Porsche 917K, Star Of Steve McQueen’s ‘Le Mans,’ to Be Auctioned
After it went through some extensive re-restorations to make sure that it was accurate as a vintage racer, the 1970 Porsche 917K Chassis 917-024 is going to Gooding and Company’s Pebble Beach auction.
Here it was estimated that it will go for around 13 to 16 million dollars.
The car has plenty of stories to tell and to guarantee it a place in history which means that it will have a good place in the auction that will take place in August in Monterey.
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Every person that cares about races and beautiful cars will be interested in it, even if they don’t know the full history that comes with it.
According to forbes.com, piloted by Brian Redman and Mike “The Bike” Hailwood, Chassis 917-024 served in the 1970 Le Mans Tests.
Redman set the fastest times of the event, proving that the kurz (short-tail) 917K could claim outright victory at Le Mans.
(If you ever have the chance at a vintage event or Porsche dinner to listen to Redman’s tales of the 917, do not miss it. Redman is a storyteller extraordinaire.)
Considering the 917’s importance to both Porsche and the mythology of sports car racing, 024’s early service is storyline enough.
Its mettle was tested. The 917K gave Porsche its first outright Le Mans victories, in 1970 and ‘71, establishing Porsche as a top-flight competitor.
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Following testing and development sessions at Le Mans, Nürburgring and Ehra Lessien, 917-024 was sold to Porsche factory driver Jo Siffert, who subsequently leased the car to Steve McQueen’s Solar Productions for use in the 1971 film “Le Mans.”
Thus, a second storyline, at least as important as the first, especially considering the burgeoning fascination with Steve McQueen, and the cultural import of the film “Le Mans.”
According to extensive research by 917 historian and author, the late Walter Näher, 917-024 was utilized as a camera car, and appeared throughout the film.
Following its Hollywood stint, 917-024 remained in Siffert’s private collection until his passing.
Chassis 024 led Siffert’s funeral procession, indicative of the 917’s importance in his life, before being sold to a private collector in Paris in the mid 1970s.
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