Interesting Info About The 917
 

https://youtu.be/Jk4rQH-yYho



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914 and 917, this picture always sort of blows me away a bit, sitting next to that HUGE 914

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1649905281.jpg

^^^ exactly!!! Can ya just imagine flying at 220 mph down the Mulsanne Straight in that tiny 917??? [emoji33]

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So who is this guy who regurgitates all the stuff he read in the books?
Most of these VinWiki story tellers all seem to be hitching off stories about other people and make it sound like they were there when it happened.

He's not adding any info that isn't already widely known, all he does is build up a story from all the other well known sources and tells it like he's uncovered some kind of unique and amazing thing his own damn self.
Comments on youtube


"Another Legendary John Ficarra Story I could Listen To His Stories All Day Long"
"Talked to Ficarra about this at the Amelia. Great to finally see the story."
"yey, another masterpiece for sure , Historic Racing story by John"
"Ficarra is such a great storyteller. Love his in-depth knowledge."
"I could listen to John telling old school racing Storys for hours!"

please what a fanboy club that vinwiki youtube channel

Wow dude, tell us how ya really feel.


FWIW, I didn't know any of the things he was talking about and found the information to be entertaining regardless of who was telling the "story".

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ok, well then clearly you haven't ready any books on Porsche then? or Seen any websites or read any articles on it?
I would think that's the exception for a forum full of Porsche fans

it's ok..

good start https://www.amazon.com/Porsche-Racing-Cars-History-Competition/dp/076030727X

Yeah, this picture always blows my mind as well. Seeing a 917 in a picture by it's self looks giant. Then you see it next to something else and you see just how small it is.

That's a bit uncalled for. Aren't all historians regurgitating information and isn't all "widely known" information just regurgitated information? I don't know this guy or HobieMarty or their ages. I like this guys excitement about the development and accomplishment that is the 917 and I don't think he is trying to make it sound like her was there. Yes all the information he is spewing is available in a 1000 different sources, but he is brining that information to life.

This may be a forum of car guys with a common bond around the Porsche mark but many don't know the history of the mark or many of the cars and many are younger guys just getting started. A few years back I posted about the thirtieth anniversary of Al Holbert's death. Many on here had no idea who he was let alone held the record in IMSA wins for a time in a 962 and his father Bob Holbert was instrumental in developing the 934/935.

I was only four when the 917 first raced, I didn't have the opportunity to see this car race in it's day. In my day the regurgitated stories came in the form of Excellence or road and track once a month or the occasional story on wide world of sports. I was fortunate to see the 911, 934, 935, 962 in their hay day but even then 99% of the information came in the form of some other guy regurgitating information.

Who is this guy Bill Oursler? One of his books was written in 2000 the other 2005. Isn't he regurgitating information available in 1000 different places in the thirty years prior to the first book and this guy wants you to pay $21.00 or one book and $84.00 for the other.

The story in the video was free and I will bet more entertaining.

I agree. It's the way the story is told that adds the value. If you are not exposed to the info, it's simply a bonus.

Below is something we are familiar with (9/11) but this guy with six million subscribers tells a really good story. That's all he does is tell stories about stuff that people already know about.

Video is age restricted because of the graphic descriptions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0azXES3MKew

Here's a random one from him that is not age restricted.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tul0S0xFzh8

Stijn seems to have gotten quite a bit grumpier in his old age. I don't remember him being this grumpy 10 years ago. This is not the first time that he's yelled "you damn kids! Get off my lawn!"

I have to say, I agree with Stijn, that was a bit cringeworthy. He clearly is just regurgitating what he remembers of what he read. He gets some of the technical details wrong, which means he doesn’t understand them and he has no idea how to pronounce John Wyers name, or that of Ferdinand Piech…

It makes it a bit hard to listen to.

Honestly, I'm not sure that I know how to pronounce either of those names correctly. I've only ever read them. I assume Wyer is like "why-er" and I assume Piech is something like "peach."

I haven't watched more than a few secs of the video. It is a bummer when technical details are wrong, especially for something like the 917 where the details are probably available in 1000 different places.

Thanks.

He tells the story in a way that makes it sound he was on the inside of everything, when he wasn't.
You can almost tell which books he's reading from, he tells details that are out of context and presented wrong.. The whole Long tail low drag vs short tail drag was a fight between Piech who would not allow even to test it and Wyer who had to go behind Piech's back to get testing done.

The moving suspension/aero linkage, he mentions it as if it was a valid setup they planned ot use or used.. but that's just nonsense it never used or allowed in racing.

He also calls it a long tail short tail design from the start, but those were never called short tails, they were all long tails.. just different variants for different tracks.

Most of these vinwiki story tellers, are very good at hyping and making it sound like they are the coolest mofo's in the car world. When quite frankly they aren't. They are just hyping


And yes, I do get grumpy when I see people claim history as their own, and then give it their own personal twist and add nothing but factual mistakes.

pie ech

why er seems right to me, he says weer or wier

And btw, I've been to the Porsche museum.. if the group asked a Question.. That the factory guide couldn't answer.. I answered it
I spent WAAAAAY to much time on pelicanparts 10 years ago

Wyer is pronounced like a two syllable version of wire. “Y er”

Piech is closer to “pee eck”

I had a motel room next door to Vic Elford. I did not know that until I rode down the elevator to the talk he was to give to a group about his days of racing for the factory. He discussed driving the 917. Her said if they turned the boot to the levels the mechanics said to run it at they were 20 MPH faster down the Mulsanne Straight. If he needed to pass a few more cars to have a clear shot at the corner, he would crank up the boost, and blow past the competitors 40 MPH faster that the other cars.

They ran with a different headlight color and shape from the other cars so they could be seen in rear view mirrors. The rest of the pack learned not to pull out to pass if the 917 was coming through.
He said one time he was hurtling along at over 220 and some driver pulled out to pass a much slower car on the Mulsanne Straight and he had to go further over, with two wheels in the grass. In those days there was just grass, trees and no real barrier. He said a couple had set up a table and were drinking wine at the small table as he went past at well over 200 MPH with two wheels in the grass and just a few feet from them. He said I figured that was a bit to exciting for them because on the next lap they had moved back a lot.

They did not run a boosted 917 at Le Mans…

yeah nah, no such thing.
Turbos was Canam 917/30
And I don't think they had cockpit boost control either ..

Also.. By the time of the 917...pretty sure the Mulsanne straight most definately had armco all the way, they did in 1969
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=255156022351768

You must have read that somewhere.

I'm sure every fun fact about the 917 has been written 50 times in books. We all bought the books. Now no one wants them.

And Interseries races…

Actually, people do still want the books. I sold off my library some years ago and books specific to the 917 brought a lot of money.

Not everything it was written down in the books. There were still a few stories better told in person by listening to guys like Vic Elford or Brian Redman or Derek Bell, etc.

Just FYI, native English speakers would pronounce "pie" like the Greek "π" not "pee."

AKA meat pie, apple pie, etc...

But I'm fairly certain you intended it to sound like a long e sound like "pee" since I'm also fairly certain you've got a much better grip on German language and pronunciation than I do.
Thanks

yeah, your right :D pee eck

ie in flemish sounds liee ee in english hence the mixup

Yeah, I am just an admirer of the car and the success that Porsche had with the 917 and later the 962, but I really don't know much about the details of either of those historic race cars. I don't like it when facts get twisted around either and find it to be irritating and definitely did not know that the guy in the video was getting some things wrong. I thought it was pretty cool to hear the history of a very cool car. Anyhoo...

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That's what I was thinking as I read that. I thought the 917 at Le Mans were naturally aspirated 4.9 or 5.4L. I didn't think turbos were added until they ran in Can-Am.

If you've got any good 917 books that you don't want, I'll take 'em. :D

There’s some really good books about the 917 out there, they’re more expensive than they used to be but are worth picking up.

Lots of videos on YouTube, also. Interviews from the drivers of the era, or guys like John Horseman. Gulf Oil produced quite a few videos of the J W Automotive Racing efforts.

If they ever have another Rennsport reunion, that would be a good place to find some of these older guys.

tho they are dropping like flies , most are 75-80 by now.
I lucked out that I got to shake Hans Mezger's hand and talk to him in the Museum, back in 2018
after sound night, winding down.. was in the museum bar having a coffee and noticed him standing at the next table alone..
short, lean older gent. didn't look as old as he was, but he was most friendly, asked him if he knew Grady, but didn't ring a bell , my crappy german didn't help either.

I finally managed to score a copy of his book last year, Porsche and Me.. it's rare as hens teeth in english language .. only ones I find are a grand asking price..(german one isn't, that's 30 bucks)
But it really is a good read, ittells stories no other book has. Straight from the source.

I got the Peter Hinsdale 917 book for Christmas in 1973. 1st Edition. Anyone want it?



http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1649942940.jpg

Normally aspirated engines were 4.5 L, then 4.9 L, and 5 L. The turbocharged cars were 5 L and 5.4 L.

There is also the 6.6 L 16 cylinder engine, which was tested but never raced.

The turbocharged cars also ran in the German Interserie championship.

What’s the price?

beat me to it :D
would go well with my Porsche Sport 72 and Porsche Sport 73 :D

I also have a SUNOCO 917-30 press kit. I was given it by a SUNOCO employee when it was new. She worked at the local distributor and her husband worked for my father. He knew I was a racing car kid and he asked his wife for one for me. I also have some racing news letters that SUNOCO sent out internally. This should bring $$$. ;)

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1649943472.jpg

Probably so. Lots of people still collect Porsche memorabilia.

I’ve had a copy of the Hinsdale book before. You should give it to Stijn, sounds like he’s never had one.

Message me.

No worries you asked first, saving up for other stuff right now, defo don't give it away , those things have value

Anybody interested in a 917 book should probably start with Peter Morgan’s book, it’s decent value for the money. Gordon Wingrove’s book is better, but more money.