By Angelo Van Bogart, with Bob Brown

Bob Brown and George Collar of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., have been collecting “Letter Cars” for decades — especially convertible versions. By “Letter Cars,” they mean big-finned Chrysler 300s (300-D, 300-E, 300-F, etc.) and Chevrolet Corvettes (C1, C2, C3). Other big-finned MoPar products from Dodge, De Soto and Plymouth have joined the fray, but throughout their years of collecting, Brown and Collar have never been able to land a 1957 Chrysler 300C, the first year that fins on Chrysler Corp.cars really took off toward the sky.

“We missed out on the purchase of several Chrysler 300Cs for the entire period of collecting,” Brown said. “They were either beyond our price point, or we were too late to the party. We had always hoped to add a 300C rag or hardtop, but they eluded us.”

They were beginning to think a 300C just wasn’t meant to be.

From tracking all manner of old cars and restoring and showing their “Letter Car” collection, Brown and Collar have cultivated many connections. One of them was with a man from their own town who regularly stopped by the annual finned car display at the Iola Car Show in which Brown and Collar participate.

More than a decade ago, a man began stopping at the display to speak to Brown and Collar about “Letter Cars.” It wasn’t until after several years that the man mentioned he had a “Letter Car” of his own: a desirable Chrysler 300C with the beautiful first-year “Forward Look” design and the 392-cid Hemi V-8 with dual four-barrel carburetors — the Chrysler 300 that Brown and Collar desired most.

“He would come faithfully to the Iola Car Show year after year and we would always talk,” Brown said. “Finally, he mentioned that he had a 1957 Chrysler 300C, which he intended to restore, and that’s why he was asking so many questions. I asked if I could visit him someday and see his car, and the response was always, ‘When I get it restored.’”

The cycle repeated for many years without Brown ever seeing the car, so he began to wonder if the 300C actually existed. Then, one year, the man stopped showing up at the fin car display at the show. Brown later made contact with the man’s daughter and learned he had passed away. About once a year, Brown would make contact with the man’s daughter and eventually learned the car had gone to her mother, and then her. She said her dad had instructed her to call Brown and Collar if she decided to sell the 300C, and she planned to honor his wishes.

Finally, in 2018, Brown was invited to see the car himself during his annual call to the daughter. He would finally learn if the 300C was imaginary or truly existed.

“It was winter, two feet of snow and ice, the car was covered with a half inch of dirt and filth, the windshield and side windows were so dirty that you couldn’t see the interior until you opened the doors,” Brown said, “but the excitement of seeing it for the first time made the cold less of a problem!”

Under the dirt and dust, Brown and Collar indeed found a 1957 Chrysler 300C with 1965 Wisconsin plates and 58,000 miles on the odometer. It was painted a desirable Guaguin Red color and, to boot, it was a very desirable convertible version. In their inspection, they noted the driver’s rear fender had been damaged at the fin tip and learned that was how the car came to be parked with relatively few miles and so early in its life.

“I was told that the car had rolled down a hill at the farm decades earlier and hit an oak tree,” Brown said. “It didn’t do the car any good, but the oak tree was just fine! That’s when Dad parked it 54 years earlier.”

Brown learned the Chrysler 300C had been sold new at Universal Motors in Chicago. Robert Ruhs bought it as a used car on April 15, 1964, from the original owner, who was then living in Milwaukee. Just one year after buying the 300C, Ruhs parked after it rolled into a tree. He had only enjoyed it for one year.

True to his word, Ruhs had planned to restored the 300C and in his five decades of good intentions, he had acquired a spare 1957 Chrysler rear fender to repair the tree-damaged fender, as well as a few other parts.

Upon opening the hood during their inspection, a problem was discovered — the entire engine was gone! Not to worry, the daughter assured them; her father had set it aside for a rebuild.

They were later taken to the engine at its longtime resting place, the dirt floor of Ruhs’ barn. The exotic external components such as carburetors, the unique 300C air cleaners, manifolds, Hemi valve covers and all other parts were present and accounted for.

Being stored for so many years had saved the Chrysler 300C from the ravages of most Wisconsin winters, leaving it in relatively good condition. However, it also meant the car would need restoration of all its components.

Now the excitement was building — would Brown and Collar finally get to add the 300C to their collection? And had they found their car just miles from their home? There were no definitive answers that day; they would leave knowing they’d have to continue the patience they had been practicing for years.

Finally, in 2019, the owner called to say she was ready to sell the Chrysler 300C her father had left her. Were Brown and Collar still interested? The answer, of course, was yes.

“We talked several more times last summer and finally came to an agreement to purchase the car,” Brown said. “We promised to give the car a good home and a complete restoration as her father had always wanted.

“Best of all, our search was over — this example would complete our 300 ragtop collection!”

Upon completing the purchase, Brown and Collar verified the car’s numbers and learned it was indeed a very desirable Guaguin Red 1957 Chrysler 300C convertible with its original 392-cid Hemi.

Work immediately began preparing the 300C for restoration. Coincidentally, the unibody restoration was just wrapping up on their 1960 Chrysler 300F convertible, so “the timing couldn’t have been better,” Brown said.

Already, the 300C engine has been rebuilt, the interior restored, and Brown notes new parts are arriving on an almost-daily basis. He and Collar hope to display the last letter of their “Letter Car” collection in 2021.

The post Car of the Week: 1957 Chrysler 300C appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

RM Auctions concluded its 2012 calendar on a high note Dec. 1 in Florida, generating more than $11.5 million in sales with 100 percent of all lots sold at its John Staluppi “Cars of Dreams” Collection sale in North Palm Beach.

The result of a decade of dedicated collecting by respected collector and successful entrepreneur, John Staluppi, the single-day auction presented a magnificent range of American automobiles and memorabilia before a standing-room only crowd. Capturing the attention of the global collector community, bidders hailed from 10 countries, including as far away as Brazil, Germany and Australia. On a national level, bidders represented 42 states across the United States.

“We’re thrilled with the results from the John Staluppi ‘Cars of Dreams’ Museum sale,” says Donnie Gould, partner and specialist, RM Auctions. “Well-respected in the hobby, John had a very precise collecting philosophy that focused on securing only the ‘best of the very best’. The results from the sale reflect the great quality and presentation of the offering. Numerous lots attracted enthusiastic bidding with prices frequently exceeding their estimates. All in all, it was a great auction and a fitting end to what has been a record year for RM.”

The automobile offering comprised a wide variety of some of the finest, rarest and most desirable American automobiles ever produced, with a strong emphasis on convertibles and performance cars. Headlining the list of 113 automobiles on offer was a magnificently restored 1956 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible. Considered near the pinnacle of Cadillac’s post-war flamboyance, the brilliant Mandan red convertible drew lively bidding to sell for a strong $299,750. The remarkable sales price represents a new world record for a 1956 Cadillac Convertible sold at auction.

In addition to the sale-topping ’56 Cadillac, other highlights from the same marque included a 1958 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible for $206,250 and a 1960 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible also for $206,250 – a new auction record for the 1960 model year.

Other notable sales included a rare Acapulco Blue 1968 Shelby Mustang GT500-KR Convertible which garnered an impressive $264,000; a 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air Impala Custom Hardtop Coupe, equipped with an 840 bhp, LS-9, supercharged V-8, selling for $198,000; and a 1966 Ford Mustang Convertible, realizing a strong $78,100.

In addition to the automobiles, the auction also featured an eclectic assortment of memorabilia. Leading this segment of the sale was a historic 1918 Herschell-Spillman 32’ Carousel which spurred a lively bidding war, eventually selling for $460,000 to applause from the crowd.

Other notable memorabilia highlights included a one-of-a-kind large-scale Lionel train layout, measuring approximately 30 feet long by 15 feet wide and nine feet tall, another lot that well-exceeded estimate, bringing $103,500; and a fully-functioning, authentic Cretors Antique Popcorn Wagon which sold for $63,250.

RM Auctions – The John Staluppi “Cars of Dreams”Museum Top Five Sales

• Lot 163 – 1918 Herschell-Spillman 32’ Carousel – $460,000
• Lot 220 – 1956 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible – $299,750
• Lot 232 – 1968 Shelby Mustang GT500-KR Convertible – $264,000
• Lot 264 – 1958 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible – $206,250
• Lot 283 – 1960 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible – $206,250

Full results from the John Staluppi “Cars of Dreams” Museum Collection, along with additional information on upcoming RM events, is available online at rmauctions.com.

If you love post-WWII automobiles and want a detailed guide to help identify American cars from 1946-1975, check out our Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975 by John Gunnell!

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Anticipation is building for RM Auctions’ presentation of the renowned John Staluppi ‘Cars of Dreams’ Museum sale this Saturday, Dec. 1, in North Palm Beach, Fla. The high profile, single-vendor sale will lift the gavel on a remarkable assortment of American automobiles and more than 60 lots of memorabilia.

The result of a decade of dedicated collecting by successful entrepreneur, car dealer and lifelong enthusiast, John Staluppi, the automobiles comprising the “Cars of Dreams” Museum are the vehicles of Staluppi’s youth, the golden age of the American automobile. With a strong emphasis on convertibles from the ’50s and ’60s, the sale will lift the gavel on nearly 120 motor cars from the collection, highlighted by wide variety of some of the finest, rarest and most desirable American automobiles ever produced.

“From a vast selection of American automotive marques including Ford, Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac and Desoto to name just a few, to the town square design that includes a carousel and numerous store facades, the attention to detail that has been applied to the John Staluppi Collection is outstanding,” says Donnie Gould, RM Auctions. “The cars have been superbly restored, regularly exercised and extremely well maintained by a professional staff, and the memorabilia is such that the museum is like a time capsule of Americana. The sale is generating strong early interest from the collector community, and with all lots offered ‘without reserve’, promises a range of exciting ownership opportunities just in time for the holidays,” adds Gould.

Leading the comprehensive roster of automobiles on offer is a complete series of Chrysler letter cars. Reserved for the wealthiest and most discerning buyers of the ’50s and ’60s, the selection ranges from a 1955 Chrysler C-300 Hardtop Coupe, the first production car to offer 300 horsepower right off the showroom floor (estimate: $75,000-$100,000), to a 1962 Chrysler 300H Convertible, believed to be one of only 44 known survivors (estimate: $60,000-$80,000). Arguably most anticipated of the group is a superbly restored 1960 Chrysler 300F Convertible, one of only 82 believed to exist and ranked the most expensive letter car of its time, listed new at $5,411. Finished in Terra Cotta, the beautifully presented 300F has four leather-covered, contoured bucket seats with front chairs that swivel for easy access (estimate: $175,000-$225,000). Also of note is an exceptionally rare and beautifully restored 1958 Chrysler 300D Convertible, one of just 55 known to exist (estimate: $175,000-$200,000), and a fully restored example of the legendary 1957 Chrysler 300C Convertible, Motor Trend’s Car of the Year in 1957 (estimate: $150,000-$200,000).

The automotive offering also includes some of the world’s greatest street and resto-rods led by an outstanding 1956 Chevrolet Two-Ten Custom Two-Door Sedan powered by a Toyota TRD NASCAR engine (estimate: $100,000-$125,000). Other unique offerings include a 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air Impala Custom Hardtop Coupe built by Staluppi’s own workshops and equipped with a LS-9 supercharged V-8 (estimate: $100,000-$150,000), and an 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Custom SS 572 Convertible with a big block whose red valve covers proclaim “572 Chevrolet” (estimate: $100,000-$125,000).

Beyond the automobiles and a small series of motorcycles also on offer, the Staluppi Collection sale also features more than 60 lots of memorabilia, ranging from the many life-like stores that line the museum display to one of the most interesting and dramatic pieces of the collection, an historic 1918 Herschell-Spillman 32’ Carousel. Typifying the golden age of carousels in America, the carousel features elaborate and whimsical animals, two abreast, with 14 sweeps and includes 16 large wooden Alan Herschell jumping horses and two carved chariots. All are brought together in harmony by the rounding boards painted in a vibrant circus theme with mirrors in alternate panels, and illuminated by roughly 550 lights. Prior to joining the respected Staluppi Collection, this unique piece was reportedly operated at the Big Top Market in Florida for 10 years (estimate: $250,000-$500,000).

Also set to sell to the highest bidder is a fantastic, one-of-a-kind large-scale Lionel train layout combining numerous action displays, buildings, scenes, and individual dioramas depicting day-to-day movements. Measuring approximately 30 feet long by 15 feet wide and nine feet tall, the intricate display showcases remarkable attention to detail and represents more than 2,500 hours of labor by craftsmen and technicians. For those interested in model railroading, areas of impressive detail include an engine roundhouse, dual layers of track and trains, animated street scenes, as well as a waterfall, mountain pass and trestle track (estimate: $60,000-$80,000). Additional highlights poised for the auction podium include an outstanding, post-war c.1950 Arthur Bursens ‘Arburo’ Dance Organ, acquired from the prestigious Milhous Collection many years ago (estimate: $125,000-$175,000); and a fully functioning, authentic Cretors Antique Popcorn Wagon ready for use and display (estimate: $20,000-$30,000). The memorabilia offering is rounded out by an eclectic assortment of other collectibles and decorative pieces, including shop facades, street lights, artwork, and neon signs to name just a few.

Full event details and a complete list of auction offerings, along with a digital copy of the auction catalog and a short video interview with Mr. Staluppi, are available online at rmauctions.com or by calling toll free 1 800 211 4371 (or +1 519 352 4575 outside North America).

Event Details – The John Staluppi Collection presented by RM Auctions
Sale date: Dec. 1, 2012; auction commences at 10 a.m. EDT
Preview dates: Nov. 29 – 30; preview commences 10 a.m. EDT both days
Location: Cars of Dreams Museum, 133 U.S. Highway One, North Palm Beach, FL 33408
Admission: Admission to the auction is limited to registered bidders, consignors, and qualified media only. Bidder registration is $150 and includes an official auction catalogue and admission for two to the preview and auction.
For those unable to attend the event in person, Internet, absentee, and telephone bidding options are available, and the auction will stream live at rmauctions.com to provide real-time coverage of the event.

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