More than 50 years ago, Porsche set the racing world on fire with its 917 race car. Fitted with a screaming flat-12, the sleek machine would go on to win the 24 hours of Le Mans endurance race two years in a row.
Only 25 examples of the 917 were produced, and each one is worth a staggering amount. The experience of driving one of these beasts is therefore only available in dreams. However, a man in a small company in Britain is making those dreams come true with replicas that not only look and feel the part, but can actually be driven on the street.
Jonny Smith of The Late Brake Show takes us on a tour of one of these wunderbar recreations. Once he’s able to fold his 6’3″ frame into the cockpit, Smith takes the 917 on a cruise through the British countryside – something not possible with an original.
Read More: One Does Not Simply Fire Up The Porsche 917K By Turning A Key
Dave Eaton and John Hartland operate Icon Engineering in the UK, which builds the replicas completely from scratch. Their design replicates the most famous body style, the 917K – with K for Kurz, which means “short” in German.
In August 2011, Dave purchased an original 917 shell from Pistonheads, and got to work reverse-engineering the design in CAD to create a driveable vehicle. There are a few subtle differences between this replica and an original, namely the strengthened chassis, which adds more rigidity and safety, but at a slight weight penalty.
For now, the replica utilizes a 3.6-liter flat-six sourced from a 964-generation 911, producing 270 horsepower. Dave plans to install a pair of turbochargers to bring the six-cylinder up to 600 horsepower, which is what an original 917K would have had. There are also plans in the future to reverse engineer a flat-12 to make the replica identical to an original.
The best part about the recreation is that you can own one for yourself. Turnkey examples are £250k (~$329k) plus tax, but if you prefer to add your own engine, a rolling shell is just £140k ($184k) plus tax.