"Who's the U-Boat Commander?"
"It's what you want. It's what every white boy off the lake wants."
"I'd appreciate it, if you'd stop laying these little judgments on me, while you're leaning on your daddy's $40,000 car."The lot description for the 928 (known for wild interiors) follows with a link to the auction site. I purchased my midlife crisis Audi TT at the Porsche-Audi Exchange in Highland Park, IL. Same dealership two of the film's four 928s were purchased. So I have that going for me.
The Auction House, Profiles in History, has some interesting curio perfect for a guy having a midlife crisis.
Steve McQueen's Heuer Monaco (est. $200,000 - $300,000)
A crew gift Zippo from John Wayne on The Green Berets (est. $300-$500)
My favorite, Michael Corleone's (size 42 - I'm guessing Short) camel hair polo coat from The Godfather Part II (est. $3,000 - $4,000)"TOM CRUISE “JOEL GOODSEN” SCREEN-USED 1979 PORSCHE 928 FROM RISKY BUSINESS - (Warner Bros., 1983) This 1979 Porsche 928 VIN: 9289201213 features a 5-speed manual transmission, 16-inch offset 5-hole aluminum alloy wheels, a three-spoke steering wheel and a cork on cork leather interior.
The car’s exterior was originally painted green when it arrived to the set and was then painted gold by the production and pressed into use. In making A-rated films of this caliber, the production company always has more than one car on hand to ensure no time is wasted should one of the vehicles break down, become damaged, etc.
There were three driving cars used in the making of the film (plus a gutted “dump car” that plunged into Lake Michigan):
1) a 1981 automatic transmission car fitted with 15-inch “flat-face” 5-hole wheels, cork and brown interior and 4-spoke steering wheel.
2) a 1978 5-speed, with cork, brown and crème interior, rented only for one interior shot when the car was knocked out of gear by Rebecca DeMornay’s character (VIN of this vehicle is unknown).
3) the 1979 5-speed car being offered which enjoyed considerably more screen time than the 1981 automatic.
This 5-speed was shot primarily in driving scenes with wide shots where the whole car was in view, as well as in some of the chase scene with Guido the pimp. The VIN of this 1979 5-speed being offered appears on the production records for the film and, according to a recent in depth documentary on the subject entitled “The Quest for RB928,” producer of Risky Business, Jon Avnet, goes on record to state that the young Tom Cruise learned how to drive a stick (manual transmission) with this very car.
In addition, there are production photos obtained from Avnet showing this car on set with camera rigging as well as images of it being painted and prepped for filming. Following production the car returned to California and was repainted white before being discovered by the producer of “The Quest for RB928” and since returned to its original screen appearance.
Risky Business went on to become one of the biggest cult classics of the 1980s and helped launch the career of superstar Tom Cruise. In addition, the film exposed the Porsche brand to a whole new generation of future buyers. The lesser-used 1981 with the automatic was shipped to Europe following production and its whereabouts are unknown. This 1979 5-speed remains as the only known surviving documentable car which also happens to have the most screen time in this modern classic film.
The car’s odometer reads 102,755 miles and it is in operating condition. This car was on exhibit at the Forney Museum of Transportation in Denver in 2009 and many Porsche enthusiasts have called this the most famous Porsche 928 in the world." Lot # 742, Profiles in History, Hollywood Auction #49
Wish this Harris Tweed jacket of Joel's were up for auction. Guess I'll just have to be patient.
On purely technical terms the 928 was superior in every respect to any contemporary 911.
ReplyDeleteOther than for the "Hey! I bought the 'Risky Business' 928!" factor, I can't say I'd recommend the earlier cars; if one's circumstances allow one to swing the coin, I'd pop for the "GTS" variant, in stick. But the S4 which immediately preceded it will also do. Good luck finding either, as most of these were purchased as poseurmobiled with an automatic.
Fortunately the 928 no longer reeks of midlife crisis and is poised to be a classic at some point in the next decade.
Aesthetically I don't think the 928 has worn too well. I once came within a hairsbreadth of buying one but drew back at the last moment and have never regretted it.
ReplyDeleteI had a friend in high school who used to brag about owning a Porsche. It never occurred to him that his brown, 70's, never running more than a day car was not something to brag about. It was a PORSCHE and he had no idea why we weren't impressed; especially since none of us owned cars and considered ourselves lucky to get use of Mom's minivan for the weekend.
ReplyDeleteI can make you Corleones camel coat and still have money left over for lunch at Patsy Rigolettos on Arthur Avenue!
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