10 Tips for Aspiring Classic Car Collectors
Kim and Mitch McCullough are rare- and vintage-car enthusiasts who have spent the past decade assembling a small but wonderful collection of automobiles, from a Jaguar E-type to an Alpine A110. When they moved from California to New Jersey a few years ago—so Kim could take a job as vice president of marketing for Jaguar Land Rover North America—they finally built a dream garage next to their 19th-century house that’s worthy of their precious cargo. On a recent visit, Architectural Digest asked the couple to share their top tips for prospective classic car collectors and to describe how they’ve incorporated their passion into their home.
1/61. Decide where you’re going to store your collection.
Most home garages have space for only a few cars, so collectors must find a place to store their vehicles. Whether it’s a warehouse or specialized facility, make sure it’s as close as possible to where you live, says Mitch. “You don’t want to take a long drive just so you can take one of your cars out for a spin.” When the McCulloughs moved from California to New Jersey a few years ago, they built a structure on their new property specifically to house their collection. “It’s easy to heat and keep dry,” says Kim, “and best of all, it’s right there, and we can wander over and play with the cars after dinner.”
2. Look for ways to create space in your garage.
Hydraulic car lifts can be used to store vehicles vertically, and shelving systems, like the one the McCulloughs installed on one wall of their garage, keep spare parts organized and out of the way. “You always need more space than you think,” says Mitch. “We purposefully built our garage with high ceilings in case we want to add lifts in the future.”
2/63. Choose themes to guide what you buy.
Like savvy art and furniture buyers, smart car aficionados focus on styles, periods, or individuals to help shape their collections. The McCulloughs are fans of Lotus founder Colin Chapman, who famously sought ways to make cars lighter. Most of the vehicles in their reserve—from a rare Alpine A110 and a Mini Moke to their six Lotuses—are small and made of lightweight materials. Of course, they occasionally make exceptions: Recently the couple bought a hulking Land Rover Series 1. It’s bigger than their other cars, and they had to deflate its tires and cinch down the suspension just to fit it in their trailer.
4. Find out what other people in your area are collecting.
“I tell people who are just starting out to look for local collectors’ clubs,” says Mitch. “Half the fun of this hobby is meeting other people who have similar interests.” Along with adding a social element to the pastime, clubs and associations can be great resources for technical advice and leads for where to find rare or discontinued parts.
3/65. Head to the races.
Rallies and races have always been a part of the McCulloughs’ car-collecting experience. They got to know each while racing Miatas back when they worked at Mazda in the 1990s. When the couple moved east, the first thing they did was look for events at local raceways, including Lime Rock Park, in Connecticut. And last year they raced in Italy’s famed Mille Miglia. “Driving around your neighborhood is only fun a few times,” says Kim. “These cars come alive when you’re with other people who know and care about them.”
4/66. Keep an eye out for memorabilia.
The McCulloughs gravitate to cars created by visionary designers, and they spend a lot of time researching obscure brands and engineers. In the process, they’ve accumulated a library of catalogues and books—showcased in a den in their home—as well as posters, models, and other vintage marketing materials, which they display in their garage. “All of these things add to your understanding of the cars,” says Mitch.
7. Cultivate a network of like-minded collectors.
You can’t go to every auction and see every car in person, so it helps if you have a few friends whose opinions and taste you trust. When a Jaguar E-Type came up for sale recently and neither of the McCulloughs was available to inspect it, they asked a friend to take a look in their place. “He knows what we like and after hearing his report, we felt comfortable buying the car,” says Mitch.
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5/68. Decide how much work you want to do.
Depending on your interest, maintenance and repair work can be either a necessary chore or the source of great pleasure. Understanding where you fall in the spectrum should inform what kind of cars you buy. Kim and Mitch thoroughly research each vehicle’s condition before purchase so they know what they’re getting into. While they spend a lot of time tinkering on their vehicles, they also have network of mechanics to whom they can hand over jobs. “I can and do rebuild engines,” says Mitch, “but sometimes I want somebody else to do it.”
6/69. Look for ways to incorporate your passion in your home.
The McCulloughs collect black-and-white photographs of historic races and famous race-car drivers, which Kim has arranged gallery-style in a corridor leading to their bedroom. “It’s another way for us to explore our interest in the subject,” she says.
10. Get behind the wheel and drive.
“One of the worst thing you can do to an old car is let it just sit around,” says Kim. “On weekends we’ll take one out in the morning and then another in the afternoon. It’s good for the cars and fun for us.”
