Posted on 08/22/2017 7:21:14 PM PDT by MtnClimber
Steve McQueen's Le Mans Porsche 917 Sells for $14M Road & Track Brian Silvestro,Road & Track Mon, Aug 21 7:49 AM PDT Reactions Like Reblog on Tumblr Share Tweet Email Photo credit: Gooding & Company
From Road & Track
During Monterey Car Week this August, perhaps the most famous Porsche 917 in the world will cross the auction block. This 1970 Gulf-liveried 917K was used as a test car for Le Mans before becoming the star car in Steve McQueen's legendary racing movie legendary racing movie Le Mans film. After being sold and left to sit in a barn for over two decades, it emerged in 2001, and now after a full restoration, it's been sold for $14 million, making it the most expensive Porsche ever.
If you're not familiar with the 917K, it was the first Porsche to win Le Mans outright, and features a stunning design and a lovely-sounding flat-12 engine. Thanks to its on-screen presence, and its famous orange and blue Gulf livery, this is arguably the most iconic 917 of all time. And now, it's also the most expensive. Fitting.
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I never saw a Porsche 917 race, but I saw the faster 962’s race for many years.
Well there is a car that will never touch asphalt again.
My understanding is they filled the super lightweight tubular frame with compressed nitrogen. There was a pressure sensor built into it so that if the frame cracked, it would illuminate a light on the dash.
Love the iconic blue orange Gulf paint scheme. I love racing and LeMans, but found the McQueen movie to be somewhat dull. Perhaps I should watch again.
Thanks, by the way. Two fantastic articles posted by you back to back!
Keep up the good posting work!!!!
Foxtrot Alpha.
They used a similar system on metal rotor blades to detect spar problems on helicopters. This was before composite blades.
One of my favorite “Jay Leno’s Garage” episodes is about a car that Steve McQueen owned.
Mash here for the rest of the story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ai0uSj_OVE
That seems to be a money losing inveztment to me. Once the baby boomers have passed on, is anybody going to even know who Steve McQueen is?
No you were correct it was dull.
They also used it for piping to the oil cooler.
This was truly a remarkable car that was a real handful to drive but man it could fly.
Jo Siffert had practically a nervous breakdown from driving one. A very exhausting car to drive but truly ahead of its time in many areas.
When the Le Mans movie came out the local Gulf gas station gave away movie posters. I covered an entire wall of my bedroom with them.
[Love the iconic blue orange Gulf paint scheme. I love racing and LeMans, but found the McQueen movie to be somewhat dull. Perhaps I should watch again.]
Its what killed it at the box office. Very muted plot line. McQueen’s Solar Productions was bankrupt 3/4 of the way through production and the project was basically taken away from him to finish it. The indicator of that (continuity) is the “clean” Porsche at the end in the final “shootout” at the end of the race.
Its a racing cult film. Porsche 917 porn. Don’t watch it for the story.
The crash is the best. I remember as an 9-10 year old kid seeing it in the movie theater. Freaked me out a bit. LOL
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