Last year, Project 917 divulged ambitious details to develop a Porsche 917 replica for motorsport fans to relive the iconic racer.
Since then, Project 917 has changed its plans, announcing instead a full-motion simulator complete with a 917 cockpit and hood. If all goes to plan, Project 917 hopes to have the rig ready this year and on show at next January's 2018 Autosport International in the United Kingdom.
Again, it sounds ambitious, but the project seems to finally have sprouted legs. Project 917 also announced Rally Prep Ltd. will help build the simulator. The company currently helps the Works Toyota GT86 Rally Team with its simulator builds and software. Faroux Sports Cars has also been tapped to supply 917 fabricated parts for the project.
As for the rig itself, Project 917 is promising an experience identical to the legendary Le Mans racer. Audio is being closely analyzed to mimic the flat-12's symphony and somehow, someway, the company says it will even recreate the smell of the original race cars.
Project 917 may have given the simulator the green light, but it still needs assistance. It's asking fans and supporters to help fund the project with a crowdsourcing campaign. Set up through IndieGoGo, Project 917 will begin taking orders for "Experience Vouchers" on May 30, 2017 that will enable you to be among the first to test the simulator upon its completion.
The simulator will likely be the least expensive option to experience one of the most iconic road racers in motorsport history. Should your pockets be deeper, a company by the name of Icon Engineering has announced plans to sell functional 917 replicas in the near future.