2 replies to this topic

[Paul Medici]

Hi,

First, my apologies for overlooking this forum when I first posted this on TNF:

http://forums.atlasf...&threadid=75703

The Collier Museum tour
Naples, Florida
March 18th at 1PM

For more information, I can be reached at tipo1565@comcast.net or 847-255-7552 (Chicago area.)

Thanks
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[desmo]

Damn. Wish I wasn't jammed up with work and didn't live 3000 miles away. Looks like a great day!

[BRIAN GLOVER]

Ah yes, the Collier museum in Naples Florida, located in, where else? Collier county. Awesome purpose built, ultra modern museum with some pretty impressive cars. A friend of mine restored one of the Porsche. It is a 48 factory race Porsche. The car was restored to its original condition, which included very shoddy workmanship. He copied poor fabrication and welding and a duplicated an awful paint job. It was his greatest challenge to copy such sub- standard work. The billionaire Miles Collier could not buy the little German at any price. Collier had to wait two years before the restoration commenced and it took 2 years to complete. There is a 56 VW beetle there with a 930 Turbo engine. The unusual thing about this VW is that it is all aluminum. The two Cadillac's that entered Le Mans in 53 are there. One is known affectionately as, 'Le Monstre' Gary Cooper's SWB Duesey is there. Only two were built. Clark Gable owned the other one. Several Porsche are on loan from the factory, including Donahue's 97 Can Am car and Ferrie's Citalia which has AWD, mid engine V2 way back in the mid 30s. There are marvelous displays of art and engines annd a bookstore. The workshops are state of the art and meticulous. Collier bought the Cunningham collection for $56 million in the late 80s which included a Bugatti Royal. Miles swapped it for 3 Vanwalls and his trouble began. First with the IRS which questioned the stated values of the cars. They thought $300 000 was too little for a Vanwall and $750 000 was a bargain for the Royal. At the time, Royals changed hands for over $10 mill each. The Brits were not happy either, because it is illegal for national treasures to leave the country permanently. The case took 5 years to resolve and the museum was not open to the public during that time. There is a research library and Miles senior's Duesy, which was given to him by his father whilst at college. He stripped it down for racing. The Colliers and Cunninghams were close families and their children enjoyed some very grand times. Aviation and auto racing was their game. If you are into Porsche and some very unusual race cars like a 1914, 4 cylinder twin OHC engine FIAT which was 3 or 4 liters compared to the huge engines of that time, then the Collier museum is for you.
Mile's brother, Baron, lives a very humble life on a farm.

The Ausie GP begins now.Enjoy..

Originally posted by desmo
Damn. Wish I wasn't jammed up with work and didn't live 3000 miles away. Looks like a great day!