Saw this ad on Collector Car and couldn't believe how nice it was. Who does this kind of fabrication now a days? Amazing. Too expensive for me but if I had it, I'd consider driving it on the track.

http://www.collectorcartraderonline.....html?76937158

 

Yep. These guys seem to be pretty good at it.

 

Wow again. You're right, those guys are pretty good at it. Thanks for the link (spent an hour at their site).

 

I am not sure why this is $255K when you can buy the same thing from a guy in Austrailia for about $70K. He is also making a 917 CanAm car and I thnk a early 908 spyder. Here is his link: http://www.kraftwerkz.net/

 

If you like what you see on the Gunnar site, wait till you see some of their work in the flesh The Torno 962 was the first I saw when Wayne Jackson bought it to Summit Point along with a 917 [which ran] and his spectacular HSR 914 [more podiums than I can lest here].

Factory perfect work. THese guys are master craftsmen.

 

The Fantasy Junction car IS a Kraftwerkz car.

 

I was at NHIS this spring when the Kraftwerkz 917 referred to on the website showed up. I worked a corner wth the owner so I got a chance to talk with him about the car. First, its awesome. The fit and finish, detailing from the pedals to the oil tank is impeccable to its vintage Dunlop racing tires. The motor fitted to his car was a 3.8 RS motor, the stacks were all carbon fiber. Perhaps the most beautiful engine I've every seen, certainly the most beautiful Porsche engine. I wasn't cheeky enough to ask how much he spent to produce this car, but I can imagine it was well in excess of a 1/4 million. If I could buy his car for 70K, I'd do it in a heartbeat!

 

I didn't find any pricing on the Kraftwerkz website but I agree that the finished project looks hundreds of thousands of dollars expensive. Still a lot cheaper than a real one of course.

I for one hope that highly developed replicas like this one become more available and commonplace. Even as my earning potential increases, I never see myself driving an investment quality vehicle on a track the way it was originally meant to be driven. Not only are you risking financial ruin, but it doesn't seem prudent to really push old metal. Maybe one day a built up replica Shelby GT350R or Porsche 908 spyder will grace my garage, be driven on the track, and be accepted by "the community" as a reasonable way to honor the marque and enjoy the experience of driving vehicles from days gone by. Er....Pardon me while I step down from my soapbox...

 

A short article and few photos of the car are available at:

http://ncr-pca.org/2004/917/index.htm

A couple of photos from NCR DEs of the car:

http://ncr-pca.org/2004/de-august/index.htm

 

Saw this car at LRP in June at a Metro NY D.E.

Needless-to-say the car was quite an attraction, but there was some problem with the engine's management system as the owner could not get the car running right all day.

Beautiful replica.

Richard

 

I would love to hear what kind of comparative lap times exist for this car! I wonder if it would fall in between the 962 and GT3 RSR or be closer to the RSR (or possibly slower?). Driver dependent no doubt but given the same pro level driver, I wonder what kind of times could be had.

Anybody else here think Excellence or somebody similar should do a road test/track test?

Out of curiosity...if you could have one high end replica of this caliber what would it be? 917-30? 917K? 908? 904? Others?

Also, it seems that 962s occasionally come up for sale at similar prices...Hmmmm...which one to drop a 1/4 million on? If only that were a real dilemma of mine!

 

I've been on track with the owner and lapped him in a few sessions. He has the intelligence to own this car and has been taking it very easy, both while sorting it out and getting used to what its capable of. It probably bears remembering that that more than one pro died driving a 917, and even though this one probably gives up 300-600HP to the original, its still deserves immense respect. All I can say is having seen how much car there is between your toes and it's nostrils, driving this thing at real speed would be pretty scary. Nose into a wall and it would be painful in more ways than one. As cool as this thing is, I think I'd like a few more years of safety engineering in my 190 mph+ track car, so put me down for the 962. Actually having seen some in-car vid from a 962 thats occasionally run at DEs in the NE, the closing speeds are so insane, I probably just opt for a couple of GT3 RSRs.

 

Highlight of my season was seeing that car. It was also out on the track in my run group for a shakedown. Best thing was the owner gave me a point by, granted he was probably going 3/10ths!! Only wished I had video of that. Probably the only time I will ever get to pass a 917 (even if it is replica) on the track.

BTW I do have some pictures of that car I have attached. The detailing was AWESOME.













Cheers,

 

Great additional Pics. I agree that closing speeds with highly developed machinery can be a problem at a DE's. A friend of mine with both a GT3 cup and a 951 prefers the 951 at DEs for just that reason (Heck, he's still usually the fastest guy out there - ex pro speedvision driver type). For just that reason I'm looking to set up a couple of private track days when I get back in country next year. Can't afford it all by myself of course but 15-20 high speed friends on a one day event should make it just about right. We'll see how it goes.

I've heard about 962s and closing speed as well. An anecdote from the PO of my 951 relates that at Mid-Ohio, if you can even just see a 962 coming out of Turn 1 in your rearview as you are entering Turn 2, you will be passed on the back straight well before the breaking zone. This is in an E-stock 951 that can run up front! As Einstein said, speed is relative (to what else is out there with you!).

 

Hey Riff!!! How be you! Glad you had a pix of that engine bay to back me up. Yeah he was definitely taking it easy out there (I passed him twice in a couple of sessions actually, although he seemed to be picking it up a little bit at the October event). Funniest thing about that car is that given a point by ain't easy given the size of the window opening, not to mention that the car's rear vision is challenged, one assumes they were built never to have to worry about what was behind you. Often had to get up in is side mirrors before he'd realize I was there.

You going to be out and about a little more this year? Missed seeing you after the Glen. Come to Tremblant or at least the May NHIS this year friend eh?