even MORE great 917 footage!

[John]

Ok, here’s another I found. This basically tells Porsche’s racing story but they have a HUGE portion of this devoted to the 917 around the middle of the video.

Oh yeah; there’s no way that one part of the video is played at normal speed, look at the drivers legs…

Victory by Design - Porsche - Google Video


Ever wonder how I find all this stuff?

[FRPGUY]

Great film! I was amazed to see the film footage of the '72 CANAM race at Mosport, I was there working on a McLaren M8 driven by Steve Durst. Thirty minutes before the start of the race, the transaxle was in pieces on the ground and the complete body was off. Chief Mechanic was Dicky Corrow. We use to work for a company that built race cars called Autodynamics in Marblehead, Mass. We really had to scramble to make the race!
We had a good view of the Porsches, we were pitted between the L&M Mark Donohue Porscke on our left and , if I remember correctly, Milt Minter on our right.
I also had a little job interview with Tyler Alexander, Chief Mechanic for McLaren while at the race, but they were set for the season. Tyler said they hired mostly Brits because they worked for less money. I would have worked for free!
I think Steve Durst finished sixth or seventh. Seems like a long tome ago and no!I couldn't see myself in the film.
The McLarens of Denny and Peter were just breathtaking to watch come out of the right hander onto the pit straight! I'll never forget that sight!

[chuck]

FPR Guy,

In 1972 I made a 14 minute film, "Roger Penske Racing: The Can Am Challenge", from which the Porsche 917/10 Can Am footage in the Victory by Design show was taken. In June 1972 we went to Mosport to shoot the debut of the Penske L&M 917/10. I wrote 2 endings, one if it won and one if it didn't. We shot footage of the car in Penske's shop in Newtown Square PA, and at an off-site space Penske used during race weekend so they could work on the car in privacy.

The focus of the film was the 917/10, but we also included the McLaren M20s and Shadow Mk3 (?). We did this on spec (on our nickel) and a few weeks after the race, showed it to Penske at his Chevy dealership in Detroit. He showed it to Porsche, who asked if I could continue it to include the remainder of the season. We didn't have any footage from the other races, so I used stills and footage I scrounged from other sources to extend it to 30 minutes.

I had not seen it for about 30 years until I saw the footage you referred to on Victory by Design. And not long after seeing the clip on TV, I came across a VHS of it. I cleaned up the VHS, tightened it up a bit, and put it on DVD. I wouldn't mind sending out a few copies to people who have an interest in racing from that era to get their reactions. I must stress that I will do so only if there is no money involved, and that no one to whom I send a DVD copies it, puts it on You Tube, or distributes it in any fashion.

Chuck

[roaldin]

Chuck, Absolutely!
If you feel like sending a copy to Tasmania...

Tim.

[Gary Kadrmas]

If I send you $ for shipping and handling, would you send me a copy?

I would love a copy for my files!

[Pantera1889]

I would also LOVE a copy and am in 100% agreement with your terms.

[John S]

Spotted this original 917 at Le Mans in 2005. If I remember correctly it belonged to an Austrian who has had it for years.

John

[Gary Kadrmas]

Chuck,

Are you there? Any thoughts about the requests for the DVD?

[chuck]

Gary,

I will be happy to send you a DVD along with a few other requests I've seen. Each DVD has cover art and a 4-page insert, so give me a little time. I can duplicate the DVDs pretty quickly, but I do the packaging 1 at at time.

Consider yourself lucky being a Cobra owner. I have a friend who painted the first Cobra for Carroll Shelby. He painted it yellow because he had some yellow paint. (Not "Moon" yellow as some have said). Shelby didn't have any money to pay him but said that he would make it up to him someday. Someday came in 1967 when Shelby called to say he had 2 cars at the LA Airport Imperial Highway shop and that my friend was welcome to either one of them. One was a Daytona Coupe and the other was a Ford GT40 roadster. Chassis 109. Shelby raced it at LeMans in 1965 where it retired early with (Collotti) transaxle failure. My friend took the GT40.

One of the Monkees (TV boy band from the 60s) wanted my friend to chop it up and convert it into a street rod, but thankfully that didn't happen. The car sat in the shop for an extended period of time after which he undertook a complete tub-up restoration. When Shelby gave him the car Jacques Passino who headed Ford Racing at the time chipped in with a second set of Halibrand pin drive wheels, a spare windshield (try to find a GT40 roadster windshield at your local glass shop) a Weber carburated 289, a Collotti trans, and a spare ZF trans.

The last time I saw it, the car was basically complete. It needed the brakes and cooling system plumbed, wiring, new fabric for the original style seats with the grommeted holes, and new plexiglas headlight covers. He faithfully restored the car as it appeared at Le Mans in 1965 with the earlier style nose, not the classic GT40 nose with which we are all familiar. The one area in which he has taken liberty is the engine and transaxle. He put a 4-cam 255 Ford Indy engine and a ZF 5 speed in it. Both are in polished aluminum. Not even remotely accurate but absolutely beautiful. When it's done he plans to show the car and drive it on the street. He has 2 sets of Halibrands...1 aluminum and 1 magnesium...and 2 noses, 2 rear bodies and 2 sets of doors. One set of wheels and body for show and another set for go.

Thanks for your interest in our little film. As I mentioned, I hadn't seen it for about 25 -30 years until last year. It is not a "whizz-bang" racing film. We interviewed Penske and Donohue in the shop and focused on the car's debut at Mosport the weekend of June 10 and 11 1972. It includes footage of the car in the pits and on the track. And some rare shots of it in the shop sans bodywork. Donohue later told me that he didn't enjoy us being around when were shooting the film, but after seeing it, appreciated what we did. I took that as a compliment.

Again, all I ask is that no one copies it, puts it on the internet, or does anything with it that has anything to do with money. Stay in touch. I'll let you know when the DVDs are ready to hit the mail.

Chuck

[Danimal]

Chuck,

Could I be added to the list for the DVD? I GUARANTY that I will hoard it!!!!

Dan

[Steve26]

WOW! I think I need a 904 now, Fran when are you going to build us one? Great film.

Steve

[Gary Kadrmas]

Chuck,

Hows the progress on the DVDs?

[Mesa]

Hi Chuck,
I'm a little late to this thread but I too am good with your requirements and would like a copy.

Thank you Sir,
Rob

[Gregg]

Hi Chuck, add me to the list if it is possible. I agree to your conditions. Thanks Gregg

[John]

I think i want one of those too! add me to the list!

[Rick S.]

I would love to have one as well! Great Story by the way.

[Tom]

While I may have missed the boat on this one, I'd love to have DVD footage of Can Am racing. Of course, I wouldn't share it with anyone - is it still possible to get a DVD? If so, tell me where to send $ for shipping and handling.

Thanks,

Tom

[Wilby]

This is the era of what i call real racing,i'd love one and i'll cover s+h if needed.I have no desire to sell or market this vid and agree to all your terms.Thanks for your contribution.
Wilby

[Mike Drew]

Originally Posted by chuck

GI have a friend who painted the first Cobra for Carroll Shelby. He painted it yellow because he had some yellow paint. (Not "Moon" yellow as some have said). Shelby didn't have any money to pay him but said that he would make it up to him someday. Someday came in 1967 when Shelby called to say he had 2 cars at the LA Airport Imperial Highway shop and that my friend was welcome to either one of them. One was a Daytona Coupe and the other was a Ford GT40 roadster. Chassis 109. Shelby raced it at LeMans in 1965 where it retired early with (Collotti) transaxle failure. My friend took the GT40.

That's Dean Jeffries, right? He made several notable Hollywood cars in the 1960s including the Monkeemobile? As I recall he owned a yellow De Tomaso Mangusta for many years too....

[Dan]

I'd love a copy, please contact me if it would be possible to ship one my way!

Thanks!