They just don’t make movie stars like they used to. Steve McQueen was a man’s man who drank hard, partied harder, and made some of the best damn movies to ever grace the big screen. He was also a huge petrol head, starring in movies like Bullitt, amassing a formidable collection of cars, and even undertaking a professional racing career.
Anything even mildly related to McQueen can fetch big bucks from memorabilia collectors, even if the item itself is rather pedestrian.
The New York Times reports that a Chevy from Steve McQueen’s last movie, The Hunter, will be heading to auction in March. The car has an interesting history, and is currently owned by another star in his own right, Rick Harrison of the television show Pawn Stars.
The car in question is a 1951 Chevy Styline Deluxe Convertible that McQueen’s character, a bounty hunter named Ralph “Papa” Thoron”, drives from one bounty to another. After filming wrapped, McQueen bought the car from the studio, adding it to his collection before dying later that year. The Chevy was then sold four years later at McQueens highly-publicized estate auction.
Since then, the McQueen Chevy has undergone a complete restoration, and even without McQueen’s star power is estimated to be worth around $45,000. The car was sold to Rick Harrison of History Channel’s Pawn Stars for an undisclosed price, and the Chevy will be sold without reserve. This ride will almost assuredly fetch six-figures, and knowing how hard a deal Harrison can push, we’d say a big payday is right around the corner for the Pawn Star’s star. The car will be sold next month by Auctions America.