Steve McQueen, the Monaco & the 917K

What Really Happened on the Set of Le Mans

A Racing Film Built on Authenticity

In mid-1970 Steve McQueen arrived at Circuit de la Sarthe with a brief so simple it bordered on obsessive: capture a full 24-hour race on film exactly as it felt from a driver’s seat. To sell the illusion the production team—Solar Productions—hired active Porsche works mechanics, signed Swiss ace Jo Siffert as technical adviser, and leased genuine competition machinery rather than studio props. Central to the kit list were two items that went on to define the film’s visual identity: a square-cased Heuer Monaco ref. 1133B chronograph and a Gulf-liveried Porsche 917K, chassis 024, fresh from the 1970 season’s test programme.  

The Square Chronograph That Wasn’t Selling

Heuer had launched the Monaco the previous year to showcase its modular Calibre 11 automatic movement, yet the radical square case confused conservative buyers and initial sales were slow. Jack Heuer later recalled that an unsolicited phone call from Le Mans property master Don Nunley alerted him to an extraordinary chance: McQueen wanted period-correct racing accessories, and the Monaco’s blue dial matched the Gulf stripes on the 917.  

Fact or Folklore: Why McQueen Chose the Monaco

Folklore says the actor picked the watch solely because it “looked cool”. Contemporary accounts point elsewhere. McQueen modelled his character Michael Delaney on his friend Jo Siffert, who raced in a Heuer-badged fire suit and often wore an Autavia chronograph. With Siffert consulting on set—and with Heuer keen to capitalise on a marketing gift—three Monacos arrived by courier, along with multiple Heuer patches for the suits. Nunley’s later memoir corroborates that McQueen tried an Autavia first, then switched to the Monaco because its square case would stand out on film, a decision backed by Siffert.  

How Many Monacos Made It to the Set?

Documentation now accepted by TAG Heuer’s heritage department lists six ref. 1133B watches allocated to the production: four fitted to leather straps for on-camera use, two on steel bracelets held as spares. Two remain in the TAG Heuer museum, one was gifted to chief mechanic Haig Altounian and auctioned in 2020, another went to prop assistant Bill Maher in the 1970s, and two have yet to surface publicly.  

917K 024: From Factory Racer to Camera Star

Chassis 024 started life as a 1969 long-tail development mule, then was upgraded to 917K specification and sold to Siffert. Between June and November 1970 he leased the car to Solar Productions, adding the instantly recognisable blue-and-orange Gulf livery.  The 4.5-litre flat-twelve remained untouched; camera mounts were fixed to the tail and sponsons, and extra wiring powered 35 mm cameras. A second 917—chassis 022—served as on-track hero car, but 024 logged the greatest screen time because the modified bodywork could carry heavy cameras at racing speeds without unsettling airflow.

Camera Cars and Insurance Clauses

McQueen planned to drive the 917 himself, but insurers refused to cover the risk after he injured his foot in a motorcycle crash weeks earlier. The solution was pragmatic: Porsche factory driver Herbert Linge and Siffert’s team-mate Brian Redman handled high-speed scenes, while McQueen piloted a 911 camera car for cockpit close-ups.  During night sessions the 917’s headlights proved too dim for Panavision stock; extra quartz floodlights were taped to the nose, and timekeepers relied on Heuer split-second stopwatches to maintain lap-time continuity across takes—a detail visible in behind-the-scenes stills shot by Mel Traxel.

Myth-Making in Marketing: Heuer and Porsche After 

Le Mans

The film under-performed at the box office yet delivered an enduring marketing lift for both brands. Heuer printed cinema stills of McQueen flashing a Monaco-clad wrist and distributed them to retailers worldwide; posters soon filled jewellers’ windows, and Monaco sales rebounded sharply in the early 1970s. Jack Heuer later called it “one of the greatest marketing coups of all time.”  Porsche benefited just as directly: footage of the 917 pounding Mulsanne at 350 km/h cemented the model’s reputation long after regulations forced its retirement. Orders for customer 911 RS and Carrera RS models in Gulf colours spiked, aided by Le Mans publicity tours where chassis 024 appeared on static display.

Separating Fact From Folklore

Folklore: McQueen personally bought the Monaco he wears in the film. Fact: All six watches were supplied free by Heuer; none were bought at retail. 

Folklore: McQueen drove the 917K during race-speed filming. Fact: Insurance restrictions limited him to slow camera runs; Linge and Redman handled speed shots. 

Folklore: One Monaco was lost during filming. Fact: Production logs show every watch accounted for; any missing examples disappeared after the wrap party, not on set. 

Folklore: Porsche provided 917K 024 free of charge. Fact: Siffert invoiced Solar Productions for the lease; the arrangement covered wear-and-tear and post-film refurbishment. 

Cultural Afterglow: Design Cues That Still Shape Both Brands

TAG Heuer continues to release Monaco limited editions that reference McQueen’s racing suit stripes, while Porsche Motorsport’s heritage liveries frequently revisit the Gulf palette first immortalised on chassis 024. Media images from Formula E and modern endurance events still pair the two icons—proof of how a single film etched their link into public consciousness.  

Enduring Appeal in Motorsport Culture

Drivers from Mario Andretti to Patrick Dempsey have recreated McQueen’s look in tribute events, emphasising the Monaco’s viability as a working track-tool despite its unconventional form. Porsche meanwhile restored 917K 024 for Pebble Beach in 2017, displaying the car alongside period Heuer timing gear to demonstrate authenticity down to the last stopwatch.  

Final Thoughts

The making of Le Mans fused Swiss timekeeping, Hollywood ambition and Stuttgart horsepower into a cultural milestone none of its participants foresaw. The Heuer Monaco ref. 1133B went from showroom curiosity to design icon once it appeared on McQueen’s wrist, while Porsche’s 917K gained cinematic immortality that outlasted its brief competitive window. Strip away the folklore and the story becomes sharper: a pragmatically leased race car, a strategic product-placement phone call, and a set full of racing personnel who treated each take like a genuine pit stop. Authenticity was the watchword, and authenticity is why the imagery still resonates half a century later. McQueen, the square chronograph and the thunderous flat-twelve proved that when real engineering meets honest storytelling, the result can eclipse box-office figures and become permanent motoring folklore.