Celebrity provenance can add a lot of allure and
value to a classic car. Especially if that celebrity was no other than Steve
McQueen. As much a car guy as he was an actor, McQueen amassed an enviable collection
of cars and motorcycles. This classic Chevy convertible was just one, and right
now it needs a new home.
The 1951 Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe Convertible
didn't just belong to the legendary King of Cool – it appeared alongside him in The Hunter, which turned out to be the last movie he
ever made.
He bought it off the set when filming was done,
while its current owner in turn bought it from the late actor's estate auction
in Las Vegas back in 1984, just a few years after his passing. The car was
featured in Matt Stone's 2007 book "McQueen's Machines: The Cars and Bikes
of a Hollywood Icon,” on a two-part episode of Pawn Stars, and comes with a
document signed by McQueen's children Chad and Terry attesting to its authenticity.
It might not be a racing Porsche or classic Ferrari
– heck, its six-cylinder engine only puts out 92 horsepower through a 3-speed
manual transmission – but it was McQueen's all the same, both on and off the
set. And it could be yours if you place the winning bid at Barrett-Jackson in
Scottsdale later this month.
