VIN: the works / Gesipa Racing Team Porsche 917 chassis 007
History of chassis 007
25 917s were originally assembled to secure homologation but not all were fully operational. Once homologation had been approved, 15 cars were dismantled to be properly built at a later date.
As for the ten 917s that remained, the first (001) was used for promotional and development duty while the other nine all saw some kind of competitive action during 1969.
Chassis 007 was one of three 917 Langhecks raced at Le Mans that year. Two of these were works cars while the third was delivered to privateer John Woolfe.
Driven by Rolf Stommelen and Kurt Ahrens Jr., chassis 007 was painted white with a yellow nose and ran a special 585bhp engine. It started from pole position but succumbed to an oil leak after 148 laps.
Whereas several of the other 1969 917s were subject to Porsche’s Long Distance Life Test and scrapped, 007 escaped such a fate.
At the end of the season, it was rebuilt to 1970 Kurzheck trim. 007 was then sold to Hans-Georg Biermann who ran GESIPA Blindniettechnik GmbH in Frankfurt, better known as Gesipa Rivets.
007 was painted the company colours of light blue and yellow. In this configuration, it contested more than a dozen races during 1970 including a trio of World Sportscar Championship events and the entire Interserie campaign.
The six-race Interserie programme yielded two wins and three seconds which enabled Jurgen Neuhaus to claim the inaugural title.
Neuhaus also won non-championship races at Zolder and Mainz-Finthen.
However, in its final race of 1970, chassis 007 was heavily damaged at Montlhery. That weekend, Neuhas was joined in the car by Porsche’s new test driver, Willi Kauhsen. Kauhsen had a monumental accident at Virage de la Ferme.
The car was subsequently returned to Porsche and rebuilt as a Group 7 Spyder for the 1971 season.
That year, Michael Weber was employed to drive. His best result was a second place finish at Hockenheim.
Weber finished the season third in the standings.
At the end of 1971, chassis 007 was retired from competition duty.
Notable History
Porsche System Engineering
21/04/1969 Factory homologation presentation
15/06/1969 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (R. Stommelen / K. Ahrens Jr.) DNF oil leak (#14)
Sold to Hans-Georg Biermann (GESIPA Blindniettechnik GmbH), Frankfurt
29/03/1970 IND Zolder (J. Neuhaus) 1st oa, 1st S class (#??)
25/04/1970 WSC Monza 1000km (J. Neuhaus / H. Kelleners) 10th oa, 7th S5.0 class (#14)
17/05/1970 WSC Spa 1000km (J. Neuhaus / H. Kelleners) DNF crash (#30)
31/05/1970 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (J. Neuhaus / H. Kelleners) DNF wheel (#54)
21/06/1970 IND Mainz-Finthen International (J. Neuhaus) 1st (#??)
28/06/1970 INT Norisring (J. Neuhaus) 1st oa (#12)
05/07/1970 INT Hockenheim (J. Neuhaus) 6th oa (#16)
11/07/1970 INT Croft (J. Neuhaus) 2nd oa (#22)
16/08/1970 IND Wunstorf (J. Neuhaus) 2nd oa, 2nd SRP2.0+ class (#8)
23/08/1970 INT Keimola (J. Neuhaus) 2nd oa (#2)
20/09/1970 INT Thruxton (J. Neuhaus) 1st oa, 1st 2.0+ class (#1)
11/10/1970 INT Hockenheim (J. Neuhaus) 2nd oa, 1st S2.0+ class (#62)
18/10/1970 IND Paris 1000km, Montlhery (J. Neuhaus / W. Kauhsen) c. 12th oa, 4th P class (#3)
Although classified as a finisher at Montlhery 007 was heavily crashed
Returned to the factory and rebuilt as 917 Spyder
02/05/1971 INT Imola (M. Weber) 6th oa (#14)
06/06/1971 INT Zolder (M. Weber) 5th oa, 4th Gr.7 class (#14)
04/07/1971 INT Hockenheim (M. Weber) 4th oa (#13)
11/07/1971 INT Norisring (M. Weber) 7th oa (#14)
22/08/1971 INT Keimola (M. Weber) 5th oa (#??)
12/09/1971 INT Imola (M. Weber) 6th oa (#??)
03/10/1971 INT Hockenheim (M. Weber) 2nd oa (#13)
17/10/1971 IND Paris 1000km, Montlhery (H. Marko / M. Weber) DNF overheating (#5)
1973 sold to Albert Pfuhl, Germany
1974 sold to Hans-Dieter Blatzheim, Germany
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Porsche - https://www.porsche.com
