917 LMK Gulf Tribute Featuring A Mahle Motorsports 3.8L 915 Conversion

Posted by PATRICK MOTORSPORTS on November 21, 2018

Youtube Link
https://youtu.be/EAx7RCNJaRM

Meet the legend

Up until this point, the only way to drive a 917 required you to be one of the few super elite drivers chosen by Porsche. Now that's all changed.

There was an authentic Porsche 917K (#024) at auction at Gooding & Company, in Pebble Beach, for an estimated $13 to $16 million.

If you could not bid on the 917K at Pebble Beach, Patrick Motorsports has the next best opportunity - and it will only happen once.

A History of Racing Dominance

The Porsche 917 was rushed onto the tracks in its 1969 debut, and initially struggled with some handling miscues, but by 1970 it was so dominant the FIA rules had to be changed - twice.
The 917 went on to claim clear victories at Brands Hatch, Monza, Daytona, Spa, the Nürburgring, the Targa Florio, Watkins Glen, and at the Österreichring in Austria.
The season's greatest achievement came in June when the 917 took the overall win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The car won 9 of 10 races that year to secure the World Championship of Makes trophy.
The following year, the 917 had its way all over again. The car defended its world trophy in 1971 by winning 8 of 10 races and once again won the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

By 1972, the latest FIA rules made the 917 ineligible. So Porsche took the car to North America to compete in CanAm racing instead. CanAm had more lenient rules, so the 917 could compete with well over 1000hp. As expected, the 917 dominated there as well.
Only 65 Porsche 917s were ever built, seven exist in the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, Germany, while many others are hidden away by wealthy collectors all over the world. Whenever a Porsche 917 pops up for sale, it tends to command sky high premiums (approaching $16 million) at auctions due to their prestigious history - and still inspire awe over their power today.

The 917 LMK is every bit as intense as the original, but it's new so you can actually take it to the track and enjoy it! Below, we take an in-depth look at the car, then describe what it's like during and after a test drive.

917 LMK Gulf Tribute crankshaft with rods & GT2 Pump

The 3.8L crankshaft with connecting rods & GT2 oil pump

917 LMK Gulf Tribute 3.8l short block without pistons & cylinders

917 3.8L short block contains Pauter Rods (ENG 993 230 580 1270F) and Cylinder head studs (ENG 993 101 170 53)

917 LMK Gulf Tribute Engine cylinder head detail

Mahle Motorsports head work, with dual inlets. (ENG PS102-022)

917 LMK Gulf Tribute Mahle fuel pump filter layout

Custom fuel cell developed by Fuel Safe & Patrick Motorsports.
Uses Bosch 044 Fuel pump (PN: FUE 993 620 104 80 044 BOS)

917 LMK Gulf Tribute Mahle Motorsports 3.8L camshaft sync

917 3.8L camshaft sync

917 LMK Gulf Tribute trans & cooler layout

Power is mated to a mid engine 915 transaxle, with our transaxle oil cooler system (PN: TRA 901 OIL CLK PMS)

917 LMK Gulf Tribute trans oil cooler layout

917 915 trans oil cooler layout

917 LMK Gulf Tribute oil tank & filter layout

917 oil tank & filter layout, with oil breather catch tank.

917 LMK Gulf Tribute engine with Motec

Mahle piston & cylinder set featuring an 11.4:1 Compression Ratio - 102mm Bore / 107mm Sleeve - 3.8L using (ENG PS102-022)
Pauter Rods, & 12 Pack Coil Mount for Denso 580's

917 LMK Gulf Tribute Right Exhaust header bottom