Porsche 917 Le Mans Steve McQueen I Love Them All!

January 6, 2020

#348

Gentle reader,

Twenty four years ago, the eve of the Blizzard of '96, I married my best friend, soul mate and the love of my life.

But that is a coincidence. Today I write about another love of my life: Sports Cars and the racing of them. 

Born in the mid-1950's I was a car nut from a very early age. My mother says by age three I could identify any car I saw: Make, model and year. Methinks she exaggerates. But then, how many different cars could there have been in rural Kansas then?

A note on my images below. Short of taking everything that would fit on my scanner out of their frames and scanning them, I chose to shoot them in place. 

So, there are annoying reflections and in the one I used a flash, the reflection of it as well. Below, you can see my right knuckles reflected.

This is a print of a photo made of the winning 1970 Porsche 917K of JW Automotive Engineering's Gulf Oil sponsored team of three cars. Shot in the pits at Daytona in 1970. Probably made after practice but before the event. Paint chips from the sand adorn the front end, but by the end of the race, their damage was far greater.

A print of one of the most iconic images from the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans. Signed by Vic Elford #25 and Brian Redman #20.

The image was made with a 4x5" press camera. Like the one below, which is mine. The film is sheets not rolls. 4x5" is the size of the negative.

The same type of camera was used to make the famous photo of the US Marines raising the flag over Iwo Jima in World War II.

Anyway, the photographer who shot it was standing in the ideal place to catch the start. 
However, the sudden roar of all those race engines starting at once startled him and he pressed the shutter too soon. 

To change film, one must slide a "dark slide" into the film holder. They hold two sheets inside.

Pull out the holder, flip it over and reinsert it. Then pull out that dark slide cock the shutter and aim.

By the time he did that, half of the cars had gone past him.

An image from the filming of Steve McQueen's 1971 release, Le Mans. Signed by Vic Elford and purchased from him.

A shot made during the 1970 Le Mans 24 Hour race of the winning 917K and "Hippie car" 917LH. 

Speaking of reflections, one can clearly see me above in this photo of a poster. Signed color print is inset. 

A line drawing of Brian Redman and the 1970 Porsche 917K he co-drove in the 1970 season. This car's engine was destroyed by his co-pilot as it was passing the pits during the race when he missed a shift and the engine over-revved.

Hollywood legend, the late-Steve McQueen loved racing and set out to make THE greatest racing film of all time. 
Above is a 1971 Gulf Oil magazine advertisement touting their part of it.

My loving wife bought this print and matted it and put it in a very nice black walnut frame.

This is some of the posters and art from the 1970 racing season. The reflections bother me, but shiny objects are hard to light without causing them.
The one at the lower right is a print made by artist Alain Lemere. Called "Mental Introspection". The print is #9 of 15 total. 

When I am interested in something, I buy everything I can afford about the subject. What follows are the books I have about the era and series.

The one above is one of several portfolios I have by Brooklands Books. They are every English language magazine article on the subject all bound into one book. I also have ones on many Porsche street cars.

Not to be confused by the book and now film titled: The Art of Racing in the Rain.

The one book I cannot afford is John Wyer's That Certain Sound. THE ultimate book about Ford GT40s and Porsche 917K racing.

An excellent book on the subject, chock full of wonderful insight and photos. I am certain I have the film (on VHS tape) he made at the same time but cannot locate it. 

An excellent book comprised of images made at Sebring that year.

Other books on the racing, the iconic film and Steve McQueen follow. The one above is fantastic.

Michael Keyser who wrote The Speed Merchants also wrote this one.

Steve McQueen was not the only actor who loved to race.

Paul Newman was very successful (to say the least) as a racer.

As was James Garner. He had a team at Sebring in 1970, the same time Steve McQueen and Peter Revson were racing and almost won outright.

Today, another actor is also a racer and team owner: Patrick Dempsey. 
He was the racing director for the filming of  The Art of Racing in the Rain.
Which if you have not seen it, buy it on DVD, it is quite good and the racing is realistic. 

This is the first of (hopefully) a series of graphic novels about the movie.

My cars bookshelf, I built it some years ago. It is eight feet long and above the books is an area I covered with 1/4" Lexan which houses many diecast cars.

Our parents had VW cars, in fact theirs was the first one bought in their corner of Kansas. First a Beetle, but as we multiplied, a series of Buses.

I have no interest in open-wheel racing nor do I care for NASCAR.

I actually set out today to find Michael Keyser's film and grabbed these and the VHS tapes below on the subject.

When Le Mans came out in 1971, we were living in San Anselmo, California. I had just finished 8th grade.
I asked if my brother and I could see the film, it was showing in San Rafael, the next town over. Mom said, "Sure, if you can figure out a way to get there."
She did not count on my determination.
I obtained a local bus schedule and figured out what buses to catch to get there and back and when. She was so impressed she let us go.

When it was finally aired on TBS in the 1980's, I set the VCR to start at 2:00 AM.
I even got up at 2:00 to make sure the VCR was recording.
When I got home from work the next day, I rewound it and found that the second half of some other film was recorded and only the first half of  Le Mans!
I was so upset, I "wrote a strongly worded letter" to The Turner Broadcasting Station complaining.
The wrote back and apologized. They promised to show it again as soon as they could and would let me know by mail in advance when that would be.

Once it finally was released, I bought it on VHS tape. Then DVD and now have it on Blu-ray.

My wife and I got together with my son to see Ford V Ferrari. It was quite good.
But having grown up watching the races on TV, I (quietly) criticized the inaccuracies.
Nonetheless, they did a good job. The recreation and aging of the buildings and pits on the front straight was stunning.
Rural roads in Georgia (USA) were used for the racing at Le Mans. They reached speeds of 180 MPH on the long straight.
Again, if you have not seen it, do so.

Here is a link to a previous article I did which features diecast racers:
Ford GT-40s, Mark II, Mark IV and Porsche 917s at Le Mans 1965-1970 

Thank you SO much for taking the time to read my humble blog.
Your comments below and/or on Facebook are greatly appreciated.
They are what keep me writing and photographing.

Scott
January 6, 2020
#348