There are a few names in the automotive world that instantaneously command extra attention whenever they come up. Carroll Shelby comes to mind, thanks to legendary cars like the Cobra, GT40, and today's spate of Mustang variants. Steve McQueen is another, a famous film actor who loved cars, drove cars, raced cars, and made movies about cars.
Earlier this year, the Mustang McQueen drove in the film Bullitt set a world record at auction (since surpassed, somewhat fittingly, by a Shelby prototype Mustang driven by Ken Miles). Even McQueen's old camper truck has been making the rounds online and earning headlines every time it pops up for sale. The McQueen lore has inspired many fans to save up and collect posters, toys, and memorabilia. Most can't afford to buy one of his actual cars (or motorcycles), though obsession comes in many forms as proven by a recent feature from Porsche about Frank Wrobel and his collection of movie paraphernalia related to McQueen and the actor's own passion project, Le Mans.
A Passion Develops
Like many film fans, Wrobel first encountered his love for McQueen while watching the famous Mustang and Charger car chase scene in Bullitt. But the experimental 1971 film Le Mans would eventually capture his imagination in a whole new way—perhaps the lack of dialogue or the intense racing footage filmed at the infamous endurance race allowed Wrobel to project his own sensibilities into the movie's sparse plot.
Porsche At Le Mans
Porsche's role in the film as the underdog manufacturer (vs Ferrari, its always Ferrari) hoping for a victory in the iconic 917K racecar explains why the company has taken the trouble to document Wrobel's collection. It's safe to say the wide-ranging stash, which includes signed helmets, posters, an original screenplay, model cars, pamphlets, and more, could be one of the greatest McQueen and Le Mans treasure troves in Europe, if not the world. For McQueen, racing was life and everything else was just waiting—for Wrobel, collecting the ephemera surrounding that racing life has become life.
Sources: newsroom.porsche.com and imdb.com.