Anniversary: 50 years of the Porsche 917
ORIGINAL RESTORED 50 years ago today, one of the most famous racing cars of all time made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show. The Porsche Museum restored the very first Porsche 917 to the condition of its premiere. The Porsche with chassis number 917-001 has undergone many changes over the years. When restoring its sports cars from the historic company collection, the museum attached great importance to [...]
The Porsche with chassis number 917-001 has undergone many changes over the course of time. When restoring its sports cars from the historical company collection, the museum attached great importance to preserving original substances while taking into account the respective history of its exhibits.
The history of the 917-001 as a test and presentation vehicle
The 917-001 marked the beginning of an unprecedented career. The 917-001 Group 4 sports car, designed to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the one-make world championship, was the first of a total of 25 cars required for homologation. The world premiere took place on March 12, 1969 at the Geneva Motor Show.
Return to the original state
For more than a year, museum mechanics, former technicians and engineers from Zuffenhausen and Weissach, the historical archive and partner companies worked on the restoration of this first 917. The project proved to be particularly challenging from the outset due to its multiple transformations as a test and exhibition vehicle. The original substance of the car was to be preserved and adopted wherever possible and technically feasible.
The basis for the dismantling was formed in particular by tests with regard to the still original and reusable body substance using material analyses and comparisons with design drawings and photographs. For example, the elaborate reproduction of the body parts for the front and rear sections was carried out using state-of-the-art 3D technology, taking into account the original design sketches. Original templates were also used to reconstruct the aluminum tubular frame at the rear. Exactly 50 years later, the Porsche Museum is now presenting the 917-001 in its original state from 1969.
Special exhibition at the Porsche Museum
From May 14 to September 15, the Porsche Museum is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 917 with an extensive special exhibition entitled "50 Years of 917 - Colors of Speed". A total of 14 exhibits - including ten 917s with a combined 7,795 hp - will be on display.
For the first time, the Porsche Museum is also presenting a 917 design study to the public as a tribute to the first Le Mans victory in 1970. The red and white show car was created by a small team of designers and engineers. Due to Porsche's entry into the LMP1 category of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), it remained a design study.
The self-publishing company "Edition Porsche Museum" will also publish a book on the 917 anniversary on May 14.
