Summary
- A man in Norway has built a street-legal replica of the iconic Porsche 917 Le Mans race car, which looks almost identical to the original.
- The replica required some modifications to meet Norwegian road regulations, such as using a different engine and relocating the fuel pods.
- The original Porsche 917 was a highly successful race car, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 and 1971, and becoming one of Porsche's most famous motorsport vehicles.
Most auto enthusiasts have daydreamed about having their own personal version of a historic race car. Well, one man in Norway found a way to make it happy, recreating a road-legal version of the iconic Porsche 917 Le Mans racer at his home. Famed designer and Porsche enthusiast Magnus Walker took the 917 replica out for a spin around some amazing Norwegian roads in his latest YouTube video.
A Norwegian Man Built A Street Legal Porsche 917 Replica
At a glance, the 917 replica looks just like the real thing. Only a true Porsche motorsport expert would likely be able to distinguish the difference from the outside looking inward. But there are certainly differences between this recreation and the real 917s — namely, this one is legal to drive on Norwegian roads.
As Knut (the car's owner and creator) explains, he had to make changes from the original design to ensure he could drive his creation beyond the track. Knut started the project nearly ten years by hunting down the original plans for the Porsche 917 — even asking Porsche itself for the documents. Naturally, he realized his tribute car would need a few updates to satisfy the Norwegian government.
For starters, the car uses a custom-fitted, turbocharged flat-six engine constructed from various Porsche components instead of a 12-cylinder like the original car. It also features a heftier frame for better safety (resulting in a slightly higher weight than the original). Likewise, Knut moved the fuel pods from the door sills to back behind the firewall. He also created the car's body panels using molds from three separate versions of the 917.
Aside from these changes, however, Knut's creation is remarkably similar to the original race cars. Walker squeezes himself inside the cockpit to reveal an interior configuration that is almost exactly the same as the true racers. The car is also nearly completely devoid of driver-assistance features — but it does have climate control.
Soon, Walker is weaving the 917 replica around Norway's winding roads. He explains that it would be extremely difficult to find seat time with a real Porsche 917 since they sell for around $25 million. Knut's tribute, according to Walker, is a more-than-worthy alternative.
The Original Porsche 917 Was A Dominant Le Mans Racer
The Porsche 917 and its variants are among the company's most successful race cars. In 1970, the 917 became the first Porsche to earn an overall win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It would earn a repeat win again in 1971.
Several Porsche 917 variants would go on to compete and win in the World Sports Car Championship and Can Am series. It collected several iconic liveries along the way, from the famous Gulf stripe to the "Pink Pig." The 917 has since become one of Porsche's most famous motorsport vehicles.