Visited a friend's father's 100-car collection

[Oliver@triplezoom]

The collection is housed in an addition to their business' building that was purpose-built. I believe there are 4 16-foot wide overhead doors. Access is no problem. My hoard is just as tight. Maybe I should give some away to create more space between them.

How can you possibly ever drive that car on the right with the garbage can in the way?

[barry2952]

How can you possibly ever drive that car on the right with the garbage can in the way?

[Double-V]

How can you possibly ever drive that car on the right with the garbage can in the way?

Never mind that. How can he possibly remove the boat (I'm assuming that's the woodie Chris Craft) in the back corner? It would take weeks, maybe months of planning, never mind permits, and two strong men to work the bellows.

Only solution - burn the building down with all the contents in it.

[barry2952]

Never mind that. How can he possibly remove the boat (I'm assuming that's the woodie Chris Craft) in the back corner? It would take weeks, maybe months of planning, never mind permits, and two strong men to work the bellows.

Only solution - burn the building down with all the contents in it.

LOL!

[Vettes, Volvos and VWs]

Only solution - burn the building down with all the contents in it.

Just going to have to give it all to me. I'm sure I can get a hold of a crane to take them off your hands.

[Air and water do mix]

Waitaminit. Is that Mark II coupe yours as well?!!

[Vettes, Volvos and VWs]

I will need these things:

[barry2952]

No, I store that for a friend. I had a stellar '62 Lincoln sedan and convertible stashed all winter for another friend. I get between $50 and $100 a month for cold, dry, storage.

Everything else in there is mine, though. It was cheaper than paying rent all over town.

[Air and water do mix]

No, I store that for a friend...

I kinda figured it was something like that. I think I would've heard about it by now, at least!

It's the same color as one that was in another thread of yours, so I would assume it is that one, correct? It's a beautiful car and that green actually works very well with it, unlike similar colors on most cars. Perhaps you can simply get away with much more on such a stately automobile.

[barry2952]

I prefer them in dark colors as the gaps all disappear in the right light.

[choochoo]

Wow, nice collection. I wonder if he ever gets calls from hollywood for period films.

These guys just got a hard-on.

More than they can afford pal!!!

[RS-Karl]

So, if I picked one car in there, it would be that marron chopped Kustom '49-51 Merc on the lift!

As to "why or why not", I say each one is free to do as he wishes, and it's a very nice collection.

[2112]

I think it's an awesome collection, and if the gentleman has the desire and wherewithal to own such a collection, more power to him.

As for which car I'd take:



I'll take the Eldorado in the center of the pic, please and thank you.

[Geechie_Suede]

Let's play a game. Quick! Pick one car for your own. You have 30 seconds to walk through and choose one for your very own; to take home and be your chariot. Your decision is final.

Which one?

I'll take the Eldo in the middle, thank you very much. Also, the Roadmaster.

[rlfletch]

I'll take that Mercury up on the rack please. Looks like a great start to a nice custom.

[vwlarry]

I like the way this collector seems to focus on certain marques and models at times. The '36 Fords already noted, and also, perhaps more significantly, his preference for Packard Station Sedans is admirable, IMO. They're so cool they're freezing, and he has 2 of them that I can see; perhaps more. Good for him, and good for Packard enthusiasts.

[teileguy]

i thought i was gonna have to battle the other 2 guys for the 68 eldo, but then i saw the eldorado brougham in the other pic and definitely had a change of heart. Blue isnt my color but those things are amazing.

[RENOG]

I'm a sucker for clean convertibles so I'll take which ever one is left, it doesn't matter to me which....

I couldn't have that many cars myself as I would have major anxiety attacks eveytime I'd step foot in that place, I would want to drive them all all the time but know that I simply couldn't. It would literally torture me. My diecast collection serves my 'gotta-have-many-cars' needs.

[Momus]

I didn't read all the bitching and complaining, but that silver one is a Jaguar E-Type. I hate to pick the Brit out of a collection of classic American iron, but that's an E-Type.

[barry2952]

What was this guy's career(s)?

Made his fortune off of churchgoers. Those tithing envelopes and church bulletins, he makes them.

[Dawg Dee-Lux]

Who would have thought there would have been such controversy showing someone else's car collection.

I for one thank you for sharing

[Air and water do mix]

Maybe he is a hoarder, of sorts. Most hoarding begins with a traumatic experience. I believe that is the case here. The guy had a few cars, until his wife died young. He never remarried, he just added to a passion that they shared.

There you go. If I lost my wife, I can't imagine I'd ever remarry, either. After the kids would be grown, in that scenario I'd be in the garage. Probably all the time. (Naturally I'd have a flat screen in there for movies and whatnot. )

[VDub2625]

I'm sorry you had to deal with the ****ing morons in this thread, Barry, who see nothing wrong with loudly and rudely interjecting their opinions, as if you, or the owner, did something wrong.

If I had money, this would be my garage. But with 80s cars.

[vwlarry]

The man in this old photograph was known, for years and years as the world's biggest car-hoarder. He was consumed by his passion for automobiles of every kind; it didn't matter what type or era; he loved them all. As a young man without much money, he began, after WWII, to seek out and purchase "old junk cars" from the early 20th century that then were largely unwanted and ignored....except by him. His collection of these "junk cars" grew. As his business ventures gradually succeeded, and grew into an empire, his appetite for collecting old cars only increased, and he acquired, and acquired, and kept on acquiring, and eventually he constructed a ramshackle assemblage of buildings in the Nevada desert to house all the cars, and to show them to a public that had now become more interested in his "junk cars", and even began to show them great respect and admiration. People even WROTE serious things, even whole books, about them. This man had personally saved from likely destruction hundreds, even thousands of cars over the years, and had preserved them for future generations of admirers to enjoy and study as real objects, instead of just pictures in books. In the end, he had amassed nearly 2,000 automobiles. Then, unexpectedly, he died at the comparatively young age of 66, without leaving any provision for the disposition of his beloved automobiles after he departed. After years of legal wrangling, his collection was auctioned off and dispersed around the world to other enthusiasts who are now continuing his work to preserve them for the future while enjoying them in the present.

The car-hoarder's name in the photo is William Harrah. The guy with his name on all those Las Vegas and Reno resorts and casinos. Many of us thank God for car-hoarders like him.

[phill0046]

Epic collection. I bet he only drives a new camery

[freedomperiod]

Holy Toledo!!! That's quite a massive collection!!! Now that's passion right there! Suddenly I don't feel so badly about my own car addiction... could be a lot worse!

If I had that much money, I'd do the same thing with all the cars I love too! I don't think the collection would photograph as well since they'd all be black, but still..

Barry, go back there and get more pics, damnit!!!



Jay Leno's vehicle collection supposedly includes 84 cars and 73 motorcycles. How come nobody calls him a hoarder?

[freedomperiod]

Barry, sorry about your thread, man, but thanks for posting it anyhow.

x2

I for one, love the collection and would like to see and know more. I don't even know what half the cars are.

Also, IB4noMkIVnocare

More pics of mannequins too, please.

[vwlarry]

x2

I for one, love the collection and would like to see and know more. I don't even know what half the cars are.

Also, IB4noMkIVnocare

More pics of mannequins too, please.

I'm trying to devise a way of identifying the cars (to the best of my knowledge and their visibility) so that it makes sense.

[VDub2625]

Use MS Paint, and type in names on top of the cars? Though I'm sure if you identify the first by position, then color relative from there it'd make sense.

[roadtripper]

i pledge a tree fitty ($3.50) bounty on the first to post a correct identification caption for the photo/s. i don't know if this sort of thing is kosher around here (and not like there won't be plenty of people voicing their disagreement/yelling at me if it's not), but if we pool together, we could be talking about ten, maybe fifteen minutes worth of gas for the big winner. if it is not allowed, i retract my offer. but this is a car lounge challenge worth making.

this thread demonstrates the difference between autoweek readers and import tuner readers. (demographically speaking, not necessarily content-wise)

[clutchrider]

I'm trying to devise a way of identifying the cars (to the best of my knowledge and their visibility) so that it makes sense.

Please do I don't recognize many of those models there.

Is it my cup of tea, would I own similar cars. Probably not.

But can I appreciate what he has even without knowing every car in there and be envious that someone got to walk through there. You bet your *** I can. It's like a mint car show just sitting in a warehouse, what's better than that, regardless of what's in it.

[AWhiteRabbit]

That's absurd and amazing at the same time

[vwlarry]

I'm at work, so must bite off a little chunk at a time. Here goes for this photo; from rear to front/left to right:

(circa) 1933 Packard V12 coupe, (circa) 1931 Packard V12 sedan, possible 1931 Cadillac sedan, either V12 or V16 model

(possible/difficult to ID) 1960 Cadillac, 1972 Eldorado Biarritz, 1971 Buick Riviera

1941 Cadillac convertible coupe, 1958 Lincoln convertible, 1955 Buick convertible

1941 Buick Roadmaster convertible sedan, 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz, 1958 Chevrolet Impala convertible

(sitting transversely at lower photo) 1937 Packard 180 coupe

...more later...

[sandiegan]

Maybe he is a hoarder, of sorts. Most hoarding begins with a traumatic experience. I believe that is the case here. The guy had a few cars, until his wife died young. He never remarried, he just added to a passion that they shared.

I was about to regret making it through six pages of this, but then I read this. How very sad, happy, and interesting at the same time.

to a cool car collection.

[vwlarry]

I'd like to be there when the owner of these cars reads the comments in this thread. He'd probably furrow his brow, take a deep breath, and then LAUGH HIS BUTT OFF.