The Hawaiian Tropic 1979 Porsche 935 hammers at $4.4 million at Pebble Beach. Photo by Mike Maez, courtesy Gooding & Company.
It’s delivered class wins in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, plus overall wins in the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. Its famous drivers include Brian Redman, Bobby Rahal and Rolf Stommelen, but the red Porsche 935 in Hawaiian Tropic livery is perhaps best known for hosting the successful Le Mans debut of another driver, actor-turned-racer Paul Newman. Among the most heavily campaigned endurance racing cars of its day, this 1979 Porsche 935, restored to its 1979 Le Mans colors in 2006, sold for a fee-inclusive price of $4.84 million at Gooding & Company’s 2016 Pebble Beach sale.
Remaining photos by Mathieu Heurtault, courtesy Gooding & Company, unless otherwise noted.
Chassis 009 0030, the car sold last weekend, was delivered to Dick Barbour racing in early 1979 as a replacement for a crash-damaged 935 written off at the end of the 1978 season. After preparation by Bob Garretson Enterprises, the Hawaiian Tropic Porsche 935 made its competition debut at the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans, where it was driven by team owner Dick Barbour, German ace Stommelen and Newman, making his first appearance at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
By the end of the 1970s, Paul Newman had already amassed an impressive racing resume as a pro driver, competing in both SCCA and IMSA series events. With partner Bill Freeman, Newman even had a few years of experience as a racing team manager, giving him a somewhat thorough understanding of the sport and its demands from multiple perspectives.
At Le Mans in 1979. Photo by DPPI, courtesy Gooding & Company.
Even in Newman’s wildest dreams, it’s unlikely he imagined an IMSA-prepared Porsche 935 delivering a podium finish at Le Mans, but that’s exactly what happened in 1979. Thanks to a perfect storm of circumstances that saw prototype cars either uncompetitive or unreliable, the overall win went to an FIA Group 5 Porsche 935 from Porsche Kremer Racing, followed by the class-winning Hawaiian Tropic Porsche 935 and a second Group 5 Porsche 935 from Porsche Kremer Racing. Like something out of a Hollywood movie, Newman had managed to conquer the 24 Hours of Le Mans in his very first attempt.
Newman would race the car once more, also to a second-place overall finish, at the 1979 6 Hours of Watkins Glen. The Porsche’s racing resume was just getting started, and under owner Bob Garretson (who also raced with the Barbour team), it became the first and only racing car to be (briefly) sponsored by Apple computer.
Under Garretson’s care, the Porsche was campaigned extensively in the United States (often driven by Bobby Rahal) and at Le Mans in 1980 (DNF), 1981 (second in class), and 1982 (fifth in class). It scored a win at the 1981 24 Hours of Daytona, supported by podium finishes in races on both sides of the Atlantic, but at the end of the 1982 season the 935 was sold to Wayne Baker, who converted the Porsche to 934 specifications to run in the IMSA GTO class.
Once again, the Porsche proved competitive. After finishing ninth at the 1983 24 Hours of Daytona, it posted a surprising overall victory at that year’s 12 Hours of Sebring. Raced extensively throughout 1984 and into 1985, the car continued to deliver impressive in-class finishes, but by the midpoint of the 1985 season it was sold to new owner Chet Vincentz, who continued to run the Porsche until the end of the 1987 season.
Though retired from racing, the car remained with Vincentz until 2002, when it was purchased by Carlos de Quesada, who commissioned a thorough restoration in 2006, returning the car to 935 specifications and to its most recognizable Hawaiian Tropic livery. Debuting at the 2007 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, the 935 continued its winning ways by capturing the Most Historically Significant Racing Car award.
A frequent sight at vintage events under de Quesada and the consignor, who purchased the car in 2010, the number 70 Porsche was offered for sale to the public for the first time at Pebble Beach. Its extensive in-period racing history of over 70 starts, coupled with its celebrity provenance and appearance at the world’s most prestigious events, helped to drive this car into the sale’s lofty top-10.
The 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza hammers at $10.9 million. Photo by Jensen Sutta, courtesy Gooding & Company.
Other cars atop Gooding’s Pebble Beach sale included a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione, which sold for $18.15 million; a 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione, which sold for $13.5 million; a 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza, which sold for $11.99 million; a 1932 Bugatti Type 55 Roadster, which sold for $10.4 million (setting a record for a Bugatti automobile sold at auction); a 1950 Ferrari 166 MM Berlinetta, which sold for $5.445 million; a 1957 Maserati A6G/54 Spider, which sold for $3.3 million; a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4, which sold for $3.245 million; a 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Spider, which sold for $3.08 million; and a 1968 Ferrari 330 GTS, which sold for $2.5 million.
For complete results from the Pebble Beach auction, visit GoodingCo.com.
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