VIN: the Racing Team AAW Porsche 917 Spyder chassis 01-021

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HISTORY OF CHASSIS 01-021

Chassis 01-021 was the AAW Racing Team 917 Spyder raced by Leo Kinnunen to victory in the 1971 Interserie Championship (the first of three back-to-back titles for Kinnunen in the premier European Group 7 series).

The original chassis 021 was a conventional 917 sold to Finnish industrialist Antii Aarnio-Wihuri for his AAW Racing Team. It raced at the 1970 Monza, Spa and Nurburgring 1000km races before heading to the Le Mans 24 Hours where it crashed out following a 180mph tyre blowout.

021 was subsequently sent back to Porsche for repair. However, because there was little time before AAW’s next race at the Norisring two weeks later, the mechanical components were stripped from 021 and rebuilt around a new chassis: 012.

It is unclear whether the original chassis 021, once repaired, was used as the basis for AAW’s 917 Spyder or a new chassis was simply numbered 01-021 for carnet reasons...

01-021 contested all seven races that made up the 1971 Interserie Championship. While cars like the McLaren M8E, BRM P167 and Ferrari’s seven-litre 512 M were undeniably faster on single lap pace, the 917’s reliability and Kinnunen’s consistency delivered Porsche its second Interserie title on the bounce.

The Finnish ace only failed to finish off the podium twice all year; he was fourth in the penultimate race at Imola and 01-021 was withdrawn from the race at Norisring following Pedro Rodriguez’s fatal crash.

Elsewhere, Kinnunen picked up a win on home soil around the Keimola track in Finland, a brace of second place finishes at Zolder and Hockenheim and a pair of thirds at Imola and again at Hockenheim for the season finale.

Kinnunen accrued 81,000 points compared to 59,600 for series runner up Peter Gethin.

After the 1971 Interserie Championship had concluded, the AAW Racing Team entered 01-021 for one final race: the non-championship Paris 1000km at Montlhery where Kinnunen and Gerard Larrousse came home second behind the Gulf Racing 917 K of Derek Bell / Gijs van Lennep. As the Gulf machine was a Group 5 entry, Kinnunen and Larrousse took a class win in what the organisers dubbed Group 6.

At the end of what had been a very successful season, chassis 01-021 returned to Porsche who subsequently loaned it to Ernst Kraus for a trio of late season Interserie races in 1972 after Kraus’s own 917 Spyder (chassis 031) had incurred damage at Hockenheim. In his three outings with the now plain white 01-021, Kraus finished eighth around Keimola and posted DNFs at the Norisring and Hockenheim.

During 1973, chassis 01-021 was used for three races by the Finn, Lasse Sirvio, who finished in the top ten at all three of his outings with the car. In 1974, 01-021 is believed to have been used for a one-off appearance by Swede, Sten Hillgard.

Chassis 01-021 remained in its Spyder format until 1999 when, under the ownership of Bob Rapp, it was converted by Gunnar Racing to 917 K trim. At the same time many of the original components from 01-021 were built up into a brand new chassis.

Notable History

Antii Aarnio-Wihuri (Racing Team AAW), Finland

White & Blue livery

02/05/1971 INT Imola (L. Kinnunen) 3rd oa (#11)
06/06/1971 INT Zolder (L. Kinnunen) 2nd oa (#11)
04/07/1971 INT Hockenheim (L. Kinnunen) 2nd oa (#11)
11/07/1971 INT Norisring (L. Kinnunen) WDN (#11)
22/08/1971 INT Keimola (L. Kinnunen) 1st oa (#11)
12/09/1971 INT Imola (L. Kinnunen) 4th oa (#11)
03/10/1971 INT Hockenheim (L. Kinnunen) 3rd oa (#11)
17/10/1971 IND Paris 1000km, Montlhery (G. Larrousse / L. Kinnunen) 2nd oa, 1st Gr.6 class (#3)

Leased to Ernst Kraus, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

06/08/1972 INT Norisring (E. Kraus) DNF (#17)
27/08/1972 INT Keimola (E. Kraus) 8th oa (#17)
01/10/1972 INT Hockenheim (E. Kraus) DNF (#17)

24/06/1973 INT Norisring (L. Sirvio) 9th oa, 7th Gr.7 class (#??)
15/07/1973 INT Hockenheim (L. Sirvio) 7th oa, 7th INT class (#??)
22/07/1973 IND Santa Monica (L. Sirvio) 8th (#??)

18/08/1974 INT Kassel-Calden (S. Hillgard) 14th oa (#??)

1999 sold to Bob Rapp and converted to 917 K trim

Original 01-021 parts built up around a brand new chassis

Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Porsche - https://www.porsche.com

VIN: the Racing Team AAW / Joachim Grossman Porsche 917 / 917 K chassis 012

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<<<917 PORTAL / <<<917 K PORTAL
<<<917 FOR SALE

HISTORY OF CHASSIS 012

Having started life as one of the loosely assembled 917s presented to the FIA inspectors on April 21st 1969, chassis 012 was dismantled to be properly rebuilt at a later date.

It was called to action in June 1970 after Racing Team AAW’s 917 (chassis 021) was damaged at the Le Mans 24 Hours. With just a few weeks until AAW’s next outing, Porsche opted to fit 021’s mechanical components into a new chassis: 012.

The newly assembled chassis 012 subsequently appeared under the identity of 021 for carnet reasons.

Racing Team AAW was run by Finnish industrialist, Antii Aarnio-Wihuri.

Aarnio-Wihuri came from a family of influential industrialists. One of the Wihuri Group’s holding was the Finnish importer for Volkswagen and Porsche cars: Wihuri Yhtyma-Oy.

Antii Aarnio-Wihuri was an enthusiastic racing and rally driver. He started out with Volkswagen Beetles and quickly moved up to Porsches. His most notable result was victory on the 1969 Arctic Rally in a 911 S.

Later in 1969, Aarnio-Wihuri established Racing Team AAW to support promising Finnish drivers like Hans Laine, Leo Kinnunen, Pauli Toivonen and Sten Axelsson. An ex-works Porsche 908/02 was purchased (chassis 011) which, for 1970, was joined by the team’s original 917 (chassis 021) and a pair of 911 STs.

Following its hasty assembly, chassis 012 arrived at the Norisring Interserie race with a yellow tail and unpainted panels elsewhere. Gijs van Lennep qualified and finished second while Jurgen Neuhaus won from sixth on the grid in his Gesipa 917.

A week later, chassis 012 arrived at the Hockenheim Intseries race having been repainted a similar purple and psychedelic green livery to the 917 L that finished second at Le Mans; its new colour scheme was done ahead of the car’s forthcoming appearances at Watkins Glen where it was to appear as a Martini entry.

Van Lennep started fourth at Hockenheim and finished second behind Vic Elford in the Paul Watson McLaren M6B.

At the Watkins Glen 6 Hour World Championship race, van Lennep was joined in chassis 012 by Gerard Larrousse. They qualified fifth but had dropped to ninth at the chequered flag.

Van Lennep then placed sixth in the following day’s Can-Am event.

Back in Europe, the Swedish Grand Prix at Karlskoga was run under a cloud after five spectators had been killed and 27 were injured when a saloon car barrel rolled into the crowd. Van Lennep finished the race in fourth.

For its next five races, chassis 012 ran with a yellow and red version of the Martini-style psychedelic colour scheme.

Gijs van Lennep won the Interserie race at Keimoloa and followed it up with victory at the non-championship Zandvoort Dunes Trophy. He then took third at the Hockenheim Interserie event.

Chassis 012’s final two outings were under Martini entries.

Van Lennep / Larrousse retired from the Paris 1000km at Montlhery with a bent valve 30 laps from the finish. At the Kyalami 9 Hours, factory drivers Jo Siffert and Kurt Ahrens Jr. drove chassis 012. They started and finished second behind Ferrari’s new works 512 M.

In April 1971, chassis 012 was sent back to the Porsche factory where it was stripped of its mechanical parts. These were then used to assemble AAW’s original chassis, 021, which had been revamped to Spyder trim and renumbered 01-021.

The bare chassis and bodywork from 012 remained at the factory until 1972 when they were acquired by Manfred Freisinger of Karlsruhe.

In 1976, Freisinger sold 012’s chassis and body to restaurateur, Joachim Grossman, who owned a Porsche 930. Grossman initially had the chassis inspected by Porsche’s Jurgen Barth then sold his 930 to help fund the 917’s 20,000DM price.

Afterwards, Grossman rebuilt the 917 for road use from his garage.

A five-litre 600bhp engine was installed and, one year later, the car had been approved by the TuV.

Now white with a white leather interior, Grossman had also installed a handbrake, modified exhaust and heated window.

Chassis 012 was registered CW K 917 and, in April 1977, the finished car was featured in Auto Motor Sport number 14.

Grossman kept 012 until 1983 when it was sold to American, Don Marsh. Marsh subsequently converted the car to race trim and re-instated its purple and green Martini livery. He retained 012 until 2002 at which point it was sold to professional racing driver, Bobby Rahal.

Notable History

Porsche System Engineering

21/04/1969 factory homologation presentation

06/1970 asssembled using the mechanical components from 021 and re-numbered 021 to match AAW’s original car for carnet reasons

AAW Racing Team

Primer nose / cockpit / doors with Yellow tail section

28/06/1970 INT Norisring (G. van Lennep) 2nd oa (#8)

Purple, Green & White psychedelic livery

05/07/1970 INT Hockenheim (G. van Lennep) 2nd oa (#12)

Campaigned in the USA as a Martini entry

11/07/1970 WSC Watkins Glen 6 Hours (G. van Lennep / G. Larrousse) 9th oa, 8th S5.0 class (#35)
12/07/1970 CAM Watkins Glen (G. van Lennep) 6th oa, 5th S5.0 class (#35)
09/08/1970 IND Swedish GP, Karlskoga (G. van Lennep) 4th oa (#10)

Yellow & Red psychedelic livery

23/08/1970 INT Keimola (G. van Lennep) 1st oa (#3)
20/09/1970 IND Zandvoort Dunes Trophy (G. van Lennep) 1st oa, 1st SRP2.0+ (#44)
11/10/1970 INT Hockenheim (G. van Lennep) 3rd oa, 2nd S2.0+ class (#63)

Martini entry

18/10/1970 IND Paris 1000km, Montlhery (G. van Lennep / G. Larrousse) DNF engine (#2)
07/11/1970 SPR Kyalami 9 Hours (J. Siffert / K. Ahrens Jr.) 2nd oa, 2nd E class(#2)

Engine, gearbox, suspension and other mechanical parts removed and used in the assembly of 01-021

1972 chassis and body sold to Manfred Freisinger, Germany

1975/6 sold to Joachim Grossmann, Germany

Rebuilt, painted white with white leather interior and road registered CK W 917

1983 sold to Don Marsh, USA

Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Porsche - https://www.porsche.com & Auto Motor Sport - https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/

VIN: the Racing Team AAW Porsche 917 / 917 K chassis 021

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<<<917 PORTAL / <<<917 K PORTAL
<<<917 FOR SALE

HISTORY OF CHASSIS 021

Chassis 021 was one of 25 Porsche 917s presented to the FIA inspectors on April 21st 1969 after which it was dismantled for reassembly at a later date.

On April 10th 1970, chassis 021, which was now in the latest Kurzheck trim, was sold to Racing Team AAW run by Finnish industrialist, Antii Aarnio-Wihuri.

Aarnio-Wihuri’s grandfather, Hjalmar Aarnio, was a pioneering food wholesaler who established Aarnio Oy in 1901. His father, Antti Wihuri, was a shipping magnate and his mother, Rakel Wihuri, was one of Finland’s most influential businesswoman.

In 1961, the Wihuri Group was formed to manage the family’s diverse interests which by this time included the Finnish importer for Volkswagen and Porsche cars: Wihuri Yhtyma-Oy.

Antii Aarnio-Wihuri was an enthusiastic racing and rally driver. He started out with Volkswagen Beetles and quickly moved up to Porsches. His most notable result was victory on the 1969 Arctic Rally in a 911 S.

Later that year, Aarnio-Wihuri established Racing Team AAW to support promising Finnish drivers like Hans Laine, Leo Kinnunen, Pauli Toivonen and Sten Axelsson. An ex-works Porsche 908/02 was purchased (chassis 011) which for 1970 was joined by the 917 and a pair of 911 STs.

Hans Laine and his Dutch co-driver, Gijs van Lennep, took fourth overall and won the Group 6 class on their maiden outing of 1970 with the 908/02 at the Brands Hatch 1000km.

They then drove AAW’s new 917 at the Monza 1000km and qualified ninth. Chassis 021 finished eleventh after Laine touched a barrier on the opening lap. Two stops were required to properly cut away the damaged bodywork.

The AAW crew next appeared at the Spa 1000km three weeks later for which 021 had been fitted with a fresh 4.5-litre engine. The yellow and red 917 qualified sixth and had a steady run to finish fifth overall.

For the Nurburgring 1000km, AAW entered the 917 and their 908/02 which was deemed the most likely to score a good result owing to its more nimble handling. Chassis 021 was allocated to Pauli Toivonen and Sten Axelsson while Laine / van Lennep drove the 908/02.

Unfortunately, just before the end of Saturday practice, Hans Laine crashed the 908/02 down the straight having got airborne over a bump after the car lost a spoiler.

Tragically, Laine was trapped underneath the car which then caught fire and burned uncontrollably for many minutes. Poor Hans Laine suffered a most gruesome death and naturally, AAW’s 917 was withdrawn from the race.

Despite the death of one of his drivers, Antii Aarnio-Wihuri pressed ahead with an entry for Le Mans two weeks later. Hans Laine’s spot in the 917 was taken by experienced pro, David Piper, who brought backing from drinks firm Sandeman. 021 was prepared for the big race by Porsche themselves.

The AAW entry qualified eleventh but was retired after 122 laps. David Piper had been off track and damaged the front bodywork when lying third. 021 was mended back at the pits but the crash had knocked the wheels out of alignment and, shortly after, Gijs van Lennep went back out a tyre blew at 180mph.

The debris tore through the bodywork and that was that for the AAW crew.

021 was sent back to Porsche for repair. However, because there was little time before AAW’s next race at the Norisring two weeks later, the mechanical components were stripped from 021 and rebuilt around a new chassis: 012.

For carnet reasons 012 continued to race as 021.

The original chassis 021 was sent back to the factory and may have been used for the construction of AAW’s 917 Spyder (chassis 01-021) that was driven by Leo Kinnunen to win the 1971 Interserie championship.

Notable History

Porsche System Engineering

21/04/1969 factory homologation presentation

10/04/1970 sold to Antii Aarnio-Wihuri (Racing Team AAW), Finland

Yellow & Red livery

25/04/1970 WSC Monza 1000km (H. Laine / G. van Lennep) 11th oa, 8th S5.0 class (#12)
17/05/1970 WSC Spa 1000km (H. Laine / G. van Lennep) 5th oa, 5th S5.0 class (#43)
31/05/1970 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (P. Toivonen / S. Axelsson) DNS withdrawn (#49)
14/06/1970 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (G. van Lennep / D. Piper) DNF crash (#18)

After 021 was crashed at Le Mans its mechanical components were removed and fitted to a new chassis, 012, which was renumbered 021 for carnet reasons

Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: unattributed