House of Cars: Curated Garage Tour and Gala Celebration Sets The Bar

The collection of cars shown at the New Canaan Historical Society’s House of Cars Curated Garage Tour and Gala Celebration set the area standard for collectible car events. This spectacular day-into-evening affair offered three separate opportunities to view some of the world’s most coveted cars, while honoring the Historical Society’s 125th anniversary and drawing spectators from across the globe.

The day began with a ‘Fuel-Up Breakfast’ at Miller Motorcars’ Stamford garage, where guests were treated to some of the most desirable cars ever produced. Among the standout cars were the 616 horsepower Rolls-Royce Wraith; the Bugatti Veyron, which has the ability to accelerate from 0 to 100 in under three seconds; and three bare carbon fiber Pagani Huayras, which are nothing short of mechanical art.

“We’ve never done anything like this before, said Evan Cygler, Director of Marketing at Miller Motorcars. Customers are opening their homes, sharing their passion, driving, showing and celebrating their cars. It’s very exciting,” he added. Richard Koppelman, owner of Miller Motorcars, restored the garage in 2011, which boasts high performance garage doors, a women’s locker room and 32 bays. “Attention to detail is the secret of success,” says Koppelman. “The place has to be immaculate because it sets the standard for the mechanics to keep the cars immaculate. We’re proud of it, and we’re told by others that it’s the best service department in the world.”

Janet Lindstrom, Executive Director of the New Canaan Historical Society, opened the morning’s event by thanking Miller Motorcars and Collector’s Car Garage for hosting House of Cars. She noted the magnificence of the cars, and expressed her gratitude to all the owners involved in the day for keeping them preserved and sharing them with the attendees. Lindstrom also recognized the efforts of the two event Co-Chairs, New Canaan Historical Society board members Susan Bishop and Joanna Williams, who tirelessly spearheaded House of Cars.

Master car restorer Wayne Carini was the morning’s speaker, who at age nine took his first ride in a Ferrari, and since then has gone on become a Ferrari expert and host of the Velocity Channel’s Chasing Classic Cars, now in its 8th season. Knowing that funds raised by this event would benefit the Historical Society’s preservation efforts, Carini discussed the role of preservation in the car industry. “One of the things that was overlooked in this industry for so many years was preservation,” said Carini. “For years cars were stripped, engines were rebuilt and restored. Today we recognize that things that are left original are worth more. It’s very important to care for these cars in the condition they’re in, and today there are even classes at Pebble Beach for preservation.”

After breakfast, attendees broke into small groups and participated in a scheduled ‘rally,’ visiting the private garages of five collectors throughout Fairfield County. These owners graciously opened their homes and shared their passion. Each stop had its own personality; a unique expression of its owner. A Stamford garage held 19 cars and what can only be described as ‘the ultimate man cave’ overlooking the collection. The owner thinks of cars as golf clubs; for a long drive you need something comfortable, but for a trip of medium length he turns to a Ferrari, and for short trips he has two or three high intensity ‘daily cars’ like Porches, “that go around corners like no tomorrow.”

There were three stops along the tour in New Canaan. A private home garage was filled with motorcycles including a WWII paratrooper motorcycle, several Indian motorcycles and a bike once owned by Steve McQueen. The owner explained that American bikes are built for American roads: big & industrial, but European bikes reflect their roads, which are narrower, and smaller in comparison. Another New Canaan home showcased a unique collection of classic cars, one more elegant than the next. At this stop, Louise Grob, a spectator on the tour, flushed with excitement at the sight of a 1961 Jaguar E-Type. Grob is the granddaughter of Gordon Lee, who raced for Jaguar in the 1950s and ‘60s. “I grew up with all the stories of the racetracks, there were cups everywhere around the house,” said Grob. “I never expected to see this car here,” she added. The third New Canaan stop included a ‘Shelby Showcase,’ whereby the owner contacted friends and together they amassed a heady collection of Mustangs, Cobras and GTs.

A stop in Fairfield offered a wide collection of rare and vintage cars, presented across their exquisite property. Visitors were treated to a look at Cunningham sports cars and a variety of vintage cars from the early 1900s. “I’m seeing stuff from magazines that you never see in person,” said Bill O’Sullivan, a participant on the tour. “I brought along two ‘petrol heads’ from Ireland who race there in County Kerry and County Cork, we’re thrilled and honored to see all this,” he added.

The final portion of the day was a gala celebration at Collector’s Car Garage in Bedford Hills, NY. There, attendees enjoyed cocktails and dining amid and an extensive collection of exotic, vintage and rare cars that spanned three levels. During the event guests shared their experiences from the day. “I’ve seen cars here that I’ve never seen,” said Dean Bakes, owner of Charles Dean. “As far as fundraisers go, this is brilliant,” said Jim Fiske, Senior Vice President for Chubb Insurance. “It combines people’s passions with a great cause,” he added.

Legendary race car driver David Hobbs was the evening’s emcee, “This House of Cars is just extraordinary, I’ve never seen so many extraordinary cars in my life,” he said. Hobbs entertained the crowd, telling stories from his days on the track. “I raced for 30 years in probably the most dangerous time because cars got faster and faster and the tracks remained the same. There were no guardrails, and there were trees,” he said.

The highlight of the evening was Hobbs’ interview with Patrick Dempsey. While Dempsey is well known for his award-winning role on ABC’s series Grey’s Anatomy, he is also a noted Porche racer. “Grey’s Anatomy changed my life profoundly, and I started racing about the same time,” he said. “They really are two different worlds. At the track it’s very clear what your success is, there is mutual respect and comradery. In Hollywood there is a lot of insecurity about what is success, its fantasy world,” he added. Dempsey went on to discuss his experience racing at 24 Hours of LeMans, where his team placed second in the GTE AM class earlier this year. “Everything slows down when racing. When you’re in the race you don’t think about it, when you’re racing clearly it’s beautiful, it’s surreal.”

The New Canaan Historical Society would like to thank the House of Cars event sponsors. They include: Miller Motorcars of Greenwich, purveyor of Fairfield County’s finest motorcars; Chubb Insurance in partnership with Brown Thayer Shedd, provider of exceptional insurance for exceptional cars; CharlesDEAN New York, modern bespoke suits for discerning customers; Jonathan M. Wainwright Esq. of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLC, one of the world’s most prominent financial services law firms; Collectors Car Garage, a country club for car people; and media sponsor, Moffly Media, the leading authority on Fairfield County’s lifestyle resources, information and insights.