VIN: the Solar Productions / Team Auto Usdau Porsche 917 chassis 022
History of chassis 022
Chassis 022 was one of the 25 917s presented to the FIA inspectors on April 21st 1969. Like most of these cars, it was only loosely assembled.
During 1969, Porsche used chassis 001 for promotional duty and 002 to 010 for competition. The rest, including 022, were dismantled to be properly rebuilt at a later date.
For the first five months of 1970, chassis 022 (now in 1970 Kurzheck trim) was kept at the factory as a spare.
It was then sold to Solar Productions for use in the Steve McQueen movie Le Mans.
Filming took place between June and November. 022 starred in the Gulf Racing colours of John Wyer Automotive Engineering.
Once filming was complete, 022 (along with a 908/02) was sold to Porsche test driver, Willi Kauhsen.
For 1971 Kauhsen had backing from a Mannheim Mercedes-Benz dealership. 022 would be campaigned under the Team Auto Usdau banner.
For its first race (the 1971 Buenos Aires 1000km), 022 appeared in Gulf Blue with a red instead of orange stripe. Shortly beforehand, Kauhsen went down with flu and arranged for the Argentine, Engel Monguzzi, to partner his regular co-driver, Reinhold Joest. The car retired with engine trouble on lap 85.
022 then skipped the races at Daytona and Sebring. It returned to Europe, was freshened up and repainted a new yellow and green livery.
022 finished sixth overall at the Brands Hatch 1000km and, by the Monza 1000km three weeks later, was in full 1971 Kurzheck trim.
During its next three World Sportscar Championship outings, 022 finished seventh (Monza 1000km), fourth (Spa 1000km) and sixth (Nurburgring 1000km). 022 actually won the five-litre Sport class at the Nurburgring as the works-backed Gulf and Salzburg teams preferred to run nimbler three-litre 908/03s.
From Germany, the Auto Usdau car was taken direct to Italy for the non-championship Repubblica GP on June 2nd. Willi Kauhsen enlisted Jo Siffert to drive but Siffert missed practice so had to start from the back of the grid. By this time, the car’s 4.5-litre engine had run for 92 hours without a rebuild and it simply didn’t have the gusto to win. Siffert finished second to the Scuderia Filipinetti Ferrari 512 M of Mike Parkes.
022 was then entered for round two of the Interserie championship four days later at Zolder but the engine finally gave up during practice and Kauhsen did not start.
022 was subsequently retired from active duty.
Kauhsen sold the car to Reinhold Joest in 1972. It was later owned by Porsche works drivers, Brian Redman and Richard Attwood.
In 2002, chassis 022 was purchased by American comedian and TV producer, Jerry Seinfeld.
Notable History
Porsche System Engineering
21/04/1969 Factory homologation presentation
Subsequently dismantled and later rebuilt to 917 K specification
Sold to Solar Productions Inc., North Hollywood, USA, for the Steve McQueen film ‘Le Mans’
Blue & Orange Gulf livery
Sold to Willi Kauhsen, Germany (Team Auto Usdau)
Blue & Red livery
10/01/1971 WSC Buenos Aires 1000km (R. Joest / A. Monguzzi) DNF engine (#48)
Yellow & Green livery
04/04/1971 WSC Brands Hatch 1000km (W. Kauhsen / R. Joest) 6th oa, 4th S5.0 class (#10)
Rebuilt to 917/71 K trim
25/04/1971 WSC Monza 1000km (W. Kauhsen / R. Joest) 7th oa, 4th S5.0 class (#6)
09/05/1971 WSC Spa 1000km (W. Kauhsen / R. Joest) 4th oa, 3rd S5.0 class (#25)
30/05/1971 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (W. Kauhsen / R. Joest) 6th oa, 1st S5.0 class (#55)
02/06/1971 IND Vallelunga Repubblica GP (J. Siffert) 2nd oa (#8)
06/06/1971 INT Zolder (W. Kauhsen) DNS engine (#19)
1972 sold to Reinhold Joest, Germany
1975 sold to Brian Redman, UK
1978 sold to Richard Attwood, UK
2000 sold to Frank Gallogly, USA
2002 sold to Jerry Seinfeld, USA
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
