021, 10-002 driving and the plan is to expand this number to 10 more.

Besides the cars, there will also be a number of 917 drivers present such as Gérard Larrousse, David Piper, Reinhold Joest, Mario Casoni and Philippe Siffert ( son of Jo Siffert ).

Be sure to be there for this unique moment and definitely mark 17, 18 and 19 May in your diary already!!!

Article and photos: Joris De Cock