I know I shouldn’t like these, but I do. Here’s the thing: I really like these Porsche 917 “replicas” when they look like this, with some extra care taken to make it slightly more bad-ass than the way it originally came from the manufacturer. The seller notes this Laser 917 kit has been modified to accept a Porsche 2.4L powerplant from a 911, and while the engine is not included, all of the necessary wiring for hooking up the air-cooled engine is still present. Find it here on eBay with a Buy-It-Now of $15K.
The thing with kit cars is the quality is really up to whoever assembled it first – so you could get one that feels truly well screwed together, or one that looks like it was assembled with school glue and bubble gum. This one apparently went to a coachbuilder in Connecticut when it was new and assembled on top of a brand new Karmann Ghia chassis. You can see here there’s still a stamp from the original manufacturer of the kit, which I’ve never been able to confirm for these 917 replicas. You can see clear as day it’s Elite Enterprises of Cokato, Minnesota.
While the 917 kit was the most popular offering, with over 600 kits sold over a ten year span, the company had several other offerings that I’d personally never heard of. Among them was the Laser 49er mini van, of which only 16 were made. Someone on The Samba found one a few years ago, but never updated the post as to what happened with it. Still, the 917 replica was the most successful offering from Elite, and several were even used in the Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo film in which the primary antagonist drove a Laser 917 that went shockingly fast when the film was sped up.
I can only imagine how much this one would genuinely rip with the Porsche powerplant installed versus the traditional Beetle engine. The seller is wise to sell the two separately, as there’s a hot market right now for complete Porsche engines that could find a home in a restoration project needing a date-coded replacement mill. Still, I think it should go back into this 917 replica given the rest of the car appears to be finished to a high level, and a Beetle engine would kill some of the swagger this kit car has. Would you pay the asking price for a Laser kit capable of bolting in a 911 engine?
Never thought of owning something like this before, a Cobra replica maybe but nothing like this one. Having thought about it some, it could be fun. I’m guessing the power to weight ratio would be pretty good overall and if the suspension was up to the task it could be a great canyon crawler.
Crappy pictures. Even if you put them all together you still wouldn’t have a complete picture of what it looks like. Nothing like an engine compartment without anything in it….all for 3 or 4 times what it’s worth.
This looks like to me a closed sardine can…Very choppy body, the rivets holding the back together is just too homemade…not exactly a clean build
Item location:
Brunswick, Ohio
15 grand without an engine? Surely the guy must be joking.
My neighbor across the street from me growing up built one in light blue. It was the late 70’s. Went for a few rides in it after hounding him for weeks probably. He actually still has it
That mount is for a VW Type 1 engine, not 911.
Regardless, these were abominations when new and still are. $15K BIN?!?
Pass.
Sorry but according to manufacturer it was built for Porsche, VW, corvair, buick 6 cylinder and 350 V8. I have their paperwork on it.
The guy was drunk when he put the gauges in
roland schoenke….
Now he wasn’t…he had surgery on his shoulder which caused him to work on the car with his head slightly bent!
Presto….
It reminds me of a Lola T70 drive by Robert Duvall in ‘THX-1138’. I will always love the Lolas.
Seller is taking out all the good things that make this car special ,I can see him taking out the Porsche 2.4 motor and trans because of its value ,but to take out the Porsche electrical ,Kennedy plate set up to run a Porsche motor and trans ,oil tank ,makes it just another $3000-$6000 VW replica kit car