It’s rather amazing how many of these Porsche 917 replicas sold by Elite Enterprises still pop up for sale. If you transport yourself back in time to when these kit cars were sold new, it does make sense as to why it was a popular choice for home builders. Steve McQueen had set the big screen ablaze with his role in LeMans and the Porsche 917 became an instant icon, albeit one out of reach for most enthusiasts. Therefore, a replica that leaves little question as to which vehicle it’s copying and is many legions more affordable than the real thing is almost certain to be a home run. Find this unrestored Elite Enterprises kit here on craigslist in Corinth, Alabama for $5,000.

Now, this wasn’t a perfect copy of a 917 by any means. The rear end treatment is where the design falls apart a bit for me; the tail lights on the actual 917 look nothing like the kit car. The rear wheels should also be pushed outward by a fair degree to mimic the actual race car’s proportions, but the kit is limited by the track of the Beetle chassis that it’s based on. However, plenty of owners have taken matters into their own hands and made adjustments that help the Elite kit look more sporting. These tweaks include a lower offset/staggered wheel setup or revisions to the bodywork to create a clamshell-style rear section that doesn’t hide the back wheels behind fiberglass cladding.

The Elite kit rose to even more fame thanks to an appearance in the Disney film, Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo. Piloted by Herbie’s nemesis Bruno Von Stickle, the car is capable of performance that likely wasn’t possible with an engine from a Beetle. The racing scenes in this last of the original Herbie installments are mildly laughable, showing the kit car beating out actual Porsches, a DeTomaso Pantera, Ferrari Daytona, and numerous others. Regardless, it helped sell almost 700 kit cars, which is a significant number for such a niche vehicle. You do have to wonder, however, why so many end up like this one.

One of the first things you should do if buying a kit car like this is to source a proper engine. There are numerous builds out there showing owners sticking an Audi V10 or a high-performance Porsche flat-six in place of the humble Bug engine. To Elite’s credit, they added some higher-end features including VDO gauges, adjustable bucket seats, and padded upholstery with a few different color options. While restoring one of these with the standard wheels and Beetle engine won’t fetch a high price down the line, adding some custom bodywork touches with an appropriate set of wheels and powerplant and you’ll likely have a 917 replica someone else will want when you’re done with it. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Robert Gressard for the tip.