Porsche 917 Enthusiasts 2 Book Set

After knocking on the door for decades, Germany's Porsche finally stepped into the big time of international auto racing with its Type 917 in 1969. Its phenomenal air-cooled flat-12 engine powered the 917 to 15 wins in world sports-car championship races from 1969 to 1971, after which it was outlawed by a rules change. Included were two wins at Le Mans in 1970 and '71. First built in a series of 25 coupes that Volkswagen chief Ferdinand Piech called the biggest risk he's ever taken in business, the 917 was raced in both short- and long-tailed forms, pumping out 630 bhp by 1971. It went on to even greater glory in turbocharged roadster form in Can-Am racing as the 917/10, series champion in 1972. In '73 the incredible 1,000-horsepower 917/30 Porsche dominated the Can-Am series in the hands of Mark Donohue, who called it "the perfect racing car". The 917 stands proud in Porsche's history as the costly and daring machine that decisively ended the company's underdog status in international motor sport.

With the 917, Porsche finally claimed the Holy Grail, outright victory at the Le Mans 24 Hour race. For half a decade the 917 was the car to beat in international sports car racing. Today, fans regard it as a legend, an icon for a whole generation of powerful racing cars. This comprehensive book covers the complete 917 story, describing the breath-taking development, the fascinating technology and includes comprehensive statistics and a large number of previously unseen high quality images. The outstanding highlight is the personal insight of many contemporary witnesses. The authors have talked to engineers, drivers, technicians, team managers and mechanics about their "baby." They tell the story of how the 917 was conceived, designed and built--and made even faster over the years. They tell how they drove it and how they both loved and hated this legend.