Lots of rambling here sorry in advance. Also anybody want to buy the Viper.
Some of you know that I have been shedding cars it's been a fantastic experience. Some of you also know that I have been having some health issues. Nothing found so far that is going to kill me but there was a possibility and its been putting some things in perspective again. I have been going through my mileage notes and a few other things and I have put a grand total of 450 miles in the last 6 months on my three weekend cars. The viper is not built far enough to really be a 100% dedicated track car and doing so would ruin the value plus it is way faster then I am a driver and it keeps getting faster with development. The other cars are fun but not really that unique and I did not build them myself just did the last say 20% of the work. I really like cars that built myself.
So I think I have made the decision to move them on. I was dead set on getting a Merci and doing a SV spider body conversion but after some test driving they have a very similar feel to my R8 and honestly are not different enough that would warrant have it and R8. I really enjoy the wrenching now over the driving, I really miss building kit cars and the problem solving that goes into them. I miss having something unique.
So years ago, when I was 19 I built a 917K replica from a Laser B model. It was hideous but man did it improve my mechanical skills. I was obsessed with the 917K, I even traveled to historic races when they would be out just to get pictures. At the time the Laser was what I could afford and what I had the skills to do. Now I could do so much better.
So I have been in contact with RCR about buying a 917K roller in white everything but the drivetrain installed. Likely going to run me about 70K If I bought a roller I could have the car in about 6 months and I could build the motor and transmission in that time. Figure about 50 hours of work to get it all assembled. Or I could buy the kit and I would be looking at ~200 hours of assembly would save some money. California will give me a SB100 street registration on it which is insane and well I would have as close to a 917K as I dreamed of as a 19 year old kid building. Or I could just go get one of the europen ones around 170K that are fully built and register it out of state and just cut a check.
So figure you went through with this. They offer two already developed motor solutions. LS or oilcooled Porsche. Would it be blasphemous to do the LS. Something like a very overbuilt built LS1 that would really rev and survive track work. ~350hp in a 1800lb car is going to move and its going to be 1/3rd the cost of a oilcooled build. I am just starting to wrap my head around building one, it cannot be much harder then the Shelby and being a full race car it has no real interior or fancy dressing which is where you spend most of your time on. I could do real fire supression, I could do real race seats.
My old 917K Laser I think after I sold it. Mine was a B model in this color and had these wheels.
I'd have no problem with an LS powered replica, but then if I were buying a kit from RCR it would probably be the Lola anyway. A 917 with a V8 will still be the neatest car at your local Cars and Coffee meets and if anybody gives you any heat about it, just smile at them..
Do you care about value when it's done? I suspect the oil cooled P engine will sell easier than the LS powered car, but whether or not that difference will offset the build price difference I don't know.
You say you enjoy the wrenching more than the driving. What do you want to turn wrenches on?
I love the idea but I may be biased as a kid I also thought my neighbor's Lazer kit was the coolest thing around. His was dark metal flake blue with lots of yellow striping. Picture the love child of Penske's Lola and a bass boat.
I think you mis-spelled great I've never seen the stupid spelling in the past.
Can you put a water cooled Porsche motor in?
Yeah, if it can be plumbed for feeding water to an LS, why not a water cooled Porsche? Like a water cooled Porsche that likes boost?
If its a car you really would enjoy I say do it. If your not enjoying the car what's the point. I admit I have a weak spot for kits like that. I still remember seeing a Manta Mirage at a car show in the 80's and just wanting it.
Here are my thoughts on the subject and bear with me on this:
First having driven a 750hp Viper on track as well as a GT3-RS, I'll say that cars like these stop being fun. They are a total rush but they are serious cars well beyond most drivers capability. You're not going to toy with them the way you would in a Miata or Formula Ford
What you want is something in between, lightweight and has a decent power to weight ratio.
To that end a 917 replica with a standard Porsche flat six (be it oil or water cooled) even with as little as 250hp would make an 1800lb car fly. Even with that relatively low power it would still accelerate on par with a Viper (at least a stock one)
If you install the LS it will need a radiator car so installing a water cooled Porsche engine isn't that big of a deal. If the budget allowed I'd go with the lowest cost Porsche flat six. The V8 is a great option it's just my heart says Porsche engine. I also think you may find a 350hp 1800lb car a bit much.
Now if you wanted to really be out there, install a 928 motor in your 917.
If I had money like that, I'd go with the Superlite SL-C kit.
Put a stock-ish LS and make covers to go over the coil packs that say Porsche. Most people won't even know. As far as a overbuilt LS. You are getting rid of the Viper because it is too much car. Don't go too crazy on the 917.
captdownshift (Forum Supporter) said:
Such a project is deserving of a low displacem rev happy lump and is light enough to not be overly concerned about torque.
Low displacement (hmmm, are we going to magic spinning triangle land), rev happy (seems promising), light (highly probable), torque (sure thing now).
Opening link...come on, load, can't wait to see it...and, and, and...game show trombone wamp, wamp, waaamp. 
A great choice of course, just not what I was hoping for.
Hmmm aren't those Hayabusa V8's $40,000 engines?
parker
Reader
6/22/20 4:59 p.m.
The sound of a V8 just wouldn't sit right with a 917.
In reply to Tom1200 :
917s, even replicas, are worthy of such an investment.
Just spitballing, since I didn't do any research, but would a Boxster engine be a cost effective powerplant?
I'm just thinking Porsche lineage with flat six architecture and potentially lower buy in than an air/oil cooled version.
First... it will take more than 50 hours. Trust me.
Second... kind of depends on your budget. I have a highly developed Porsche powerplant in my car. Anything with P associated with it is really pricey. There are many ways to get equal or more power for a lot less money.
If you go LS you will have to go dry sump to get the crank low enough for the car to look correct. If it is going to be watercooled I would lean towards a turbo subaru. Its a boxer with low CG, and you can get enough HP to scare yourself.
I personally think once its a kit there are no rules... YMMV
I think it's a brilliant idea, but nobody's ever accused me of being quite right in the head.
Personally I'd more lean towards an a/c Porsche engine, but to do the looks justice, it'd need some boost.
Nope, still can't see flaws with that plan.
AAZCD (Forum Supporter) said:
This story was pretty amazing ...and sad: https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/porsche-917k-modern-formula-one-car-for-the-street-stp-porsche-91710-002-can-am-car-replicas/159067/page1/
I’ve seen this car. It sounds great, but only looks like an actual Porsche when viewed through a pair of cheap binoculars from the dark side of the moon.
After reading what Tom1200 said, would you consider a Beck 904?
Tom1200 said:
Here are my thoughts on the subject and bear with me on this:
First having driven a 750hp Viper on track as well as a GT3-RS, I'll say that cars like these stop being fun. They are a total rush but they are serious cars well beyond most drivers capability. You're not going to toy with them the way you would in a Miata or Formula Ford
What you want is something in between, lightweight and has a decent power to weight ratio.
To that end a 917 replica with a standard Porsche flat six (be it oil or water cooled) even with as little as 250hp would make an 1800lb car fly. Even with that relatively low power it would still accelerate on par with a Viper (at least a stock one)
If you install the LS it will need a radiator car so installing a water cooled Porsche engine isn't that big of a deal. If the budget allowed I'd go with the lowest cost Porsche flat six. The V8 is a great option it's just my heart says Porsche engine. I also think you may find a 350hp 1800lb car a bit much.
Now if you wanted to really be out there, install a 928 motor in your 917.
I tend to agree with all this. And I’m a Chevy guy.
If you do go LS, it requires a big cam, ITBs, and a pair of bundle of snakes 180 degree headers. 8000rpm redline.
