Ten Fifty-nine

[LongRanger]

. . . look carefully at the dealer ship picture in post 676, looks like the 754 prototype sitting on the display floor . . .

Hey, Ed . . .

Yeah --- I saw that. But I was thinking it had to be an Alfa Romeo or something . . . going by the wheels. Like Karim said --- Mr Siffert was into a lotta car-dealing . . .

. . . but I just can't imagine Porsche letting a prototype car like that get outta Stuttgart

[Stevie]

Looks like a 105 Alfa to me too.

[LongRanger]

. . . according to my sources the garage at Route Neuve was opened on march 25, 1969, not 1968 . . .

Yes --- I agree. This photo is supposed to be from the opening day at Route Nueve . . . March '69

Note the Alfa Romeo banner, inside the door . . . + 'SG' (= St. Galen = opposite side of the country) plate on the Porsche. A 'resale,' maybe? . . . on 'opening day' already?

. . . . "At the end of 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 " . . .

Ha! --- as you said . . . 'a very busy guy'

[LongRanger]

Went to The Phoenix Show this year . . . and it rained. A little
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...enix-Show-2014

The morning started-out dry enough . . . but by the time I drove to The Show, well . . . I'm glad the wipers worked. And so did everything else. The Nasty Car had no problems/issues. She cruised straight/steady through the rain, sat/idled quietly/patiently in line --- maybe 10 minutes? . . . no drama/nonsense or water inside. And by the time we got back to the lock-up . . . she was dry + shiny, like nothing ever happened . . .

. . . just a car


I bring this up because a coupla weeks before --- 13-Feb . . . was the 5th anniversary of my purchase of 1059 . . .

. . . and when I go back? . . . . + look through this thread? . . . + remember what I was thinking of/expecting from this? . . .

. . . just a car


Well . . . almost. I have gotten used to the sound/feel/fury of driving her, but --- I admit . . . I get a little anxious @ the start-up. I still remember --- when I was 1st looking for an Early 911 . . . running across several cars that'd had engine fires. And everybody has a fire-extinguisher in their car, right? Anyway, I'd worked-out a little hula-dance that seemed to work MOST of the time. But starting The Nasty Car could still sometimes come off a bit hit-or-miss

So then I remember coming across/seeing/reading a Porsche-supplied tag w/ The Faktory's take on the whole start-up procedure business . . . I think it musta been in Bryce's thread --- see post#22 . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...hlight=storied

So that's what I do now

Works every time . . .


. . . just a car . . .

[LongRanger]

Going back to Karim's earlier posts --- #677 + 679 . . . there's a lot to respond to. So I'm gonna to parse out my responses in smaller pieces

. . . 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 . . .

Very helpful detail. From Karim's 'Villars-sur-Glane' reference, I found the successor dealership's site --- which provided some more details . . .

'. . . 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. In 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 took under the new name'' SA'' Inter-Sport Garage . . .'
http://www.garage-nicoli.ch/index.php?id=40


So --- it sounds like there must've been some sort of auction/estate sale that took place in Fribourg, in early '72? . . . as Mr Siffert's business affairs + inventory were un-loaded. Recall that 1059 was first registered in Der Schweiz on 31-Dec, '71 . . . so, Karim's assertion --- that the registration could've been 'back-dated' . . . sorta matches up

Another interesting detail. 1059's CH registration records show that she was 1st sold/registered --- in Davos. Which --- as Karim once pointed-out to me . . . is 300 km to the East. So, did the Dealer on the key-fob --- Gebr Dürst . . . pick-up 1059 at that auction before selling her on to H Mazza?

. . . 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 . . .

Yes. More and more, my impression of Mr Siffert is that he was someone who was always working --- always selling . . . always dealing. I did not know of his connection to the Schlumpfs. Their collection was/is massive ---- + musta been pretty lucrative

And, yet --- with all of Mr Siffert's wheeling + dealing. . . 1059 was not sold on --- not until after his death . . . in Dec '71 . . . though she shows as sold to him in April . .

. . . and so, perhaps, was Mr Siffert's other green 911? --- 9111301180 . . . the ex-Milou '71 . . . also his since April



There are not a lot of details about the history of 1180. I read Milou's threads + comments and saw the ledger entry --- describing the Faktory's engine change . . . but disappointingly --- no Kardex. Also no details about owners + dates. Just that the car came from/was found in Geneva? . . . 140 km Southwest of Fribourg

1180 has been sold twice, since it was discovered to've once belonged to Mr Siffert. I tried to contact the dealer who owned it prior to the last sale, but never heard back. I think that it would still be interesting to hear what Mr Seydoux can share about the early history of 1180 . . . especially dates

It's plausible that both cars could've been sold-off together --- from that same auction . . . . . in Fribourg

. . . Its also possible that he registered his/a car on his private address "residential neighborhood" 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-sur-Glane address too . . .

I saw a video clip --- a TV interview, done in the '60s, I think . . . that had a house like the 'bungalow' you describe. But when I first went to Google Earth + punched-in the address from the Kardex . . . the residence that came up was large/expansive/multi-story. GE seems to've changed their privacy settings, since; all that comes up, now? --- is the street

. . . This pic below is for me the most fascinating 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 . . .

Yes-yes --- a very interesting car, isn't it? But I can't see the pass-side windshield clearly . . . or the front bumper. Frustrating

There's a much-later photo of 1180 w/ this same 'CH' on its lid, too --- although, there's no telling when it was added. Perhaps this was Mr Siffert's habit? --- w/ all of his cars? . . . I don't know. In the 'Behind Le Mans' book, there is a picture of a 911 w/ a similar-looking/placed emblem, shown parked at an office on the set of the movie, but . . . not very clear


Part of the difficulty of identifying any 911, on the set of Le Mans, is also . . . how many of them were there. Porsche already supplied at least a half-dozen in addition to anybody else's personal cars. Plus --- almost all the photos that I've seen are black-&-white. Tough to be absolutely certain about colors . . .



. . . and all of this took place 43 years ago



Great post, Karim. Thank you so much

[LongRanger]

. . . 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 . . . When he died, his company was closed, all documents destroyed and all cars still left were sold . . . Nobody had a real overview about his frenetic car trading business . . .

Amazing! --- and thank you so much for sharing your conversation. A bit disappointing, of course, but --- no real surprises . . . other than my letters seem to've gotten through. I had hoped that someone --- perhaps even Mme Siffert . . . might have some recollection/souvenir from that time, but - well . . . it's been a long time. Also --- given the circumstances + the time of year when all these events took place --- + so long ago . . . . who could remember a car?

. . . Last but not least, the family has more personal pics of Jo Siffert . . . 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 . . .

Ah-yes --- the Archives. Some day

And I have written to Mr Missbauer --- also asked for some Member's assistance . . .

. . . but no response


Who knows? Maybe --- at some point/time . . . a nice clear image/account/remembrance/etc may just show up . . . and all will become clear . . .

. . . She also told me that her grandmother did have . . . the original famous photograph of Siffert sitting in his 911 (beige interior) in colour, but unfortunately that is today lost too . . .

. . . or maybe not


There's still Paul Blancpain --- Mr Siffert's partner/mechanic

Running a hotel in Brazil, I heard . . .


Anyway --- thank you, again, Karim. Great posts!

[LongRanger]

. . . that I've come across . . .


1) + 2) Decals from Jo Siffert's dealerships

3) Jo Siffert's daughter Veronique w/ the journo Laurent Missbauer . . . + her father's '71 'S' --- 9111301180

4) . . . and w/ Thomas Seydoux (Milou) + ditto

[911T1971]

There's a much-later photo of 1180 w/ this same 'CH' on its lid, too --- although, there's no telling when it was added. Perhaps this was Mr Siffert's habit? --- w/ all of his cars? . . . I don't know. In the 'Behind Le Mans' book, there is a picture of a 911 w/ a similar-looking/placed emblem, shown parked at an office on the set of the movie, but . . . not very clear

For all Swiss road registred cars it was mandatory to have the CH emblem "international vehicule registration oval" on its car when crossing border in Europe. In the fifties it was a metal piece, after that always a decal.

In fact, before the Euro plates in about 2001ish, all European car needed a country decal if leaving their country borders, D for Germany, F for France, I for Italy, S for Sweden, CH for Switzerland and so on..They all were black on white and needed to be oval.

CH for Switzerland (CH > Confoederatio Helvetica > Swiss Confederation)

D for Deutschland (pictured a 901 prototyp, once owned by Piech)

[LongRanger]

. . . = FR 10032 = Le Mystère

. . . For all Swiss road registered cars it was mandatory to have the CH emblem "international vehicule registration oval" on its car when crossing border in Europe . . . all were black on white and needed to be oval . . .

CH for Switzerland (CH > Confoederatio Helvetica > Swiss Confederation)



. . .

What are the odds? . . .

. . . I mean --- how many Swiss could've been driving Porsches on the Le Mans set that Summer? . . . w/ sun roofs? . . . and rear wipers? . . . and RH antennas?

Also . . . the placement of the 'CH' decal

[LongRanger]

Karim's conversation w/ Veronique --- revealing that she was '. . . too busy to respond . . .' and that there are '. . . no documents of Siffert's cars . . .' kinda closes the whole business w/The Siffert Family --- for me, anyway . . . at least for now. It was a long time ago, and 1059 was only one car among many in the life of a very-very-busy Jo Siffert. So . . . I'm gonna leave these poor people in peace

Too bad, too. Because --- strictly speaking/in terms of details? . . . I know very little about The Nasty Car


Yeah-yeah --- I know numbers, owners' names + some dates, places, a few stories . . .

. . . but hard stuff --- 1st-hand accounts, vintage photos, solid documentation?

Nothing --- well, not before '84, anyway . . . which was thirty years, ago

Biggest/luckiest thing that I do have --- is the Kardex. Which is a LOT


And I suppose I should be satisfied w/ that . . .

. . . but, seeing the few words scribbled there, on that Kardex . . . only makes my know-very-littleness seem that much littler

So? Mostly, what I write about . . . is what I don't know about


I've been searching for The Usual Stuff in the more-or-less Usual Way --- + sticking to the Usual Topics . . . up to now. And most of whatever comes out of my searching + guessing + brooding comes to light here

I say 'most' because . . .

. . . there's another part to all of this --- a darker part . . . that I've kinda avoided . . . especially around/because of the Siffert Family



When I think about it, 1059's really had two lives. Her 2nd Life is the one that I'm a part of . . . + search for + know very-little about --- of Previous Owners, times + dates + places --- who/what/where/blah-blah-blah . . . . but I think that that Search has been more interesting than anything I've found

Then there's 1059's 1st Life --- as one of Porsche's 'Versuch' cars. And Jo Siffert. Now --- THAT's interesting! . . . but --- that 1st Life? . . . is still out of view. So far, anyway. Karim has provided whatever history that the Siffert Family has to offer

And there may well still be Something in the Archives to shed more light . . . or Someone who'll talk with me + show me a picture + tell me a Story . . . but that's just more of The Usual Stuff . . . deferred


But lately, I've been thinking about Something Else --- about the time between those Two Lives . . .

. . . a particular day, actually



24-Oct, 1971



From looking at all the photos of him + his 911s, seems to me that Mr Siffert was a driver . . . and not just for money. When he went to work --- to a race @a track . . . it seems that Mr Siffert drove a Porsche. And there are so many photos --- of different 911s, in all kinds of track- and road-sides, car parks + paddocks . . . that show as much . . .

. . . @the places he worked/raced . . .

. . . like Le Mans, and Spa, Monza . . .


. . . Brands Hatch?


. . . which begs A Question . . .


What car did Mr Siffert take to work on That Day?




From what I can tell/guess, 1059 may've been disposed of at an auction in Fribourg, bought there by a dealer from Davos, then sold to her 1st 'civilian' owner, H Mazza, some time in early 1972. Perhaps the same happened to 1180 --- Mr Siffert's '71-cum-Sporto . . . except that that car went to Geneva . . .

. . . which accounts for two 911s

But Mr Siffert had at least three . . .


So. I'm gonna close that business --- w/ Le Mystère . . . here, too



I'm thinking that, by the Summer of '71, Mr Siffert --- who was in the habit of driving his Porsches to work . . . had made Le Mystère his 1st Choice. 1059 was already more than a year old, by then. And 1180 was a Sporto --- which --- sorry . . . I just don't see that as being Mr Siffert's kinda ride

(Interesting that --- although no names/dates are given . . . 1180 was found w/o its Versuch 2.4-cum-Sporto fitted)

So I'm thinking that --- just like on the set of Le Mans . . . Le Mystère was the 911 that Mr Siffert took to Brands Hatch . . .

. . . which begs All Kinds of Questions --- like . . .



If Mr Siffert did take Le Mystère there, then . . . who brought the car back?

Or --- did the car come back --- at all?

And --- of course . . .



. . . where's Le Mystère now?