Porsche 917 and Making History at Le Mans

Admittedly, not all the news that Porsche releases to the press is exciting. However, what caught my eye on this particular news note, was the display they are planning with regard to various Porsche exhibits. More specifically, on display (among other interesting Porsche cars) will be the 1971 Porsche 917 “short-tail” that won the ’24 Hours of Le Mans” in 1971 and still holds the record to-date for both distance (5,335.313 km) and average speed (222.304 km/h). That’s pretty impressive considering we’re talking 37 + years.

For those of you not familiar with the 917, this is the model that basically put Porsche on the endurance racing road-map with wins at Le Mans in both 1970 and 1971. Of course, we can’t forget the car was made even more famous by Steve McQueen in his epic racing story Le Mans. The 917, with a flat 12 motor, was capable of speeds in excess of 248 Mph and a 0 to 60 time of 2.5 seconds. That’s comparable to today’s F1 cars.

The Porsche Pink Pig

My favorite of all 917s, for no other reason than the name, is the 1971 917/20 otherwise known as the “Pink Pig”. Click on the thumbnail to the left to see a larger version. The car got its name from the paint scheme that showcases the names of certain cuts of meat (written in German) similar to that of a butcher diagram.

I must say, were I going to be anywhere near Essen, Germany this looks like a great event with the chance to see some fantastic current and historic Porsche cars. If anyone happens to go, please send me some picture!!!! What event am I talking about? Read below for more information.

Porsche Press Release

Stuttgart. This year at the Techno-Classica in Essen, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, and its Classic Customer Centre will be giving visitors a glimpse behind the scenes. The company’s Classic department, which has its home on the main Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen site, will be on show from 27th to 30th March 2008 at the greatest vintage car fair in the world. Under the spotlight will be its product and service range in connection with repair, maintenance, care, restoration and the procurement of original spare parts for Classic Porsche models.

On the Porsche stand in Hall 3 the emphasis will be on detailed advice provided by Porsche’s own restoration specialists. The experts will be happy to answer visitors’ questions – ranging from the availability of spare parts for Porsche Classic models to the maintenance and servicing of historic vehicles. Porsche drivers who enjoy working on their Classic vehicles themselves will also be well served: there will be a large range of literature available on the stand, from owners’ manuals through parts catalogues and CDs to repair instructions. In addition, the ‘living workshop’, in which Porsche specialists will be demonstrating their skills to enthusiasts and experts alike, will give visitors a chance to see original works’ restoration.

As well as the Classic Customer Centre, the approximate 800 square metres of exhibition space will house eight Porsche clubs displaying various privately-owned vehicles. Collectors and souvenir hunters will be able to view the current product range from the ‘Porsche Design Driver’s Selection’.

Porsche lovers will particularly relish the various exhibits on display: for example, a current 911 Turbo from Porsche Exclusive is shown side by side with another 911 Turbo dating from 1974, privately-owned by Ferry Porsche. The top attraction for motorsport fans will definitely be the vehicle which won the 1971 ‘24 Hours of Le Mans’. The Porsche 917 short-tail, racing as 22, set the standard as a light-construction prototype with a special magnesium lattice-tube frame. Driven by Dr. Helmut Marko and Gijs van Lennep, the vehicle won Porsche the second of a current total of 16 victories at Le Mans and set the still unbeaten records for distance (5,335.313 km) and average speed (222.304 km/h).

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History of the Porsche 917 Part II
Video History of Porsche Racing: History of the Porsche 917 Part III
New Porsche Museum to Open On-Time

[Source: Porsche, Wikipedia]