1971 Porsche 917K 1000km Model Car 1:18 by WERK83

Porsche 917K 4.9L Team Martini #23 1971 1000km SPA in 1:18 scale by Werk 83

In the 1971 1000km of Spa-Francorchamps, the Porsche 917K 4.9L, adorned with the iconic Martini Racing livery and bearing the number 23, took to the track with determination. Piloted by a talented roster of drivers including Gijs van Lennep and Helmut Marko, this race marked a pivotal moment in endurance racing history. Spa-Francorchamps, with its demanding layout and unpredictable weather, provided the backdrop for an intense battle of speed and endurance. The Porsche 917K, with its powerful flat-12 engine and aerodynamic design, proved to be a formidable contender. Amidst fierce competition, Team Martini's strategic prowess and the drivers' exceptional skill propelled them to victory, cementing their place in motorsport lore. This race stands out not only for its thrilling on-track action but also for the enduring legacy of the Porsche 917K and Martini Racing in the world of endurance racing.

This model is hand painted and polished to a beautiful finish and has a sealed body. These diecast models are exceptionally accurate of scale, shape and detail. Interior detail is hand assembled and easily visible. Photo etched parts, die-cutting, tampo printing and waterslide decals are often used for a most authentic replication.

A Brief History on the
1971 Porsche 917K of the Miles Collier Collections
Displayed at Revs Institute in Naples, Florida

The ink on the contract making John Wyer manager of Porsche racing for 1970 was barely dry when Wyer was stunned to find out his most significant opponent, in addition to the usual Italians, would be…Porsche. Austrian Porsche Konstruktionen, known familiarly as Porsche Salzburg, was the team of Louise Piëch, whose son Ferdinand (his grandfather’s namesake and Ferry Porsche’s nephew) headed the factory racing program. Despite Porsche Salzburg’s status as an independent, familial ties insured that Frau Piëch would receive new development pieces as soon as, and sometimes before, Wyer’s official factory team.

For most of 1970, this didn’t matter. Porsche Salzburg won Le Mans but Wyer’s Gulf Porsches dominated the season. The 917 won every major race entered save one: the Sebring 12 Hours during which a new and hastily developed larger front hub bearing failed on all cars entered. A Ferrari 512S, hastily developed to challenge Porsche in the 5-liter class, emerged victorious in Florida.

The display car was part of Porsche Salzburg in 1970. In 1971, 917-019 raced as a member of the Martini Racing Team, the new name Louise Piëch gave her organization following sponsorship from Martini & Rossi. Again, the Piëch team took Le Mans, the winning car driven by Helmut Marko and Gijs van Lennep and sporting numerous experimental features including a magnesium tube frame. And again, Wyer’s Gulf Porsche team dominated elsewhere and won the championship for the second consecutive year.

Marko and van Lennep raced 917-019 three times in 1971, although the results were not as fortuitous as they enjoyed at Le Mans. At Daytona’s 24 Hours, with Rudi Lins as third driver, a crash put the car out on the 462nd of 688 laps. At the Monza 100 Kilometers, a throttle linkage was the culprit shortly after mid-race. Engine failure put 917-019 out at Spa, its last race.

The car, displayed here in late 1971 configuration, is quite conservative given the raiment provided other 917s during the two championship years. A Martini car was modishly decorated in psychedelic colors. And for Le Mans, Porsche Styling painted an experimental 917/20 pink with dotted lines representing the various cuts of meat available from swine. It was named Big Bertha, the Truffle Pig of Zuffenhausen.