Race Cars Out of the Past

All about Driving, Racing, HPDE, & more!
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Flakbau
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blueline wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 2:01 pm "Seinfeld’s Ex-McQueen 917 Was Bid to $25 Million But Did Not Sell"

https://www.autoweek.com/news/a63475942 ... d568259d8a

There are a number of excellent photos in the Autoweek article. I posted a few below.



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I saw 1,500 horsepower versions of the 917 scream down the long straight at Watkins Glen. Back then, fans could stand up against the inside of the armco, close enough so if an A-arm broke and the car headed for the barrier, we could not even drop to the ground fast enough to avoid perishing. We were positioned just shy of the beginning of the braking zone, so we could experience maximum velocity. We could not turn our heads fast enough to keep our eyes on the 917s. I do not wish to ever drive one, as their lightweight "birdcage"-type chassis are not sufficiently robust, and the driver's feet extend out to the very nose of the car. Many pro drivers shared my judgement. But incredibly brave or perhaps somewhat foolhardy souls won many races, set many records and occasionally died in the 917.

BTW, my Lola has turned into a typical restoration, taking much longer than anticipated. Delivery is now expected in early Spring. Car is fully painted and all systems such as brakes and fuel fully rebuilt. Final assembly is all that remains.
2003 Lola T70 Mk I Spyder, Can-Am V8, 383 CI, 460 hp, 4 x 2 barrel Weber downdraft carbs, Getrag 016 trans. 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C coupe, turbocharged, Stage 3, 360 hp. 1982 Porsche 935 Tribute, supercharged 3.6 L dry-sump, CF & FG, 2,450 lbs, 420 hp.

#21

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blueline
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The V16 BRMs of the early 50s -

“No one who hears one of these awe-inspiring BRM V16 engines will ever forget the experience – the remarkable noise never fails to raise the hairs on the back of your neck,”

https://drivingnews.co.uk/silverstone-t ... dible-v16/


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"In hindsight, with more than 36,000 individual parts (4,000 of those in the engine alone!), the V16 was technically far too ambitious, too powerful for many of its components, and in many ways ahead of its time but, for all its highs and lows, it remains a true motorsport icon, remembered as much for its amazing soundtrack and incredible power as its very public on-track failures."


A cool 1½ minute video:

Tim
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#22

ROB III
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Thanks for the photos and link! Once you hear the unique sound of that engine, you never forget it!!!
Rob
89 944 Turbo
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#23

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blueline
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Here's a sweet 1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS. It's up for auction on BaT. Estimates per Stuttgart Market Letter are that it will bring $2m plus.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1964- ... era-gts-2/

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Tim
Current:
'26 911 Carrera S - PTS Verde British Racing Green
'24 Cayenne S - Algarve Blue Metallic
'21 718 Cayman GTS - Black
'22 911 Turbo S - Carmine Red
'21 718 Cayman GT4 - White
'11 GMC 1500 Quad Cab 4x4 - Black

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#24

Pefa
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A more modest racecar but more akin to this forum.

A 1989 Porsche 944 Turbo Cup, 1 of 25 that yesr. I restored it back to its original Weissach spec, wearing its Swedish teams livery from when it had its first race in Germany in 1989.

In these pics I had the non original 18" BBS motorsport wheels on.

I later sold it and it now resides in France.

Greetings from Sweden 🇸🇪
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#25

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blueline
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Pefa wrote: Tue Sep 09, 2025 9:35 am A more modest racecar but more akin to this forum.

A 1989 Porsche 944 Turbo Cup, 1 of 25 that yesr. I restored it back to its original Weissach spec, wearing its Swedish teams livery from when it had its first race in Germany in 1989.

In these pics I had the non original 18" BBS motorsport wheels on.

I later sold it and it now resides in France.

Greetings from Sweden 🇸🇪
How nice! What a beautiful car (and rare), one every bit as deserving here as any of the others! Besides, it's one that is close to a Carpokian rather than the ones most of the rest us only see in pics and online posts. Race cars out of the past are what the thread is about, so thanks for posting the pics!

By the way, that looks to be one heck of a quality restoration - very impressive job that you did. :thumbup:
Tim
Current:
'26 911 Carrera S - PTS Verde British Racing Green
'24 Cayenne S - Algarve Blue Metallic
'21 718 Cayman GTS - Black
'22 911 Turbo S - Carmine Red
'21 718 Cayman GT4 - White
'11 GMC 1500 Quad Cab 4x4 - Black

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#26

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Thom
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A friend's old racecar... with a 3L 4 cyl twin cam engine (!).

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'90 944 turbo

#27

Pefa
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blueline wrote: Tue Sep 09, 2025 9:49 am
Pefa wrote: Tue Sep 09, 2025 9:35 am A more modest racecar but more akin to this forum.

A 1989 Porsche 944 Turbo Cup, 1 of 25 that yesr. I restored it back to its original Weissach spec, wearing its Swedish teams livery from when it had its first race in Germany in 1989.

In these pics I had the non original 18" BBS motorsport wheels on.

I later sold it and it now resides in France.

Greetings from Sweden 🇸🇪
How nice! What a beautiful car (and rare), one every bit as deserving here as any of the others! Besides, it's one that is close to a Carpokian rather than the ones most of the rest us only see in pics and online posts. Race cars out of the past are what the thread is about, so thanks for posting the pics!

By the way, that looks to be one heck of a quality restoration - very impressive job that you did. :thumbup:
Thank you! It was mostly a labor of love. Took me 2 plus years and some on this forum helped with info and also finding some of the very rare Turbo Cup parts that was missing when I bought the car. After the 1989 season in Germany were It finished 13th overall It raced for more than 20 years in different classes and specs here in Sweden. I retired It and only used It on trackdays and autocross.
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#28

ROB III
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@Thom
375 Monza?
Rob
89 944 Turbo
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#29

ROB III
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@Pefa
GREAT shot against the beautiful blue sky. Did you find another race car to fill the angst left when it went to France?
Rob
89 944 Turbo
Musik-Stadt Region

#30

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