25th Technoclassica (germany)

[ThomasTe]

Here are more pics of the McQueen car with its new JP repro blinker lenses, a brand new repro muffler skirt, and all traces of the original Le Mans sticker in the windshield removed in favor of a repro one.

It beats me why somebody would pay $1.2 million dollars for this unique car, and then pay for an extensive restoration which removes all the patina from the car, for which this high price was paid.

I must admit that it left me and a lot of the people I met at the show quite a bit appalled and frankly shocked to see this. It was a sad empty feeling to see that somebody went through a lot of effort to aquire this unique car, and then strip it of all the stuff that made it unique. These things can never be replaced, and are now gone for good.

The word on the streets of Essen was that when asked, Porsche Classic refused to take on the task of restoring this car.

[911T1971]

The word on the streets of Essen was that when asked, Porsche Classic refused to take on the task of restoring this car.
[/URL]

Where comes the info that Porsche Classic refused to work on it ?
It was portrayed at being treated at Porsche Classic Center:

Classic Driver Magazine October 2012: (link provided by another member)
http://www.classicdriver.com/uk/maga...0.asp?id=15766

"If classics such as a 356 Speedster, 911 Carrera RS or 959 need tender loving fettling or a complete overhaul – Porsche Classic can help. Classic Driver visits the workshop in Freiberg am Neckar, Germany...Behind another door lies the 911S from the Steve McQueen classic ‘Le Mans’, auctioned for $US1.4 million last summer at Pebble Beach – and now waiting for a careful restoration by Classic specialists."

[erick72pors]

A friend of mine was in Wuppertal, Germany at "Early911s" a few weeks ago and saw the Mcqueen car at their shop. Since it was displayed at Essen with all their other cars, I would assume it was restored by Early911s. But just speculation. Personally, I would NEVER have touched this time capsule. The car was dead on original, including paint!

[Bummler]

I would be curious as to what the owner has/had in mind...

Original cars are becoming so highly valued in this market. With its provenance, if flipping it again was their goal, this was not the way to go.

[beh911]

Personally, I would NEVER have touched this time capsule. The car was dead on original, including paint!

If it were me, I think I would have felt compelled to do SOMETHING to it... It was a tired, yet famous car on the auction block back in August 2011.

http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...l=1#post528471

[John Straub]

I would be curious as to what the owner has/had in mind...

Original cars are becoming so highly valued in this market. With its provenance, if flipping it again was their goal, this was not the way to go.

+1 kinda' sad.

John

[Schiefer]

A friend of mine was in Wuppertal, Germany at "Early911s" a few weeks ago and saw the Mcqueen car at their shop. Since it was displayed at Essen with all their other cars, I would assume it was restored by Early911s. But just speculation. Personally, I would NEVER have touched this time capsule. The car was dead on original, including paint!

I do not believe this car was original paint. I was in contact with Frank G a few years ago looking for slate single stage photos. My understanding was it had an older repaint and he did not know what paint was used.

....and all traces of the original Le Mans sticker in the windshield removed in favor of a repro one.

Are you sure about this?? I thought the reason Frank made these stickers was because he wanted one for his car??

[Louie]

didnt that car have an owner or 2 before it sold at auction for $1.3?

So the 'patina' wasn't just Mr. McQueen's....right?

[LongRanger]

. . . didn't that car have an owner or 2 before it sold at auction for $1.3?

So the 'patina' wasn't just Mr. McQueen's....right? . . .

Yup

. . . From OCTANE, January 2008

Text: Nigel Grimshaw

The road unravels, turning first to the right and then to the left. The grey 911 bobbles as it crosses a tiny bridge. Climbing now, up a gentle rise, before dropping down into the still of a tree-lined avenue. Across a single-span bridge and into town. Easing past a pretty little restaurant with flower-filled window boxes for decoration. A long-shot as driver and Porsche enter the cathedral square. He eases to a stop and watches as a pretty woman buys flowers.

On the move again, out of town and back into the countryside. The land is flat and the road takes a hard right, the location now revealed by a sign that reads ‘Le Mans’. Armco takes the place of trees at tarmac’s edge. The car pulls over and the driver steps out: suede jacket, watch, bracelet. The camera circles the driver. Slowly but surely we recognise him, as the face of Steve McQueen fills the screen.

It’s autumn 2007 and the scene shifts from early 1970s
La Sarthe to Los Angeles, California. Sitting at the wheel of the car that so famously filled the first four minutes of Le Mans, I see the tree-lined avenue and that beautiful woman buying flowers, but only in my mind’s eye. Through the tinted glass there are burger joints instead of cathedrals, signs that read Long Beach rather than Le Mans. Check the mirrors: not a 917 or Ferrari 512 in sight. I pull Steve McQueen’s ‘lost’ 911 out into the LA traffic.

It’s early Sunday morning and there are more joggers out than cars, but the situation is no less surreal. This is STEVE McQUEEN’S car: the man who put out a Towering Inferno; the man who jumped barbed-wire fences as he rode to win his Great Escape; Bullitt, Papillon and of course Le Mans. Jesse Rodrigues, the car’s third owner, sits at my side. ‘Give it some more power,’ he yells as we head for Highway 110.

Back in the spring of 1970, Solar Productions descended on Le Mans to start work on the film. To make his stay in France even more agreeable McQueen bought a 911S, which he would use both in the movie and as personal transport. McQueen was so happy with his 911 that at the end of filming he decided to keep it, once it had been sent to Stuttgart for different gear ratios to be fitted. The 911 was then shipped to McQueen’s home in California.

The problem was, Steve already owned a 1969 911 and had gone to some expense installing a state-of-the-art stereo system. The Le Mans 911 was surplus to requirements and was advertised for sale in the LA Times. Jesse laughs as he recounts the story.

‘The guy I bought the car from, the second owner, is a real 911 enthusiast. He bought a Targa S in 1969, but unfortunately the car was stolen in early 1971. He wanted to buy another S so he went to the LA Times and found an ad for a 911S. He called up the number and arranged to go and see the car and guess who opened the door? Steve McQueen. The McQueen family owns the 911 “stereo” car to this day.’

McQueen’s Le Mans 911 stayed in the hands of its second owner for the next 34 years, 20 of which it was used as a daily driver. Then in 2005 Jesse attended an office luncheon.

‘It’s a once-a-month affair,’ he recalls. ‘And just like any other group of colleagues we talk about work and hobbies. On this particular day I mentioned I like old Porsches and one of the ladies said her husband owned an old Porsche, but didn’t go on to say whether it was a 911, 912 or 356. At the next luncheon she mentioned it again and I said I’d like to see it; I have four 356s so I was interested. It went no further until one day I met her in Starbucks and she said her husband was thinking about selling the car. At no point had there been any mention of McQueen or Le Mans.’

In truth, Jesse was not really interested in the car. He had discovered it was a 911 but his passion is for the 356. The two of them continued to talk over a number of weeks until finally a meeting was arranged. ‘I went up to the owner’s house,’ remembers Jesse. ‘The car was sitting, pretty much in the condition we see it today. It was in the open, in the driveway next to the garage. There were dusty cat paw marks over the hood and roof. Not being into early 911s at this point, it just looked like any number of other cars to me. We talked for a little while, and then I left.’

A few weeks later Jesse returned to look at the car, this time with his wife. ‘Again we stood talking in the driveway, which is when the owner told me the car was Steve McQueen’s 911. Obviously I know who Steve McQueen is, but it was almost of no consequence to me. Because I have other commitments I wasn’t sure I could afford the car anyway, and we hadn’t even spoken about a price yet.’

Jesse and his wife headed home and nothing happened for another week. During this time Jesse talked to his automotive mentor, who has owned Porsches since 1960. Once again the significance of the first owner was sidelined as more practical matters came into focus. At this time the car had covered 116,000 miles and concerns over engine and transmission rebuilds troubled the deal. However, on hearing about the McQueen connection, another of Jesse’s contacts implored him to buy.

Encouraged and discouraged by his advisors in equal measure, Jesse decided to show his hand and told the owner he wanted to buy, but the response came as a surprise.

‘The owner felt it was only right to offer the car to the McQueen family, which I totally agreed with. In hindsight, if I’d known then what I know today I would have been far more concerned.’ Jesse laughs at the thought today, but in early 2005 it was a problem and not the only one. A third party had expressed an interest and Jesse was told whoever sealed the deal first got the car. Jesse needed no further encouragement.

On the drive over Jesse revisited his concerns about the engine and transmission – in relation to the price asked for the car, rebuilding the motor or gearbox would be a huge issue. He had a mechanic willing to look over the 911, but he wasn’t available for three days. ‘I told the owner about my concerns,’ recalls Jesse, ‘and that my mechanic couldn’t look at the car for days. Incredibly he handed me the keys and said, “Take it.” ’

After three long days the mechanic was able to give the all-clear and Jesse headed back to the owner’s house. ‘Until then all our conversations had been held out on the driveway, next to the car. It’s better not to negotiate business like this in someone’s home. When I finally walked into the house there was a poster on the wall of Steve McQueen and he’s doing the “V” for victory sign. The owner looked at me and said, “Yes, that’s a movie poster.” I didn’t know which movie until he told me it was Le Mans. Can you believe I had never seen the movie?’

At this point the now ex-owner started bringing out file after file of documentation to go with the car. ‘I really didn’t know what I had,’ admits Jesse. McQueen had kept every piece of correspondence, every detail of his ownership, every step of the car’s trip to the US, its registration... no part of the car’s life that could be documented had escaped archiving.

Little has changed on the car since it left La Sarthe. It has certainly been repainted at sometime and Jesse has restored the wheels, fitted new tyres and a new windscreen, which is why the stickers that can be seen in the film are not present on the car’s glass today. But the McQueen-ordered air-conditioning, leather, tinted windows, muffler skirt, electric sunroof, aluminium wheel mouldings, Blaupunkt AM/FM US-band radio with manual antenna and driving lights are all present and correct.

‘I’ve now bought the movie,’ says Jesse as we drive the quiet Sunday morning Los Angeles streets in Steve McQueen’s 911. ‘Some people say this is the most iconic 911. They could be right, but this is Steve McQueen’s car, not mine, and that is how it should stay. The person who owns it now should be of no consequence. The funny thing is, though, I recently ran into the guy who sold me the car and he said to me, “What would you think if I gave you back the money you paid for the car and the expenses you have incurred and took the car back?” We laughed about it and I said I respectfully decline your offer, but will bear it in mind.’

Of course the daily-driving days for McQueen’s Le Mans 911 are well and truly over. While the car has spent its entire life in Los Angeles following its departure from Europe, today’s Californian traffic chaos makes driving it seven days a week too risky. But every Sunday morning, before sun-up, Jesse pulls the grey 911 out of its garage and heads for the freeway and a 20-mile blast.

I glance to the right as we drive past another burger joint, Jesse still at my side. The Sunday-morning LA roads remain mercifully quiet as the plate-glass restaurant window throws back its reflection clear and true. My eyes rest for a moment on the surface of the glass. I see the car, myself at the wheel, a French restaurant with a flower box for decoration. Is that a cathedral too, and a pretty woman buying flowers? Finally, I notice the road sign: it’s pointing east and in my mind’s eye it reads: Le Mans 5627 miles . . .


Tracked-down/bought/sold by Frank Gallogly (fg1227) . . .
https://porsche911r.shutterfly.com/

More, here . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...227%2C+mcqueen
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...227%2C+mcqueen

[LongRanger]

. . . aka the 'Movie Car' . . .

VIN = 9110301502
Eng# = 6302094
Trans# = ?

SOLD for $1.375m

From the RM auction --- for reference . . .

. . . 200 DIN horsepower @ 6,500 rpm, 7,300 rpm redline, 2,195 cc / 133.9 cubic inch horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine, five-speed manual transmission, independent front and rear suspension. Wheelbase: 102.4"

- Delivered new to Steve McQueen on the set of the iconic motorsport movie Le Mans
- Built to the highest available specification offered by Porsche for street models
- Invoiced and assigned by the Property Master for use during filming and for McQueen’s personal use
- Four owners from new, including McQueen’s personal collection in California
- Excellent in highly original preserved condition
- Well documented with invoices and correspondence corroborating absolute authenticity

For the first three minutes and 40 seconds, Steve McQueen isn’t the only star of the 1971 film Le Mans. The steely-eyed McQueen’s co-star for the film’s memorable opening scenes is a Slate Gray 1970 Porsche 911S. This magnetic pair opens the film in convincing fashion, and the tranquil images of McQueen driving the snarling 911 through the bucolic French countryside, contemplating the complex and shifting equations of life and death in competition, are in stark contrast to the racing action that would follow . . .

Le Mans

Indeed, this film, for all its production challenges and cutting edge, budget-busting production hurdles, is considered by most motoring enthusiasts as the best racing motion picture ever filmed, joined perhaps only by James Garner’s Grand Prix. It is a film that not only allowed Steve McQueen to exercise his creative potential on his life’s foremost passion but, from a cinematic standpoint, also accurately depicted the era, the dangers of endurance racing and the magic of Circuit de La Sarthe in the French countryside, to which the American moviegoer had heretofore never been exposed. McQueen’s expressive face and limited dialogue practically play a supporting role to the visceral, high-revving wails of Porsche 917s and Ferrari 512s as they speed through sun and rain, night and day, cheating death on the 240-mph Mulsanne Straight to claim victory in the historic “24 Heures du Mans.” Such was the importance of this film, with all its real-life footage, that in the car collecting hobby, virtually any item associated with Steve McQueen – and more specifically his major films, Le Mans included – attract tremendous attention, and rightfully so. Be it something as small as the attractive Heuer Monaco wrist watch his character wore or as significant as the 917 (chassis 022) he drove, liveried in iconic Gulf Oil colors, there are certain images of motoring that are at once uniquely “McQueen” and perpetually desirable. The 917, incidentally, was sold at RM’s Monterey auction in 2000 and is now presently owned by none other than Jerry Seinfeld.

McQueen’s Ownership

In Hollywood, few celebrities have ever amassed a car, motorcycle and airplane collection as impressive as that of Steve McQueen. Be it a Porsche 356 Speedster, a Jaguar XK-SS, a Ferrari 250 GT Lusso Berlinetta or even a host of Von Dutch customized utility vehicles, his cars are not only legendary and highly valuable but have also been extensively written about.

Porsche’s Slate Gray was a particular favorite, as he owned several Porsches in this color. The car we have the pleasure of offering here, which figures so prominently in Le Mans, was similar to a 911S McQueen already had at home, which was the same model and color but just one year older. It was likely easier, however, to acquire another car in Europe than ship his own 1969 911S twice across the Atlantic. It is also quite plausible that Porsche, which was involved in the production of Le Mans, wanted him to showcase its latest model. The car seen in the memorable opening sequences, and in several other scenes, was invoiced to Solar Productions on June 1, 1970. It was a more heavily optioned car than McQueen’s own ’69 model, including rare factory-installed air-conditioning, muffler apron, tinted glass, a Blaupunkt Frankfurt radio, the Comfort Group (which includes leather upholstery and other interior upgrades) and front fog lamps with the then-required-in-France yellow lenses. The total cost of this machine, which was the top of the 911 street machine range in 1970 with a significant horsepower increase over the base model, cost just over 30,000 DM, or $8,338.61 to be exact, a princely sum at the time.

According to a letter from Porsche, “The car was driven as is directly to Le Mans by our people, for use by Steve and the Solar Productions crew. At a later date, the car was returned to our repair shop for modifications,” which included the installation of a limited-slip differential and revised gear ratios.

After its starring role in McQueen’s motorsport magnum opus, during which time it was extensively photographed on the movie set in France, with McQueen always near it or aboard, the car was shipped home to Los Angeles in January 1971. Sometime later, McQueen elected to sell this one instead of his ’69. There is no clear reason why he chose one over the other, but it is widely believed that he already had installed an upgraded and costly stereo system in his first car. The Le Mans car was advertised in the Los Angeles Times and was purchased by an L.A.-based attorney. He kept the car, largely in secret, for more than three decades, during which time he documented virtually everything about the car, as letters from Solar Productions and Porsche attest. Another Southern California resident, Judge Jesse Rodriquez, then purchased it in April 2005, who has since sold it on to its current owner, a noted Porsche collector in his own right.

Other than one repaint in the factory color, reupholstered front seats, new shock absorbers and a fresh windshield, it is completely original. The engine and transmission are original with all numbers matching, and the car has never suffered any rust or accident damage – a wonderful example of preservation versus restoration. It wears its original, and correctly sized, factory-installed Fuchs alloy wheels, and the odometer currently indicates less than 12,400 miles. (Total mileage is believed to be around 112,400 from new.) The car has been freshly serviced and detailed, drives on the button and has been the subject of many recent magazine stories.

The ’70 “S” was viewed as such an impressive performer in its time that it was routinely compared, by contemporary magazine road testers, with the Ferrari 246 Dino and other high-end exotics. The 911, itself a successor to the wildly popular 356, entered production for 1964 and took the racing world by storm. The “S” variant was the first high performance version for the street and engendered a long line of pavement-pounding Nürburgring weapons to come, including the road-going Carreras, RS and RSRs, as well as of course the iconic Turbo.

An Opportunity Not to be Missed

It is rare that we are able to offer a machine so impressive on at least three different levels. Early, chrome bumper 911Ss have become extremely valuable and are prized and much sought after by Porsche aficionados the world over. Second, this car comes with an impressive file of original documentation, including letters from the Porsche factory, plus the original invoice and numerous documents authored and signed by McQueen himself. Finally, this car’s incomparable Hollywood movie and ownership provenance make it that much more an historic proposition. Steve McQueen, who passed away in 1980, was not only Hollywood’s highest paid actor with such films as Papillon, The Great Escape, The Thomas Crown Affair, Bullitt and of course Le Mans to his credit, but he was also a truly talented and highly successful racing driver on sand, road, track and everything in between. Furthermore, his reputation as the “King of Cool” – the composed anti-hero who frequently performed his own stunts – has made him a pop culture icon of Elvis Presley proportions who not only inspires Hollywood actors to this day but everything from new production cars (consider the “Bullitt Edition” Ford Mustang) and movie remakes (The Thomas Crown Affair) to fashion magazines that use his likeness to tout a turtleneck, desert boots and Persol sunglasses as the quintessentially American “look.” It is this type of attraction that renders this car quite possibly the world’s best known, most significant non-racing Porsche 911.

Is it the most charismatic Porsche ever? Absolutely. It played a leading role among the to-die-for machinery in Le Mans, to many the ultimate motor racing film. Driven in the movie by its real life owner, the undisputed King of Cool Steve McQueen, it is hard to imagine another car with such glamorous, exceptional and meticulously documented provenance . . .

http://www.rmauctions.com/lots/lot.cfm?lot_id=1057342

Also . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...ght=9110301502
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...ght=9110301502