Pierre Martins

They say you should never drive the car of your childhood dreams, cause it might just dissapoint you. Well, I just did, and it was everything I expected.

Okay, let's see, where do I start...?

Let's start with the cockpit. The driving position is slightly off-centre, barely making it a right-hand drive car. The seat is very, very tight, similar to a superkart seat. Once you've wedged yourself in, the need for the four point harness feels like an optional extra. There are no cupholders, duh, but it has an alcantara dash, really! The aircon is a kreepy krauly pipe shoe-horned into the cockpit to blow cool air straight in your face. It actually works, mind you.

You almost lie flat on your back in this thing. The steering wheel rests low in your lap. If you have a beergut you'll battle to drive this car. If your beergut is slightly larger than average you won't even see the steering wheel.

Fire it up and it's loud. Very Loud, like a proper mid-engine prototype tube-frame serious race car should be. Out on track the first thing that struck me was how tall the front fenders were. They're higher than eye-level from the low-slung seat and with two puny little side mirrors mounted on top they do a good job of obstructing your view, especially in slow tight corners. But you get used to that quickly. The small wrap-around windscreen feels like a second visor on your helmet and the gear stick is right next to your right leg, just above the knee.

Everything is snug and tight. You get the feeling they designed the car first, and the driver was just a brainfart the engineers had to accommodate afterwards. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. The cockpit, seating position and everything else about this car put you in a racy frame of mind. You just wanna go fast. You just wanna stick it. And that's exactly what I did.

This particular car weighed in at just over a tonne with a bone-stock 3.2 Carerra motor pushing out a lazy normal aspirated 315hp, coupled to Porsche's brilliant G50 box and limited slip diff. Engine performance is nothing to write home about, but the whole package comes together so nicely in this car, making it very easy to drive. Confidence inspiring. Brakes are sharp, it points where you want it to go on turn-in and the more you give it stick in mid corner and exit, the more the car asks for. It's almost fool-proof and you never forget you're driving a true LeMans legend. The car will not allow you to, even though this was a Replica, an exceptionally good one and if I may add - possibly better than the real thing.

Awesome drive, I will never forget it.

Cheers,
Pierre.

DanR

nice write up and a fantastic experience - very jelous!!!

C.J. Ichiban

drool. there is a company here that builds 917 and lola replicas and I'd have one if I could afford a 4th track car.

hammerwerfer

I sat in one of the 917/20s at Vasek Polak's storage shed a good few years ago. I would have done anything to take it for a few laps!

Those were brave men that drove those cars!

SeaCay

http://www.baileyedwardscars.co.za/917_LM.HTML

Veloce Raptor

Pierre, I would like to tell you how much I hate you!!!!!!!!

Mark in Baltimore

What are you feeding your 3.2's??? I would love a "lazy" 315 hp out of my stock, 3.6 mill.

sechsgang

One of my acquaintances can drive a 917/30 with ALL the 1200 ponies...any time he wants...my does he make me jealous...


that sounds like a real blast and that replica looks stunning!

Alan Herod

I was thinking the same thing; but, thought the power could be off by 100, and be close for a stock 3.2.

jester911

Yeah if that 3.2 is lazy then my hamsters are laying up in hammocks inside the cylinders.

Pierre Martins

Sorry, my mistake. It's a 3.6 with GoTech. Power is claimed at 315hp, but to me it felt weaker than that.

NaroEscape

OK, even though we used to sell Speedster and Spyder replicas, I'm not a big fan of reproductions... This, however, is REALLY cool!
thanks for sharing!

Pierre Martins

I did the test for a magazine article. The car is really good. David Piper liked it. I did a very objective write-up. Will scan and post it here when it's published.