Are you sick and tired of not having a Porsche 917? Me too! Now’s your chance! Sort of.
Its impossibly low body, wraparound windshield and long history of endurance-racing success turned the Porche 917 into one of the defining competition cars of the early 1970s. Genuine examples are now among the most valuable cars in the world, placing ownership beyond the reach of nearly every enthusiast. An unusual auction now underway offers a dramatically more accessible alternative: a street-legal Race Car Replicas 917 powered by a Chevrolet LS3 V8.
The silver coupe is being offered through Cars & Bids and is scheduled to sell on July 13. The car was constructed from a kit developed by Race Car Replicas, a Michigan company known for building recreations of famous competition machines. Its fiberglass body wears the number 3 Martini & Rossi livery used by the Porsche 917 that Vic Elford and Gérard Larrousse drove to victory at the 1971 12 Hours of Sebring.
That connection gives the replica more historical substance than a generic vintage-racing paint scheme. The original 917 delivered Porsche its first overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 and repeated the achievement in 1971 (also the year the Le Mans movie starring Steve McQueen and a 917 came out). It also helped Porsche dominate international sports-car racing during one of the most celebrated periods in the manufacturer’s history. This car cannot duplicate the value or provenance of an original, but it attempts to recreate the appearance and sense of occasion without requiring museum-level money.
An American V8 Replaces Porsche’s Flat-12
The most obvious departure from the original is beneath the rear bodywork. Rather than Porsche’s air-cooled flat-12, this replica uses a 6.2-liter Chevrolet LS3 V8 connected to a six-speed manual transaxle sourced from a Porsche 996-generation 911. The auction does not list a verified horsepower figure, but factory LS3 crate engines commonly produce output in the neighborhood of 430 horsepower depending on configuration. In a car this low, light and exposed, that should be more than enough to create an intense driving experience.
Other hardware includes QA1 coilovers, Wilwood disc brakes, 15-inch three-piece center-lock wheels and two aluminum radiators. Inside, the driver faces a MOMO Prototipo steering wheel, cloth-covered seats, RaceQuip harnesses and a roll cage. The cabin is sparse and tightly packaged, more closely resembling a competition cockpit than a conventional road car. LED headlights and a glass windshield add a few concessions to modern usability, but comfort was clearly not the primary objective.
The car is titled in Oregon as a 1969 Porsche with a replica brand, and the seller describes it as street legal. That does not guarantee it can be easily registered everywhere, however, because regulations for specially constructed and replica vehicles differ between states. The auction also lists the true mileage as unknown. Its current odometer shows approximately 20 miles after a GPS mileage cable was replaced, while the seller estimates that the car has traveled roughly 175 miles since the build began in December 2022.
What Is a Street-Legal 917 Experience Worth?
The appeal of this car rests less on authenticity than accessibility. An original Porsche 917 would be too valuable, historically significant and difficult to operate for most owners to consider using on public roads. This replica offers a chance to experience the shape, seating position and theater of the famous racing car with a familiar American engine and comparatively obtainable replacement parts. It is not a Porsche-built 917, but it may deliver the sort of sensory drama that makes the distinction feel less important from behind the wheel.
There are still compromises. The LS3 lacks the sound and mechanical character of Porsche’s flat-12, and the car’s build quality will be judged against the standards of a privately assembled kit rather than a factory automobile. Its registration status, limited mileage and reserve auction format also add uncertainty. Prospective bidders will need to inspect the workmanship carefully and determine whether the car can be legally titled and driven in their home state.
Even with those cautions, the auction asks an intriguing question: how much is the experience of driving something that looks like a Porsche 917 worth when it is not actually a Porsche 917? For collectors focused on investment and originality, the answer may be very little. For an enthusiast who wants to arrive at a cars-and-coffee event in one of the most dramatic shapes ever created—and then drive it home with an LS3 rumbling behind the seats—the answer could be considerably more.
