This is one wild transformation.
Those with absolutely no car knowledge can be forgiven when mixing up a classic Porsche 911 and a classic Volkswagen Beetle, but their modern interpretations couldn't be further apart. Back when these cars were just starting out, they were basically the same thing, but over the years, the Beetle remained a humble commuter whereas the 911 is now one of the best sports cars in the world. We've seen many a car builder using the VW Beetle as a platform for interesting kit car builds, and many have used the Beetle to create Porsche 356 tributes, but this creation has taken things a step too far.
What you see before you is a 1968 Volkswagen Beetle that has been transformed into a Porsche 917 lookalike. The Porsche 917 was a sports prototype race car that won Porsche its first overall wins at the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans back in 1970 and 1971. The original car was powered by a Type 912 flat-12 engine with a capacity of up to 5 liters and could sprint to 60 mph in 2.3 seconds, and top out at an astonishing 240 mph. This car can do none of that. It does look cool though. The fiberglass kit was constructed by Elite Enterprises of Cokato, Minnesota, and was fitted by the same company in the late '70s, making this a rather period correct piece of work. The orange machine features full gull-wing doors, 15-inch wheels, and a hurricane of Porsche decals. We have to admit; it looks kinda awesome.
Inside, this B-grade 917 features two fixed-back bucket seats, black vinyl everything, some tasty orange harnesses, and VDO gauges that go up to a wishful 120 mph. The odometer shows only 4,000 miles, but the original chassis mileage is unknown. Where the Porsche's flat-12 would've gone sits a more reasonable flat-four, bored out to 1,835 cc. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transaxle transmission. This little 917 sounds pretty good thanks to a set of EMPI mufflers. Braking is taken care of by four drums. The seller notes that the car features some cracking in the fiberglass, a few stone chips, and a few misaligned panels, but the overall condition seems good. The car is being sold as a 1968 VW Beetle with a clean Florida title and the current bid stands at $3,800 on the Bring a Trailer website. Buy it. Now.
Keyword: This Porsche 917 Racer Started Life As A VW Beetle