Porsche 917

[Bridgebuster]

I'm looking for a Porsche 917, preferably an open cockpit as they ran in the 71-72 CanAm series. I'll settle for a coupe, but would prefer the open one. 24th or 25th scale.

Thanks for any help.

Price IS an issue on this.

[LDO]

If the coupe is OK and price is an issue, why go with resin at all? Fujimi makes a fairly new 917K.

[Monty]

I'm looking for a Porsche 917, preferably an open cockpit as they ran in the 71-72 CanAm series. I'll settle for a coupe, but would prefer the open one. 24th or 25th scale.

Thanks for any help.

Price IS an issue on this.

The 917s are some of my favorite cars, but they're not well represented in the model world. AMT/Matchbox did a styrene 1/32 917-10 (thanks for nothing, brainiacs). Other than that, you don't have much choice. Fisher Model & Pattern used to offer a 917-30 resin kit, but it was in the $100.00 range IIRC. Otaki offered a styrene 1/28 Can Am 917, but it was motorized and I couldn't vouch for the overall accuracy.

Closed cockpit styrene models (917K, 917LH etc) are a little easier to find but are still a little pricey ($45.00-$75.00 in my experience). Heller and Union both offered the 917K. From what I've heard, the Heller is best left to professional builders. Opinions seem to vary on whether the Union car is a reboxed Heller or not.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?VISuperSize&item=310238230640

I have to agree with LDO on this. You should be able to bag a nicely detailed Fujimi 917K for around $35 + shipping.

Edited August 9, 2010 by Monty

[Crazy Ed]

Hi There Phil

Depending at what $ point you consider price to be an issue there are several choices given you'd accept Coupe's. Let's say $50 with shipping is your hard break point, then You'd have a good chance to pickup one of the several Fuji 917K's out there without much trouble. Now the Spyders are a different story other than the 1/32 AMT/Matchbox kits mentioned before (which by the way are full detail and you can get Decals for not only the Penske - Follmer/Donohue car but also the Hurley Haywood driven Brumos car also. Other than the Otaki Monty mentioned the 917-10 and -30 Kits ARE Pricey falling into the Whatever the Market will bear group.

Here's a picture of some of the 917 Kits that are out there. Good Luck on your "quest".

Ed

[Monty]

The Union reissue of this kit, (also reissues by Wave of Japan), is indeed the old Heller kit reboxed, (as is the Testors issue of the Union kit). I know because I own a Union reissue, & on the inside of the bottom part of the chassis tray "Heller" is engraved in relief there. So, opinions may vary, but the facts are the facts.

I had seen this debated for years, but wasn't able to offer my own opinion since I only had the Heller kit. The ebay pic I tried to post shows the Union rebox of the 917. I just thought it was funny for a Japanese(?) company to issue this with French text all over the box.

Did you have any trouble building yours?

[Monty]

I have yet to complete mine & I bought it, ummmmm, some 16-17 years ago IIRC!!!!

It's a real doozy to say the least!!

Wow, you're worse than I am. I've only held mine hostage for 10 years.

Hijack alert: Is the Ferrari 512S any better?

[Bridgebuster]

Sarcasm alert: Does it matter? Unlike the 917 that has a modern-tooling alternative the Heller 512S is the only injection kit going as far as I know. I'm kidding with my sarcasm, but if you want a model of that car, you are going to build that kit regardless. I have one that I haven't started (Wave box this time), but people I know that have built them said that they're a challenge but can be finished and look good if you're patient. Fujimi just re-released the Heller 512S in their own box, I believe.

Thanks for all the opinions and info guys. That's exactly why I post here; you guys are so knowledgeable and I humbly accept all advice, opinions, facts etc. Not being sarcastic at all here . . . you guys are really the greatest resource for an old fool trying to re-start modeling.

I was planning on looking for the Ferrari 512S next. I already have my McLaren and Chapparal.

I have SUCH GREAT memories of going with my best friend to Road Atlanta and camping out in the huge infield for the weekend to see the CanAm races and other interesting (to me) races. I'd like to ultimately model the main players from those days. I guess I should try to find a printed history of CanAm racing to understand better what I will need.

Thanks again guys.

Phil

[Modelmartin]

I am one of the few, the proud, the utterly stupid to have actually built the Heller 917 kit. My advice is do not attempt it. The body shape is good but the engine is a bad joke. Assembled out of the box it is taller than the car!! I had to leave out a lot of parts and glue the cover on. I did glue the halves of the body together top and bottom and front and rear. I then cut out the chassis pan so I could assemble it. If you can manhandle styrene to get it together then maybe this kit is for you but if you get stuck when things don't fit right, run away!!