Movie memorabilia is always a good source of entertainment for collectors. Props and specially constructed items are often sold for far more than they are worth when the lore of the picture they belong to transcends the silver screen. But, although jewelry, clothes, shoes and other small objects are commonly bought and sold, it is rarer to see a car pop up for auction. Nevertheless, this is what is happening right now, and with a very special car, particularly for enthusiasts of both engine sports and movies alike, the Porche 917.
The car we are talking about belongs to a legendary film, a must watch for those who enjoy racing, and that is the 1971 movie “Le Mans”. Not critically acclaimed, as the plot was found lacking for anyone not interested in speed, but nevertheless a classic in which Steve McQueen managed to look effortlessly cool and sell viewers on the virtues of the Tag Heuer Monaco watch he wears, and the Porsche 917 he drives.
The Porche 917 was not just one car, there were three of the 917K short-tail version used during filming along with others that were used during the 1970 24 Hours of Le Man race ( the footage was later used for the movie). The three cars, better known for their chassis numbers 013, 022, and 024, have all had different trajectories and have appeared and disappeared several times in the more than 50 years since the film was released.
One of the cars, chassis number 024, sold in 2017 for an impressive figure of $14 million, and that is not even the most special car of the three of them.
The sale of the Porche 917 chassis number 022 car
To understand why this car is the most special of the three used during filming, we must take into account two facts. The first one is that this is the one that Steve McQueen drove the most during filming and the one that he signed at the end of the movie. He also wrote an inscription on the car door that reads “Finished – Thanks for staying together.”
Even after filming this car had an interesting trajectory, as it continued to be raced for years after, going through a few owners and odventures:
Post-Filming (1970s)
- Sold to Reinhold Joest: After filming, the car was sold to Reinhold Joest of Team Auto Usdau.
- Motorsports Career:
- Competed in notable 1,000-kilometer races:
- Buenos Aires: Crashed.
- Brands Hatch: Finished sixth.
- Monza: Finished seventh.
- Nürburgring: Finished sixth.
- Spa-Francorchamps: Finished fourth.
- Drivers included Willi Kauhsen, Angel Monguzzi, and Jo Siffert.
- Competed in notable 1,000-kilometer races:
1975
- Acquired by Brian Redman: Porsche factory driver Brian Redman purchased the car.
1977
- Purchased by Richard Attwood: Le Mans-winning Porsche 917K driver Richard Attwood acquired the car.
- Livery Update: Attwood repainted the car in the red and white scheme he used to win the 1970 Le Mans.
- Historic Racing: Attwood raced the car in European historic events.
2000
- Sold to Frank Gallogly: Porsche collector Frank Gallogly purchased the car.
2001
- Purchased by Jerry Seinfeld: Gallogly sold the car to celebrity Porsche collector Jerry Seinfeld.
Four years after Jerry Seinfeld purchased it for an undisclosed amount, the Auto Auction House Mecum has announced that it will be open for bids on Jan. 18 at its auction in Kissimmee, Florida. They have detailed that the car retains its original 4.5-liter flat-12 engine (580 hp) and 4-speed manual transmission and that, despite having being repainted multiple times, the Steve McQueen signature and quote are still intact and the car is in good shape.
The value of the car will likely be higher that the $14 million that the 024 fetched, as it has had an interesting trajectory and Steve McQueen is no longer with us, making his signature irreplaceable.
