It has been restored to its original 1971 Le Mans movie specifications.
Cars on the big screen often have fleeting lives, with many scrapped or sidelined after filming. However, the 1970 Porsche 917K, the star of the 1971 film Le Mans, led a more fortunate life. After the movie, this iconic car was passed between Porsche collectors, including Jerry Seinfeld, and continued its journey as a real race car. Now, it’s heading to auction early next year.
In the film, Steve McQueen’s character, Michael Delaney, drove this Porsche 917K to a second-place finish for the Gulf Porsche team. McQueen’s production company purchased the car, chassis 22, for the movie, which depicted the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans race.
Porsche developed the 917 in the late 1960s with a 4.5-liter flat-12 engine that was later upgraded to 4.9 liters by 1971. The 917K, an improved version of the 1969 original, featured a shorter tail and enhanced aerodynamics, leading to seven wins out of 10 races in the 1970 championship.
