One of the coolest car experiences I've had

So I managed to wrangle an invitation to meet with Ken Lingenfelter earlier this week at his office outside Detroit. He is an avid car collector who made quite a bit of money in the title agent/insurance business with a company he started in the late seventies. He sold his company to a public company in 2003 and worked there for 5 years. He then "retired", but, having purchased Lingenfelter Performance Engineering in the mid-2000s after his 2nd cousin, John Lingenfelter, passed away, he once again works full time, guiding that company.

He couldn't have been nicer to me or more gracious. We spent the better part of an hour talking about title insurance. Then, as that conversation wrapped up, he asked "so you want to see the collection?" I thought he'd never ask!

His collection is best described as eclectic. He has a penchant for 3 general genres: muscle, Corvette/Camaro and exotics. But he would appeal to this crowd, if for no other reason than he has 2 spotless Fiero GTs!

Here is an article that talks a little about him: Corvette Magazine article

Here is a link to pictures I took. I didn't take nearly as many as I would have liked. In fact, in looking through them, I saw cars that I completely missed! I could have spent the entire day there.

Photobucket album

And, as a teaser, here is one of the cooler cars:

I looked right over the (of course awesome) Lambo at the Alfa 8C after reading "here is one of the cooler cars."

8C Compitizione!

Honestly I saw the 951 in the background first...

I dig a guy who with that kind of bank has an ~$7,000 944 turbo in the "Exotics" room.

MrJoshua wrote: I dig a guy who with that kind of bank has an ~$7,000 944 turbo in the "Exotics" room.

Funniest part about the 951 is he bought it off ebay. He was proud of that.

Yeah, that is crazy. there are at least 3 cars there that cost over 1M...and over in the corner is a 914...

Another cool tidbit is this 914 sitting in the corner. He just bought it, with plans to perform a widebody/LSx conversion. He was super excited about that plan.

wow....

Yeah the 8C was what first caught my eye, then the F22 inspired Reventon

So he's all jazzed about doing an lsx to a 914, that's parked behind the Carrera GT... yah OK, the feller's all right in my book. I must have a sick and twisted book.

I know we all like our inexpensive cars.

And that modern muscle cars are just too bloated and big in comparison to the originals.

And GM should now stand for Government Motors.

But I'm a kid the '70's and this made me giggle just like the first time I saw Sally Field flip off Sheriff Buford T. Justice....

-Rob

wow.

page 1 pic 2 what is that I think I am in love.

drmike wrote: I looked right over the (of course awesome) Lambo at the Alfa 8C after reading "here is one of the cooler cars."

I did the very same.

Neat collection! Thanks to the OP for sharing! Does my heart good to see someone with money who enjoys acquiring new and old, pricey and cheap.

Wow, awesome collection.

Any info on this 'Vette?

Jay_W wrote: So he's all jazzed about doing an lsx to a 914, that's parked behind the Carrera GT... yah OK, the feller's all right in my book. I must have a sick and twisted book.

And the Carrera GT is sitting behind an original 959 that he (no lie) bought from the Sultan of Brunei.

Luke wrote: Wow, awesome collection. Any info on this 'Vette?

Very significant car. It was the original Duntov test mule when the Corvette was first being developed. It is the crown jewel in his Corvette collection. Only one in existence.

ValuePack wrote:

drmike wrote: I looked right over the (of course awesome) Lambo at the Alfa 8C after reading "here is one of the cooler cars."

I did the very same. Neat collection! Thanks to the OP for sharing! Does my heart good to see someone with money who enjoys acquiring new and old, pricey and cheap.

Happy to share. I was blown away and wanted to tell the story.

I loved the Alfa 8C as well. The frustrating thing about the tour was that it was compressed due to Ken's schedule. I'm still shaking my head that I walked through a collection like this and "blew off" cars like the Mercedes SLR, the Saleen S7, the Alfa, etc. There were just so many cool things to see.

Javelin wrote: 8C Compitizione!

Oh My Yes. . .

This is a big push for Lingenfelter Performance Engineering right now. There were three current gen Camaros in the warehouse that each had some sort of 'vintage' treatment.

This one was very neat looking too.

rob_lewis wrote: I know we all like our inexpensive cars. And that modern muscle cars are just too bloated and big in comparison to the originals. And GM should now stand for Government Motors. But I'm a kid the '70's and this made me giggle just like the first time I saw Sally Field flip off Sheriff Buford T. Justice.... -Rob

junkbuggie wrote: page 1 pic 2 what is that I think I am in love.

I'm thinking Ferrari 400i??

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

junkbuggie wrote: page 1 pic 2 what is that I think I am in love.

I'm thinking Ferrari 400i??

I don't think so. but my first thought was also ferrari of the 70s-80s

junkbuggie wrote:

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

junkbuggie wrote: page 1 pic 2 what is that I think I am in love.

I'm thinking Ferrari 400i??

I don't think so. but my first thought was also ferrari of the 70s-80s

Bitter SC.

JFX001 wrote:

junkbuggie wrote:

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

junkbuggie wrote: page 1 pic 2 what is that I think I am in love.

I'm thinking Ferrari 400i??

I don't think so. but my first thought was also ferrari of the 70s-80s

Bitter SC.

^^Winner. Ken and I spoke specifically about that car as the last item of the tour. It happens to be the first car you see upon walking into the warehouse, but we touched on it last. He said he walked by it at a show and did a double take, thinking it was a Ferrari. Upon discovering it was a Bitter, he snapped it up, thinking it would make a nice addition to the collection.