The Porsche 917K is one of the most iconic endurance racing cars from the late 1960s and early 1970s, and its status as a legend of the period was cemented in the 1971 film Le Mans.
Starring Steve McQueen, the film depicted a fictional version of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, though it not only used real race footage from the 1970 endurance race but also scenes shot specifically for the movie.
And it was in those that this car, chassis 917-022, starred, having been purchased from Porsche when it was new by McQueen’s Solar Productions company to be the hero car of the film.
It’s now about to go to auction in the US, with its current owner – comedian Jerry Seinfeld – reluctantly parting with the 917K.
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Listed by Mecum Auctions, the Porsche is set to leave Seinfeld’s extensive car collection after almost 14 years of ownership, though it’s the vehicle’s past which will undoubtedly see high bids placed.
While this 917K was finished in the pale blue and orange Gulf Oils livery as Porsche’s factory racers and with the number #20 on it, it was originally meant to take part in the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans with McQueen and Formula 1 legend Jackie Stewart behind the wheel as the #26.
When their entry fell through, it was renumbered as #20, which was used in the race by the 917K of Jo Siffert and Brian Redman, who failed to finish.
Key changes compared to the cars racing at Le Mans for victory were its camera mounts and brackets, all of which are still intact.
Its 4.5-litre flat-12 engine was also the same as it was in the factory-prepared cars, which delivered power to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transmission.
After filming was complete, 917-022 was purchased by Reinhold Joest’s Team Auto Usdau and raced in the 1971 World Sportscar Championship.
Following this, Brian Redman – who would later go on to win Le Mans twice in class – purchased the car in 1975, however he only held onto it until 1977 when Richard ‘Dickie’ Attwood bought it from him.
Attwood had won the 1970 Le Mans race, and had 917-022 finished in the red-and-white ‘Salzburg’ livery which adorned his winning car – which was also the first Porsche to take outright victory.
It was used by him in historic racing up until late 1999, when the car was returned to its Gulf colours and placed for sale.
Renowned historic Porsche collector Frank Gallogly purchased the 917K from a Monterey auction in 2000, but Seinfeld then bought it off him in 2001, having been advised to invest in McQueen-related vehicles.
A restoration of 917-022 was completed by Cavaglieri Restorations in August last year, though it remains in the iconic colours which it ran in Le Mans.
In a video promoting the sale, Seinfeld described the 917K as “the greatest car I’ve ever owned”.
A price estimate has yet to be released, however it’s expected to far exceed the US$1.32 million Attwood sold it for in 2000 – equivalent to about US$2.42 million/A$3.9 million today.
The auction record for a 917K was set in 2017, when another example used by McQueen for Le Mans (chassis 917-024) sold for US$14.08 million – or US$18.12 million/A$29.17 million when adjusted for inflation.
Chassis 917-022 is due to be auctioned by Mecum on Saturday, January 18th in Kissimmee, Florida.
