Admired the 911 driven by Steve McQueen in the movie “Le Mans”

The 19th Classic Car Meeting was held in Niigata Prefecture on May 3, 2024. At the event, we saw a Porsche 911T owned by Hiroshi Nanasawa, who was fascinated by the movie “Le Mans,” which was released in 1971, and it was the first car he bought in his life. We asked him to introduce us to his beloved car, which he has cherished ever since.

This was the first car I bought myself in my life.

One of the cars we saw in the relaxed atmosphere of the event hall was this Porsche 911T. Despite being a narrow-body car, it was a 1970 2.2L model with a 57mm longer wheelbase and flared body arches in the front and rear.

“I have always admired the 1970 911 that Steve McQueen drove at the beginning of the movie ‘Le Mans'”.

Mr. Hiroshi Nanasawa drove from Toyama Prefecture, a neighbor of Niigata, to participate in the event. He has been a regular attendee at this event.

“I wanted to get a 911 someday, but for a while after I started working, I was extremely busy with work and didn’t even have time to spend money.”

It was in 1981 that Mr. Nanasawa, with such a busy schedule, acquired this 911. It was the first car he ever bought himself.

“I have been driving it ever since. The body of the T of this era was made by Karmann, and it is very solidly built,

said Nanasawa, showing us a plate made by Karmann.

Kept in original condition for 40 years

It has been more than 40 years since I admired the 911 that S. McQueen once drove and acquired it. Mr. Nanasawa says that his goal for the future is to keep the car in the same condition as when he bought it as much as possible. The car has been kept in almost all original condition except for wear and tear parts.

“I appreciate the fact that Porsche has a relatively wide variety of parts. I also order necessary parts from overseas.”

Mr. Nanasawa’s 911T had undergone a brake overhaul the year before last, and just a week before this event, the suspension had been overhauled. The engine is running very well.

“I use it for everyday use, so it’s not very shiny,”

he says humbly. He is modest, but we think that the relationship between Mr. Nanasawa and his 911T is an example of one of the most wonderful ways for an owner and a car to get to know each other.