911 & Porsche World magazine have used our Steve McQueen 930 shoot at Laguna Seca on both their subscriber cover and UK news stand cover this month: we’ll wait to see if it makes the news stand cover in the US also. You can see the retail cover here, as well as reading our article (also in this month’s Porsche World) about the two almost-identical 911SC coupes, ten grand and 100,000 miles apart: a piece called “Project versus Perfect”.
It’s always a buzz to get a Porsche World cover, and a special buzz to get both retail and subscriber editions. Great photography as always by the marvellous Jamie Lipman, but a very special car too. The 930 was McQueen’s last 911 and now belongs to Mike Regalia, who bought and restored Steve’s famous Ferrari 250 GT Lusso, which sold at auction for a cool $2.31 million a few years back.
We shot the McQueen car during an SCCA meet at Laguna Seca. Organising the shoot is a long story – one for a book more than a blog – but it ended up with smiles all around. The moral is: if you ever go looking for Laguna Seca, you won’t find it unless you know the secret. Quite a shock how well hidden it is if you have been a lifelong fan of the place and just want to get in to have a look! There were some lovely people organising that event too: go SCCA!
I gotta give a special mention to my great buddy John Gray for keeping my positivity going on the last US trip. When three cars cancelled the week before we flew, we were all set to pull the plug until Gray gave me the news that the 930 had surfaced. Big thumbs up JG as, without your encouragement, we might have stayed home.
Sometimes I can’t believe we find such great cars to shoot – I dunno how it happens but that’s all part of the fun! Roll on the next trip.
I am very skeptical when it comes to green cars. Mr Steve seems to have pulled of 2 exceptions for me in this and the Bullitt Mustang. Hard to determine if it's the cars that are cool or if it's the McQueen connection that instantly makes it so.
It looks green but the Grey is the overriding colour in Europe. Everything is a unique colour in California light!
Thank you so very much for sharing the story and the pictures of Steve's 911. The 930 Turbo is still beyond belief and certainly one of my top 5 cars of all times. I do like the Mustang and the mentioned Ferrari, no doubt, but an early 911 Turbo beats them. I personally have a 996 Carrera 2, but keep thinking about getting a legendary G-model (after all, a good frind says that "water does not belong in an engine…" :-))
I am very looking forward to reading your future postst,
Greetings from Vienna
Roland
Thanks Roland, the Turbos are pretty cool. A friend of mine brought a lovely example to Spa earlier this month and drifted it around most corners for lap after lap.
Hey,
I am Trevor Barrett, son of Craig Barrett, the man who sold the car to Mr. Regalia. Some things to note on the article…
I drove this car a few times, and there was nothing wrong with the clutch cable.
Calling the paint a "6" is completely off base. The paint was fluid, and my Dad spent hours working on it every weekend.
The car is in completely perfect condition, and is an awesome car to drive. The press it is getting is amazing. This car was a legend amongst my friends growing up. I used to sit in this car when I was 6 or 7 years old and ask my father dumb questions about it. The car really flies too, and being only 26 years old, I do not drive many 4 speeds. Shifting from 3rd to 4th at high speeds made me sweat a little.
The seats are not original, and my Dad is not a small guy. He just meticulously maintained this vehicle. i was not allowed to wear jeans in the car.
If you have any specific questions about the car, let me know.
Thanks for the feedback, Trevor. I found the Turbo some way from being completely perfect, but neither is it falling apart. It needs a little work doing which is to be expected at this age and mileage.
I just call it like I see it: no offense intended. The current owner has no problems with anything we wrote.
All the best, John G
Yeah the "completely perfect" diction was a product of my sentimental value for the car I suppose… but for a 76 930 with a ton of miles on it, I thought it was in pretty good shape… and so did you for the most part based upon your response.
I am not offended at all. I really enjoyed the article, and I feel the overall reception was very positive. I enjoy your blog, it is great to see the car on here.
Great stuff, thanks Trevor 😉
Travis Frizzle drizzle here… always up in dah hizzle.
Unfortunately I'm friends with Mr. Trevor Barrett. He has no taste, literally, so take his responds with a grain of cyanide.
The GT2 that papa Barrett, Craig… aka cornbread master Fred bought after he sold this beauty is a monster. I should be digressing at this point, but this post has no point. So I digress from digressing to gress, wut?
Word up, drizzle dazzle… off the maxizzle.
I love you. Great, loved that car and article. My Z06 interior weeps in the wake of Porsches.
Fantastic 930 I have seen in Person….Boys Republic….class act
Totally Brian, a class act. I read something the other day where a guy reckoned McQueen arrived on a dirt bike at his dad's gas station, filled up and rode off without paying or saying thanks. Sounds beyond wrong, that story.
now i'm tempted to spray mine slate gray as opposed to the original sienna metallic!!