I was in the presence of genuine star power yesterday. I got to see and touch Steve McQueen’s 1976
Mecum Auctions brought the Turbo Carrera, also known by the factory designation “930,” out to the Motor Press Guild’s monthly luncheon at the Proud Bird Restaurant near Los Angeles International Airport on July 14. Mecum will be handling the auction of the McQueen 930 at its Monterey auction (August 13-15) being held in conjunction with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Since 2008, the 930 has been owned by Mike Regalia of Regalia Concours Restorations in Sun Valley, California. In between McQueen and Regalia, the Porsche passed through the hands of film producer/writer Floyd Mutrux (American Hot Wax, The Hollywood Knights), Dean Paul "Dino" Martin (son of Dean Martin) and several other owners. Owner Bill Susdorf performed a cosmetic and mechanical refreshing in the early 1990s, but other than that, the vehicle is pretty much stock, with a few minor modifications ordered by McQueen during his ownership. The odometer currently reads over 154,000 miles, but the car appears to be in near concours condition. It sports a slate gray paint job, as special ordered from the factory, and wider than standard wheels, put on the car by McQueen after he took possession. There’s also a very McQueen feature – a toggle switch on the dash that turns off the rear lights. According to Chad McQueen, the actor’s son, Steve McQueen had that switch installed in case he needed to escape the traffic police on Mulholland, a favorite strip of road in the Hollywood Hills. The man was a true rebel and the coolest dude on the planet. There’s no denying it.
Owner Regalia has committed a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of the McQueen 930 to benefit Boy’s Republic, “a private, nonprofit, nonsectarian school and treatment community for troubled youngsters,” according to the organization’s website. Steve McQueen is the most famous graduate of Boy’s Republic, and often credited the school for putting him on the straight and narrow. He maintained a significant relationship, both financial and physical, with Boy’s Republic throughout his life, and his legacy has been attached to the school even beyond his death in 1980. Regalia hopes that the financial benefit of the sale helps to sustain Boy’s Republic, but he’s even more interested in raising awareness of the school and its good works. “I just hope that people get to know more about this place,” Regalia said. “It was important to Steve, and I know that he’d be happy to know that his car made a difference there.”
