Steve McQueen’s 1958 Porsche 356 A 1600 Super Speedster (Chassis 84855) is legendary as the first brand-new car he ever purchased and the vehicle that launched his formal racing career.
In late 1958, while his acting career was gaining momentum with the TV series Tales of Wells Fargo, McQueen bought the black-on-black Speedster from a dealership in Alhambra, California. The car featured a 1600cc “Super” engine producing roughly 75 horsepower.
He specifically ordered it with Rudge “knock-off” wheels, a rare and expensive racing feature, and a cigarette lighter clamped to the steering column. He eventually removed the “Speedster” and “Reuter” badges for a cleaner look, a detail preserved by the car's current owners.
McQueen used this Porsche to transition from motorcycle racing to sports car competition. In May 1959, he entered his first official Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) race in Santa Barbara and won his class against 47 other novice drivers. He continued racing the Speedster throughout 1959 at iconic tracks including Del Mar, Willow Springs, and Laguna Seca.
The Speedster’s history includes a famous gap in ownership that highlights McQueen’s attachment to his machines. As his career exploded in the late 1960s, McQueen sold the car to real estate developer and collector Bruce Meyer. McQueen soon regretted the sale and spent years persuading Meyer to sell it back.
In 1974, Meyer finally agreed to sell it back to McQueen for approximately $1,500—the same price he had paid years earlier. McQueen verified it was his original car by pulling up the carpet to find the roll-bar mounting holes he had drilled decades before.
Unlike many of his other famous cars (like the Jaguar XKSS or various Ferraris), the 1958 Speedster never left the family again. It remained with McQueen until his death in 1980 and is currently owned and preserved by his son, Chad McQueen.
0 comments:
Post a Comment