Well-known automotive collector John Staluppi is selling dozens of vehicles from his collection at Barrett-Jackson’s Palm Beach auction in April. Mr. Staluppi has sold collections in the past at Barrett-Jackson, RM Auctions, and Leake Auctions. Previous collections have included a Lexus LFA, a Dodge Demon Hellcat, and a variety of classic muscle cars.
All of his cars will be selling with no reserve and he has an impressive depth to his collection, ranging from the modern Ford GT – specifically a 2018 Ford GT ’67 Heritage Edition with fewer than 300 miles on the odometer – to muscle cars and even some significant cars from the 1950s.
This will mark Barrett-Jackson’s first event in Palm Beach since 2019 and is rather fitting for Mr. Staluppi to pick as the venue to sell his cars as he’s been a well-known personality at Barrett-Jackson’s auctions for many years. In 2018 he auctioned more than 140 collector cars at Barrett-Jackson’s Palm Beach event, so he’s no stranger to working with Barrett-Jackson as both a buyer and a seller.
All of Mr. Staluppi’s cars are coming from his museum, Cars of Dreams, which has been showcased on TV in multiple programs including Dreaming in Overdrive: The John Staluppi Story. The museum is equipped with various storefronts and a 50s-style diner, as well as its very own drive-in movie theater.
Notable lots that will be on offer include one of only 300 1957 DeSoto Adventurers ever built – powered by a V8 HEMI that pairs with an automatic transmission, it offers power steering, brakes, windows, and even a power seat. A 1967 Shelby GT500, fresh from a ground-up restoration and including original sheet metal, fiberglass, and even its original steering wheel will also be crossing the block.
Mr. Staluppi has always enjoyed resto-mods of all sorts and his current collection shows that with a very tricked-out Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz that features power-everything, a digital instrument cluster, and an engine from 2012. Additionally, a 1962 Chevrolet Corvette Custom Roadster will be sold that is powered by an LT1 crate engine from GM with an Edelbrock supercharger and finished in a Charcoal Metallic paint, coupled with a customer interior that features reclining leather seats.
We look forward to watching the bidding on the most recent pieces of the Cars of Dreams museum.