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Very good, Karim! --- looks like you are correctQuote:
Originally Posted by 911T1971
Odd that Wyer would keep an older-spec car around, like that --- expensive, too
I agree --- RH antennaQuote:
Originally Posted by 911T1971
This sunroof car is a mystery. Siffert's '71 car --- 9111301080 . . . had LH antenna, at one point
For the records again the paddock at Le Mans in 1970, here is parked the 2.2S of Steve Mc Queen.
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6d118523.jpg
After lunch at that Mexican place, we three made one more swing through another neighborhood that’d looked promising on the map . . . but nothing looked familiar there, either. Lou’d already done some scouting around the day-before --- trying to find the Mechanic where he’d taken the car for service Way Back When . . . somewhere on Sherman Way, I believe . . . with the same results
Everything’s changed in the last twenty-six years
Lou thinks he may still have some receipts from that shop, in w/ his tax stuff, back home, so . . . . maybe a name/place/shop will turn-up, yet. Who knows? --- maybe someone on this board will recognize that name/place/shop. Maybe someone on this board IS that name/place/shop?
That’s scary
Anyway, I’d been talking/telling Lou about Tony + Marco, over @TLG --- and John, next door, so --- since we had some time on our hands . . . and the sun was still up . . .
. . . off we went
Good to see that everybody’s busy. I know how much Tony just loves to be interrupted by Guys Like ME dropping in --- w/ non-paying customers . . . and goofing-up his work day, so . . . I kept it short
OK --- I tried . . . . really hard --- really . . . but it’s kinda difficult, especially w/ some of the cars that’re around there . . .
1) See! --- I'm not the only time-waster ;) . . . that's Chris, aka raspy2point2
2) thru 4) . . . and can you blame us?
Orange stripe on the transporter = 1970?
;)
Same transporter, different years.
Plus, in 1971, equipped with 1970 and 1971 917's, proof in post 629.
All infos from french forum topics about Le Mans. (I do understand french).
Then we went next door to bother John . . . .
1) + 2) Sleeping with The Enemy. Apparently, our intrepid Mr Esposito’s been gaining quite the reputation w/ the local E9 contingent. Seems like every time I stop by. . . another one o’ these shows up for some tending to. As lovely as these cars look, frankly --- they’ve always terrified me. Like the contemporary Porsche, BMW wasn’t much into heavy-duty rust-resistance when these cars were built. Trouble is --- compared to a 911 . . . these things have way more sheet metal oragamied into a considerably-more complicated structure . . . with way more attendant ‘dead’ spaces for any rust to start/fester. Not fun de-rottifying one o’ these boats
Think this is the 3rd (?) one that I’ve seen John work on . . . which looks to be Colorado
3) + 4) 3200 miles, so far, John says. I wonder how many times he’s washed this?
And come to think of it . . . . I don't think I've seen John in a dirty car. And I mean ever
Steyer 50
Moving along
Just don’t ask John how much fabrication this Little Beastie has needed
Don’t
Seriously
I just wanna hear this thing run
Spent kind of a lot of time over at John’s. Lotsa cars to look at/talk about. John has a Cellette, now, too. Extremely cool to see cars getting set-up on that
Anyway, Lou has an SC Cab Back Home, that needs re-assembly --- straightened-out a few years back by none-other-than Ralph Brawley . . . which means it’s probably too pretty for Lou to bring himself to put everything back together. Anyway, when Lou saw this little SC Coupe --- Smyrna, looks like . . . . he and John had quite a talk
So --- after a coupla hours of wasting John’s time, Ed took us back to his place . . .
. . . where we all said our ‘good-byes’ . . .
. . . then I took off home
Low-speed
I’ve been reading through ‘A French Kiss with Death’ --- Michael Keyser’s book about Steve McQueen and the making of the movie ‘Le Mans.’ I wasn’t sure about what to expect with a title like that. But it turns out to be an easy/enjoyable read --- not heavy-duty or melodramatic . . . full of interesting events + people . . . + lots of pictures. Keyser’s title, by-the-way, came from a phrase written in an original proposal, written by John Klawitter, that turned into the movie (p358)
I like the way Keyser sets-up The Story, too. Starts out describing the history of racing in the movies, then writes some about the history of the Le Mans race + track, then goes on with some details the main competitors at the time the movie was made, 1970 --- Ferrari, Alfa-Romeo, Lola, even Matra. Keyser also provides some back-round on McQueen --- personal + professional + racing . . . as well as some of the key people involved in the movie’s production. Sounds like a lot of ground to cover, I know --- the actual ‘making’ stuff doesn’t start until p256 . . . but he does a good job of putting all this material into context, I think. Filled with pictures, too --- some downright amazing
I usually knocked out a few pages every night --- or tried to, anyway, so . . . don’t exactly always have a lotta time/energy
Anyway --- McQueen. Wow. I’m not much into ‘celebrity’ or anything --- ‘folks are just folks,’ to me, but . . . that man had quite a life. But, also . . . a Total Pain to be around. And his poor wife. Bankrupted his company making the movie, then almost tanked the whole thing with his shenanigans --- ended-up doing it for free --- and not by choice. As Peter Samuelson, a young production assistant, remarked . . .
‘. . . I thought he was an excellent example of someone who’d grown up without parents, with no role model to look up to and see how a person is supposed to behave . . .’ (p355)
‘King of Cool,’ indeed
Anyway --- my particular interest in the book was to learn about Mr Siffert’s contribution to the movie. And, more particularly --- since I’m just-about sure that The Nasty Car was there with him on the set . . . I was also hoping to nail down some times/dates, maybe see some more pictures of Mr Siffert’s car. Found out that filming began on 22.Jun.1970 . . . but no new images of his 911. . .
. . . but there was an ‘interesting story’
Anyway --- lotsa of images of Mr Siffert’s other cars, though. In order to make the racing scenes of the movie look as realistic as possible, McQueen wanted to use real race cars. He was absolutely determined to produce something ‘authentic’ and so his Solar Productions company hired ex-Lotus team manager Andrew Ferguson to get genuine/current/front-line equipment. Ferguson contacted several of the teams that actually competed in the ’70 Le Mans beforehand, to find out about leasing their vehicles after the race that year. Mr Siffert found out about the movie . . . and Ferguson’s requirements
I’ve written before that --- whatever his talents were, in a car . . . I believe that Mr Siffert was at least as talented --- if not more so . . . out --- especially when it came to business. In Keyser’s account, once Mr Siffert got wind of Ferguson’s search, he quietly/systematically rounded-up/contracted for a whole fleet of vehicles --- including his own . . . specifically for use in the movie . . . then negotiated/contracted with Solar to rent them. Mr Siffert even purchased a 917 --- discounted . . . which he then promptly rented to Solar --- and would sell post-production for a handsome profit . . . - thanks to its movie ‘cachet’
Short Version: Mr Siffert made a lotta money off of ‘Le Mans’ --- on rents + cars . . . and never so much as blew an engine
Keyser quotes Paul Blancpain, Mr Siffert’s partner and Mechanic, who took care of the cars during the filming, as chuckling + saying that . . .
‘. . . his orders were to run the cars as little as possible and grab as much cash as I could . . .’ (p281)
‘Crafty’ was Keyser’s term. (p281)
But Mr Siffert’s involvement was more than just as a supplier of cars . . . also more subtle. And not. Previous to the movie, Mr Siffert had been sought-out by Mr Jack Heuer --- of the same-name watch-company . . . as a representative for Heuer’s products. Mr Siffert was both accomplished + well-known --- as well as Swiss . . . and so, Mr Heuer thought him to be an excellent rep for his company + products. In 1970, Heuer had just finished developing the world’s first automatic (self-winding) chronograph wrist watch --- the Monaco . . . which he then gave to Mr Siffert to wear, for publicity. Turns out, when McQueen saw Mr Siffert’s Monaco --- he was quite taken with it. And so, Mr Siffert gave McQueen one of Heuer's Monaco's --- the watch that’s still associated w/ him to this day. To put it another way . . .
. . . that Monaco on McQueen’s wrist?. . .
. . . like many of the cars in the movie . . .
. . . have Siffert’s fingerprints
Mr Siffert then provided McQueen with several more Monacos, which McQueen passed around/gave away as gifts . . . including one given to Derek Bell --- who still has it
McQueen + Bell . . . and Mr Siffert . . . keep these Guys in mind
Anyway, filming at Le Mans began on 22.Jun.1970 and didn’t ‘wrap’ until late November, massively late + over-budget. (They had to actually paint the leaves on trees green, by the then, to finish some of the filming. Seriously.) A whole galaxy of drivers were employed --- 41 total . . . to do the driving. And not just stunt drivers. Mr Siffert drove cars on-screen. So did Derek Bell. And Brian Redman. Jacky Ickyx. Vic Elford. Richard Attwood. Masten Gregory, Jürgen Barth, Rolf Stommelen, Jean-Pierre Jobouille --- and on and on . . . incredible. A total Who’s Who of period sports car racing. Just imagine what that kind of talent would cost to rent today?
Also --- and I’ve never heard this before . . . Porsche furnished passenger cars for the occasion . . . ‘loaned Solar a fleet of 911s and 914s to use during the film . . . Director John Sturges, Derek Bell, Jo Siffert, and several other drivers and crew members . . .’ (p326). Apparently, Sturges wrote his car off --- a 911S . . . while showing-off to his Girlfriend, taking a lap of the circuit. Nobody hurt --- but the car was toast --- taken back to Stuttgart. (Pinged the Museum, asked about a squad of cars being sent to Le Mans . . . dead silence) Anyway --- Porsche’s contribution would explain why so many 911s appear in some of the shots
All of which doesn’t really help me ID Mr Siffert’s car. Kinda frustrating. I know that 1059 was Mr Siffert’s. And I know he was involved with/close-by the making of the movie. There are so many photographs --- and I pore over every one . . . looking. Pit photos, pictures taken during production, parking lots and roadsides
But none of the two them --- Mr Siffert + 1059 . . . together
Mr Siffert is everywhere --- and no where . . . in ‘Le Mans.’ On a motorcycle w/ McQueen. On the ARMCO, w/ Piper + Bell. Having words w/ other drivers, McQueen looking on . . .
. . . and then --- every now-and-then, there --- off to the side, out-of-focus . . .
. . . a green 911 --- FR 10032 . . . peeking out from the back-rounds
It’s like playing that game --- of finding that character’s face in/among the details of a crowded/complicated picture . . .
. . . ‘Where’s Waldo?’
And speaking of Where's Who . . .
. . . interesting reference that Karim brought up . . .
http://forums.motorlegend.com/vb/sho...t=33590&page=2
This passage is part of an exchange that took place back in 2008, and had to do with a poster named ‘milou’ trying to date a photograph w/ a 917. Several sources come up/get referenced, and the photo --- of the ‘finless’ 917 in the pits . . . is pretty-definitively dated as Jun ’71
But milou’s interest was not in the 917 . . . rather, the green 911, seen behind it. Here, that other green 911 seen at the roadside of the set of ‘Le Mans’ comes up . . . w/ ‘FR 10032’ identified as Mr Siffert’s personal plate . . . along w/ mention of his lucrative deal supplying cars for the movie
milou reveals that he owns a ’71 ‘S’ --- 9111301180 . . . that had once belonged to Jo Siffert, but --- since it was built 08-Apr, ’71 . . . he realizes that it could not have been on the set for the movie ‘Le Mans' --- which, it's stated, was filmed the previous Summer . . . and so concludes . . .
‘. . . Il est possible que Siffert possédait déjà une 911 verte en 1970 . . .’
‘. . . it’s possible that Siffert owned another green 911 in 1970 . . .’
. . . . . .
‘. . . Another day after filming, Jo, Steve, and Derek were sitting around the tent at Solar Village sharing a bottle of wine when someone got the idea to stage a race.
“I can’t remember exactly what lead to it, but I’m pretty sure Steve was the instigator," Derek remembers.
The area around Solar Village was paved with loose gravel and Hubert Froehlich (the German production manager) was fastidious when it came to keeping it looking prim and proper. Early each morning he had a crew raking the gravel and tending to the flower beds he’d had planted.
After a few glasses of wine the trio decided they’d have a little race around the area. They jumped in their 911s and began dashing around the village, doing great slides and spinning the cars in circles.
"I’ll never forget, Jo suddenly whipped his car around and blasted right through one of the flaps on the side of the tent,” says Derek, chuckling.
By the time they were finished it looked as if the 10th Panzer Division had just come through . . .’ (p327)
'At's 'crafty'!
Keyser doesn’t mention who won that race
But all I wanna know is . . .
. . . what color was Jo’s car?