Geared Up
By Andrea M. Galabinski
Photography By Gareth Rockliffe
There’s no denying the attraction some people have for what’s under the hood. Meet some local antique car collectors from Naples-Marco Island Region Antique Automobile Club of America, and discover what drives them.
Chic Kleptz is partial to rare and romantic Marmons, like this one.
As co-founder of Ponderosa Steak House, Charles “Chic” Kleptz has been fortunate enough in his business savvy to be able to indulge in his passion for collecting and touring fine antique automobiles. In fact, he has the world’s largest collection of rare Marmons. Romantic and luxurious are the best ways to describe the sleek, distinctive automobiles. “Bootleggers and rumrunners loved them,” Kleptz says.
The cars have a distinguished history. The circa 1909 Model 32 spawned the Wasp, winner of the first Indianapolis 500 motor race and first car with a rear-view mirror. It was the first and last Indy 500 for a Marmon. “You can’t do better than that, so they quit when they were ahead,” Kleptz says.
But the company’s philosophy didn’t keep Kleptz from testing his Marmon on various tracks. He toured “around the world in 80 days”—literally. He had his rose-colored 1929 Marmon shipped overseas, visited three continents and 17 countries—a 20,000-mile tour in exactly 80 days. “It was the oldest car to finish, and came in second in the Pre-War Class,” he says. He also toured from Beijing to Paris in 40 days. He’s done the Great American Rally a dozen times. That’s coast to coast, about 4,200 miles. “I really love the rallies,” he says. His wife, Arlene, joins him on his national and international adventures.
A seasonal resident, Kleptz splits his time between Naples and Union, Ohio, with cars in both Naples and Ohio, as well as some U.S. museums.
In his shop, you find many interesting autos, including a Bradley, which he’s displayed at the club’s shows. It’s one of the first versions of a car, a wooden buckboard style with an engine from 1900.
Besides collecting and touring, Kleptz loves restoring these classics. “To refurbish these cars, you have to get into the mind of the man who built it and understand what he was trying to do. That’s my approach,” he says.
Land of Lincoln
While Rod Hilgeman, president of Vanderbilt Development Corp., has a pristine 1989 Rolls-Royce Corniche Convertible with only 17,000 miles on it and a 1958 Mercedes 560 SL, he’s a man who really loves his Lincolns.
Last year, Hilgeman got a new Lincoln Zephyr to pair with his 1936 original Zephyr. The distinctive autos are 70 years apart. He displayed them side by side in a New Jersey car showroom to the delight of the dealership. “They wanted to buy the 1936, but I told them it wasn’t for sale,” he says.
The 1936 Zephyr is an extremely rare and beautiful car, with its signature white wheel hubcaps, chrome handrails and suicide doors, a look based on a concept by Dutch-born designer John Tjaarda. His inspiration came from the aerodynamic streamliner trains that brought an end to the steam age, including the record-setting diesel-powered Burlington Zephyr.
The Zephyr is considered a hallmark vehicle in the history of both Lincoln and the automobile industry, influencing today’s cars. It’s said that Ferdinand Porsche was inspired by early Tjaarda designs when he designed the Volkswagen Beetle.
Besides the Zephyr, Hilgeman owns about a dozen other classic Lincoln autos. “I’ve always liked the Mark II—only 3,000 were made in 1956 and 1957,” he says. His cream-colored 1956 Mark II carries a monogram on the driver’s door of the former New York City politician who was the original owner. The car came with a silver cigarette case, a gold plaque on the dash, and an elegant umbrella, all monogrammed as well.
One of Hilgeman’s favorite car shows, besides the one the club holds in Naples, is The Vintage Weekend at Key Largo’s Ocean Reef Club, held each year during the first week of December. “We have our own airstrip,” he says of the club, which provides an easy in and out for enthusiasts.
The full text of this article is available in the May/June 2008 issue of Naples Illustrated. Order now.
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