Page 41 - Experience Magazine Spring 2022

STILL DREAMING

John Staluppi Offers A Curated
Cars of Dreams Museum Selection

We all have one: that fictional garage in your mind that holds a long list
of the cars you will buy when you have the money to obtain them. For
those who have prospered, that dream garage is a reality. And like the
ever-evolving list from which we add and take cars away — changing
the order in which we would hopefully one day acquire them — some
collectors, like John Staluppi, do just that and are always on the hunt.
Staluppi is a businessman, philanthropist, renowned car collector and
curator of his very own Cars of Dreams Museum tucked away in Palm
Beach, FL.
“I’ve been passionate about collecting cars my entire life, starting with
Hot Wheels models when I was just a kid,” Staluppi said. “I’m fascinated
by everything from European concept vehicles to hot rods and ’60s-era
American muscle cars.”
Staluppi worked as a mechanic and later opened a gas station, followed
by a Honda motorcycle dealership franchise. As the dealership business
grew, so did his success. In 1977, he moved to Florida, setting up his
Cars of Dreams Museum.

The private museum’s Coney Island theme offers a glimpse of Staluppi’s
penchant for fun. Memorabilia reminiscent of the iconic amusement
park — bumper cars, beachfront boardwalks with a Carvel ice cream
store, Nathan’s restaurant and hand-painted murals of the Parachute
Jump and the world-famous Cyclone roller coaster — helps set the
mood.
Staluppi filled the space with many of the vehicles he purchased
at Barrett-Jackson over the years. Featured are original and custom
vehicles, including tasteful Resto-Mods and high-quality restorations,
in addition to cars Staluppi used to work on or those that remind him
of his childhood. At its peak, the collection had more than 140 cars
representing a diverse group of vehicles, predominantly convertibles,
from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s.

“It’s about the chase,” Staluppi said. He added, “This is something that’s
a passion for me.”

Staluppi said the process of building a “dream collection” for the
museum is enjoyable. He added that he and his wife “enjoy the hunt for
the perfect collection as much as we do driving the cars. We intend to
start over again and build a new dream collection.”
True to his word, Staluppi is offering over three dozen vehicles from his
Cars of Dreams collection – all with No Reserve.

V FOR THE COMPLETE DOCKET 41