Car Collecting 

Photography by Dustin Troyan 

Southern California is the global mecca for all things automotive. Due to the great weather, incredible canyon roads, and passion of the car community, there is no better place to enjoy the hobby of car collecting. On any given day, there is a car show, car group, or car club hosting some type of driving event or gathering. 

Collecting cars is an interesting hobby. Whether you have one car or a dozen, collecting the “right cars” has proven to be a great investment and also a great way to enjoy your investment. But you do have to buy the right car. 

With the advent of social media, car collecting suddenly became the passion du jour. The value of every classic Ferrari, Porsche, and muscle car instantly jumped up tens of thousands of dollars. And the big auctions with global coverage also helped introduce millions of people to the intrinsic value of notable and collectible cars. But, it has to be the right car. 

So, what makes the right car? If you don’t know that, you had better ask an expert. And you had better be sure that your expert is actually an expert, otherwise you may find that your “investment that you can drive” might actually be a depreciating asset. So, how does one know? Years of experience. 

Here’s what I tell people that are interested in buying a classic or notable car: Buy the car that you love. Buy the car that you dream of. Buy the car that if you get “stuck with it,” it’s okay and you can afford to hold on to it. Some people buy art that they put on walls, some wear it on their wrists, and some of us drive our passion. And yes, this is my wife’s 1969 Mustang Fastback.