Owner of The Craziest Race Car Collection Passes Away at 86

Notable car collector Dr. Frederick Simeone has passed away over Le Mans weekend, he was 86. The Philadelphia-based classic car guru amassed one of the world's most incredible collections of race cars from pre-war through the 50s and 60s on into the 1970s. His array of Ferrari, Alfa, Bugatti, Aston, and many more famous marques like the Ford GT40 and Chevrolet Corvette from the US are all historically significant, but some almost too obscure to identify. The good doctor leaves behind his collection, which are housed at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in Pennsylvania.

For us, the over 70 race car collection (worth untold millions) was an experience to just sort through the pictures alone. It certainly will prep us for the upcoming onslaught of classics coming from Goodwood Festival of Speed.

While Dr. Simeone might have not been a household name car collector like Jay Leno or Ralph Lauren, his collection was impossible to match. Dr. Simeone had been collecting for over five decades after he inherited a small collection of four cars from his father. As the Chief of Neurosurgery at Pennsylvania Hospital, Simeone worked tirelessly on his career saving lives and after retirement followed his dream of launching the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum until his passing.

"Late last evening, as the first rays of light began to appear on the Mulsanne Straight, we lost our hero and champion, Dr. Frederick Simeone," a Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum statement said.

If you haven't had a chance to visit the Simeone collection, the museum will continue to operate under careful curation by staff. The Simeone Museum includes an incredible display of race cars from the early days of speed contents to Le Mans, Daytona, Mille Miglia along with any race car worth saving and sharing with the world.

Scrolling through the collection we see the oldest racer he owned, a 1907 Renault 35/45 Vanderbilt Racer Made in France. This 45hp monster is part of the Pre-WWI Racing collection. A number of racers hail from the 1920s collection of Pre WWII racers as well. Naturally, the golden age of racing in the 1960s and to a lesser extent in the 1950s has dozens of examples like the Ferrari 250 GT Interim Berlinetta, and the striking Porsche 917 #043. Not to mention, Ford GT and Ford GT MKII from the Ford versus Ferrari 1960s battles at Le Mans.

Dr. Simeone may have passed on from living his best life, but his spirit most certainly lives on with the intact collection of his life's work finding and caring for amazing race cars that would make most millionaires at Pebble Beach Concours or Goodwood Festival of Speed totally envious.