The story of the 917

[R. Pare]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk4r...hannel=VINwiki

[last]

1000 horsepower attached to an aluminum lawn chair

[EricP]

Thanks for posting! I grew up with Porsche… some info in this I didn’t know and this was well told.

Aluminum Lawn Chair… that’s really funny… descriptive and scary but funny!

[Purple Frog]

Watched Mark Donohue lap the old Road Atlanta in the Sunoco 917/30. ( I think the record stood until maybe they reconfigured the track ?) It was a very impressive sight. Mind blowing at the time. And, the car arrived on an open slant-back truck.

[R. Pare]

The Daytona win: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UochVxInM60

[R. Pare]

Did it kill the Can Am?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeg8...FicarraClassic

[Purple Frog]

Just like Gurney's Toyota killed GTP in IMSA...

[E1pix]

I think it’s only fair to point out the 917/30K was more of an aluminum recliner.

Yes, what a car. Donohue beat the Road America Can-Am record by SEVEN seconds in it in ‘73, before my wide eyes, and also the Trap Speed… at 190.

I think that lap record stood for maybe 14 years, or maybe more. As impressive as the Turbo F1 cars were in ‘83, they had nothing on Can-Am and especially the 917s.

I’m in the “It killed Can-Am” camp, despite influences from the gas crisis. The Series was very strong in ‘72, not so much in ‘73, then utterly dead by ‘74. I think the last race in ‘74 was even cancelled, terrible way to end such a magical series.

I grew up with Porsche…

WOW, you’re waaaaay older than you said!

[EricP]

I WOW, you’re waaaaay older than you said!

I should have said I grew up IN a Porsche. The little seat like things in the back of a “67 911 or the middle bump of a 914. Yeah… one of things… no seatbelts… like yard darts… I’m glad I survived…

[E1pix]

Haha, just funnin’, but similar here.

My dad had a ‘64 356C I steered *a lot*, literally most of some drives when 13 or so. He also had a ‘69 GT500 Shelby and a Morgan, the latter I’d wheel almost all of the 60 miles to Road America.

The seat position was dead perfect, but the wheel was a bit big for a kid — opposite lock was out of the question.

[marchsv]

Had a chance to ask a local school bus driver about the 917. He said that it was diabolical, and crafted by mad men. The bus drivers name was George Fulmer who was driving school buses at the time.