VIN: the David Piper Porsche 917 chassis 010
History of chassis 010
David Piper was among the most prolific privateer sports car entrants of the 1960s and early 1970s.
Having started in Lotus single seaters, Piper switched to sports cars for 1962. He purchased a Ferrari 250 GTO mid-way through the season (chassis 3767 GT).
The GTO was followed by a 250 LM (chassis 5897 GT) and a 365 P2 (chassis 0836, later uprated to 365 P2/3 trim).
When Ferrari decided to quit sports car racing at the end of 1968 (as the result of a new three-litre Prototype engine limit being imposed), Piper purchased a Lola T70 Mk3B GT (chassis 150).
Piper’s first taste of the 917 came at the Nurburgring 1000km in May 1969 when he and Frank Gardner were hired as Porsche’s works drivers opted for the more predictable 908s.
Porsche desperately needed to promote the 917 so Piper and Gardner were brought on board but neither were particularly happy in the unsorted car. Starting tenth, they creditably finished eighth overall and placed second in the five-litre Sports class.
Having seen the 917’s potential first hand, Piper went on to buy his own example: chassis 010.
The white chassis 010 first appeared as a Piper entry for the 1969 Zeltweg 1000km, but at this stage it was still owned and run by the factory.
The sister car of Jo Siffert / Kurt Ahrens Jr. won in Austria (the 917’s first victory) while 010 placed third in the hands of Richard Attwood and Brian Redman.
Piper agreed to purchase the car and subsequently raced it in the Japanese Grand Prix (where it finished sixth) and the Hockenheim 300 miles (third). Chassis 010 rounded out the 1969 season with Piper and Attwood taking victory in the Kyalami 9 Hours.
The car (now sporting green stripes) was fitted with the latest short tail rear bodywork for three flyaway races in early 1970 before it returned to Europe and was rebuilt to full 1970 Kurzheck trim.
In this configuration, Jo Siffert used it to win the Embassy Trophy at Thruxton.
Chassis 010 was then repainted red and, for the rest of 1970, it variously appeared with backing from Herb Wetson’s hamburger chain and later, Sandeman sherry.
David Piper did the lion’s share of driving during 1970 but his career was cut short when he broke his leg in three places during a nasty accident shooting scenes for the Steve McQueen film Le Mans.
Piper had been instrumental in helping Solar Productions source cars for the movie but lost control at high speed in the fast Maison Blanche kink near where John Woolfe had perished the previous year. The car (a John Wyer supplied 917 K, chassis 013) was completely destroyed.
Piper ultimately lost his leg. He would continue as an entrant but his top flight driving career was over.
After a long stay in hospital, Piper entered chassis 010 for Richard Attwood and John Love to drive in the end-of-season Kyalami 9 Hours which it had won in 1969. Repainted orange and brown to reflect backing from Gunston cigarettes, 010 was unable to make it back-to-back victories and failed to finish.
For 1971, chassis 010 was repainted green. It appeared for most the year with Sandeman backing and, after Jo Siffert used it to win the Thruxton BARC 200, the car was raced by myriad drivers.
Chassis 010’s final period appearances came in Japan and South Africa. At the Japanese Grand Prix (now with sponsorship from Seiko and Mitsubishi), Tetsu Ikuzawa finished second.
For the Kyalami 9 Hours, 010 was repainted the white and red colours of Lucky Strike cigarettes. Driven by Dave Charlton and Richard Attwood, it failed to finish. Piper had also assembled a second 917 for the Kyalami race which came home fourth.
Chassis 010 was subsequently retired from front-line competition. It is still owned by David Piper today.
Notable History
Porsche System Engineering
White livery
21/04/1969 Factory homologation presentation
10/08/1969 WSC Zeltweg 1000km (R. Attwood / B. Redman) 3rd oa, 3rd S5.0 class (#30)
Sold to David Piper
10/10/1969 IND Japanese GP, Fuji (J. Siffert / D. Piper) 6th oa, 6th 2.0+ class (#14)
19/10/1969 IND Hockenheim 300 mile (D. Piper) 3rd oa, 2nd P2.0+ class (#2)
08/11/1969 SPR Kyalami 9 Hours (D. Piper / R. Attwood) 1st oa, 1st J class (#9)
White & Green livery
917 / 70 K rear bodywork
11/01/1970 TEM Buenos Aires 1000km (D. Piper / B. Redman) DNF (#28)
18/01/1970 TEM Buenos Aires 200 mile (D. Piper) DNF (#28)
01/02/1970 WSC Daytona 24 Hours (T. Dean / P. Gregg) DNS (#52)
Fully uprated to 917 / 70 K specification
30/03/1970 IND Thruxton Embassy Trophy (J. Siffert) 1st oa (#5)
Red livery
12/04/1970 WSC Brands Hatch 1000km (D. Piper / D. Hobbs) DNS (#14)
25/04/1970 WSC Monza 1000km (T. Adamowicz / D. Piper) DNF (#11)
10/05/1970 IND Fassberg (D. Piper) DNF (#??)
07/06/1970 IND Dijon (D. Piper) 2nd oa (#44)
21/06/1970 IND Montlhery Coupes de l'ACIF (D. Piper) 2nd oa (#3)
05/07/1970 INT Hockenheim (D. Piper) 4th oa (#4)
14/07/1970 IND Magny-Cours (D. Piper) 3rd oa (#59)
09/08/1970 IND Swedish GP, Karlskoga (D. Piper) 6th oa (#3)
23/08/1970 INT Keimola (D. Piper) 7th oa (#4)
Orange & Brown livery
07/11/1970 SPR Kyalami 9 Hours (J. Love / R. Attwood) DNF (#1)
Green & Silver livery
12/04/1971 IND Thruxton BARC 200 (J. Siffert) 1st oa (#4)
02/05/1971 INT Imola (M. Casoni) DNF (#15)
04/07/1971 IND Vila Real (M. Cabral) 2nd oa, 1st Gr.5 class (#14)
24/07/1971 WSC Watkins Glen 6 Hours (T. Adamowicz / M. Cabral) NC (#43)
25/07/1971 CAM Watkins Glen (M. Cabral) 17th oa, 5th S5.0 class (#43)
12/09/1971 INT Imola (M. Casoni) 5th oa (#15)
31/10/1971 IND Japanese GP, Fuji (T. Ikuzawa) 2nd oa (#05)
White & Red livery
06/11/1971 SPR Kyalami 9 Hours (R. Attwood / D. Charlton) DNF (#3)
Retained by David Piper
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: unattributed
