Page 1 of 2
Need Help with Jo Siffert's 1970 911S
Posted: Fri Jun 21, 2013 8:43 pm
by King's Lead Hat
I own a 1970 Porsche 911S,
VIN = 9110301059 --- had it since 13-Feb, 2009. For
waaaay more details, there’s a
long/detailed/rambling thread that's been going-on over on
The Early 911S Registry site . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/forums ... Fifty-nine
Anyway, in researching the car’s history, I found out recently that . . . .
1) The car was originally
ordered/built for + delivered to the
Versuch (
Experimental) department . . .
. . . and, later . . .
2) Sold to
Jo Siffert
The car had/has a number of unusual features --- paintwork, markings, accessories, personal touches, etc . . . that I’m trying to determine the origin of, so . . .
I’m trying to contact
The Siffert Family ---
Simone,
Veronique, and
Phillipe . . . to see if anyone remembers the car or any of its peculiarities
I’m trying to keep my inquiry as a
low-key sort-of thing . . . but I hope all of you can appreciate my intense curiosity about all this. Cars like this just don’t turn-up very often --- and to have one sitting in the garage? . . . well ---
I’m still in shock
Anyway --- any help or suggestions or contacts to help me find out more about this car would be most appreciated. I usually post over
The Early 911S Registry site, but ---- any information that I turn-up . . . I’ll post here, as well
Thank you for reading
Re: Need Help with Jo Siffert's 1970 911S
Posted: Fri Jun 21, 2013 8:52 pm
by johnM
Welcome to the forum and what a great looking car, (2.2 are the best) I am afraid I can not help with your question but I hope some one can.
Kind regards.
Re: Need Help with Jo Siffert's 1970 911S
Posted: Fri Jun 21, 2013 9:04 pm
by King's Lead Hat
Thanks, John . . .
I've been digging into the car's past for a while, now --- so, I expect all of this will take some time
Meanwhile? . . . . please feel free to pass me along
Siffert's name is probably more-recognized in Europe --- and so I'm hoping someone will have a way to contact his family + descendants
My name's Rick, by the way . . . and good to be here
Re: Need Help with Jo Siffert's 1970 911S
Posted: Fri Jun 21, 2013 9:07 pm
by stretch
Hi, and welcome.
you can contact phillipe through this forum.
http://www.autodiva.fr/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=109
You will need to register. If you have any trouble i can send a PM for you.
Dave
Re: Need Help with Jo Siffert's 1970 911S
Posted: Fri Jun 21, 2013 9:28 pm
by 210bhp
Hello Rick
Welcome to DDK.
If you have the stomach for it you should take a look at this thread. I would make a cup of coffee because it will be a while before you get to the section on the versuch models. You will be surprised at the connection with your car. Brendan and I (who found the car in the thread) will try to answer any questions you may have.
I would think your first port of call is to drop your knee bar and check the build number next to the ash tray.
Have fun!
http://www.ddk-online.com/phpBB2/viewto ... +barn+find
Regards
Mike
Re: Need Help with Jo Siffert's 1970 911S
Posted: Fri Jun 21, 2013 11:17 pm
by King's Lead Hat
210bhp wrote:Hello Rick
Welcome to DDK . . .
. . . I would think your first port of call is to drop your knee bar and check the build number . . .
Hello, Mike . . .
Got that . . .
. . . and thank you for the link!
(I'll get started)
Re: Need Help with Jo Siffert's 1970 911S
Posted: Fri Jun 21, 2013 11:22 pm
by King's Lead Hat
Hello, Dave --- and thank you for that link
And
yikes! --- my French is, like . . .
misérable
But I'll give it a shot
Re: Need Help with Jo Siffert's 1970 911S
Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2013 9:16 am
by 964RS
Just use google's translator
http://translate.google.com/
Re: Need Help with Jo Siffert's 1970 911S
Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 11:28 pm
by King's Lead Hat
OK . . .
Got some addresses
Next steps are to . . .
1) Write-up some letters --- in French
2) Run down to CVS w/ my thumb-drive + knock-out some photos
3) Put-together + mail some packages overseas
4) Cross my fingers
Re: Need Help with Jo Siffert's 1970 911S
Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2013 9:46 pm
by sonflowerinwales
I think this was was sold at auction here in Germany last year. I have the catalgue at home, I'll dig it out next weekend.
Bit of digging has led me to this page if it's any help....
http://www.autotechnikauktion.de/mg/arc ... IONID=&L=2
Cheers
Paul
Re: Need Help with Jo Siffert's 1970 911S
Posted: Sat Jun 29, 2013 2:54 pm
by King's Lead Hat
sonflowerinwales wrote:. . . I think this was was sold at auction here in Germany last year . . .
Different car ---
VIN = 9111301180
Jo Siffert owned at least four 911s, that I know of --- including the '
71 that you're referring to. See
post #491, below . . .
http://early911sregistry.org/forums/sho ... ine/page50
The '
71 car was sold by
Thomas Seydoux, at auction last year. Extensive restoration --- in the manner of the
McQueen car . . . including a color-change from metallic green to slate grey, then discovered to have been
Siffert's. Currently here . . .
http://www.psautomobile.de/?mod=fahrzeugangebote&aid=20
This
earlier car ---
VIN = 9110301059 . . . is different. Originally ordered/built for Porsche's '
Versuch' (
Experimental) department in early '
70, it was sold to
Siffert in
Apr '71, then --- following his death in Oct . . . sold out of Davos. The car lived in Switzerland for a few years, then was exported to the US in the '
80s. I found/purchased it in North Carolina, four years ago.
1059 has been repaired + re-painted, a few bits changed-out --- but is otherwise mostly original + un-restored
From what I can tell, I'm the
8th owner --- the 6th since
Siffert. (
Porsche KG =
OO) And until a few weeks ago --- no one knew what this car was . . . or to whom it had once belonged. Now, I'm trying to contact the
Sifferts . . . . to find out what I can
!
Re: Need Help with Jo Siffert's 1970 911S
Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 11:08 pm
by King's Lead Hat
Regarding the Sifferts . . .
Thanks to a French-speaking/writing friend, I sent letters --- in French + w/ photographs . . . to Phillipe + Veronique, Jo Siffert’s children, as well as Laurent Missbauer --- a journalist + reputed authority on Matters Siffert
Expensive effort --- ~$150 for all three packages w/ tracking
V’s + L’s packages show delivered 24-Jul . . . but P’s only shows 'arrived'
As yet, I have received no responses
Need Help Contacting Derek Bell
Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 12:07 am
by King's Lead Hat
I have a pretty strong suspicion that
9110301059 was w/ Mr Siffert when he was track-side during the filming of the movie '
Le Mans.' There are several photos of a dark-green 911, carrying Swiss-registered plates '
FR 10032' . . . which seem to be personal plates issued out of
Fribourg --- his hometown. Here's a thread . . .
http://forums.motorlegend.com/vb/showth ... 590&page=2
Anyway, I’ve been reading through ‘
A French Kiss with Death’ ---
Michael Keyser’s book about
Steve McQueen and the making of the movie. Came across the following passage . . .
‘
. . . Another day after filming, Jo (Siffert), Steve (McQueen), and Derek (Bell) were sitting around the tent at Solar Village sharing a bottle of wine when someone got the idea to stage a race.
“I can’t remember exactly what lead to it, but I’m pretty sure Steve was the instigator," Derek remembers.
The area around Solar Village was paved with loose gravel and Hubert Froehlich (the German production manager) was fastidious when it came to keeping it looking prim and proper. Early each morning he had a crew raking the gravel and tending to the flower beds he’d had planted.
After a few glasses of wine the trio decided they’d have a little race around the area. They jumped in their 911s and began dashing around the village, doing great slides and spinning the cars in circles.
"I’ll never forget, Jo suddenly whipped his car around and blasted right through one of the flaps on the side of the tent,” says Derek, chuckling.
By the time they were finished it looked as if the 10th Panzer Division had just come through . . .’ (
p327)
Keyser doesn’t mention who won that race
But all I wanna know is . . .
. . . what color was Jo’s car?
Can someone please help me contact Derek Bell?
Re: Need Help with Jo Siffert's 1970 911S
Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 12:14 am
by King's Lead Hat
One more thing . . . .
In 1970, Mr Siffert's Porsche concession was located at Route Nueve 1700, Fribourg Suisse
This is not the address that's on the Kardex
That address appears to be a residence
Re: Need Help with Jo Siffert's 1970 911S
Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 12:28 pm
by Mathew R
That's the correct address for his garage, sadly demolished a couple of years ago. I worked about 100 metres away for years without realising it. Only found out a few hours after it was demolished when the local press ran a story. I know fribourg pretty well, if you want me to check out the other address let me know
Cheers
Mathew