Brumos Collection Opens to the Public and Reveals a Surprise, the Steve McQueen Porsche 917K

A once-secret car collection formerly opened only to special guests has gone public. And its name is synonymous with American sports car racing: Brumos.

Dan Davis, who owned the famed Porsche dealership and race team up until 2015, has opened his Brumos Collection to the public in a bespoke building just east of downtown Jacksonville, Florida: high ceilings and ample space between cars. Giant photos that recall the team’s legacy decorate the walls. 

The collection, more or less split down the middle, falls into two distinct groups: Half dedicated to Porsche race cars, half dedicated to significant racers from other marques. 

Many of the Porsches on display come from the years when Peter Gregg owned the dealership: the 1970 Porsche 911S driven to the 1972 IMSA title by Gregg; Hurley Haywood’s Porsche 917/10 Can-Am racer; and the 1971 Porsche 914/6 GT driven by Haywood and Gregg to the 1971 IMSA GT championship.

Then there are the cars from the team’s modern era, like the one that got the Brumos name back onto the track a decade of after Gregg’s passing: the 964 Turbo driven by Haywood to the 1991 IMSA Supercar team and driver titles. 

And the big surprise: Now we know who paid $14 million for the Porsche 917K driven by Steve McQueen in “Le Mans.” The famed Gulf-liveried Porsche sits in the center of the collection.

The other side of the building recalls the early days motorsports, with an emphasis on prewar machines like the 1914 Peugeot L45, a replica of the 1917 Miller Golden Submarine, and a 1923 Miller 122 that’s said to be more original than any other Miller out there.

The Brumos Collection is open to the public Thursday and Friday, from 10 a.m. through 3 p.m. According to its website, all tickets must be purchased in advance.

 

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