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I am quite sure you will find that the 917 and 512 where both designed to enter a class for production Sports cars, like the GT40 and Lola T70 (Group 4 or Sports 5000)
This allowed them to have a 5000cc engine in place of a 3000cc for the Prototypes (proto 3000) like the Ferrari 312, 908, Matra, alfa T33 etc.
The downside was 50 were needed to be built. However the rules where relaxed and the number dropped to 25 on the advice of the specialist companies like Lola.
Porsche then knocked up 25 and went racing with a massive 2000cc advantage over the others.
The 917 was never a Group 5 car as far as I can tell, and it only ceased to race in Europe when the CC was capped at 3000. The rules for Can Am or group 7 where more flexible and the car contined to race.
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