By Andrew Court
For the first 36 minutes of the iconic racing movie, Le Mans, there’s absolutely no dialogue.
You could be forgiven for confusing this with a documentary. The film showcases the famous French 24-hour endurance race which is held every June. The competition is unique in that it takes place on actual French roads. We begin with the star Steve McQueen driving a Porsche 911 through the rustic French countryside on his way to the track, a quiet start to a loud day. We make it to the track and the tension builds.
McQueen was a passionate racing driver, and without his interest this film would never have been made. While the movie is fiction, innovative camera work gives an impression of what it was really like behind the wheel.
To capture the actual race, Steve McQueen’s personal Porsche 908/2 was fitted with a camera. The car was entered by McQueen’s Solar Productions company and shot real time racing footage. While filming it even managed to finish second in the P3 class. As an artifact of early 70s motorsports, the film is unparalleled.
This cult classic is back in the news because, over the next year, a series of auctions will give fans the chance to buy the ultimate memorabilia from the film.
In January, Mecum will auction off the 1970 Porsche 917K that in many ways was McQueen’s costar. Decked out Gulf Oil livery, this is one of the most iconic race cars of all time. The K is important, signifying the long, low slung body style, excellent for the high speeds of Le Mans. This isn’t just a prop, after filming wrapped it was sold and entered in eight races in 1971 alone.
The car first came up for auction in 2001, entering the private collection of comedian Jerry Seinfeld. He paid $1,320,00 which at the time was a record. Like everything in our world, its price has increased. The car is expected to break the record for a 917 at auction, going for over $14,000,000. If you are a real badass it’s possible to even make it street legal, as one crazy Monegasque has done with his 917.
While the car is cool, I’m more excited about the Heuer timepiece from the film.
In December, at the Sotheby’s Important Watches auction, the Heuer seen on McQueen’s wrist will hit the block. The watch, known today as the Monaco, is one of four that were purchased for filming. Two are currently in the manufacturer’s permanent collection. The piece is estimated to sell for between $500K and $1,000,000.
At one point I owned a Monaco, maybe I’m dating myself but it was the cool guy timepiece of 2007. It’s a striking watch, bright blue with white cat eye subdials in an iconic rectangular case. The red second hand adds a particularly sporty touch. If you buy one, people will notice, you will get compliments.
After I bought the Monaco I learned he wore a Rolex Explorer II in real life.
Beyond the piece itself I particularly enjoyed the connection to McQueen. My gateway drug to his work was The Great Escape where he jumps a Triumph motorcycle over the fence of a German POW camp. Next I moved on to The Thomas Crown Affair. Here, McQueen is an elegant thief, driving a Rolls Royce and wearing a three-piece suit while orchestrating a daring bank robbery.
The most iconic McQueen film is Bullit. His green ‘68 Mustang fastback jumping the hills of San Francisco probably sold more pony cars than the company’s entire racing program.
For a while I put a lot of effort into aping McQueen’s style. I bought the Clarke’s Chukka boots and wore Levi’s 501s with a crisp white tee. From there I bought a Bellstaff Jacket and Persol shades. This was my first attempt at forming a personal style, and like many young men I saw McQueen as the “king of cool.” I stand by all these decisions, there are far worse guys to steal a look from.
I don’t have the money to buy these Items at auction, but I wish I did. If you have the readies lying around—maybe from a heist—don’t hesitate. I can’t imagine they will go down in value anytime soon. As our society’s testosterone levels continue to drop, we have more need than ever for inspirational icons like McQueen.
