Consider Dr. Frederick Simeone, an extraordinary individual. As an

Consider Dr. Frederick Simeone, an extraordinary individual. As an
accomplished neurosurgeon, intellectual and purist, I can only imagine the
sense of assurance I would have felt had I needed the care of this soft
spoken, capable, gentle man. In a world of paper tigers and instant
celebrity, Dr. Simeone’s accomplishments and acumen are reason enough
to feature him in any noteworthy publication. But there is another
exemplary side to this Renaissance man; one that makes his story
particularly compelling to the
automotive world.
Dr. Simeone is a second
generation collector of old race
cars. Think about it; what good is
an old race car? You can’t race it
and win… by definition; it is old
with lighter, faster, safer cars
beating it to the finish line. Old race cars are equally out of place on public
roadways, if even street legal. A short while ago, conventional wisdom put
collecting old race cars right up there with collecting ENRON stock. For
example; in 1965, a 1957 Ferrari 250 TR race cars had little to no value.
They were scrapped for salvage, pushed down ravines or sold for as little
as $4,000.
That’s the interesting thing about conventional wisdom…it usually
isn’t.
A 1957, 250 Testa Rossa sold on August 20, 2011 for $16,400,000.
No, this isn’t a typo. The black 250 TR with its red and white striped shout
set the record as the most expensive car purchase to date. And, yes, Dr.
Simeone owns a rare 250 TR, along with one of the last Alfa Romero 8C
1966 Ford GT40 MK II
1958 Aston Martin DBR1
1952 Cunningham C-4R Roadster
1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B MM Spyder22
An interview with Dr. Fred Simeone of the
The Simeone Automotive Museum – 1958 250 Testa Rossa
Prancing Thunder Member M-38
2900B MM Spyders, a Bugatti Type 57G “Tank” (the only one left out of 3
that were made), the 1967 Ford GT40 Mk IV that set the Le Mans speed
record, the only…well, you get the idea. 65 of the most important cars in
the world are comfortably waiting the pleasure of your company in an auto
museum in Philadelphia. All because one man flew, or in this case drove,
in the face of conventional wisdom.
The Simeone Automotive Museum is unique among car collections. It
is one of the few collections in which
you can actually see and experience
65 real cars, not some restoration
company’s blinged-out interpretation
of what cars should be. The
Museum is inspired by “The Spirit of
Competition” in which preservation is
valued over restoration, another of Dr.
Simeone’s departures from conventional wisdom…bettering the breed.
There is a crowded field in the race for automotive perfection.
Collectors spending a great deal each year to restore their prized
possessions far beyond the state the manufacturers of those wonderful
machines had ever intended. It is a tribute to automotive history and
excellence that The Simeone Automotive Museum has managed to
preserve and exalt the “truth in material” philosophy. It is a tribute to Dr.
Simeone that he has been successful in doing so while the debate over
the value of restoration verses historical significance rages on.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, “…while cosmetic perfection is
very difficult to achieve, historic perfection is even more elusive and
therefore more desirable.” My money is on the good Doctor.
1936 Bugatti Type 57G “Tank”
1927 Mercedes-Benz S-Type Sportwagen
Q: Do you have a favorite
car?
The Alfa Romero 8C 2900B
MM Spyders.
Q: What has been the
public’s favorite car?
DS: It seems to change each
year. Currently it is the 917
Porsche 917 LH, “Hippie Car”.
One year was the 250 TR.
Q: Who bought the first car?
DS: My Dad. He had a small group of seven cars, four
remain in the collection.
Q: What was the first car?
DS: 1937 Cord. It was Dad’s dream car and a keeper.
Q: When did it go from a bunch of cars to a collection?
DS: It all began in 1975. But it didn’t feel like a collection
until enough two-seater sportscars came together to give
the group a personality.
Q: Thank goodness for that.
Of course, the 250 TR is
Prancing Thunder’s favorite
car. Please tell us about
your 250 TR.
DS: It all started with Joel Finn’s 1979 book, Testa Rosa
V12. After that; it took three iterations of searching, three
years of planning and three Bentley’s to get the 250 TR.
Q: When did the notion of a museum first come about
and with how many cars?
DS: 1990’s
Q: How many cars does the museum have today?
DS: There are 65 cars in The Simeone Automotive
Collection. 2 other cars visit, semi-permanently.
Q: Is the museum/collection still being added to?
DS: The collection has
become so successful
that entrance
qualifications for new
cars makes them very
expensive. But if I
really wanted
something, I’ll find a
way to get it.
Q: Are all of the cars in working order?
DS: Yes.
Q: Did your Dad have a favorite car?
DS: His 1937 Cord.
Q: As one of the most important historian/curators in
automotive history, what do you envision the future of
The Simeone Automotive Museum to be?
DS: I would like The Museum
to be relocated to be more
accessible to the general
public and the cars and
literature to be available as
teaching tools.
PT Kid’s Question:
Max: Did anyone tell you
what your Dad and you were
doing was crazy in the early
years?
DS: They thought we were
quirky.