ColleCtor CarinsiderUnderappreciated Classics

During the interview with our Featured Clients for this issue (see page

3), Rick Schmidt made a very interesting point that really resonated with me. We all know that many collections are driven by a strong sense of nostalgia. Sometimes a col-lection starts with that one car that we fell in love with when we were young, or even with the very first car we owned.

But there’s also a sense of nostalgia for the basic family cars we remember—those machines that were a dime a dozen in the '60s and '70s, such as station wagons, VW Beetles or the Ford Falcon and Chevy II Nova.

But the very fact that these types of cars were purchased for their utility back in the day and pretty much run into the ground over time, has meant that comparatively few have escaped the crusher or the ravages of rust and decay. Consequently, cars that have survived in well-preserved condition are seeing a steady crawl upward in value.

It seems strange that cars produced in fairly large num-bers should become collect-able, but it’s happening. Not because they are necessarily sexy or race-worthy, but simply because they bring back great memories of simpler times with family and friends.

Keep ‘em running. Your children and grandkids will come around and thank you when you least expect it. I’ll see you on the show field. Pebble Beach is right around the corner.

Jim FiskeVice PresidentChubb Personal Insurancejfiske@chubb.com

In This Issue Monterey Mecca ..................... 1Gooding on the Market .......... 2Monterey Cars to Watch ......... 2Chubb Featured Client............ 3Ten American Collectibles ...... 4Monterey Tips ............................ 5Featured Museum .................... 5A Princely Collection ................ 6The Cumberford Perspective .. 7Upcoming Events ...................... 8

Monterey MeccaThe number of collector cars is not increasing, but there are more collectorsby Keith Martin

Volume 2 / Issue 2

It’s auction-mania time again for the collector car world. With five world-class auctions in one week, and over 1,000 collectible cars making their

come-hither sounds to eager bidders, the Monterey stage is set.

Last year we saw a major rebound in Monterey, as overall sale totals jumped from 2009’s $120m to 2010’s staggering $172m—a 43% increase. And the velocity of high-end sales has only increased during the ensuing twelve months.

At a time when typical investments in real estate and the stock market are challenging at best, hard assets, such as art and collector cars, provide a tangible place to park funds—and a potentially rewarding one if current trends continue.

And continue they will, I predict. There is enormous liquidity amongst the super-rich, Baby Boomers are entering their “gotta have one now” phase of collecting, and new millionaires and billionaires are minted daily in emerging countries like China and India.

The number of collector cars is not increasing, while the number of collectors who can afford them is. This puts an inexorable upward pressure on prices.

How Much Should I Pay?Don’t go to Monterey looking for bargains. You’re going to be in the midst of a school of sharks—sharp-eyed bidders

who rarely let any tasty underpriced morsel get by them. You’re better off searching Craigslist if a super-low price is all you are after, although you won’t find many ads for Duesenbergs or Mercedes 540Ks there.

Come to Monterey looking for great examples of desirable cars—and prepare yourself to pay above market for them. If you’re contemplating spending six, seven or eight figures, do your homework. Hire a marque specialist to research the specific car or cars you are interested in, talk to the auction companies, and even arrange a test drive if possible.

Finding out that a car you bought isn’t what you thought it was can turn into a very expensive love-fest between lawyers as seller and buyer grind their way to a position of mutual agreement. Know what you are bidding on beforehand, and save yourself this kind of misery.

Be prepared to pay top dollar and then some for exceptional cars with bulletproof credentials. All it takes is two wealthy collectors—who both want the same car badly—to send the bids through the roof. And that will happen in Monterey, as it is where the best cars cross the block.

If you’re hunting for a very rare, very special car, amounts paid in the past may not reflect current market values, which are being set in the very room you’re in. After all, you and all the other bidders have come to Monterey hoping to bag the big one and bring it home. So, if you happen to get the Duesenberg you’ve always wanted in your sights, don’t let a few tens of thousands of dollars keep you from putting it into your collection.

This year’s high price might be considered a bargain price next year. P

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and most expensive consignments of the year.

The Goods by David Gooding

This year, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is celebrating the 125th an-

niversary of the automobile. Each of our Concours-quality auction consignments constantly remind us of the extraordinary innovation it has taken to create great cars. Given the remarkable engineering and design developments that surfaced across Europe and the United States, one of my favorite periods is between World War I and World War II. American manufacturers, in particular, emphasized luxury and design to meet society’s increasing demand for exclusive personal transportation.

A head above the rest, Duesenberg was the leading luxury automotive marque of the era. Perhaps the most fitting example of how the company met its wealthy clientele’s very expensive tastes is the Whittell Coupe, a custom-built 1931 Duesenberg Model J we are presenting at our Pebble Beach Auctions this August. To place this car in perspective, the bespoke Murphy-bodied, Whittell Coupe cost its first owner George Whittell $17,000 to create—at a time when a brand-new 1931 Ford Model A cost $650.

An automotive masterpiece with striking and glamorous black, red and chrome livery, the Whittell Coupe far exceeded expectations of the period and continues to influence the automotive community as one of the most exquisitely crafted, dramati-cally proportioned Classic cars of all time.

From a market perspective, exceptional Duesenbergs have historically performed better than other pre-war American cars, due to the manufacturer’s exclusivity, innovation and influence. The world auction record for a Duesenberg was set in 2004 when the Mormon Meteor, a 1935 Duesenberg SJ Roadster, sold for $4.455 million at the Gooding & Company auction in Pebble Beach. We have not seen another Duesenberg of

that quality arrive at auction— until the Whittell Coupe.

While not all American cars have the exclusivity of the Duesenberg, there are other great automobiles that symbolized luxury and social stature. Marques such as Packard, Lincoln, Cadillac, Stutz and Chrysler have always been in demand, offering very respectable cars that resonate across the country.

A few of the other great American Classics we are presenting this August include a 1917 Packard Twin Six Landaulet from the estate of Phil Hill (estimate $80,000– $120,000), a 1932 Packard Twin Six Model 905 Sport Phaeton (estimate $400,000–$600,000) and a Dietrich-bodied 1933 Lincoln Model KB Convertible Sedan formerly owned by Otis Chandler (estimate $425,000– $510,000).

Each car represents a unique opportunity for collec-tors with an appreciation of American marques, whether it’s an exceptional, antique Packard from a renowned mo-toring legend’s private estate, a 12-cylinder engine Classic with a 100-point restoration or a rare, coach-built Lincoln. As history has shown us, excep-tional collector cars such as these will continue to reward and hold their value for those passionate about the best American automobiles.

Our annual Pebble Beach Auctions take place on Saturday and Sunday, August 20 and 21 at the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center. Auctions are broadcast live from Gooding & Company’s website. Visit Goodingco.com for more information.

Ten Monterey Star Cars The Monterey auctions draw some of the rarest

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11931 Duesenberg Model J Long Wheelbase Coupe

Gooding & Company, Pebble Beach Originally owned by Captain George Whittell Jr., one-off coachwork by Murphy

2 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster

RM Auctions, Monterey One of three surviving examples known. Ultimate-spec supercharged 540K

3 1960 Maserati Tipo 61/60 “Birdcage”

Mecum Auctions, Monterey Built for and raced by Briggs Cunningham. FIA approved, ready for vintage racing

4 1957 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Pininfarina Series II

Gooding & Company, Pebble Beach First-place winner in preservation classes at both Cavallino and Pebble Beach

5 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza Spyder Scaglietti

RM Auctions, Monterey One of 35 built, featured in the 1959 film “On the Beach.” Numbers-matching

6 1966 Porsche 906 Carrera Competition Coupe

Bonhams & Butterfields, Carmel Raced by Alan Hamilton, Richard Hong, and Teddy Yi, one of the most capable vintage racing Porsches

ColleCtor Car InsIder 2

Ten Monterey Star CarsThe Monterey auctions draw some of the rarest Here are ten to watch

and most expensive consignments of the year.

7 1954 Maserati A6 GCS Tipo MM, s/n 2065

Mecum Auctions, Monterey Retains its original engine, gearbox, and Fiandri Sport Spyder bodywork

8 1972 Porsche 911 IMSA RSR Vintage Race Car

Russo and Steele, Monterey First-place win at 12 hours of Sebring in 1985 and second-place at the 24 hours of Daytona in 1988

9 1970 Porsche 911S “Le Mans”

RM Auctions, Monterey Driven by Steve McQueen in “Le Mans.” Well-documented and very original

10 1959 Sadler-Meyer Special

Bonhams & Butterfields, Carmel 1960–62 Giant’s Despair Hillclimb winner and three-time record setter

Client Profile Jim and Rick Schmidt by Tom Franklin

Father and son Jim and Rick Schmidt have been car guys as long as they can

remember. Jim credits his dad— Rick’s grandfather—for sparking an interest that has developed over decades.

“I grew up in a rural area on quite a bit of land, and when I was 12 years old, Dad bought me a 1948 Crosley station wagon, which I used to get around the property and out to pick up the mail,” Jim said. Jim’s dad bought him the little car on the condi-tion that he learn how it worked and repair and maintain it himself. At the age of 14 Jim began his first restoration—a 1928 Ford Model A Sport Coupe that he and his dad found in a wrecking yard.

During Jim’s high school years he also developed an attraction toward the Ford Thunderbird. “I fell in love with the 1955 Thunderbird when I first saw it,” Jim said. When Jim was 16, his dad helped him buy a 1957 Thunderbird, allowing him to pay it off with work over time. “I ended up putting 250,000 miles on that car,” Jim said. “I just loved it.” Jim continued to develop a passion for well-optioned American autos of all sizes through the years. That continued when his son, Rick, arrived on the scene.

Rick recalls that cars were always coming and going when he was grow-ing up. In the 1970s, Jim began looking for low-mileage, would-be collect-ables, making minor repairs to them if necessary—and then selling them off at a profit. Rick also remembers driving long distances with Jim to attend Classic Thunderbird Club International events all over the country.

Growing up in the '70s, Rick tended to be more interested in muscle cars than his Dad, and he had a love for Mustangs and Trans Ams. Rick drove a 1969 Shelby GT350 Fastback as his high school car, which was a 16th birth-day present from his folks. This wasn’t much of a stretch, as the Schmidt “family car” was once a 1968 Shelby GT500 KR Fastback.

Rick eventually joined his dad’s restoration car parts company, and their rapidly growing business kept them out of the car collecting hobby until 1989, when Jim suggested to Rick that he’d like to start “playing around” with cars again. The purchase of a 1957 Mercury Montclair started their collection in earnest, and it is now significant in both size and importance.

Today the collection includes four beloved Thunderbirds (one 1955 and three 1957s), as well as no less than 17 Mark Series Lincolns, including three important 1956 Mark IIs that belonged to Ford brothers Henry II, Benson and William Clay. Like most of the Schmidt collection, these three Lincolns are fully restored to world-class condition. Another of Jim’s favorites is a 1963 Chevy Impala Super Sport Coupe with a 409-ci V8. This car won an AACA National Award for Restoration and is famous for being the 50 millionth Chevy produced.

Chubb Personal Insurance is proud to know Jim and Rick Schmidt and to include them in the Chubb family of customers.

1957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser

The Schmidt collection

ColleCtor Car InsIder 3

Ten Collectible American Cars from $15k–$40k It doesn’t take a six-figure car to turn heads at your local cruise night By Jim Pickering

1968 Chevrolet Camaro Why? The Mustang may have started the Pony car party, but the Camaro refined it, and 1968 models are typically less expensive than 1969s. Small-block cars are decent performers, but beware of SS and RS replicas and big-block swaps (unless priced accordingly) What you should pay: $15k–$35k, de-pending on condition and options

1969 Chevrolet Corvette 427/390 coupe Why? These offer plenty of power and torque and don’t run hot like the high-horse 435 hp cars. Plus, a single 4-bbl carb makes tuning easy, and that means fewer problems out on the road. Find one with a/c, a 4-speed and lots of documentation What you should pay: $25k–$35k for a driver with some needs

1965 Ford Mustang convertible Why? This is the car that really defined the 1960s, and they’re still easy to come by and economical to own. Look for an original straight-six car with a manual. You won’t be able to wear it out, and even if you do, parts are as close as your nearest NAPA What you should pay: $15k–$20k for a six, $20k–$25k for a V8

1977 Pontiac Trans Am Why? “Smokey and the Bandit” was an unexpected overnight success, and the black and gold Trans Ams popularized by the movie have aged well and have grown in popularity over recent years. Look for low mileage cars with T-tops, original wheels, and of course, a big CB whip antenna What you should pay: $15k–$30k, de-pending on condition and options

1968 Dodge Charger Why? The second-gen Charger is one of the most iconic designs of the ’60s, and thanks to rust and attrition, they’re getting harder to find. Look for a 383 or 440 with a 4-speed, but if it’s solid, even an engine-swapped original Slant Six is worth picking up What you should pay: $20k–$30k for a 383, $40k+ for an R/T 440

1970 Buick GS 455 Why? Buicks don’t have the same street cred as Chevrolets, but the ’70 GS 455 Stage 1 was actually one of the most powerful American muscle cars ever produced, with over 500 ft-lbs of torque from the factory. Even non-Stage 1 cars are total sleepers, and they have a great look What you should pay: $20k–$30k for a GS 455, $45k+ for a Stage 1

ColleCtor Car InsIder 4

1965 Chevrolet Impala SS 396 Why? The Impala was one of GM’s most popular cars of the 1960s, and 1965 was one of the most attractive years, with an all-new body and curved side glass. Find an original in a good color and take the whole family cruising What you should pay: $15k–$30k

1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Why? Tri-Five Chevys represent Americana at its purest, and they’re easy to maintain with their straight six or small-block V8 engines. Look for an original example, as modifications may cost you at sale time What you should pay: $18k–$40k for a 2-dr post, more for a hardtop

1967 Pontiac GTO Why? The GTO is arguably the first muscle car, and the 1967 body is one of the most attractive first-gen designs. Condition and options are everything here, so look for a Tri-Power 389 and 4-speed What you should pay: $20k–$40k for a decent driver

1971–1972 Chevrolet C10 Why? Because every car guy needs a truck, and these are among the best looking of their era. Plus, half-ton coil-sprung examples are downright comfort-able. Again, options here are everything, so find one with a/c and a factory AM/ FM radio What you should pay: $15k–$25k

Featured Museum Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum 6825-31 Norwitch Drive Philadelphia, PA 19153

The spirit of competition” is the underlying theme of the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum. “ The cars displayed are all rare and significant

racing sports cars. “The best of the breed,” explains founder Dr.

Fred Simeone. “The museum displays winners—cars that advanced the art and science of the automo-bile by winning on the racetrack.” The notion is that competition itself, not unlike the Darwinian concept of “survival of the fittest,” has made automobiles better over time, led by the racing sports car.

The museum’s historical approach is communi-cated through a series of dioramas, displaying cars within the context of the racing era or event that made them famous. These displays include, among others, “Pre World War I Racing,” “Mille Miglia,” “Sebring,” “Le Mans,” and the “History of NASCAR.” Most of the cars are in remarkably good, unrestored condition. Dr. Simeone’s focus is on preservation, rather than restoration. These are surviving examples of cars that actually raced and won.

The collection displayed has taken nearly 50 years to take shape. Dr. Simeone looked for informa-tion wherever he could find it, through books and historical records, and developed a wish list of cars that he wrote onto refrigerator magnets. When a car from the list came around, he would do all he could to acquire it, through purchase, swap or trade—all the while realizing that such cars were incredibly

rare and unlikely to become available very often. The museum includes several examples of what

Dr. Simeone considers “pinnacle cars,” including: • A 1938 Alfa Romeo 2900B “Mille Miglia” (winning

the event in 1938), a car that developed over 200 horsepower from a 2.9-liter engine with two superchargers.

• A 1937 Bugatti 57G “Tank,” known for its innova-tive aerodynamic design and powerful OHV straight-8 engine.

• A 1958 Aston Martin DBR1, one of only four made for racing. This model won the 1959 World Championship of Makes.

• A 1966 Ford GT40 Mark II and 1967 Ford GT40 Mark IV, cars which dominated long-distance racing from 1966 to 1969.

• A 1970 Porsche 917 LH, with a 12 cylinder horizon-tally opposed engine, which placed 2nd at Le Mans in 1970. Dr. Simeone points out that “the spirit of competi-

tion” has benefited all of us, as many auto features that we take for granted today were originally developed to make racing sports cars better or safer, including disc brakes, lightweight aluminum alloy, fuel-saving aerodynamics, crumple zones and advanced tire compounds.

The Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum is a must-see for car enthusiasts of all ages. It is notable as much for what it can teach us all about the impor-

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Monterey Tips

There is more to the Peninsula than just cars. Here are five ways to get more out of your week in Monterey: · Plan on doing one event each day—and get

there early enough to ensure easy parking. Don’t linger over a long breakfast, as you’ll put yourself into a long, stressful line of cars—even if it is cool to see heat waves shimmering above an idling Bugatti Veyron. If you’re going to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, get to the 18th Fairway while it is still dark, as you’ll see the cars roll onto the grass in the misty gloom—which is one of the most magical mo-ments of the week. · This isn’t about cars, but visiting Monterey and not

seeing the Monterey Bay Aquarium is a shame. This world-class aquarium brings visitors to the world of a living California kelp forest. Giant sea bass, leopard sharks and school of sardines fin around 20-foot-tall stalks of kelp. Divers feed fish at 11:30 am and 4 pm each day. The aquarium is located on Cannery Row in Monterey. Hours are 9:30 am to 6 pm on weekdays and 9:30 am to 8 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. www.montereybayaquarium.org or call 831.648.4800. · Go to the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion

at Laguna Seca to see valuable, vintage cars growl, shriek and crackle around the track. Walking through the pit area puts you up close to countless legendary race cars, and when they start up…. · It’s a lot of fun to attend a collector car auction.

Try to spend at least one evening or afternoon watch-ing impossibly beautiful cars cross the block. If you don’t want to sit inside and watch the bidding wars, stand outside the Russo and Steele or RM auction sites in downtown Monterey and watch the glistening lineup of rumbling, purring cars. Watching all this is free, and it’s the best deal of the week. · Get into your own car and go for a cruise. You’ll

be in the middle of the best car spotting in the world. You’ll see Ferrari California Spyders at gas pumps, Shelby Cobras rumbling down streets and Lamborghinis carefully inching into parallel parking spots. Yes, you’ll probably see a Bugatti Veyron. Bring a camera and have someone else drive.

Simeone Le Mans display

tance and value of competition, as for the stunning collection of racing sports cars that represent one collector’s labor of love.

The museum is open from 10 am to 6 pm Tuesday through Friday, and from 10 am to 4 pm Saturday and Sunday. Closed Mondays. Admission is $12 for adults ($10 for ages 65 and older), $8 for students, and free for children 8 and younger. The facility is also avail-able for group and catered events. Certain Saturdays are “Demonstration Days,” during which select cars are removed from display and driven around the museum property. For more information, call 215-365-7233 or visit www.simeonemuseum.org.—Tom Franklin, Chubb Personal Insurance.

ColleCtor Car InsIder 5

A Princely Collection of Rotting Cars The air conditioning was off, but the tropical sun was not, so the Ferraris andMcLaren F1s sat and cooked

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by Michael Sheehan

One of Prince Jefri’s 550 Spiders enjoying the sunshine

Imagine seeing hundreds of high-end Ferraris, Lamborghinis and McLarens—many with hardly any miles on the odometer—rotting away in tropical heat and humidity. While much has been written of the Sultan of Brunei’s car collection—

and there are no lack of spy photos of the collection on the Internet—the estimated 2,500 cars are actually not the Sultan’s. They were the property of Prince Jefri, the Sultan’s third brother. As the Minister of Finance for Brunei (until 1997) Prince Jefri controlled the revenue from oil and gas through the BAI or Brunei Investment Authority and a network of companies under the name Amadeo. The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis depressed oil prices and triggered a

financial crisis in Brunei. The Sultan had Arthur Andersen audit the BIA books, which showed that between 1983 and mid-1998 some $40 billion in “special transfers” were made by the BIA, and that Prince Jefri had person-ally squandered $14.8 billion. In July 1998, Prince Jefri’s Amadeo invest-ment group collapsed under $10 billion in debt. In 2000, Prince Jefri settled with the government of Brunei and began

to return assets—including more than 500 properties in Brunei and abroad, more than 2,000 cars, 100 paintings, five yachts, and nine world-class aircraft. According to court documents, the Prince spent $78 million at Pininfarina SpA for coachbuilt RHD Ferraris, $475 million at Rolls-Royce and $900 million at British jeweler Asprey.

Will fly to buy In early 2002, I was offered a package of 13 very special Ferraris and

McLaren F1s from the collection by a Brunei importer. I agreed to buy two McLarens, a Ferrari F40 LM and a 288 GTO Evoluzione for clients, with an option to buy another 16 McLarens and Ferraris. In May 2002, I flew to Brunei and stayed at the Empire Hotel.

Commissioned by Prince Jefri and built at a cost of $1.1 billion, the Empire Hotel is beyond opulent. The Empire was built to hold over 1,000 guests, but I never saw more than a dozen people anywhere in the hotel at any time. I also visited the Jerudong Park, the largest and most expensive amusement park in Southeast Asia, which was also commissioned by Prince Jefri for a modest $1 billion. Like the Empire hotel, it was empty. A strict Muslim country, Brunei has no alcohol, virtually no nightlife and hence no tourists.

A maximum-security prison for cars I was picked up by an ex-New Zealand special forces officer working

as a bodyguard for the Brunei Royal Family. The car collection was a few kilometers down the coast and housed in a large compound surrounded by a

high wall topped with razor wire and with a “bomb-proof” front gate. Once inside, we had to turn in our cameras and passports and stay with our guide, as armed Gurkhas with very serious German shepherds patrolled the com-pound. We first went through eight two-story buildings—each about 400 feet

long by 110 feet wide—with each level holding about 120 cars. Each level had a semblance of a theme, with the first building filled with Porsches from 959s up to cars from the late 1990s. Another floor held mainly black-on-black 1996-97 Mercedes-Benz 500 sedans. Another building held coachbuilt Rolls-Royces, Bentleys and Aston Martins. Another building held mainly 1990s model Ferraris, including a few dozen 456s and 550s. Several 550s were fitted with experimental XTRAC automatic gearboxes. About a half a dozen were coated in radar-absorbent, matt-black coatings and fitted with in-frared cameras for night driving, which is high-tech stuff for the late 1990s.

Ferraris and McLaren F1s cooking into goo Another lower floor held rows of RHD Testarossas, 512 TRs and 512Ms.

Another building contained mainly coachbuilt Ferraris with four 456 four-doors, four 456 Venice Cabriolets, more 456 Venice station wagons, five FXs, a pair of Mythos and an incredibly ugly one-off called an F90. The token Enzo-era Ferrari was a RHD 275 GTS, s/n 7795. Between the eight large buildings was a glass-walled showroom with

three McLaren F1s, a 288 GTO Evo, an F50 and an F40 LM. The F40 LM was black with a black leather interior, red piping, and air conditioning. As in the other buildings, the air conditioning was off, so the showroom

had become a very efficient greenhouse, and the cars were cooking away. Underneath this building was a windowless theatre filled with rows of

RHD F40s, 288 GTOs and other exotics.

A reef’s worth of derelict Mercedes At the back of the compound were two long, two-story buildings about

fifty feet apart. A corrugated tin roof between them offered some protec-tion from the blistering sun—but not from the rain. Under the shade were another 300 or so 1995-97 500 SELs and SLs, all black/black, many with the windows down, all rotting into oblivion. Many were AMG specials with wood or carbon fiber trimmed interiors, big motors, etc. We soon called this group “the reef,” as turning them into an artificial ocean reef was probably their best use.

Poster children for a study in deferred maintenance When I totaled things up, there were less than 100 Ferraris, and only a

few hundred cars in total were commercially viable. All had minimal mile-age—but all were also poster children for deferred maintenance. The lesser cars were beyond saving. None had been started in five years.

Our offer was cheerfully accepted by the importer who offered the cars, but none of them came with any service records. Even worse, none had titles and getting a bill of sale or export documents was almost impossible, as the mid-level bureaucrats were paralyzed by indecision or the fear of making a political mistake and issuing export paperwork. While my trip to Brunei was an amazing cultural and automotive experi-

ence, we were never able to get a car out of the collection. Nine more years in a steamy tropical rain forest has certainly not helped any of these cars. The local officials have no to plans to save or to sell the collection, and

the cost to turn it into a tourist attraction would be staggering. Over the last nine years less than a dozen significant cars have left, most as gifts to well-connected expats. Another few hundred pedestrian Mercedes-Benzes have been given to Brunei locals, but the bulk of the collection is still there and will die there, rotting into oblivion.

ColleCtor Car InsIder 6

ColleCtor Car InsIder 7

On March 19, 1969, Frank Stephenson, one of the best con-temporary car designers (ex-BMW, Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, and now at McLaren), walked down a Casablanca street with his father. Seeing a Dino at the curb, he was transfixed and refused to move for half an hour. His life course was determined in a moment significant enough for the senior Stephenson to note the date.

What is it about this single design that so entrances? Most for-mal details had already appeared on other Pininfarina cars—those iconic flying buttresses were part of earlier designs—but there is something absolutely magical about the Dino. Its diminutive size, perhaps? Observers believe they can instantly apprehend it totally— that it is within their capabilities to master it on the road. Or is it simply the overwhelming voluptuousness of its feminine curves and volumes?

Size, sensuality... whatever its elements of seduction, this car speaks to a wide range of enthusi-asts—to people who are normally indifferent to sports cars as well as to those who burn with desire to drive it, to women who see it as an artistic object to men who imagine themselves winning races.

Many of the key, sophisticated elements of present Ferraris are present, but there is also a touching link to the pragmatic racing car past, such as the unstudied, unin-tegrated back-up light. Firmly fixed in its own time, it recapitulates the past and indicates the future.

Perfect? No. Brilliant? Yes.

The Cumberford Perspective–1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GTNot perfect—but brilliant—and magically charming to manyBy Robert Cumberford

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FRONT 3/4 VIEWNo idea what these chevron-

like slots are for, but aren’t they nice graphically?

Modest air inlets on the rear flanks are elegantly organic.

Just a bare touch of the classic Ferrari egg-crate grille is more than enough for identity.

One wonders how much air gets through these fine-screened openings, but it seems safe to say “just enough.”

Placement of these lamps beautifully outlines both sides of headlamp scoops.

REAR 3/4 VIEWThese sail panels or flying

buttresses have become universal elements of modern car design, such as in the BMW 6-Series.

Flat-side glass is almost a time-stamp fixing the design five decades back.

Ah, those Lolobridgidian curves! Imagine the view from

behind the wheel. This is volup-tuous luxury.

An early manifestation of four round lamps on Ferrari tails. But here it was done for economy.

Richie Ginther’s ducktail spoiler translated from racer to road car with true elegance.

Anachronistic vent recalls brutal racers, but it has little to do with the curves and volumes of the Dino.

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17 Forest Grove Concours Forest Grove, OR RM Auction Monterey, CA

19-21 Pebble Beach RetroAuto Monterey, CA 22-24 Silverstone Classic Northamptonshire, U.K. 20 10th Annual SCM Insider’s Seminar Pebble Beach, CA

31 Concours d’Elegance of America Plymouth, MI Automobile Fine Arts Society

20-21 Gooding & Company Auction Pebble Beach, CA

AUGUST 21 Pebble Beach, CA Exhibition 6-9 Hot August Nights South Lake Tahoe, NV 21 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Pebble Beach, CA

9-14 Hot August Nights Reno, NV 26-28 Corvettes at Carlisle Carlisle, PA 8-17 Pebble Beach Motoring Classic Monterey, CA

13-14 New Hope Auto Show New Hope, PA 15-17 Quail Rally Carmel, CA 16-17

27 Morgan Adams Concours Denver, CO 27-28 Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours Milwaukee, WI

Automobilia Monterey Monterey, CA SEPTEMBER Carmel-by-the-Sea Concours on 16 Carmel, CA the Avenue

18 Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance Monterey, CA 18-19 Bonhams Quail Lodge Carmel, CA 11 Chico Concours d’Elegance Chico, CA 18-20 Mecum Auction Monterey, CA 18-20

16-18 Glenmoor Gathering Canton, OH Russo and Steele Auction Monterey, CA 16-18 Goodwood Revival Chichester, U.K.

18-21 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion Monterey, CA 16-18 Corvette Funfest Effingham, IL 19 Concorso Italiano Monterey, CA 19

16-18 Sunriver Festival of Cars Sunriver, OR Legends of the Autobahn Carmel, CA 17-18 Fairfield Concours Fairfield, CT

19 19 The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering Carmel, CA

Pacific Grove Auto Rally Pacific Grove, CA 18 Buckingham Concours Holicong, PA 18 Dayton Concours Dayton, OH

7-11 Gullwing Group Convention Hot Springs, VA 9-11 Fall Ferrari Festival Saratoga Springs, NY

11 Kirkland Concours Kirkland, WA