Steve McQueen’s Le Mans overalls sell for $984,000!

Somebody paid $984,000, including fees, for Michael Delaney's race suit...

A set of overalls worn by Steve McQueen in the Le Mans movie has been sold at auction for an amazing $984,000 including commission fees – making them the most expensive item of motor racing related memorabilia we’re ever likely to see, excluding complete cars.

The overalls, bearing the name Michael Delaney, were given away in a UK newspaper competition in 1971.

The Profiles in History auction catalogue explained it thus: “When principal filming of Le Mans was completed, Solar Productions donated this suit to the British newspaper, The Observer for a special Le Mans-themed contest in 1971. By answering 3 Le Mans history questions correctly, 12 year-old Timothy Davies of Wolverhampton, England was chosen as the winner and presented with the suit by racing driver Richard “Dickie” Attwood, winner of the 1970 Le Mans race and driver of the Porsche 917K Gulf car during driving sequences in the film.”

Davies is not the big beneficiary however, as he had sold the overalls on. No doubt for somewhat less than they went for…

Also in the auction were items such as Marilyn Monroe’s wedding ring and the ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz, although the latter failed to sell.