The 1957 Fiat Bartoletti transporter featured in Steve McQueen’s movie Le Mans, as well as used in the real world by the Maserati, Shelby American and Alan Mann racing teams, will be offered for bidding September 8 at Bonhams’ Goodwood Revival auction, Bonhams announced Tuesday.
During its possession by McQueen’s Solar Productions movie company, the bus-style race-car transporter “was repainted in almost every recognizable racing livery throughout filming to ensure that it could be used as a prop in as many scenes as possible,” Bonhams noted in its news release.
“It finished its stint on set painted a striking bright red having been portrayed as a Scuderia Ferrari vehicle.”
Bonhams adds that during its use by racing teams, “it transported some of the greatest cars and drivers in motoring history,” including works Maserati 250Fs, works Shelby Cobra roadsters and works Ford GTs that were driven by the likes of Juan Manuel Fangio, Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, Graham Hill and others.\
“This is a true piece of motor racing history,” the auction house added. “It is 9m in length and can reach an impressive 85km/h despite having room to carry three racing cars and at least seven crew members.”
Bonhams expects the transporter to sell for between £500,000 and £600,000 ($650,000 and $775,000) at the auction.
Oooh-, I want that. It belongs in the Indianapolis Speedway Museum, just ‘cuz I’m from Indy and they have so much cool s*** that goes with.
Better, let’s buy ol’ Woolf’s Bentley, McQueen’s "Bullitt" ‘Stang, and the beat-up Daytona Shelby that Phil Spector used to have, and make some cash for charity while having a ripping good time. None of those cars are really worth a s*** sitting around looking pretty- put ’em on the truck ‘n’ stretch ’em for a good cause, overly rich aficionados.
Can’st thou imagine the noise made when that old Daytona tries to get around the Mustang, while both try to get around the Grand Prix Bentley? The soundtrack alone would get millions of hits. My understanding is that Alan Jackson (country music star, car guy, and MAJOR charity supporter) knows those old Bentleys, having one hissown self. So put Chris McQueen in the ‘Stang and, oh, say AJ Foyt in Spector’s Coupe, have big Euro manufacturers shown in the movie onboard, and let a real polarizer like Danica Patrick drive the Transporter, all the cars carried, and narrate the show. And count the hits and the $$$. Better than watching "oh so cool", tattooed up wannabe Billy Badass clones chop up another Camaro or ’32 Coupe, with fake shop "tension" and an end product only a Bill Gates could afford, right?
Takers,?