It’s an almost inconceivable job. However, the 1969 Porsche 917K Chassis Quantity 917-022 has been effortlessly completed, capturing lightning in a bottle to become a permanent icon in motorsport lore and popular culture. The celebrities aligned, cementing its standing as one of the most recognizable race vehicles ever.

From the outset, this Porsche 917 was destined for greatness. After leaving the manufacturing unit in West Germany
in 1970, it was bought by Hollywood’s high-octane insurgent, Steve McQueen, by his Photo Voltaic Productions firm.

McQueen, an avid motorsports fanatic, had completed second on the 12 Hours of Sebring in March 1970, driving a Photo voltaic Productions Porsche 908/2 alongside Peter Revson. Fueled by this success, McQueen set his sights on not solely producing a movie regarding the world’s best endurance race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but additionally competing in the occasion himself. His bold plan was to drive a Porsche 917K, with none aside from Sir Jackie Stewart as his co-driver.

Nevertheless, McQueen’s dream of racing at Le Mans came to an abrupt halt when Cinema Heart Movies, a manufacturing firm involved in the making of Le Mans, forbade him from taking part. Their considerations over the monetary dangers—if McQueen were injured or worse—finally outweighed his ardor to compete.

Undeterred, McQueen focused on telling the story of the storied race on the display screen. The newly acquired Porsche 917 was shipped to northwest France, prepared for its starring function in Le Mans (1971), now thought to be some of the genuine and uncooked depictions of motorsport ever captured.

The manufacturing was grueling because of the races it sought to recreate. Filming started during the eight-hour 24 Hours of Le Mans in June 1970 and stretched for months. In front of 50,000 spectators, 19 cameras, operated by a 45-member crew, were positioned across the monitor to report the high-octane motion.

However, the actual technical innovation came from the group. They entered a Porsche 908 outfitted with front-—and ear-mounted cameras into the precise race to film alongside the rivals. The automotive not only finished eighth, but it additionally captured more than 70,000 ft of footage, providing viewers unprecedented views of the race.

To ensure authenticity, McQueen enlisted a group of 221 two prime drivers and 45 cameramen. After the race, Andrew Ferguson, a British racing group supervisor, arranged a specialized racing division to arrange filming, hiring 56 skilled drivers and sourcing 25 of the world’s quickest vehicles with 4 Porsche 917s, Ferrari 512s, and extra. This dedication to realism outlined Le Mans.

In the middle of the manufacturing was the Porsche 917-022, with its aerodynamic design and iconic Gulf Oil blue-and-orange livery. Because McQueen’s character, Michael Delaney, pushed the hero automotive, it became a logo of the movie’s high-speed drama.

McQueen performed stunt driving in 917-022, a vehicle specifically outfitted for manufacturing. For these sequences, crews connected digicam brackets to the vehicle’s framework, enabling intense in-car photographs of McQueen and his co-drivers at speed. Remarkably, these mounting factors remain intact today, a long-lasting testimony to the vehicle’s function in capturing several of the movie’s most thrilling moments.

McQueen begins the race in 917-022 in Le Mans, bearing the well-known Gulf Oil No. 20 livery. Though his character crashes out of the race, the actual automotive survives. Cleverly, the filmmakers used Lola T70 chassis disguised with Porsche bodywork for crash scenes, preserving 917-022 for later use. Some declare the automotive was repainted as No. 21 in certain scenes, but there’s little doubt about its starring function on screen.

Reverse McQueen’s Porsche 917, German actor Siegfried Rauch performed as Delaney’s Ferrari-driving rival, whereas Elga Anderson supplied sturdy assistance. Nevertheless, Le Mans wasn’t a typical Hollywood movie. Critics are famous for its documentary-like really feel, praising its uncooked, unfiltered concentrate on precise wheel-to-wheel racing, giving the film a visceral realism that is still impactful in the present day.

Particular results had been overseen by Sass Bedig, well-known for orchestrating the enduring chase scene in Bullitt involving McQueen behind the wheel of a 1968 Mustang, outrunning a henchman in a sinister black Dodge Charger. As in Bullitt, where McQueen did his personal stunts, his dedication to authenticity in Le Mans solidified his place as both a critical actor and a real gearhead.

After filming for Le Mans wrapped, the Porsche 917-022 embarked on a storied journey, transitioning from film star to full-out race automotive once more. In 1971, it was bought by Reinhold Joest, a completed driver and future racing legend who acquired his own successful hillclimb races within the German mountains. Joest, who would later win the 24 Hours of Daytona, the 6 Hours of Nürburgring (twice) and information his group, Joest Racing, to an astounding 15 victories at Le Mans, campaigned 917-022 with Group Auto Usdau Racing. Alongside Porsche manufacturing unit ddriversWilli Kauhsen, Angel Monguzzi, and Joe Siffert, Joest had had excellent success in the 1971 World Producers Championship season, re-cementing a legacy of 917-022 on the monitor.

By 1975, Joest determined to part ways with the legendary machine, promoting it to Porsche manufacturing unit driver and seasoned endurance competitor and race Corridor of Famer Brian Redman in January of that year. Notably, Redman had raced in the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Porsche 917K that bore the identical blue-and-orange Gulf Oil No. 20 livery as the 917-022 seen in McQueen’s movie.

Three years later, Redman handed 917-022 alongside his buddy and fellow Porsche driver and World Championship Grand Prix veteran, Richard Attwood. Attwood piloted the Porsche 917K to victory in the in70 Le MMan’srace and campaigned 917-022 on numerous European historic racing occasions. Attwood selected to refinish the automotive by buying red-and-white livery at one level throughout his possession, echoing the Salzburg 917K he and Hans Herrmann drove to Porsche’s first general win at Le Mans in 1970.

Attwood held onto 917-022 for over 20 years before deciding to part with it in 1999. Prior to the sale, he had the car restored to its iconic blue-and-orange Gulf Oil livery, paying tribute to its starring function in Le Mans. The car was bought by famed Porsche collector Frank Gallogly, who, in 2001, handed it on to comic, TV star, and passionate Porsche fanatic Jerry Seinfeld.

Since joining Jerry Seinfeld’s spectacular assortment, 917-022 has developed into an outstanding fixture at prestigious automotive occasions, including the Monterey Historic Car Races, the Pebble Seaside Concours class in 2009 and again in 2021, and the Porsche Rennsport Reunion V in 2015.

Right now, Porsche 917-022 is more breathtaking than ever because of a complete overhaul by Cavaglieri Restorations in Van Nuys, California. The first purpose was to return the automobile to its authentic screen-used specs while revitalizing its mechanical elements. Consultants from Ed Pink Racing Engines in Van Nuys dealt with the engine rebuild. In contrast, John Bunin and Adrian Gang introduced their specialized experience to the transmission, bringing the automotive powertrain to its peak efficiency again.

As part of the trouble, a brand new gasoline cell was custom-fabricated to match the unique unit. During the undertaking, the 917K’s body was pressure-tested for cracks and leaks, with repairs made as needed. The four-wheel hydraulic ventilated disc brakes and the four-wheel impartial suspension underwent magnafluxing and refurbishment.

Accomplished in August 2024, this meticulous transformation included repainting your entire automobile, even returning the body to its authentic black end. The enduring blue-and-orange Gulf Oil No. 20 livery from Le Mans, proper right down to the expertly put-in new graphics, was meticulously and accurately matched to its grand on-screen look.

The immense enchantment of 917-022 extends nicely past the cinematic highlight. The mannequin was a terrific competitor, first showing within the 1969 season and securing victory in the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans with a red-and-white instance with #23 livery pushed by Richard Attwood and Herrmann taking prime honors. One other victory was secured at Le Mans in 1971, with a blue-and-white 917 being pushed to first place by Helmut Marko and Gijs van Lennep.

Chassis No. 917-022 is powered by its authentic, matching-numbers Sort 912 4494cc DOHC air-cooled 180-degree V-12 engine, paired with a 4-speed all-synchromesh handbook transaxle. This powerhouse setup consists of Bosch mechanical gasoline injection with an 88mm bore and 66mm stroke, and a ten.5:1 compression ratio. The result’s a formidable output of 580 BHP at 8,400 RPM and 366 lb-ft of torque at 6,800 RPM, making the Sort 912 engine a formidable drive each on the monitor and within the annals of motorsport historical past.

There are unforgettable film vehicles, heart-pounding race rivals, and timeless classics owned by beloved celeb figures. But it’s an uncommon rolling gem that infuses all these alluring parts into one beautiful package deal.

Porsche 917-022 is distinctive, seamlessly mixing cinematic historical past with real motorsport pedigree. From its iconic function on the silver display screen to its real-world racetrack efficiency, it’s an outstanding piece of automotive artistry, eternally linked to pop-culture legends Steve McQueen and Jerry Seinfeld.

However, it’s not time to roll credit or drop a checkered flag, as its story isn’t over. The one-of-a-kind, star-studded 917-022 is ready to cross the public sale block at Mecum’s 2025 Kissimmee public sale, The World’s Largest Collector Automotive Public sale®.

Because it takes the mistakes the neath the FloridaSolarr, the world will likely be watching as this spectacular car shatters information and secures its legacy as one of the SAS after treasures in the automation automotive history.