Gooding & Company photos: Gooding & Company
1970 Porsche 917K, Lot 044
1931 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Series V Gran Sport, Lot 021
GOODING & COMPANY PEBBLE BEACH AUCTIONS IS AUGUST 18 & 19 by David M. Brown
A legendary 1970 Porsche 917K that starred in Steve McQueen’ s Le Mans, a 1931 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Series V Gran Sport and two low-mileage unrestored Mercedes-Benz 300 SLs lead 130−140 classic cars into Gooding & Company’ s Pebble Beach Auctions Friday, August 18, 6 p. m., and Saturday, Aug. 19, 11 a. m., at the Equestrian Center, Stevenson Drive and Portola Road in Pebble Beach, California.
In its second decade as the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance ®, which culminates Monterey Car Week, August 20, the Gooding & Company auction begins with the preview of cars, Wednesday, August 16, and continues through Saturday, August 19.
Liveried in white, baby blue and orange, the Porsche 917K, chassis 917-024, is a racing masterpiece. Revealed in 1969, the 12-cylinder 917 was further developed as the 917K(‘ K’ for kurz or short tail). This 917K, chassis 917-024, was used by Porsche during the 1970 Le Mans Tests, where Brian Redman and Mike Hailwood drove it, the former setting the fastest times. Two months later, another 917K won Le Mans.
Following testing at Le Mans, Nürburgring and Ehra Lessien, 917-024 was sold to Porsche factory driver, Jo Siffert, who leased the car to Steve McQueen’ s Solar Productions for use in Le Mans( 1971). After Siffert died, a private collector in Paris in the mid 1970s purchased it; in 2001, it was found in a warehouse outside the city, untouched after 20-plus years. A restoration was completed in 2017.
“ The Porsche 917 is among the most significant competition cars ever created, and they remain highly coveted by knowledgeable enthusiasts worldwide,” says David Gooding, president and founder of Santa, Monica, California-based Gooding & Company.“ This example, with its fascinating history, iconic livery and exacting restoration, is among the most exciting racing cars that has ever come to public auction.”
The 1931 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Series V Gran Sport is one of the legendary 6C 1750 Zagatobodied spiders and has been in single ownership since 1966. After restoration by specialist Clay Cook, the car won First in Class at the 1996 Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance ®.
The 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing shows just over 16,000 miles from new and remains in unrestored condition, and the 1957 300 SL Roadster is just under 38,000 miles.
Additional events for Gooding & Company Monterey include the Tour d’ Elegance ®, Thursday, August 19, a parade of motorcars outside the Gooding & Company marquee. And, Keith Martin’ s Sports Car Market Seminar takes place from 9:30- 11:30 a. m., Saturday, August 19.
Gooding & Company has a limited number of reserved rooms for clients: Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa, montereyplazahotel. com; Carmel Lodge, camellodge. com; Tradewinds Carmel, tradewindscarmel. com; The Normandy Inn, normandyinncarmel. com; and La Playa Carmel, laplayahotel. com.
Auction catalogues are $ 100, including admission for two to the viewing and the auctions. General admission is $ 40, providing a single admission to the viewing and the auctions.
For more information, see goodingco. com or call 310. 899.1960.
32 Highline Autos 2017 Monterey Car Week Guide | www. Highline-Autos. com