Best 917

Ok,

So now we have two 917 manufacturers on board. Both apparently have the ability to supply very accurate tube frame replicas of the venerable Porsche 917...but, which is the very most accurate?

Not trying to start something, not stirring the pot, but it is the elephant in the room. For the purist, cost be damned, which is most accurate?

Now I realize this question may be unanswerable, as I'm not sure Fran has sold any, and there may not exist any single person familiar enough with both cars to answer. But....any thoughts?
 
You are speaking of 2 manufacturers ?
Am probably missing something as ; to my knowledge there are 4 .... ?

One in the States
One in Australia
One in South Africa
One in Holland

Each ( or somebody of them) have posted there too

Each one have own "specifities" to provide chassis .....

Hope this helps :shy:
 
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Fran Hall RCR

GT40s Sponsor
Kevin Jeanettes from Florida are the most accurate by far Gunnar Racing ....end of story he can and does recreate original pieces the original way....cost be damned ..OH YEAH.

I can tell you that the RCR 917 body is the most accurate in the "replica" arena ....and the tube for tube chassis I offered was bang on too...from Porsche prints and with personal access to an original to measure...
The market is not there in our industry for that level of build though en mass. so I focus on my own stronger and safer chassis design...that's also less expensive at $44k but has the flavor of an original.

BTW.I have supplied glass to two owners of original cars...
 
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Good info so far.

I wasn't aware of a Holland build, nor did I know that Kevin Jeanette was building them (not that it comes as much of a surprise, given his restoration history). I do only know of two builders who have a presence on this site...RCR and Bailey.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like RCR's body must have been pulled from an original, while Bailey's......?

Fran, you said "offered" as in past tense. Do you no longer offer the tube-for-tube version? I know that they came as rollers only.
 

Fran Hall RCR

GT40s Sponsor
Correct ...I no longer offer the tube for tube accurate version...too time consuming and expensive to be a good business model really...

I started with some panels from an original sourced in the UK from Piper I was informed with exception of the tail and then we modeled the tail from dimensions taken from an original 917 that's reasonably close to me. We also measured and modeled a couple of other parts such as the rockers from original aluminum 917 ones too...
We spent many months fixing and resurfacing the panels to give a much better surface and fit than period . I also made the roof and front nose section one piece to allow a better glass windscreen fit...
We make the panels considerably more robust than in the period too...as the originals are transparent when held upto the light....and most of our customers actually want to have a body that will last and hold its shape and paint finish.
 
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I had the fortune to see the RCR 917 body plug before any mould was made from it, pure sex sitting there in its Gulf Blue paint (or was that gel coat?) Really a beautiful little car. In need to win a lottery, it certainly would change me...well it would certainly add to my toy inventory at minimum.
 
Hello friends, i have seen the Kraftwerk 917K-010 in Germany in december and liked it a lot.
In February i visited Peter Bailey in J-Burg and he showed me both on the track and the factory his car and customers.

Have not seen the Rcr version except thru theirs homepage and some other Pictures from the web.

These 3 cars are quite different.

Personally i am looking for an car that could be used hard on a track day and be also plausible to street legalized.

I love the accurate the Kraftwerk look, but would be not a good racecar. thats more a showcar then a race car.

Mr Bailey and his customers are using their cars in South African racing and his 17 are made to be driven hard on the track or the Ring.
Some details are not as good as the Kraftwerk, but are easy to modify later.

Some shoots taken of my search.









And the SA 17:







 
From an accuracy point of view, definately gunnar racing. Kevin Jeanette can be very obsessive about details. But you'll have to pay for it

From a safety point of view, i'd go rcr. Their mono looks to be built like a tank! I guess that handling also would be better/more comfy as based on modern. Components.

The others represent a range of in between. What I dont really get is: it should be about the. same pain and investment to make something really accurate than doing something " closes". So what???

As long as you Won' t never be able to find and fit a correct flat12, any. 917 will be an evocation So why don t enjoy both of 2 worlds? Look of a classic and safety/drivability of a modern?
 
Kevins Project looks nice.
24 years ago i was visiting Scottsdale Az, for the 917-036 that was for sale.
Mr Congellton had one that was made of spares and had no race history.
Mr C used it as an clubracer. At that time it was red and had the frame fully polished....... BBS rennen split rims.
Very nice car, but very fragile to use.
In 2003/4 the 020 car was for sale at Symbolic in La Jolla.
Nice history and good to condition, but needed an complete restoration.
Had problems to figure out to move the funds to the states and it was sold to an Belgian racer.
Have read the book for the 021 Hippie car and seen how much work it is to restore it to make it raceworthy. No sense at all.

That´s why i am looking at the hommages/replicas made.
Was in Contact with the Kraftwerk in the 2005 and now i am deciding which one to get.
Will use it both as a trackday and a street racer.
I compare the Three manufactures of these.
Regarding the looks of these Three, the originals was change their looks between every race, improvements and testing made them as difficult to pin down how they looked.

I may go to Rcr to see what they are doing, to get the full Picture.

This is on my Bucket list, so it has to be done.

Hazze
 
Kevins Project looks nice.
24 years ago i was visiting Scottsdale Az, for the 917-036 that was for sale.
Mr Congellton had one that was made of spares and had no race history.
Mr C used it as an clubracer. At that time it was red and had the frame fully polished....... BBS rennen split rims.
Very nice car, but very fragile to use.
In 2003/4 the 020 car was for sale at Symbolic in La Jolla.
Nice history and good to condition, but needed an complete restoration.
Had problems to figure out to move the funds to the states and it was sold to an Belgian racer.
Have read the book for the 021 Hippie car and seen how much work it is to restore it to make it raceworthy. No sense at all.

That´s why i am looking at the hommages/replicas made.
Was in Contact with the Kraftwerk in the 2005 and now i am deciding which one to get.
Will use it both as a trackday and a street racer.
I compare the Three manufactures of these.
Regarding the looks of these Three, the originals was change their looks between every race, improvements and testing made them as difficult to pin down how they looked.

I may go to Rcr to see what they are doing, to get the full Picture.

This is on my Bucket list, so it has to be done.

Hazze

We are also doing one, although not got one running yet due to other work, hope to get mine running next Spring. Was conscious not to try and build a 100% accurate replica as I wouldn't fit in it if I did, so despite having a tube frame chassis it will have quite a few modern tweaks to make it more user friendly, we also plan on getting it IVA approved (hence some of the modifications) to use on the road here in GB
My build thread is below and Marcel from Holland is the guy who is selling them
http://www.farouxsportscars.com/917k/
We have so far sold one and a half!!!!!
regards Chris
 
Anyone care to comment on how tall someone can be and still actually get in an accurately tube-framed replica. Is the issue more with leg length, or torso?

Hazze,

Stockholm is one of the world's most beautiful cities. You're luck to live there. Frankly, one of my favorite places on earth in the summer. Winter, on the other hand...

Would you mind mentioning what you thought was good or that you would change about the Bailey and Kraftwerk cars. You said that the Kraftwerk cars looked more authentic, but wouldn't be suited for the track, whereas the Bailey car seemed more trackworthy. Care to expound?

Tack!
 
Tack Ron.

I been recomended , that longer then 190 cm is the limit to fit the seat to the roof. Pedals have a very short area where you move it to fit.

The Kraftwerk i have seen have the right stance with the 15 inch Wheels.
The uprights are not in a racing purpose made.More like a street car.

The Baileys have 16 inch splitrims and have billet uprights, strong pedal cluster. Complete rollbar with forward tubes to protect the driver.

For me the most important part, Baileys race their cars, they work.
Kraftwerk have not been raced. More like a showcar that can be driven.

Another thing is the second hand sales of these.
Have been at least 4-5 Kraftwerk for sale and maybe 1 Bailey´s.

All cars have been sold with a premium.

Bailey have made 15 cars, Kraftwerk 25 units.
Do not know how many RCR have done yet.

Hazze.
 
Anyone care to comment on how tall someone can be and still actually get in an accurately tube-framed replica. Is the issue more with leg length, or torso?
Tack!

It would depend if you were happy to have your legs in front of the centerline of the front wheels, this is how the originals were. We have feet on the centre line and I can just about fit in, being 6ft 4 tall, with a long back and short'ish legs but then I moved the main bulkhead back (not likely to put a Flat 12 in) to enable me to fit.
I think the RCR can also accommodate quite tall drivers but would assume you'd have to be a midget to fit in an original 917!!!
 
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