So I sent him this as an e-mail. I'm posting it here since some of the younger generation might not be aware of this legendary car and best of all:
It was aircooled!!
Porsche 917
(The following was translated from spanish)
At the end of the sixties decade, the F.I.A. modifies the regulations of the Sport category, allowing 5- litre powered vehicles.
Porsche, which until that moment had been competing with its 904, 907 and 908 models, decides to design and build a new prototype that would make the most of the new regulations. It would be called 917.
The house of Stuttgart would enter the 1969 season with its 908 racers, and it is not until the 6th race, that the 917 makes its debut.
From the very beginning, two characteristics that would prevail for as long as it´s sporting trajectory were clearly shown: an astounding power, acceleration and speed, and the difficulties to be driven.
It´s like that, that in the first presentations, it is driven by second-hand drivers of the official team, given that the "star" drivers would deny to participate on it, preferring the much renowned, efficient, 908´s.
But, as the weeks passed, Porsche engineers would practice exhaustive tests, and multiple modifications to the suspension and chassis, achieving to transform the untamed beast into something more drivable.
It officially participated during three seasons (1969-70 and 71) in 21 competitions, winning in 14 of them, and being the runner up twice. It won 14 classification tests and obtained various records, emphasizing the average speed and amount of laps completed in the 1971 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which hasn´t been broken to this day, or the impressive maximum speed of 396 km/h achieved by a 917 (night testing, 1971 , 24 Hours of Le Mans, L´Hunnadieres straight- Jackie Oliver)
Towards the end of its trajectory, the 917 had evolved in such a way that it had practically annihilated all opposition; it turned nicely and counted with generous power that easily surpassed the 600 BHP barrier.
In spite of the efforts from Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Matra among other makes, it´s supremacy was so evident, that the F.I.A. determined with a new change in regulations, that 1971 would be the last year that the 917 would ever race.
PICTURED BELOW
According to the French magazine, 10 engine were ordered. They were based on the 12-cylinder 917 - 4,9 liter but their capacity was 6,943 liter (86 x 70,4mm). Only three were actually built.
The first was tested on the dyno, developed 755 hp at 8200 rpm & 73,4 mkg at 6800 rpm. The second was used for the photos and the third was put in a 917-027.
Now, as the new rules banned the 5.0 L engines in the 917 at LeMans, Porsche went to the Can-Am series and ran modified 917's there in the unlimited class. It was a series dominated by McLaren for quite some time. But, all that would soon change... This 917/10 used a turbocharged 12-cylinder engine making ~850 bhp in race tune and up to 1100 bhp in qualifying mode. This helped Porsche steal the title from McLaren in 1972
The 917/30 is purely a creation of mad-men to say the least. With 1100 bhp now available for race mode, qualifying power levels were up to a mind-boggling 1580 bhp. This made it the most powerful race car ever made. With a weight of just 816 kg it had a power-to-weight ratio of 1967.36 bhp/tonne in qualifying tune. Acceleration times were just as stunning - 0-100 at 1.9 secs and 0-320 in 10.9 secs! The legendary Mark Donohue won the 1973 season with all but one race in his bag.
Finally - : The Porsche 356.
