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Four Stops, Four Great Memories
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One of the greatest rewards of writing The Enthusiast’s Guide to Collector Cars has been the opportunity to meet fellow enthusiasts all over the country. Over the past few weeks, I had the privilege of attending three very different events, each reminding me that this hobby has always been about far more than the cars themselves—it’s about the people.
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New to this newsletter?
Don’t miss out—subscribe over there—->
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Autobooks-Aerobooks — Burbank, CA
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My travels began at the legendary Autobooks-Aerobooks. Founded in 1951, this remarkable bookstore has long been considered one of the world’s great gathering places for automotive enthusiasts, with generations of collectors, racers, authors, and historians walking through its doors.
Spending time with Tina Van Curen was every bit as enjoyable as I had hoped. Her passion for preserving this special place is evident the moment you walk inside.
Between talking books, swapping automotive stories, and meeting fellow enthusiasts throughout the day, it felt less like a book signing and more like spending an afternoon with old friends.
If you’re ever anywhere near Los Angeles, Autobooks-Aerobooks deserves a place on every automotive enthusiast’s bucket list. Unfortunately Jay was elsewhere:(
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Flat Out @ the Petersen Automotive Museum
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No visit to Los Angeles would have been complete without stopping by the Petersen Automotive Museum to experience Joshua Vides’ Flat Out exhibit. If you haven’t seen it yet, picture stepping inside a giant black-and-white sketchbook where full-size cars, furniture, tools, and entire rooms appear to have been hand-drawn. It is one of the most creative automotive exhibits I’ve seen in years.
Walking through the exhibit, I kept having the same thought: “I wish I had thought of this.” The concept is wonderfully simple, yet the execution is absolutely brilliant. It’s the kind of idea that completely changes the way you look at something familiar.
Oddly enough, I have the very same feeling whenever I think about Bring a Trailer. Every entrepreneur has a few ideas they wish they had invented first, and the Bring a Trailer business model has always been one of mine. Flat Out was a great reminder that some of the best ideas aren’t necessarily the most complicated—they’re simply the ones that make everyone else say, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
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CarVault Main Line — Philadelphia, PA
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The next stop took me to CarVault Main Line for a seminar on buying a collector car and understanding the auction process.
Joining host Tim McNair and fellow panelist Harrison Platz made for an entertaining and informative discussion, with questions ranging from first-time collector purchases to what really happens behind the scenes at a major collector car auction. We discussed everything from choosing the right car and conducting due diligence to understanding auction strategy, buyer’s premiums, and when it makes sense to buy privately versus at auction.
A special thank you to our facilitator, Myles Leevy, who kept folks moving and fed while making sure we addressed the questions that mattered most to the audience. Events like this are a great reminder that sharing knowledge is one of the best ways to grow the hobby, and I always enjoy helping new enthusiasts avoid some of the costly mistakes that can come with buying their first collector car.
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Keeneland Concours d’Elegance Hangar Party — Lexington, KY
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The final stop was the always memorable Keeneland Concours d’Elegance Hangar Party, where incredible automobiles are matched only by the wonderful people who attend.
A heartfelt thank you to Tom and Connie Jones for their gracious hospitality and for hosting another fantastic evening. It is always one of my favorite events of the year because it perfectly captures what makes this hobby so special—great friends, great conversations, and some truly spectacular automobiles.
Somewhere during the festivities, someone handed me an inflatable alligator raft. Naturally, within moments I was pretending it was a guitar. Judging by the accompanying photo, I may have discovered an entirely new musical instrument.
Unfortunately, I also confirmed that my future probably isn’t as the lead guitarist in a rock band. Sometimes the best memories from these events have nothing to do with the cars!
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One of my favorite parts of writing this newsletter is meeting readers in person. Whether it’s a concours, museum, bookstore, car club, dealership, or private collector event, I genuinely enjoy sharing stories, discussing the collector car market, and talking with fellow enthusiasts.
If you’d like to have me at your concours, museum, dealership, automotive club, corporate gathering, or private event for a keynote presentation, collector car market seminar, book signing, podcast recording, or moderated discussion, simply reply to this newsletter. I’d love to explore how we can create something memorable for your audience.
As always, thank you for following along on these automotive adventures. I truly appreciate your support and look forward to seeing many of you somewhere down the road.
#CollectorCars #CarCulture #AutomotiveHistory #AutobooksAerobooks #PetersenMuseum #FlatOut #JoshuaVides #BringATrailer #CarVaultMainLine #CollectorCarMarket #KeenelandConcours #ConcoursDElegance #TheCollectorsGuide #AutomotiveEvents #CarEnthusiast
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Need Help With Your Collector Car?
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If you’re considering selling a collector car and would like guidance, I’m always happy to help.
Whether it’s a blue-chip car for a live auction or a modern enthusiast car better suited for an online format, just reply to this email and I’ll personally walk you through the options, timing, and next steps.
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New Podcast Episodes Every Thursday
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What does it take to restore one of the rarest and most historically significant Volkswagens ever built?
In this episode of The Collector Car Podcast, Greg Stanley sits down with Alexander Soultanis to explore the remarkable story behind the restoration of a 1944 KdF-Wagen Type 82e—a fascinating vehicle that bridges the military Kübelwagen and the civilian Beetle during World War II.
Alexander shares the car’s incredible history, the painstaking research required to authenticate its originality, the challenges of sourcing nearly impossible-to-find components, and the delicate balance between preservation and restoration. Along the way, you’ll gain insight into the origins of what would eventually become one of the world’s most recognizable automobiles and why surviving examples like this are so important to automotive history.
Whether you’re a Volkswagen enthusiast, a restoration expert, or simply love uncovering the stories behind significant collector cars, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
#CollectorCarPodcast #Volkswagen #KdFWagen #Type82e #VWBeetle #AutomotiveHistory #CarRestoration #ClassicCars #VintageVolkswagen #WWIIHistory #CollectorCars #AlexanderSoultanis #AutomotiveRestoration #HistoricVehicles #AirCooled
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Then catch up on some of my previous blogs:
As always, thanks for listening, watching, liking and sharing fun automotive content. I will talk to all of you this Thursday on The Collector Car Podcast.
Greg Stanley
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