“Is Steve McQueen getting cooler by the minute?” Forbes wondered recently. The answer is an emphatic yes – on what would have been his 81st birthday, McQueen madness is at an all-time high. Perhaps it’s a comment on the aesthetic anemia of our current crop of movie stars, or maybe the King of Cool’s brand of rugged style is appealing to a new crop of copycats.
Persol and Barbour both recently debuted new McQueen collections, but more moneyed enthusiasts have their eye on two of the actor’s well-known modes of transport: both his 1971 Husqvarna 400CR motorbike and 1970 Porsche 911S are coming up for auction this summer.
Both are iconic McQueen motors; the actor was pictured riding the Husky on the cover of the August 23, 1971 issue of Sports Illustrated, while the Porsche featured prominently in his 1971 film Le Mans.
“Our advice: pick up a copy of the new, updated edition of McQueen’s Machines“
No estimates have been given on either for the simple fact that there’s no telling how much they could fetch. The odds of you getting your hands on one are pretty slim though unless you’re in the habit of writing blank cheques.
Our advice: pick up a copy of the new, updated edition of McQueen’s Machines: The Cars and Bikes of a Hollywood Icon recently published by Motorbooks, which contains extensive photos and info. on both as well as all the other King’s horses.
Over the next few weeks we’ll be bringing you some full-frame images from the must-have volume, starting with this snap of the actor racing a British-built Cooper T52 FJ at California’s Cotati Raceway in 1962, the first and only open-wheel racer he he ever competed in.
- Posted March 24, 2011
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- Courtesy Motorbooks
