1973 Porsche 917/30 Spyder
Rule changes for the World Championship of Makes eliminated the stunning Porsche 917 during the early 1970s allowing the factory to develop the car for the open-top Canadian-American (CanAm) Championship in North America. Teams from McLaren, Lola and Chaparral were attracted to the 200 mile Sprint races of the formula and the rule book permitted almost anything, including free engine displacement and the use of turbochargers. Porsche used its new-found skills with forced induction to attach two exhaust-driven turbochargers to the flat-twelve engine of the 917. The result had a displacement of 5.4 litres and produced at least 1,100 bhp, making it one of the most powerful racing cars ever built.
The 917/30 went on to dominate in the 1973 CanAm with the top four places in the final points being taken back to Stuttgart and Porsche factory driver, Mark Donohue, setting a closed circuit record of 222 mph (355.85km/h) around the Talladega Oval, Alabama. A time that still ranks as one of the fastest race laps ever.
In Detail
| type | Racing Car |
| built at | Germany |
| production | 6 |
| engine | Air Cooled, Magnesium/Aluminum Alloy Flat-12 |
| position | Mid Longitudinal |
| aspiration | Twin Eberspacher Turbos |
| ignition | Twin Spark, Dual 12V Distributors |
| block material | RZ5 Magnesium Alloy w/Chromal Cylinders |
| valvetrain | Gear Driven DOHC, 2 Valves per Cyl |
| fuel feed | Indirect, Mechanical Bosch Fuel Injection |
| displacement | 5374 cc / 327.9 in³ |
| bore | 90 mm / 3.54 in |
| stroke | 70.4 mm / 2.77 in |
| compression | 6.5:1 |
| power | 809.1 kw / 1085 bhp @ 7800 rpm |
| specific output | 201.9 bhp per litre |
| bhp/weight | 1356.25 bhp per tonne |
| torque | 1098.2 nm / 810 ft lbs @ 6400 rpm |
| body / frame | Body over Tubular Frame |
| driven wheels | RWD w/LSD |
| front brakes | Vented Discs |
| rear brakes | Vented Discs |
| steering | Rack & Pinion |
| f suspension | Double Wishbones |
| r suspension | Double Wishbones |
| curb weight | 800 kg / 1764 lbs |
| wheelbase | 2500 mm / 98.4 in |
| front track | 1670 mm / 65.7 in |
| rear track | 1654 mm / 65.1 in |
| length | 4562 mm / 179.6 in |
| width | 2085 mm / 82.1 in |
| height | 1080 mm / 42.5 in |
| transmission | Type 920 Four-Speed Manual |
| top speed | ~386.2 kph / 240 mph |
| 0 – 60 mph | ~2.1 seconds |
| fuel capacity | 400 litres or 105.60 gal. |
Auction Sales History
1973 Porsche 917/30 Can-Am Spyder 917/30-005 – did not sell for €2,000,000 One of the most dominant Porsche racing cars of all time. Outrageously powerful turbocharged flat-12 engine. The last of four 917/30 chassis completed by the factory. Built at Weissach; a genuine factory-built 917/30. Featured in Motor Trend magazine and Automobile Quarterly. Documented by Jürgen Barth. Auction Source: 2014 Paris by RM Auctions
1973 Porsche 917/30 Can-Am Spyder 917/30-004. The Most Powerful Road-Racing Car Ever Built.A n Undisputed Masterpiece of Automotive Engineering. One of Only Six Examples Built. Sold New to Australian Porsche Importer Alan Hamilton. Meticulously Restored in Penske Racing’s 1973 Sunoco Livery. Rennsport Reunion, AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix and Monterey Historics Participant. Featured Prominently in Pete Lyons’ Can-Am Cars in Detail. Eligible for Leading Historic Races and Porsche Gatherings. The Ultimate Evolution of the Porsche 917. Auction Source: The Amelia Island Auction 2012 by Gooding & Company
1973 Porsche 917/30 Spyder Video
