Jump to content


Photo

Le Mans the movie, any of the cars still being raced?


  • Please log in to reply
6 replies to this topic

#1 kartman24

kartman24
  • Member

  • 99 posts
  • Joined: May 10

Posted 30 July 2013 - 19:36

I am currently watching the movie Le Mans, it got me wondering whether any of the cars in it were still racing? Is Shaun Lynn`s Lola T70 the Piper car used in the movie, I know David had several through his hands over the years.............Martin

Edited by kartman24, 30 July 2013 - 19:38.


Advertisement

#2 DampMongoose

DampMongoose
  • Member

  • 2,258 posts
  • Joined: February 12

Posted 31 July 2013 - 15:51

Now I'm not going to pretend that I know much about the provenance of the cars that featured in Steve's labour of love but I saw earlier this year that one of the 3 Lola T70 MKIIIb's with chassis number SL76/141 (which was also a car they altered to replicate Steve's 917 complete with radio control for the crash sequence) was for sale in February or March this year with FIA papers etc.

It is no longer in the same yellow livery as the film when it was the number 11 seen spinning on the run to Indianapolis, as it has returned to it's original white/red/blue Valvoline livery after a big rebuild from what I remember of the article...

I'm sure there are many members on TNF that can provide you with better responses than I Kartman, but I'll be interested to see what's still running, so will be checking back here for updates!



(edited having found the chassis number online!)

Edited by DampMongoose, 31 July 2013 - 15:53.


#3 Emery0323

Emery0323
  • Member

  • 455 posts
  • Joined: January 11

Posted 31 July 2013 - 16:39

Jerry Seinfeld, of the "Seinfeld" TV Show, currently owns the Porsche 917 that Steve McQueen drove in the film (owned by Solar Productions, his production company).

It was sold and raced by Team Auto-Usdau in 1971 (Joest/Kauhsen), and he ran a few exhibition laps with it at the Monterey Historics in 2009.

http://pandinigp.wor...egory/seinfeld/

http://stvmcqueen.tr...om/lmansps.html

I thought I saw that John Giordano's 512S #1004 had passed through Solar Production's ownership, but can't find any confirmation of that now.
Does anybody know if that car is repaired from its accident in 2010?

Nick Mason's 512S, 512-1026, is now in Spyder form, but was a Coda Lunga Coupe in the movie. He still brings that one to historic events in the UK, from what I understand.


#4 BobGreen

BobGreen
  • New Member

  • 15 posts
  • Joined: August 10

Posted 31 July 2013 - 16:44

I am currently watching the movie Le Mans, it got me wondering whether any of the cars in it were still racing? Is Shaun Lynn`s Lola T70 the Piper car used in the movie, I know David had several through his hands over the years.............Martin


One of the camera cars, I believe that it is a Porsche 910, that raced and filmed was/is raced out of Connecticut by a guy from Houston, Texas. This car finished pretty well as I remember but made to many pit stops to change the film cans and was disqualified. The car raced at a CVAR event a few years ago at Texas World Speedway.
I don't remember the owners name but they had a very impressive collection of vintage racers.
The facts get foggier as I get older.
Bob

#5 Alan Cox

Alan Cox
  • Member

  • 8,397 posts
  • Joined: March 03

Posted 31 July 2013 - 16:59

One of the camera cars, I believe that it is a Porsche 910, that raced and filmed was/is raced out of Connecticut by a guy from Houston, Texas. This car finished pretty well as I remember but made to many pit stops to change the film cans and was disqualified. The car raced at a CVAR event a few years ago at Texas World Speedway.

It was a 908/2, Bob, about which there has been much discussion on here and elsewhere over the years since a second car surfaced claiming to be the genuine article.

#6 Tim Murray

Tim Murray
  • Moderator

  • 24,592 posts
  • Joined: May 02

Posted 31 July 2013 - 18:02

Here's the thread on the McQueen 908/2:

McQueen/Revson Porsche 908/2

This debate never reached any firm conclusion over which, if either, of the contenders was the genuine McQueen car, and the last relevant post was made nearly three years ago; does anyone have any more recent info?

#7 mfd

mfd
  • Member

  • 2,987 posts
  • Joined: May 03

Posted 31 July 2013 - 18:52

This debate never reached any firm conclusion over which, if either, of the contenders was the genuine McQueen car, and the last relevant post was made nearly three years ago; does anyone have any more recent info?

The Austrian owned version was converted to look like the camera car for the Le Mans Classic of 2010. The owner/driver shared the car at the event with... David Piper.

Edited by mfd, 31 July 2013 - 18:53.