I used to know the answer to this one.... :
What ever happened to the Briggs Cunningham Collection? I thought it was sold and moved from it's Costa Mesa, CA location to somewhere in Florida. In the early 90's?
Then, was the collection reduced from there? I recall, he had all of his own creations as well as some very important racing cars from the 20's all the way to the 70's.
One of the hybrid cars I remember, was an XKE coupe fitted with a Hemi engine!
So, where are the 100 some odd cars from that collection?
The Cunningham Collection
Started by
rdrcr
, Jul 08 2002 01:24
10 replies to this topic
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#2
Mike Argetsinger
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Posted 08 July 2002 - 01:49
Miles Collier, Jr. purchased the complete collection from Briggs Cunningham. He immediately sold the Bugatti Royale but has maintained all of the other important cars and added extensively from his own collection and others he has added since. He has a particularly impressive representation of racing Porsches. They are all beautifully displayed in a museum he had purpose built in Naples, Florida. It is climate controlled and very much a state-of-the-art facility. It is not open to the public at this time.
#3
dbw
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Posted 08 July 2002 - 05:57
does anyone know the current state of affairs of the collier collection? is it potentially a viable public enterprise or will it remain a sealed tomb? 
#4
cabianca
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Posted 08 July 2002 - 18:23
When Collier bought the Cunningham collection, he already had impressive collection of his own - mostly Porsches. For a time the Collier Collection, in Naples Florida, was open to the public. However, evidently Miles decided the hassle and cost of keeping it open to the public wasn't worth the tax deduction and it became private again. It's hardly a tomb, since the cars inside are raced at vintage events and thus shared with the public. If you're a real car nut, you'll find a way to get admitted.
#5
rdrcr
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Posted 09 July 2002 - 17:55
Thanks for the info Mike, I thought that's where they were moved... Collier, that name is quite familiar. I think that Naples is in Collier County. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the same family. Quite a well healed fellow no doubt. And, according to cabianca, they're still used as they were intended... that's great to hear.
If I ever get the chance, I'll try to get a private tour of the facility...
If I ever get the chance, I'll try to get a private tour of the facility...
#6
Doug Nye
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Posted 09 July 2002 - 22:13
Hey, hey, HEY!!! Fellers - Don't knock a real friend. The sublime enthusiast Miles Collier is not be diminished in any way whatsoever.
Trust me. He is absolutely one of us - just brighter than most, certainly than me - and he has accumulated the most stunningly mouth-watering private collection of cars in the world today, backed by the most fantastic collection of motoring literature the world has ever seen ammassed. This is being organised into a library right now for access by the enthusiast public and formal historians alike.
His father was Miles Collier brother of Sam, killed in the Ferrari at Watkins Glen. Their father was Barron Collier, the Madison Avenue advertising baron who bought millions of acres of Florida when nobody knew where it was. Collier County is indeed named after the family. But Miles is no brash, loud, feckless rich kid. He's a graduate engineer, a considerable artist (painter), and exceedingly bright businessman - quiet, very reserved, widely knowledgeable on almost any subject from rural American furniture to high-flown literature and music, but most of all he's a complete competition car nut.
He has a level of intellectual and academic commitment to motor racing history which in my wide experience is unrivalled. His Porsche collection was itself a tour de force, and when he added to it the Cunningham Collection the whole is absolutely greater than the sum of its parts. The great majority of the cars are beautifully maintained under curator/engineer Scott George. It is true that the Collection is not open to the public, but if you're in the Naples area try telephoning them, tell them you've ben recommended to call by me (as long as you're house-trained, OK?) and if they have the manpower to show you round and nothing else happening they will do so.
Better still, for TNFers resident in the US, we could probably arrange a coach trip visit. Does anybody fancy such a trip???
When you see Circuit des Ardennes Mors, 1908 GP Mors, 1914 GP Mercedes, 1919 Indy Ballot straight-eight, 1927 Delage straight-8, Bentleys, Duesenbergs, a Miller, the Cunningham Le Mans cars, D-Type, E-Type, Cooper, OSCA, Vanwall, Eagle F1 and Indy-winning cars, and a clutch of Porsche RSs, 908s, 917s all together at one time - LOVED by their owner and his carers I defy anyone sensible not to believe they are in dreamland.
The place is quiet - but it is NOT a tomb, and many of them are often used...as they have been for many years at Laguna and Goodwood. Don't knock MC...OK???
DCN
Trust me. He is absolutely one of us - just brighter than most, certainly than me - and he has accumulated the most stunningly mouth-watering private collection of cars in the world today, backed by the most fantastic collection of motoring literature the world has ever seen ammassed. This is being organised into a library right now for access by the enthusiast public and formal historians alike.
His father was Miles Collier brother of Sam, killed in the Ferrari at Watkins Glen. Their father was Barron Collier, the Madison Avenue advertising baron who bought millions of acres of Florida when nobody knew where it was. Collier County is indeed named after the family. But Miles is no brash, loud, feckless rich kid. He's a graduate engineer, a considerable artist (painter), and exceedingly bright businessman - quiet, very reserved, widely knowledgeable on almost any subject from rural American furniture to high-flown literature and music, but most of all he's a complete competition car nut.
He has a level of intellectual and academic commitment to motor racing history which in my wide experience is unrivalled. His Porsche collection was itself a tour de force, and when he added to it the Cunningham Collection the whole is absolutely greater than the sum of its parts. The great majority of the cars are beautifully maintained under curator/engineer Scott George. It is true that the Collection is not open to the public, but if you're in the Naples area try telephoning them, tell them you've ben recommended to call by me (as long as you're house-trained, OK?) and if they have the manpower to show you round and nothing else happening they will do so.
Better still, for TNFers resident in the US, we could probably arrange a coach trip visit. Does anybody fancy such a trip???
When you see Circuit des Ardennes Mors, 1908 GP Mors, 1914 GP Mercedes, 1919 Indy Ballot straight-eight, 1927 Delage straight-8, Bentleys, Duesenbergs, a Miller, the Cunningham Le Mans cars, D-Type, E-Type, Cooper, OSCA, Vanwall, Eagle F1 and Indy-winning cars, and a clutch of Porsche RSs, 908s, 917s all together at one time - LOVED by their owner and his carers I defy anyone sensible not to believe they are in dreamland.
The place is quiet - but it is NOT a tomb, and many of them are often used...as they have been for many years at Laguna and Goodwood. Don't knock MC...OK???
DCN
#7
David Holland
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Posted 09 July 2002 - 22:30
Doug
Is the Behra-Porsche still in Naples? I tried to find the museum in 1996 on a family holiday - but was told by the locals it was now closed.
I'd love to see the Behra car at Goodwood someday - maybe next year? As part of a theme of one-off GP racers perhaps.
May see you at Goodwood on Friday - should be a great show as usual.
David
Is the Behra-Porsche still in Naples? I tried to find the museum in 1996 on a family holiday - but was told by the locals it was now closed.
I'd love to see the Behra car at Goodwood someday - maybe next year? As part of a theme of one-off GP racers perhaps.
May see you at Goodwood on Friday - should be a great show as usual.
David
#8
Vitesse2
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Posted 09 July 2002 - 22:36
Originally posted by Doug Nye
When you see Circuit des Ardennes Mors, 1908 GP Mors, 1914 GP Mercedes, 1919 Indy Ballot straight-eight, 1927 Delage straight-8, Bentleys, Duesenbergs, a Miller, the Cunningham Le Mans cars, D-Type, E-Type, Cooper, OSCA, Vanwall, Eagle F1 and Indy-winning cars, and a clutch of Porsche RSs, 908s, 917s all together at one time - LOVED by their owner and his carers I defy anyone sensible not to believe they are in dreamland.
DCN
Dreamland? Sounds near Heaven to me!!
#9
rdrcr
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Posted 09 July 2002 - 22:39
Whoa there.... 
Jeez Doug... aren't you being just a tad sensitive or did that comment by dbw really set you off to no end?
Other than that one remark, (which was a supposition to begin with), I can't see where anyone was diss'ing your friend. And sure, I'd be damn interested in seeing that collection. I have a very dear friend in the Miami area who has been trying to get me to visit he and his family for months now. Perhaps we could set aside some time in October, when the weather has improved.
Anyway...
Again I thought it was the Collier family, we had a second home in PB and I have learned of Florida history at an early age. Many families from the Midwest settled in Florida, the Flagler's, the Colliers and others for vacation retreats. Then, investing and developing the areas.
Jeez Doug... aren't you being just a tad sensitive or did that comment by dbw really set you off to no end?
Other than that one remark, (which was a supposition to begin with), I can't see where anyone was diss'ing your friend. And sure, I'd be damn interested in seeing that collection. I have a very dear friend in the Miami area who has been trying to get me to visit he and his family for months now. Perhaps we could set aside some time in October, when the weather has improved.
Anyway...
Again I thought it was the Collier family, we had a second home in PB and I have learned of Florida history at an early age. Many families from the Midwest settled in Florida, the Flagler's, the Colliers and others for vacation retreats. Then, investing and developing the areas.
#10
dbw
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Posted 10 July 2002 - 05:12
oops...sorry!!! no bruised toes i hope....as i'm not a friend of the family's i know only of the collier facility thru rumor and gossip...that the museum was once open to the public i have to assume....that it is now closed seems to be a fact.i apologise for the "t" word but will still have to consider it a closed private collection,that,however fabulous,is still private.
#11
Doug Nye
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Posted 10 July 2002 - 09:39
You're both quite right. I was seeking merely to put the record straight, but my finger tips ran away... 1am posting after another 17 hour day with brain throbbing.
The reasoning for the Museum closing to the public was simply that Naples, Florida, saw fewer visitors attending than the numbers of staff deemed necessary to maintain sufficient presence and service for them. It's hardly an area renowned for historic motor sporting interest. But Naples is MC's home, so he's hardly about to establish it somewhere else. Regular club visits are organised and the occasional function and seminar is also held there. Phil Hill and I have done a couple there, the first of which was pretty fantastic, the second I really screwed-up!
DCN
The reasoning for the Museum closing to the public was simply that Naples, Florida, saw fewer visitors attending than the numbers of staff deemed necessary to maintain sufficient presence and service for them. It's hardly an area renowned for historic motor sporting interest. But Naples is MC's home, so he's hardly about to establish it somewhere else. Regular club visits are organised and the occasional function and seminar is also held there. Phil Hill and I have done a couple there, the first of which was pretty fantastic, the second I really screwed-up!
DCN
