Heel Tread - 917 Psych.

Heel Tread - 917 Psych.

One of the most successful and eye-catching Porsche cars in history is the 917. The car debuted at the 1969 Geneva Motor Show, but it would make history once it hit the track!

The 917 was the fastest car that Porsche had ever built at the time, with a 4.5 liter flat 12 engine that could propel the car at speeds in excess of 300 kilometers per hour. While the car wasn’t lacking in the power department, its handling was not up to standard. The drivers often struggled to wrestle the car around the track, and keeping the 917 on the tarmac was often compared to trying to steer a wild boar through an ice rink.

First of all, there’s the iconic Martini livery, we don’t need to elaborate on this gorgeous classic livery, do we? “The Hippie” is perhaps one of the most interesting and famous designs in 917’s history. Anatole Lapine was the designer of this livery, going through 1500 spray paint cans and almost a week to create this unique design in June 1970. All of that effort, only for the owner of Porsche, Ferdinand Piëch, to comment, “You know, a race car just has to be white.” While he might not have appreciated the unique look, we certainly love it!