Porsche 917K racing at high speeds! (brutal flat-12 sound)

The 917 Kurzheck is very rare and very expensive. However, on a racetrack like Spa-Francorchamps you just gotta do what you gotta do, right? Drive it like you stole it!
This was recorded during the Classic Endurance Racing 1 (one hour race) at the 2019 Spa Classic event.
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[@probablygraham]

My brother worked at Gulf when they raced the Mirage-Ford which won Le Mans in 1975. He used to find bits of scrap from the 917s such as cooling pipes and I used to bolt them onto my moped. I had the only Porsche 917 Raleigh moped in the world :-)

[@catboi7871]

Legend

[@3wGaming]

post a video on how it sounds

[@probablygraham]

@@3wGaming - sadly it was scrapped about 40 years ago! It sounded pretty good though. My brother shaved 20 thou off the cylinder head and I put a different jet on the carburettor, and I took the baffles out of the exhaust. It used to go for about 5 miles and then the engine woul get so hot that it boiled the fuel in the carb and I had to wait about 10 minutes for it to cool down :-)

[@barfuss2007]

lol

[@constantin5573]

Today on : „Things That Never happened“

[@cdawson198600]

The 917 should have a red carpet rolled out every time one shows itself, it’s a legend.

[@I7435IC]

Timeless Legend !

[@karlphilipp9273]

The 917 was voted the greatest race car of the 20th century. It was so ahead of its time, nothing surpassed it for 40 years I would love to drive one before I leave this earth but I know that will never happen. Porsche oh, there is no substitute!

[@nicolaasjansevanrensburg7543]

And that sound mmmm-/12- fully agree- the "car " was/ is the Best

[@glennborrageiro6257]

When Ferrari got their arse truly kicked and ran away forever

[@glennborrageiro6257]

Nothing like it.!!!

[@45eno]

2:00 Mad respect. 2 people in one place recording video horizontally. Simply amazing...

[@martinzoellner6115]

When I was a little boy, i've seen these 917 Porsches in real. Nowadays these videos make me feel a young boy again. ...makes me happy. By the way....they were the most angry cars in the 70 ties .

[@joshuagabrielcatindig7607]

I've encountered this thing in a PS1 game aptly named Need For Speed: Porsche unleashed.

[@michagrill9432]

@@joshuagabrielcatindig7607 ive encountered them on classic days in real life. Hella loud and brutal

[@joshuagabrielcatindig7607]

@@michagrill9432 lucky! Me, a boi from a third world country can only possibly have that in my wildest dreams.

[@davidroynewby]

@@joshuagabrielcatindig7607 when you wish upon a Star, dreams can come true! I got my son that game for PS1 in the Philippines. 🇵🇭👍

[@juanquiros8934]

Greatest car ever built

[@ThatGuyErazo]

Even though there are so many awesome Old School Racers, that 917 just stands out among them! Legendary Race Car!

[@fruitygranulizer540]

coolest racecar ever made. the styling is sublime, the livery is sublime, the sound is sublime, its track record is sublime, and it's one of the most unique cars ever made.

[@ForzaScuderia-1]

This car is so underrated, It has been my favorite car since 7

[@millbartwikipedia9925]

Underrated. Not again... 😂

[@lesshrubb203]

I loved this car ever since Steve McQueen drove it in the film Le Mans in the early 70’s. What a beast!

[@marktime9235]

Likewise. My favourite racing car of all time. Closely followed by Sebastien Loeb's trip up Pikes Peak in the ridiclous Peugot 208 T16 kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZoPQhXiOm72dh7M

[@tomasvanecek8626]

He drove some of it.. but mostly the famous shots were made with Lola dressed up like 917 (the crash the up hill after Arnage, e.g..) They never wrecked a genuine 917 in the movie. Also, the sounds of the engine were not 917 at all, it was all the 908 of the movie crew.

[@DiaboloXXXVI]

McQueen never drove a original 917! Herbert Linge ( Porschewerksfahrer ) drove it!

[@sablefisher]

Enzo Ferrari was reported to have said, that he was glad there were no races longer than 24 hours since Porsches would be the only ones running at the end if there were

[@christianliesche5917]

If you can understand german, then the podcast with Willi Kauhsen may be interessting; he reportet from a race over 84 hours ;) It was a duability race over 10.000km, driven on the Nordschleife ;) and yes, Porsche won ;)

[@reginaldfitzpatrick8681]

Much respect for using such a rare and valuable automobile for what it was made for. Not letting it sit in some private collection gathering dust.

[@lynnshowalter1842]

The Porsche 917 was a living Demon! The greatest road car EVER

[@paccin339]

I totally agree, but its a race car, no normal roads for her

[@stefanoquerro612]

@@paccin339 unfortunately😂

[@brodiebramwell-johnson4779]

@@paccin339 there were a few cases of them driven on the road. But yeah definitely a race car. There is a famous pic of one with a 911 muffler attached so it could be driven across Europe in the 70’s

[@a_d_a_mt_i_g_g_y3007]

A couple of European countries have allowed them to be road legal through a loophole. There’s one down in Monaco!

[@theguywhoisaustralian1465]

@@a_d_a_mt_i_g_g_y3007 I always wanted them to make a civilian version like with the Ford GT

[@ghostshades]

At the porsche museum in Zuffenhausen, while a friend of mine was doing a photoshoot, I was walking around with a visitors headset listening to the stories behind various old Porsches. I knew of the 917K, but I had never really heard its engine sound properly. When I got to hear it, I maxed the volume and could do nothing about the tears of joy running down my cheeks. Angels wailing!

[@sunnyjay1]

Thank you. Its always SO nice to just hear the cars! Today's announcers have gotten too full of themselves and never shut up unlike the good ol' Speed Channel guys, who knew we would rather hear the cars and racing than their "brilliant" insights ;)

[@davem5333]

They must have taken 'How To Be Bad ' lessons from airshow announcers. They are the worst.

[@MrRockzilla86]

Well said, miss Speed Channel.

[@vernondunlea7080]

You just couldn't beat Mr Murray walker for his commentating even though he did make a few bloomers but no one can ever take his place for commentating rest in peace Mr Murray walker ( HUURY TALKER )LOL ❤❤❤❤❤

[@vernonspady555]

That sound is FEROCIOUS.

[@docskate4312]

Probably the most brutal racecar ever built.

[@NormAppleton]

No, that's its child. This thing is totally evil 917/30 www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/classic-cars/a25938213/porsche-917-30-can-am-spyder-sound/

[@Ben-mt6gj]

I was lucky enough to witness the victories at the Spa 1000 km in '70 with Siffert/Redman and '71 with Rodrguez/Oliver in just over 4 hours ! And I will never forget the 1970 start from the Radaillon grandstand with Siffert and Rodroguez side by side...

[@doogalloonni]

The most beautiful car ever. Always my favorite- always will be!

[@shb8124]

No doubt still my favourite racing car ever they're just gorgeous especially in the Gulf and 'hippy' liveries. Absolutely iconic cars.

[@42lookc]

It is hard to believe that such a low, wide, stupendously FAST, huge-tired car as the 917, is half a century old. It's just a mechanical monster. I doubt any high end street legal car built today could touch it on the track all these years of technological development later.

[@EdBert]

I doubt that too, but they could run the 24h with little chance of breakdown.

[@samtabor1824]

Not rlly true new suspension, tires, and specifically aerodynamics has made cars a LOT faster then before

[@hanzen5174]

probably not if the 917 had a dual clutch gearbox

[@HerrZenki]

As much as I love the porsche 917 and the race cars during that time, today's technological advancements have made the cars much faster. Heck, today's lmp3 cars are as fast as the group c cars of the 80's

[@daleskidmore1685]

When I went to Spa, walking into the circuit I got the impression that Au Rouge was a cliff. The camera never seems to do it justice. The cars are fabulous.

[@trance9158]

The greatest race cars of all time ..love the 917 and everything Porsche.

[@wordreet]

My favourite Le-Mans car of all time. It looked mad with that stubby cut off tail and what an absolute beast! Also, I've loved the Gulf colours ever since.

[@joegoncalves2496]

Wow the symphony of engine music is amazing, but nothing beats that flat 12 though at full clip! Beautiful!

[@MyKillkiller]

OMG the Flat 12 sounds so COOL it makes me DROOL

[@romanalbrecht3568]

It's not a freaking flat-12 why does everyone get this wrong

[@LarsMarsCars]

@@romanalbrecht3568 It is a FLAT 12 cylinder engine. A flat engine is not necessarily a boxer.. Boxer engines are a form of flat engines but not every flat engine is a boxer. It's not that hard. lol

[@karlnapp7564]

@@LarsMarsCars No, its a 180 degree V12.

[@karlnapp7564]

@Jaski Kiiski No, flat engines have only 1 piston per crankpin. This is a 180 degree V engine.

[@LarsMarsCars]

@@karlnapp7564 No you're wrong. A flat engine is simply every engine that is FLAT. The cylinder banks of a 180 degree V engine are FLAT and that's why it is a flat type engine. I know there is a difference in crank pins. However, a flat engine is flat, whether it is a boxer or not. It's just based on the shape. 180 degree V12 = flat. Simple, right? And a boxer engine is a form of flat engines.

[@TheBlaert]

These are for sure one of the top 3 best sounding race cars of all time

[@craigpennington1251]

917: One of the best sounds on the planet bar none.

[@jamesunger8433]

The most beautiful brilliant and exhilarating race car ever...the fabulous Porsche 917k!

[@edgarschuermer1745]

I saw them race in anger in the day. It still gives me goose bumps. It gives Geese Goose Bumps !!!

[@aurktman1106]

Edgar Schuermer more like Spruce Goose sized Bumps.

[@drjimjam1112]

Saw’m at Daytona and Sebring back in the day. Yikes, what a magnificent sound!

[@stephen300o6]

To be fair, geese are born with goose bumps, hence the name.

[@mothman6264]

Bruh wtf I’m getting emotional over an exhaust note

[@LarsMarsCars]

I feel ya. Been there, done that. lol. You should hear it on the main straight in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i4erZGB_hJl9rsU

[@williamstreet4304]

And that's a problem? We don't get those any longer.

[@vernondunlea7080]

These are my favourite all time race cars the porsche 917k I love them in the gulf mirage race colours the colour scheme suites the car perfectly

[@gabethomas8123]

Might be the best exhaust note of all time! Oh god, the downshifts...

[@Karimsatta]

Fantastic car! The way it passes the Porsche 911 with so much ease at 4:20 is amazing!

[@pistolpete6114]

Looking at these cars takes me back to the Speed Racer cartoon days with Speed, Tribe, Pops, Chim Chim, Spridle and Racer X.

[@Tubesmaney]

Nothing sounds like those 917s. So much power! Thanks for the vid!

[@B-A-L]

Makes you wonder why they keep spending millions every year on new cars when these beasts still exist!

[@bosse-1760]

Every time I hear that thing fly by it puts a smile on my face

[@jupitermoongauge4055]

A great car from by far the greatest era of motor racing

[@r.blacky341]

No other racing car looks better and no other car have a better brutal Sound like that best racing car ever build!! PORSCHE 917!!

[@andynixon2820]

The first time I saw a 917 in reality I couldn't believe how tiny they are . On film and in pictures they seem much bigger , it's the same with the contemporary Ferrari 512 .

[@Stanimal62]

Andy Nixon I thought the exact same thing the first time I saw a Champ Car in person, it was all engine and wheels. It made it that much more amazing the crashes that these guys had and walked away from.

[@23GreyFox]

@@Stanimal62 Or died in it.

[@The-General36]

Don’t forget the Ford GT 40 , named so because it was only 40” high 🥴

[@sqmotorsports9230]

Notice how the roof is at the bottom of a 911 window

[@rauschi3863]

"A car for Men, not for Boys" (Walter Röhrl). Very difficult to drive.

[@driss4160]

Quel son et quelle beauté, une oeuvre d'art.

[@georgemallory797]

I have always been in love with the Ford GT-40 and thought it was the prettiest of them all, but seeing this 917 makes me believe it's a tie.

[@suzyjohnson4667]

917 a close second to the Ford GT

[@RickyJr46]

Big respect to the driver who really puts his boot into a 917.

[@brixico1404]

My favorite car of all time

[@mariapires7170]

The most beautiful and iconic racingcar car ever! Period!

[@I7435IC]

+1 !

[@Porsche996driver]

Went to the Porsche Reunion at Laguna Seca a few years ago. Brian Redman was whipping one of those sideways through the Corkscrew!! I was able to hang out with him later and he was like “oh I don’t know was I moving pretty good?!” He was in his 70s and having a total blast! 🏁

[@kcsnow9447]

IMO a big reason the old Porsche cars have a sound unlike any other is that they were air-cooled, not surrounded by a water jacket. All engine sounds will reflect back off hard objects, like concrete walls, etc., but the 917 carries around with it its own unique and unrivaled echo chamber. As I said, a sound unlike any other. You can hear it coming a long way out, and after it leaves, that echo lingers long in your ears, in your mind and in your soul.

[@I7435IC]

Sheer music !!

[@MomentumEntFilms]

One word....Legendary

[@declanthiele]

When you're so darn fast you get put in the back of the starting line and still pass every single car in the race

[@No-vm7go]

Racer X.

[@mickyzzzeee]

All of the cars being passed are GT cars not prototypes. They run multiple classes in enduros

[@I7435IC]

Yea,, @ least once .. LOL !!!!

[@DelSanchezIII]

Thanks the the video, outstanding! My favourite race car, especially in that livery. The word 'awesome' is overused these days, but for the 917, it's more than apt!

[@tonychavez2083]

Man that 917 has long legs and excellent top end speed

[@markzeidler5132]

The all time unbeatable! Porsche there is no substitute.

[@IAm1InTheIAm]

2:56 sure put a smile on my face, thanks!

[@Bobbyo60]

What an absolute beast!!!!

[@mattcuddy814]

The car that ended the Can Am series. My Dad in his M8F said the 917 would go by him like he was standing still. Qualifying horsepower was somewhere above 1000 horses. Un beatable.

[@sambrown6426]

Those ones were twin-turbo though, the endurance racing versions like the one shown here were NA.

[@williamsporing1500]

The golden age of endurence racing

[@iainholmes2735]

That car is a beauty and a beast in one machine!

[@upsidedowndog1256]

Truly classic cars on a truly classic circuit! Hard to go wrong.

[@kendodd8734]

Just a monster of a car dominated for so long back in the day still gives me goosebumps when I c it and hear it

[@tomupchurch4911]

Firestone decals on the trailing edge and it's shod with Avons. The car looks like it did back in the day but it'll come home safe. Good video and sound.

[@timmorris566]

917's are the Great White Shark of race cars

[@BobTex01]

A most exciting experience!. I did a grid walk at one of the Lone Star Le Man's at CotA. Standing next to the cars, the drivers was cool. I saw the Steve McQueen movie, Le Man's in 71. Been hooked since, the 917 was a/THE beast!!!

[@Patmofar]

Part of its homologation with the FIA was that It had to be road legal in its country of manufacture. That is why is has rear indicators (turn signals). Without exception all of them were right hand drive but the gear shift was still to the right of the driver. It carried a spare wheel (required to be road legal under German road traffic law). It recorded the fastest speed ever for a road legal car on a public road in Mulsanne, France in May 1971 driven by the flying Dutchman Gijs van Lennep. An astonishing 394 kph (244 mph). The road WAS closed to the public at the time. It was able to lap Spa Francorchamps in Belgium 11 seconds a lap faster than a Formula One car could. After two seasons where it won everything, 1970 and 1971 it was banned because it was too good and had no serious competition. It is simply the greatest car ever made.

[@MalasNovas]

The Mulsanne it's the long straight of Le Mans!

[@Patmofar]

@@MalasNovas Yes, I know that, but for most of the year it is a public road as the Le Mans track is not a permanent track. You can see this clearly in opening scenes of the great film 'Le Mans' starring the Porsche 917 with Steve McQueen in a supporting role.

[@TheWilferch]

Not completely true....the car did not have to be "road legal" at all.....these were Group 5 "sports cars"....meaning it was built to the racing rules of the time, that forced a "minimum 25-count" production run, which....by the rules....made it a "production sports car" and not a pure racing car. This is what Porsche did.....took the "pure-racing only" , limited-production, 8 cylinder 908 model, with NO minimum build-quantity requirement ( limited to 3 liter engine size because it was a "race"-only car)....and essentially built a 12 cylinder engine from this and.....built 25 of the 917's , to make it a "production" car ( from the rules)..... that then allowed a 5 liter engine. It was all a "rules" game.....but there were no "road legal in the country of manufacture" stipulation. Yes, both 908, 917 and all other cars racing in the series had to be built to the "rules",....and the rules mandated the stuff you are talking about,.....headlights, turn signals, spare tire, wipers, etc. etc.....all simply the rules for Group 5 Sports cars and Group 6 Prototype cars....all "rules".

[@Patmofar]

@@TheWilferch If what you say is true then why does the Ferrari 512 not have rear indicators or a spare wheel?

[@TheWilferch]

@@Patmofar ...my photos show rear indicator lights, and I will presume a spare wheel too, as it was mandated by the rules, and as was set up at the time and enforced by the CSI.....for group 5 ("sports cars" with minimum production run of 25).

[@rsanford1196]

Best sounding car ever!

[@svogender]

The most legendary Le Mans/sport car ever..!! And it had to be in the Gulf livery ...!! 😊👍

[@UberLummox]

Big bore V-8s sounds just as dreamy to me, but I'm just glad to hear ANY engine without those lame rev limiters interrupting the beautiful music! Thanks for the video!

[@Trucker1957]

The 917 passes everything in sight.

[@I7435IC]

More than once. 😉

[@djwaltoaram7052]

My absolute favourite racecar even better than the 919!

[@MyKillkiller]

DJ WÁLTÓÁRAM I ABSOLUTELY agree with you :)

[@roknroller6052]

Definitely, Though I would also include the 956 incredible race car...

[@larryb4129]

@@roknroller6052 the direct decendent of the 917 in my opinion both cars absolutely iconic and incredible

[@zkechplays2077]

All of them 956 are still pure fastest car and not like 919 use electric to beat the unbreakable 35 years record by porsche 956 in nurburgring

[@wellwellwelljew271]

@@zkechplays2077 yeah, electric motors is cheating.

[@marshja56]

It looks hypersonic, futuristic, brutal and beautiful all at the same time.

[@TBCARS]

awesome sound, legend

[@glauciogv5225]

Today I will sleep better, after listening this symphonic sound ! Listening in 2021

[@ralphaverill2001]

From what I've read, the 917 has to be driven hard. The flat 12 can only operate at or near red line. In other words, put your foot to the floor and leave it there. Just what I've read. Whatever is true, the Porsche 917 is probably a most intimidating, scary sports car to drive ever made.

[@dogworlddaycare]

Your feet are in front of the front wheels.... a little scary at 250mph. One driver I talked to said the car was "quite comfortable" at 250, but a handful at anything less.

[@ganjaman59650]

Just looking at how slow it is to build speed at the beginning you maybe right.

[@xGT40x]

You are probably reading about the peak BHP being at the top of the rev range

[@sam_s_]

@@dogworlddaycare You mean 250km, right?

[@celtisafricana4984]

@@sam_s_ I'm betting on miles

[@aswclassicsdorset1743]

The most beautiful car every built and raced, always wanted one since the 1970 film Le Man

[@1218omaroo]

I love the family weekend Porches being absolutely ratted by the 917. What a machine.

[@azmike1956]

Loved the 917 since the mid 70's, insanely fast! Like a 4 wheeled TZ-750!😆😵

[@luizgorniack2590]

Porsche Boss to the ingenieurs: built a beast. Ingenieurs: ok, here is the 917

[@TommyTarkov]

2:58 the sound is so good espesialy when he lifts the throttle after full throttle, so good

[@jorgemeireles5549]

Fantastic car... sounds perfect !!! Nothing like analogic and mechanical old school cars ...

[@pg1171]

Loved this car since I was a kid, and I'm now almost 56! Nothing else quite like it!

[@Wolfdings]

Who ever was driving did a tremendous job! It almost seemed, as if the 917 was smiling :D

[@I7435IC]

It seemed very happy !

[@dwightdonnelly8662]

Simply incredible!

[@I7435IC]

Timeless !!

[@kennethmurphy5534]

Top 5 beautiful race cars of all time

[@markwilliamdarus5592]

I loved the 917!!!! AMAZING CAR!!! Thanks for sharing this.

[@albertpostolides771]

Probably the most impressive car on record even up to 2021 standards!

[@lwoodt1]

The sight and sound of a racing 917.

[@popeyeman69]

The most audacious race car ever built. Frame i so light you have to pump it up with air to check for leaks. Drivers feet ahead of the front wheel centerline. Gotta LOVE it!!

[@Virvum_Juggernaut]

It really sounds like no other. The flat-12 engine note is unique. 917 was a special car. Edit : Love the sound of that gear change before Eau Rouge.

[@I7435IC]

''Very special'' .

[@Virvum_Juggernaut]

@@I7435IC Indeed. The view of it’s exposed rear-end and sheer width of rubber never gets old.

[@majormarshall588]

Air cooling vs water=sound

[@Phalanx11]

Best racing car ever. I saw them 2 years in a row at Sebring and Daytona. I was 12. My hero was Jackie Ickx. It was said that the 917k was so squirrely on the back stretch at Sebring going 240 mph that the other race cars wouldn't get near it.

[@wolfgangscorpio4125]

I'm surprised theren't two or three ambulances racing along the concours, like towards the end, making my smile even bigger. :-)

[@andyglastonbury6032]

Those 911 RSR’s sound rather fruity as well. Love it👍

[@axylthomason4784]

What a glorious spectacle

[@s.tranger1074]

When I had a weekend when I wasn't on exercises being in the British Army on the Rhine, I used to sometimes go down to Spa in Belgium from Munster in my TR6 PI Mk1 where I was stationed in the early 70's with a mate to watch these beasts hitting 200mph on the straight. Nice area too.

[@michaelgautreaux3168]

Not a Porsche fan, BUT the 917, 908 series of cars are too deliciously iconic to resist! Love 'em completely, be safe 🦊

[@sizzahandz1]

I had a 917 toy as a kid...one of my fav

[@raulxavier1271]

Me too!!

[@vitakyo982]

I still have two of them .

[@bman6198]

1:33 Wow what a shot! So many legendary cars on the track at the same time.

[@tobytoxd]

Wow, what a line-up of historic cars!!

[@billknox4121]

The flat 12 sound never gets old - missed the pop of the downshifts though

[@dalecomer5951]

Well done video The great sound of the 917 was captured well.

[@petulantfrenzy5532]

My first year to witness racing was in 1989 at Indianapolis, Fittipaldi screaming past me at 230 hit me hard. Such a soul grabbing sound. F1 sounded great then too. 917s are on my sweet list as well. Cars looked the part too. Manual Shifting. Way way better times...

[@dirklindsayfranke1753]

Just beautiful!