Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr9146
Me, too! . . .
Nothing like Faktory 'baked-on'
:p:D;)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr9146
Me, too! . . .
Nothing like Faktory 'baked-on'
:p:D;)
Faktory 100 Liter 'Touring Tank' . . . NOT NOS . . .
Think 'seasoned' . . .
;)
I remember Craig Stevenson + Gary Emory + Rolly Resos --- from when I first started messing-around w/ Porsches . . . . more than 25 years ago, now. 'Specially Rolly --- the hair, ‘stache, voice. A Quiet Man. And his Stuff . . . amazing always . . .
. . . like his Carrera Speedster --- an ex-German hill-climber's car (?) w/ the T5 nose + red lead primered tail . . . carrying a Real Deal Bahama Speed Weeks plate
. . . or the time he brought a pair of sand-cast Webers to sell . . . at a swap-meet
Rolly’s always had good stuff. And I’ve seen only some of it, over the years . . . but never bought any. So --- maybe, a year ago? . . . when he posted an ad selling a 100l tank? . . . I ‘subscribed’ to the thread . . . then watched. And watched. Other tanks came-&-went . . . but Rolly’s ad still stayed up. Finally, a few months back --- I e-mailed him + asked if his was still available
It was
‘Sender?' . . .
'Yup'
Lotta talk/page-space about 'original' + ‘provenance’ + ‘patina’ . . . . . . . . . . and 'price'
Not much about karma
So. Faktory 100l Touring tank --- w/ sender . . . . = $5k . . .
. . . but, like I told Rolly . . . I really wanted that tank . . . ‘cause it was his
One Word . . .
Karma . . . = 'priceless'
Also, 'cause --- I'm gonna need it
One More Word . . .
Alaska . . .
. . . 'cause 100 liters = 26 gallons = ~500 miles min ---- based on The Nasty Car's current/actual/measured fuel economy . . .
. . . which means I’m not gonna sweat a certain 300-mile stretch of road between Haines Junction (YT) and Tok (AK) on account of fuel
:D
Goes in at the Next Service . . .
. . . now
Faktory 100 liter sender . . .
PN = 901.741.801.01
Few months back, there was a posting about a car being offered for sale that was mentioned as having a connection w/ Solar Productions --- the company owned by Steve McQueen that made the movie 'Le Mans' . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...lar%2C+Mcqueen
The Seller had identified a decal, in that car's rear window, that he said was Solar's . . .
. . . but it wasn't. I looked it up
Anyway, given the notoriety --- + the premium . . . of anything even remotely associated with/attached to McQueen, I'm not surprised that someone would bring Solar up regarding a sale. But I was surprised that Solar's moniker isn't more widely-recognized. I didn't know what it looked like --- until I looked it up
Anyway, that emblem stayed with me . . .
A few weeks later, I was looking at some other photos --- again . . .
. . . like this one --- of Jo Siffert's 'missing' 911 . . . 'Le Mystère'. . .
. . . and what do I see?
Lower RH corner of the windshield --- inboard of 'Weltmeisterschaft' decal
Looks like 'Solar'?
Now, I've never seen/heard/read about this decal, per se --- never seen/heard/read of it identified as such, but --- going by the fact that it's in the window of a car in Europe --- and that Mr Siffert was involved w/ the movie . . . I'd guess that this decal may've been placed on the car's windshield for identification during the making of 'Le Mans' --- like a pit-pass sorta thing = OK to enter
Recently purchased 'Behind Le Mans: The Film in Photographs,' by Michael Keyser. Book is a collection of photographs, mostly taken by a Nigel Snowden, a photographer/sorta-actor in the film, but there're also images furnished by others, including Derek Bell, and Paul Blancpain, Mr Siffert's partner + mechanic. Lotsa interesting pics . . . but only two w/ Mr Siffert . . .
. . . and no 911s. Which is pretty-much why I bought the book
Kiiiiiiinda disappointing. But . . .
. . . knowing now about the Solar emblem, I go looking through 'Behind Le Mans' --- and sure enough . . . that emblem appears --- only once + poorly . . . but on the lower pass-side of a windshield . . . on of a Deux Chevaux (p32 + 33)
Emblem also shows up on the sides of the GT40 camera car . . . + on clothing . . . on the left breast of some darker-colored jackets, white-stripped down the sleeves
Bonham's actually sold one o' these, few years back
So --- now I go back + start looking at some of the other windshields . . . . again . . .
. . . like w/ McQueen's 911 ---- the 'movie' car. No surprises, here --- same ole-same ole = 'Weltmeisterschaft' decal + . . . . '70 Le Mans parking pass
Interesting. McQueen's 'Le Mans' movie was a fictionalized account based on the actual '70 race. McQueen attended --- even entered a car (w/ camera), took some footage . . . but actual production + filming for the movie began the following summer. In 'A French Kiss with Death,' Keyser wrote that McQueen was anxious to produce something 'authentic' --- and went to great lengths to achieve that . . . renting the venue of + actual cars from the event, hiring drivers + extras, and on-&-on. If nothing else, the presence of that '70 pit pass on his 911 --- still + a year after . . . gives some idea of McQueen's attention to detail + commitment. So --- Le Mans decal's presence is a nice 'authentic' touch + period detail
But --- looking at this photo again . . . what particularly stands out for me, about that decal, also . . . is its placement. Thing is big + pretty-much opaque . . . + right in the middle of the driver's line-of-vision, at his far right on the 'screen. Not exactly conveniently placed . . . well --- I wouldn't put it there
So then I went back and looked at another photo, again --- this time . . . one of Karim's . . .
. . . the Laurent Missbauer photo of Jo Siffert's Garage, in Fribourg . . . the one w/ the 911 in the forecourt
This image isn't super-distinct/-clear . . . but now? ---- I find it all-kinds o' interesting
First . . .
1) License plates --- 'zoll' = 'toll' plates . . . temporary tags for cars visiting/being exported --- from Germany . . . as in not from Fribourg (= Austria). This immediately reminds me of Mr Seydoux's (Milou) post about Paul Blancpain's account of bringing one of Mr Siffert's cars from Germany --- see post #4 . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...-to-Jo-Siffert
Something else. Ever notice how little inventory is on display/for sale at Mr Siffert's dealership? The most 'civilian-issue' cars that I've seen were four. Which makes me wonder how many were actually sold from there --- ever . . . + also --- how he got them
Did Mr Siffert get his Porsches through AMAG --- the 'exclusive importer'? Or some other way? --- like, on his own? . . . the way Seydoux/Blancpain described?
One Small Note . . .
According to the Fribourg Archives, Mr Siffert's Porsche concession was located at Route Neuve 1700 --- a road-side building-cum-showroom w/ garages behind, situated down-town, in a commercial district. Gone now
. . . and One NOT-so-Small . . .
That's not the address on the Kardex . . . which corresponds to a large house in a residential neighborhood
Next . . .
2) Windshield decals . . . two of 'em:
..a) Weltmeisterschaft --- location + the heavier white on the right-side = the checkered-flag = MY1970 car, blah-blah-blah. 99% sure
..b) unidentified --- but . . . large + round + opaque --- again, not a super-clear pic, but still pretty obvious . . . w/an odd higher placement --- almost mid-way up the windshield . . . and pretty-much right in the driver's field-of-view
Now --- when I compare the size + placement of this decal . . .
. . . to the one in McQueen's 'movie' car? . . .
. . . I think they're the same
And that 911, in the Fribourg forecourt, wouldn't be a movie prop. I don't know when exactly this photo was taken --- or what color that car is . . . but, if that's a '70 Le Mans parking pass, then I think that the car it's stuck to would've actually been at the '70 Le Mans
Last up . . .
3) Bumper guards. Euro lights = Euro car . . . but I was starting to think that all Euro cars had their bumper guards deleted. Not this one
So now --- I'm thinking back to that green 911, as seen at all the various places/times around the set of 'Le Mans' . . . 'FR 10032'?
No bumper guards
I don't know about any moving/switching of personal plates, that may've been done, between any of Mr Siffert's cars --- or his reasons for doing so . . .
. . . but removing bumper guards?
I don't think so
So, I'm gonna say flat-out . . .
I believe that the green 911, as seen in the various photographs around the set of the movie 'Le Mans' . . . is more-than-likely NOT 1059
Rather, I believe that --- in the Summer of '71, anyway . . . FR 10032 = 'Le Mystère' = green + tan + 'roof --- sans bumper guards . . .
. . . but . . .
Flying Hypothesis . . .
I do not believe that the car in Mr Siffert's forecourt is 'Le Mystère.' Because that Fribourg/forecourt car has bumper guards . . .
. . . like 1059
What are the odds?
'Cause --- now I'm thinking that 1059 may not 've been in France, in '71, to take Mr Siffert to a movie about Le Mans . . .
I'm thinking she may 've been there already --- the year before . . . . to take him to a race called Le Mans . . .
Siffert was able to bypass AMAG w Porsche cars and got cars from all over Europe. Either directly from the factory by picking them up at from various other dealers and importing them into Switzerland. With Porsche cars, I think nobody else was able to do this. He also sold/brought all kind of other cars, at one time he owned a Ferrari 275 GT Lusso and Maserati. He also sold various race cars as F1 and F2, GT Touring, even 908 and 917, old cars like Bugatti…The worlds biggest collection of Bugatti's at the famous Schlump collection in France got most cars trough Siffert….Quote:
Originally Posted by LongRanger
No wonder Steve Mc Queen ask'd Siffert for help. (not only Mc Queen asked for help but he wanted for his movie the look of Siffert including his Heuer watch, which was then the first sponsor of Siffert. Siffert also sold watches to all his racers collegues and made trough this the Heuer - F1 connection. After Siffert's death Heuer went to Ferrari and sponsored Austrian Lauda and Regazzoni, another swiss fellow)
Here below the 275 GT Lusso ex-owned by Jo Siffert, Villa D'Este concours 2012.
Mind you Mc Queen had one too, guess who was first having one...
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...pscd0db434.jpg
Ex-Jo Siffert Maserati 3500 Sebring, registred 8/65 for Jo Siffert.
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...ps35a74a94.jpg
Edited: (after Ricks' thread below)Quote:
Originally Posted by LongRanger
The original garage was at Route Neuve. Its next to the train station, downtown Fribourg.
The downtown location was convienient for a showroom, even it was small one.
It also was a gas station and the road was the main road connection passing trough two (medievial) neighborhoods of Fribourg. Less than 500m away Siffert grew up in very modest circumstances, so it was maybe also a social sign of achievment. He actually opened the Garage on March 25th 1969. Today the building is destroyed, at one time it was a video game saloon I visited in 2007.
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...psd5d52e62.jpg
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...ps58f7a836.jpg
In 1970 he opened a second showroom, with larger maintenance facilities and a big showroom including car lot for various car brands. It was in Villars-sur-Glane, a suburb of Fribourg. This is were many cars got road registered and traded. When Siffert died, the company was liquidized and its entire stock sold on auction. The building is today destroyed&altered. Only a "rue Jo-Siffert" route hints of a former past.
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...ps46b69e1c.gif
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...psfbb9cc7d.gif
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...psf23de809.jpg
Its also possible that he registred his/a car on his private adress "residential neighboorhood" too, as you quote.
There exists a photo of the house he build, a one-story bungalow. I cant find it currently. I think a Villars-s Glane adress too.
I assumed this already in an earlier post.Quote:
Originally Posted by LongRanger;719648
I'm thinking she may 've been there [I
This pic below is for me the most fascinated one.
In the foreground, it shows a 911S w oval shite "CH" (swiss decal) on engine lid. It also has a beige interior and rear wiper.
Fully loaded car. Most likely the car Siffert used in 1971, the one w the Solar decal on windshield he is pictured sitting in.
This was after "1059" BUT before Milou's "911 2.4S", which was probably left in Switzerland as it was a brand new factory gift.
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9bbe9061.jpg
-
BTW, I was today able to speak in person with Veronique Siffert at a meeting. She remembers your letter but was just too busy to respond. She also said she is lately very asked about her father but does not like be too often in the limelight. She also had no answers about the many questions asked about 1059 in your letter….
She said "I was only 2 when my father died, i have no memory of him". She also said she asked her brother Philipp and her grandmother about the car "1059" but they have (so far) no documents about Siffert's cars. Also, no proof and memory that a glovebox was customized with a black/green fabric.
She said Siffert's car dealerships and his various typ of sales of cars got totally meddled and there were no real records..They would be constantly exchanged, sold, resold etc…and according to her he drove most likely several 911 at the same time. When he died, his company was closed, all documents destroyed and all cars still left were sold (like…."1059" sold to a Davos dealer, for example) It was a simple car business, not meant for later memory. She said some cars (mostly racers) owned by Siffert's company even were never to be found again, probably stolen or somehow removed after his death without a trace. Nobody had a real overview about his frenetic car trading business, which he did in between racing in various categories all over the world...
Last but not least, the family has more personal pics of Jo Siffert. It was the journalists and media who did the photographs we all know today, Sifferts and his cars. She believes the archives of Porsche as well as swiss journalist Laurent Missbauer know more and might have more pics, she and her brother do not have any.
She also told me that her grandmother did had in colour the original famous photograph of Siffert sitting in his 911 (beige interior) in colour, but unfortunately that is today lost too.
This was at Siffert funeral, in his hometown Fribourg. The 917 was always in Siffert's shop.
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/...ps55fe4278.jpg
Holy-moly, Karim --- great stuff! . . . . + also a lot to digest
Regarding Mr Siffert's 2nd dealership . . .
. . . Histoire du Garage Nicoli R. Sàrl
Fondé en 1964 par l’ancien pilote de course automobile, Monsieur Joseph Siffert, le garage portait alors le nom de ‘’Joseph Siffert Automobiles’’.
Il a d’abord été utilisé comme halle d’exposition pour des voitures d’occasion ainsi que pour certaines de ses voitures de course. La halle ne disposait d’aucun atelier de réparation.
En 1968, Monsieur Siffert créa un nouveau garage au centre de la ville de Fribourg avec une exposition Alfa Roméo et Porsche ainsi qu’un atelier.
Les deux garages ont été exploités par Monsieur Joseph Siffert jusqu’à son tragique accident survenu le 24 octobre 1971 lors de la course de Brands Hatch.
Au printemps 1972, Madame Siffert décida de remettre les deux exploitations de son défunt mari au mécanicien de ce dernier, Monsieur Jean-Pierre Oberson, qui les reprit sous la nouvelle raison sociale ‘’Garage Inter-sport SA’’.
En 1989, Monsieur Oberson entreprit la reconstruction du nouveau garage que vous connaissez aujourd’hui et y installa un atelier de réparations.
Monsieur Oberson a exploité les deux garages de 1972 à 1998 et y représenta les marques Alfa Roméo et Mitsubishi.
Au printemps 1998, Monsieur Oberson remit le garage de la route de la Glâne à Monsieur Robert Nicoli qui créa le ‘’Garage Nicoli R. Sàrl’’, concessionnaire en premier lieu des marques Volvo, puis Volvo et Hyundai.
Vu la grande expansion de l’activité de son garage, Monsieur Nicoli saisit l’opportunité d’acquérir un nouveau terrain jouxtant le garage où vous trouvez aujourd’hui toutes nos occasions, ainsi que diverses voitures neuves des marques représentées.
Nous remercions Monsieur Jean-Pierre Oberson de nous avoir raconté l’histoire du garage . . .
From Google Translate . . .
. . . Founded in 1964 by former race car driver , Joseph Siffert, then the garage was called '' Cars '' Joseph Siffert .
It was first used as an exhibition hall for used cars as well as some of his race cars. Hall had no repair .
In 1968, Mr. Siffert created a new garage in the center of the city of Freiburg with Alfa Romeo and Porsche exhibition and a workshop .
Both garages were operated by Mr. Joseph Siffert until his tragic accident October 24, 1971 at the Brands Hatch race .
The spring of 1972 , Ms. Siffert decided to put the two farms of her late husband the mechanic of the latter, Mr. Jean -Pierre Oberson , who went under the new name '' Inter- Sport SA Garage '' .
In 1989, Mr. Oberson undertook the reconstruction of the new garage that you know today and installed a repair shop .
Mr. Oberson operated two garages from 1972 to 1998 and it represented the brands Alfa Romeo and Mitsubishi.
In spring 1998 , Mr. Oberson handed garage Road Glâne Mr Robert Nicoli who created the '' Garage '' Nicoli R. Sàrl , dealer first for Volvo and Volvo and Hyundai.
Saw the great expansion of the activity of the garage, Mr. Nicoli seized the opportunity to acquire new land adjacent to the garage where you now find all our opportunities , and various brands of new cars represented.
We thank Jean- Pierre Oberson us telling the story garage . . .
http://www.garage-nicoli.ch/index.php?id=40
Also good timing. I was just writing a letter to The Faktory . . .
Rick, ok about your sources. But for the records the french text is most likely wrong in one date, according to my sources the garage at Route Neuve was opened on march 25, 1969, not 1968. The Villars-sur Glane garage also did had a repair area.
To be very precise, all is more complicated: For the showroom cited as opened in 1964 in Villars s-G. (where Blancpain would work selling USED cars), I believe they changed the company structure in 1970 since now two garages existed and one was for new cars. In 1970, they also got being European distributors for Chevron race cars. The Villars-sur Glane dealership had two sales offices and a repair area, while the administration of this company was -elsewhere-, located on another adress in downtown Fribourg, at Rue de Simplon.
The second garage in downtown Fribourg, Route Neuve, was very close where he once grew up and had heavy traffic with passersby.
Siffert took over in 1968 and opened in 1969, being now an official Porsche dealership. This dealership shared its offices with the ones of VsG…located nearby at Rue Simplon. This new small dealership sold new cars, Porsche, Chevron and Alfa Romeos.
Paralell of the used car dealership at Villars-sur-Glane as well as the new car Porsche&Alfa official dealership in Downtown Fribourg, Siffert brought and traded all kind of (race) cars, Bugatti 35, Mirage BRM, Porsche 908LH etc..
Less than a month after his death so 1971, all this got sold. Oberson retook both garages, the one in Villars sur Glane continued later for Volvo and Hunday. As for the Fribourg one, as told in 2007 I saw it and it was a video game saloon., in 2009 it got destroyed.
Siffert also had a third company, "Jo Siffert Automobiles Racing Limited" where he would lend/rent race cars to Gentlemen drivers: A very BUSY man….all this before he died being 35 years old.
And read this:
"At the end of the LM movie filming, Jo Siffert negotiatied rehabilitation -at the cost of the movie production- of returning the movie (race) cars to their owners. He took the opportunity to buy more and sold them with substantial added value as cars "ex-Steve McQueen." Adriano Cimarosti sports journalist reveals: "This year, thanks to the film Le Mans, Jo has made a lot of money. It was very tricky business and the Americans were happy to pay. Jo told me that he had this talent from his mother "
btw, the most comprehensive and detailed infos about Siffert is found on french wikipedia, not english, here:
btw google translator is often wrong in details. My sources are mostly from this:
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Siffert
The most touching info is about his childhood:
"To financially assist their parents, Joseph and his sisters collected waste paper in the streets of Fribourg and would gather wild daffodils for sale at the market. Joseph even would steal potatoes in the school canteen for some dinner at his family's home".
Hey Rick, look carefully at the dealer ship picture in post 676, looks like the 754 prototype sitting on the display floor.