Yes, You Can Now Take Your Porsche 917 Into A Porsche Dealer

Photography by Rémi Dargegen, Rosario Liberti, and Andrey Smazhilo

Ever happen across an old Porsche race car and fret about how complicated it must be to maintain it? Long the purveyor of world-beating machines, Porsche’s back catalogue of track weapons is extensive and enticing—but it’s not like your local dealer could service a Le Mans-winning 917K.

Or can it?

Porsche has just announced its full support for the restoration, repair, maintenance, storage, and technical setup of its old race cars. It’s a job that requires working with reputable shops around the world and often digging into its own historical materials in order to ensure each car prepared is done so with the highest degree of care.

The only significant deviation from past practices is the fitment of more modern safety equipment, a task Porsche says is especially relevant to drivers of its Group C creations. Besides earning new clients, what else is in it for Porsche? The opportunity to train a new generation of staff so that its historic racing machines may be enjoyed—and maintained correctly—for years to come.