Imagine a Porsche 917 driving into a McDonald’s Drive-thru…
We all know that it is practically impossible to turn a race car into a road-legal streetcar. Evidently, homologation cars do exist. Homologation models were made to fulfill the requirements and regulations of racing and motorsport rules. Although, homologation models were stripped down from the racing looks, and they were sometimes even stripped from their power to fit road regulations. I’m not talking about homologated cars, I’m talking about raw race cars that weren’t even supposed to touch the road.
The 1970 Porsche 917 is one of if not the best race car ever made. It gave Porsche its first overall victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 and 1971. The 917 went on to become one of the most prestigious and infamous race cars of all time. With a top speed of 241mhp, this beast of a car established its self as one of the best race cars in Porsche and automotive history. The 917 was a monster on the track, it ripped a hole through time. Its home was the track, yet, others wanted to bring the legend onto the road.
“THE ROSSI” CHASSIS 030
Despite the fact that the Porsche 917 was not built for the road, that did not stop Count Gregorio Rossi di Montelera.
The 5.0L horizontality air-cooled flat-twelve engine was designed for the best racing experience and for the ultimate power output. A car that was built in 1969 that had 520 horsepower and can do knot to 62 in 2.5 seconds, isn’t the car you necessarily want on the road. Taking away from the fact that it is an immensely wide, raw, stripped-down, and long car, that didn’t stop Count Rossi and his Porsche 917K chassis number 030. Chassis number 030 wasn’t the most known of the 917 models, as it retired in the 1971 Zeltweg 1000kms due to suspension problems. But who cares if it retired or not, it’s still a Porsche 917…
In 1974 Porsche took the 917K out of the dark and sold it to Count Rossi, not knowing that Rossi was willing to convert it into a street-legal race car. In the early 40s and 50s, you could drive your race car to the track, win the race and drive back home. Yet, the Porsche 917 is a high-performance race car that is not practical for road use. In spite of the fact that the 917 did not want to leave the track, Rossi was determined to take the monster on a ride. Yet, there was a massive problem standing in his way, the problem was the European authorities. They were not convinced of Rossi’s out of one’s mind idea. Somehow that still did not stop Count Rossi, as he flew all the way to Alabama and found a jurisdiction willing to give him a license plate.
Rossi threw some side mirrors on that bad boy and called it a car. Now that his Porsche 917 was all ready to go, he took his “car” on a good old 1975 road trip from Stuttgart, Germany to Paris, France. Today, you can see chassis 030 racing through the crowds at Good wood during speed week. The silver 917 now adorns Texas license plates and the original Porsche spare tire. An interesting car and story indeed.
“THE HIPPIE” CHASSIS 021
This certain 917 got its nickname “the hippie” from its exotic color scheme, yet, this car has an even more exotic story behind it. Chassis number 021 is an interesting variant of the 917 models, it entered and raced in many races, specifically endurance races. It won at Zandwoort and at Keimola, it also raced at Nürburgring, Spa, and it even competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans… where it crashed. The hippies racing career came to an end sooner or later, sadly, it was taken apart and its suspension and engine were used in another 917 model. The chassis, bodywork, and base were sent to a Porsche specialist to sit there forgotten and sorrowful.
Thankfully, the good news was finally starting to erupt. The chassis was bought by a German who wanted to build a road-legal 917 such as Count Rossi. The joyful owner added turn signals and made the interior much more comfortable and usable. The restaurant owner found a 917 gearbox and engine to incorporate it into the final product. Clearly, for noise regulations, he had to add a silencer to the exhausts to tone down the roaring 12-cylinder engine. Road legal tires were also added because tires from the 70s are not the best bet to drive on.
It wore the license plate number CW – K 917, unfortunately, this Porsche 917 is no longer road-legal as it was converted into a race car once more. It still wears its hippie livery proud while still representing its infamous racing history.
“THE MONACO MARTINI”
Credit – Petrolicious
Imagine you are sitting at a French-style café next to the Monaco harbor watching the yachts pass by until you are disturbed by a roaring flat-12 engine passing by. Not just a regular flat-12 engine an engine that has gone flat out on the Mulsanne straight. This road-legal Martini Livery Porsche 917 is owned by Claudio Roddaro. Claudio explains how you can hear the revs miles away as it shakes the ground of Monaco. Claudio went through many Porsche’s in his life, but none of them felt right… until he was overtaken by a Porsche 917, and from that moment on he couldn’t get the Le Mans legend out of his mind. Porsche 917’s are the most desirable, rare, and one of the most sought after race cars to ever exist. So he knew it would have been difficult to find one.
Many 917’s have been restored immensely but Roddaro wanted an original model. He got a call one day that there was an original spec available and ironically on Christmas day, Claudio Roddaro bought a Porsche 917 chassis number 037. Number 37 had entered many historic racing championships as well, but most importantly the Martini livery was able to be driven only on the streets of Monaco, with a spare tire and license plate of course. It is an angry car, a loud car, and a car that turns heads everywhere… what a lucky bloke Claudio is.
The Porsche 917 is a race car meant to tear up any track it is on. The 917 changed motorsport and automotive history forever, it was so advanced for its time that it is still immensely fast for today’s standards. The 917 is designed to perfection with its long body, horizontally air-cooled flat 12, long dipping bonnet, and gorgeous shape. Its lines flow with the air passing over it, and to be able to drive a $20 million dollar Le Mans legend on the road seems like a dream come true. So if anyone wants to convert their Porsche 917 to road legal, I would be glad to test it out for you.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT ROAD LEGALIZING THE PORSCHE 917?