My guess is that anyone reading this will have seen the movie “Le Mans”, staring Steve McQueen, as American racer Michael Delaney, it is probably high in your list of favorite movies. If, you haven’t, the movie opens with a gray 1970 Porsche 911 S driving through the French country side to the town of Le Mans, and to the spot where Delaney(McQueen) was in an accident the previous year. Chances are good that the future new owner of this 1970 Porsche 911 S will be less cool than it’s original owner. Used as Steve McQueen’s personal car while filming in France, as well as seen prominently during the first three minutes and 30 seconds of the movie.. Then shipped back to the States, where it was eventually sold when McQueen’s Solar production company went bankrupt.
According to a letter from Porsche, “The car was driven as is directly to Le Mans by our people, for use by Steve and the Solar Productions crew. At a later date, the car was returned to our repair shop for modifications,” which included the installation of a limited-slip differential and revised gear ratios.
After its starring role in McQueen’s motorsport magnum opus, during which time it was extensively photographed on the movie set in France, with McQueen always near it or aboard, the car was shipped home to Los Angeles in January 1971. Sometime later, McQueen elected to sell this one instead of his ’69. There is no clear reason why he chose one over the other, but it is widely believed that he already had installed an upgraded and costly stereo system in his first car. The Le Mans car was advertised in the Los Angeles Times and was purchased by an L.A.-based attorney. He kept the car, largely in secret, for more than three decades, during which time he documented virtually everything about the car, as letters from Solar Productions and Porsche attest. Another Southern California resident, Judge Jesse Rodriquez, then purchased it in April 2005, who has since sold it on to its current owner, a noted Porsche collector in his own right.
Other than one repaint in the factory color, reupholstered front seats, new shock absorbers and a fresh windshield, it is completely original. It is likely the amber fog lamp lenses were replaced with clear ones when the 911 was brought into the United States all those years ago. The engine and transmission are original with all numbers matching, and the car has never suffered any rust or accident damage – a wonderful example of preservation versus restoration. It wears its original, and correctly sized, factory-installed Fuchs alloy wheels, and the odometer currently indicates less than 12,400 miles. The car has been freshly serviced and detailed, drives on the button and has been the subject of many recent magazine stories.
For more information on the bizare history of this rare 1970 Porsche 911 follow the link:
http://www.insideline.com/porsche/911/steve-mcqueens-porsche-911s-from-le-mans.htm
The Porsche will cross the block at the RM Auctions event in Monterey Califonia in August.
