Name Your Price: Porsche 917 KH Replica Stuck in Salvage Yard

Porsche 917 KH replica was built in South Africa and before being destroyed it was for sale for $750,000.

The Porsche 917 KH in Gulf livery is one of the most recognizable, iconic and valuable racing cars in history. Any Porsche fan would be thrilled just to see one. But now you can own one. Sort of. Kind of. Not really. What you see here is a 917 KH replica that was built in South Africa. And it appears like it was a high-end, authentic build. At least it was at one time. Unfortunately, the car seemed to suffer the ultimate double whammy of damage, fire and water. After that event the car was moved to a salvage auction yard where it has remained for over a year.

According to a video short posted on the ScrapLifeLee YouTube channel the issue with this 917 KH replica, besides the damage, is trying to establish a value. Apparently prior to being destroyed the car was listed for sale for $750,000. Strong money even for a top-notch replica. The auction house lists the value of the car at $425,000. That is based on what the previous owner expected the insurance company to pay out for it.

917 KH Replica Value

Putting a value on any replica car is always a bit of a challenge. However, what we have here is a well-executed replica of a famous race car that has since been nearly completely destroyed. Porsche purists may cringe at the fact that a Ferrari V12 was used to power this car. But there is no question that those are valuable engines.

Unfortunately, this one seems like it may be beyond being salvageable. And there are not many other pieces of this car that are worth much of anything. The front clip would be cool to hang in a garage or a man cave. But no one is going to pay six figures just for that. The chassis may still be saved depending on the level of corrosion and damage. What would you pay for this car?

Famous Livery

This 917 KH replica is covered in the famous Gulf livery and wears number 21. It is a tribute to the most successful Mexican racing driver of all time, Pedro Rodríguez. Rodríguez was a successful Formula One driver, but he also competed in endurance racing. He won an incredible 11 titles in the World Championship of Makes – now known as the World Endurance Championship. In 1970 and 1971 he won 11 races for Porsche, and 8 of them were behind the wheel of the 917 KH in this Gulf livery. The car served as the inspiration for the one of a kind 911 Turbo S that Porsche built in 2021 and auctioned off to benefit charities.

The burned out 917 KH replica is waiting for its turn on the auction block as well. But it has already been sitting for over a year, and its condition is only getting worse with each passing day. Will it ever sell, and if so, for how much? That is the $750,000 question.

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Joe Kucinski

Joe has been obsessed with cars since he got his very first Matchbox toy in the ‘70s. In 2003, he found a new obsession in track days that led to obtaining his SCCA competition license in 2015. In 2019, he became a certified driving instructor for the National Auto Sport Association. His love for all things four wheels has never wavered, whether it's driving some of the best cars in the world on the racetrack, tackling 2,000-mile road trips in 2-seat sports cars or being winched off the side of a mountaintop in a Jeep. Writing for the suite of Internet Brands Auto Communities sites, including Rennlist.com, Ford Truck Enthusiasts, 6 Speed and more allows him to share that knowledge and passion with others.