Bruce Meyer's Hidden Gems From The Secret Beverly Hills Car Collection

Bruce Meyer, a well-known automobile enthusiast boasts an impressive collection of original and restored vehicles with a rich history. His cars in the Beverly Hills Garage are a journey through a hundred years of automotive history, from the dawn of motoring to the heyday of muscle cars. Featuring from the first off-the-line Shelby Cobra to the inaugural Ferrari 250GT, and the pioneer Porsche 911, the sheer historical value of Bruce's collection is larger than his life. Also, his dedication to preserving the legacy of hot rods and motorsports has inspired a new generation of car enthusiasts. Indeed, Meyer’s collection is a shining tribute to his lifelong commitment to the automotive industry.

25. 2008 Corvette C6.R

Mr. Meyer sees himself rather as an automobile enthusiast than a car collector and nothing is more valuable than a Le Man winning car in your garage. Bruce Meyer's car collection features the 2009 Le Man-winning Corvette - the 2008 Chevy Corvette C6.R. Additionally this car has raced a total of 15 times out of which it came in 2nd place three times. 

Being intertwined with Le Man's history Meyer's Corvette C6.R brings more to the table as it was driven by famous racing figures like Mark Royce and Mike Simcoe making this historic piece a desirable collector item. 

24. 1963 Jaguar E-Type Semi-Lightweight

The American era of sports coupes back in the 1960s had various intriguing contenders from brands like the Dodge, Plymouth, and Ford while Great Britain wasn't that far away from showing off their version of sports coupes. Inside all this chaos, Jaguar perceived with their E-Type coupes. Aluminum trunks, aluminum roofs, aluminum hoods, aluminum door panels, etc contributed to making the E-Type Coupes a hit. 

Although the E-Type Lightweight was more famous Meyer's Semi-Lightweight was a special variant because Jaguar stopped making the Lightweight models back in 1961. A Canadian named Hughes Sutherman who worked at Scottland wanted to buy a Lightweight Jaguar and offered him the Semi-Lightweight option as it was past 1961. Eventually, Bruce bought this special variant E-Type from Hughes and kept it in his Beverly Hills collection.

23. 1957 Porsche Hot Rod

“…I guess if I had to be anything, I would be a Porsche guy…” - This is exactly what Mr. Meyer thinks and says when he cherishes his Porsche models. Back in 2013, when John McElroy interviewed Bruce Meyer about his car collection Bruce showed among his vast historical automotive treasure chest a 1957 Porsche 356A that he bought on a whim and modified it to look like a race car. Bruce and his wife even put over 12,000 miles on this ‘Porsche Outlaw’ to this day. 

Bruce's Porsche 356A is the only car in his private car collection that has no significant history behind it earning the title ‘Outlaw’ from his fans. When talking to John McElroy Meyer said, “…I shipped it to Detroit and drove out route 66 and we've done I'll drive it again this spring for another thousand-mile rally and you know, this car just loves to be driven…”

22. 1932 'Tom Prufer' Hot Rod

The Hot Rod era in American automotive history wouldn't be this much of a barn burner if not for the rise of the Prufer Coupe Hot Rods. Tom Prufer was a prolific hot rodder and a legit drag racer who became more famous for his original work in making one-of-a-king hot rods. Despite the emergence of new-age tech and hypercars, people still cherish and invest in the rich Prufer Coupe hot rod history like Bruce Meyer. 

Bruce Meyer's 1932 Deuce Coupe is one of the original Prufer coupes that was a part of Tom Prufer's private Hot Rod collection. With a combination of charismatic black and a sizzling orange flame touch, Bruce's Deuce Coupe Hot Rod is one to watch. Bruce often drives the Deuce and back in 2019, he and his wife took a little on-road trip down Route 66. He even posted a picture of him and his wife beside the Deuce on Instagram saying, “Rolling down Historic Route 66 the proper way...in a Little Deuce Coupe...Never lift”.

21. 1989 RUF Porsche CTR Yellowbird

There have been a significant number of outlaw car manufacturing brands out of which RUF is arguably the most impactful car company that set the modified sports car category on fire. Among its numerous iterations, the CTR a.k.a Yellowbird is arguably the most famous and performance-heavy model that put RUF on the world map with its mind-bending track performance capabilities. 

Bruce Meyer's 1989 RUF CTR Yellowbird is pretty special in its own merit as the car was the first production model (chassis no. #001) with respect to its manufacturing year. Bruce bought the car back in 2017 after it had come back from Japan after serving the first ownership contract. With all the RUF upgrades, this car claimed the title of the fastest production car in the world. 

20. 1967 Porsche 910

The merger of VW and Porsche happens to be one of the most significant changes in the automotive industry moreover under the supervision of Ferdinand Piëch, it was quite an exciting timeline for both of the car brands. When Mr. Ferdinand Piëch took over Porsche's motorsports operations, he wanted to build a prototype racing monster using the latest F1 racing technology. Hence, the 1967 Porsche 910 came to fruition which overshadowed its previous gen - the 906.

Bruce's Porsche 910 is special as the car was raced at the 32nd Monterey Historic Automobile Races in 2005 by Howard Cherry. When talking about his car in an episode of Cars and Culture, Bruce explained the in-depth history that revolved around the Porsche 910. He said, “…the 910 was the first car using all you know the latest Formula One technology so this car won well won its category online 69 again finishing in the top ten…” 

19. 1965 Bizzarrini A3/C

Bruce Meyer's car collection is a hub of Le Man-winning cars and one of the most historical cars he owns is a 1965 Bizzarrini. Known as the father of the Lamborghini engine Giotto Bizzarrini built the 1965 Bizzarrini using his favorite Chevrolet 327 engine and put it far back and low position making this car extremely maneuverable and fast at the same time. 

Despite not having his own engine developed, Bizzarrini's front-mid engined coupe became a Le Man veteran car in its own class back in 1965. Also, fitted with the side draft webers, the engine is one of the most beautiful sounding engines built by Bizzarrini.

18. 1962 Greer-Black-Prudhomme Dragster

If you think that Bruce Meyer is only a Le Man fanatic check this out! Drag racing has always been a special category in the history of competitive automobiles and one of the most famous drag racing cars to ever exist is Meyer's 1962 Greer-Black Prudhomme Dragster. Being the brainchild of Tom Greer, Keith Black (Famous for building Hemi engines), and Don Prudhomme (Famous American Racer), the Greer-Black-Prudhomme Dragster is a high-value collectors item. 

Despite having a record of 237 wins and only 4 losses to its name, Bruce never drove the dragster as the authority didn't allow him to do it. Every now and then, Bruce takes his dragster out and the fans love hearing this monstrous king satisfying their thirst for cackle.

17. 1959 Karting World Championship Go-Kart

The world of motorsports wouldn't be here if not for the emergence and impact that Go-Kart had incorporated into the racing history. In simple words, Go-Karting is the foundation or so-called backbone of motorsports and surprisingly it all started as an activity in parking lots around Glendale, California for the amusement of bystanders around the late '50s. 

As Go-Karting started to become a popular sport people started investing serious money and time in this upcoming motorsports wave. It was back in 1959 when the first-ever Go-Kart World Championship was held in Nassau, Bahamas.

 Already being featured in Hot Rod Magazine with stellar figures like Dan Gurney, a second-generation Japanese-American citizen, Jimmie Yamane won the inaugural Go-Kart Championship with the Kart he built himself. It was 2020 when Mr. Yamane gave up the Kart to Bruce with the promise of restoration and preservation. 

In an interview with Motortrend, Bruce said, “It was the first time I had ever met Jimmie, and then I started hearing the stories from Tom on basically how important the kart is and how important Jimmie is. I loved the fact that it was a one-owner [kart], built by Jimmie Yamane, raced by Jimmie Yamane, and won the World Championship—this really resonated with me.”

16. 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SC Cabriolet

Bruce not only bought cars with racing histories but also acquired a few of them with names associated with Hollywood celebrities. Back in the mid-'50s, Mercedes promoted their 300 SC Cabriolet model with giant figures like Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, Errol Flynn, and Bing Crosby. Mercedes sold this car for $17,000 back in 1956 which was more expensive than a Gullwing, Ferrari, or Rolls-Royce at that time.  

Although all four celebrities have driven Meyer's 300 SC Cabriolet, Mr. Clark Gable was the last owner of Bruce's Mercedes. After Clark Gable passed away while filming Misfits with Marilyn Monroe back in 1960, Clark's widow became the owner of the car. It took Bruce years and finally, in 1981 he acquired the car and as a surprise, the truck of the car was filled with Clark Gable's luggage which still remains unrestored to this day. 

15. 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing

When we talk about ‘50s sports coupes the most exquisite and enchanting car that comes to mind is the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing. A full aluminum panel bodywork, streamlined aerodynamics, irresistible luxury, and A-Class build quality are what a 300 SL Gullwing offers. To make it more special, Bruce’s Gullwing is one of the most prized possessions of the Petersen Automotive Museum. 

Back in 2022, Jason Stein visited Meyer's Beverly Hills Garage where Bruce showed off his Mercedes and explained what an all-in-one sports coupe is meant to be. Bruce said, “…so basically I think if you had the perfect car, one car yeah, and you only could have one car, I don't think to see how you could do better than a Gullwing. The build quality, the workmanship, the rarity, the beauty, if you were Chip Foose there's nothing you could do to this car to make it any prettier…” 

14. 1952 So-Cal Speed Shop Special Belly Tank Racer

When Hot Rods were the crown jewel of motorsports back in the 1940s, a guy named Alex Xydias came up with his speed demon child made from scratch which later became famous with the name - Belly Tank Racer. Built from a P-38 Lightning drop tank, Alex came up with the chassis design and eventually turned a rough diamond into a perfect jewel with the Ford’s diminutive V8-60 engine.

Bruce found this piece of history sitting above a loft of a shop in San Pedro and bought it from the owner Don Ferguson. After researching more about the car, Meyer came to realize that this is the exact car that Alex raced and won three different races and it was also on the cover of Hot Rod Magazine in 1948. When Adam Carolla visited Bruce's garage back in December 2012 he was amazed to see the ‘spirit of speed’ right before his eyes as shown in the above image.

13. 1935 Bugatti Type 57 Ventoux

When talking about Bugatti, Meyer's one-liner says it all - “…Bugatti built beautiful cars…”. Bruce Meyer's secret Beverly Hills Garage features a spectacular 1935 Bugatti Type 57 called “Sleeping Beauty”. With a chassis number of #57286, Bruce's Type 57 was found in a barn in France back in 2015.   

After purchasing the car, Bruce sent it to Scott Sargent in New Hampshire for restoration. Mr. Meyer often drives his Type 57 and even admits to taking the car for cross-country tours.  

12. 1934 Ford Pierson Brothers Coupe

The late ‘30s and early ’40s were the pinnacle of hot rodding days as Dry Lakes became a racing hub for car geeks across America. Most of the hot rods were roadsters at that time but with the formation of the SCTA people started experimenting with hod rods and arguably the most important coupe in the history of hot rodding is the Ford Pierson Brothers Coupe.

As a hot rod fanatic, Bruce is obsessed with his Ford Pierson Brothers Coupe which was the fastest hot rod coupe at that time exceeding the 150 MPH mark with relative ease. This car first changed ownership back in 1951 and later down the line, Tom Bryant sold it to Bruce Meyer back in 1991.

11. 1932 Ford Nickel Roadster Hot Rod

In the world of Hot rodding, the place we are in today is because of Robert E Peterson. His attributes to the Hot Rod community and enthusiasts have become unavoidable. Keeping that same history intact, Meyer's garage features a 1932 Ford Hot Rod boasting an original Henry Ford body and the GT40 Gurney Eagle engine.

Every car in Meyer's collection has been featured in at least one car show while Bruce's 1932 Deuce has a ribbon of completion for the Pebble Beach tour.

10. 1929 Bentley 4½ Litre

The 24 Hours of Le Man is considered as the Olympics of motorsports and Bentley's was one the most dominating winners back in the ‘20s and ’30s. Knowing this fascinating Le Man history Bruce ended up buying a 1929 Bentley 4½ Liter car and to make it more special the car has the original Vondenpaw bodywork intact.  

Meyer bought his 1929 Bentley from a long-term owner in the UK and did four international tours including three North American Bentley tours and a 35-day Europe tour. 

9. 1929 Duesenberg Model J

Duesenberg is a household name in the German automotive market as they were famous for building racing cars. Guess what, Bruce has a Duesenberg of its own and it's a special one. Unlike other Duesenberg models, Meyer's model J was the brainchild of American Tycoon Edward L. Doheny who hired the Duesenberg brothers (Fred & Auggie) to build this All-American marvel.

There is so much fuss about what makes this car so special and guess what Bruce unveiled that also. In a YouTube video when talking about his Duesenberg, Meyer said, “…what makes this car so special is this dual overhead cam straight-eight engine which back in the day different than today the engines were open and exposed and they're pretty good looking this car they were all painted green with lots of aluminum and shiny stuff so it's a purpose-built high-performance twin overhead cam engine…”

8. 1929 Ford “747” Bonneville Racer

Growing up in the era of Hot Rods, every youngster was bound to the idea of having a Hot Rod of his own and Bruce Meyer was no exception. He always wanted to go 200 miles an hour in anything thus came Bruce's 1929 Ford “747” Bonneville Racer. As Bonneville became a Hot Rod hub after dry lakes Meyer wasted no time building his Bonneville Roadster Hot Rod.

Although Mr. Bruce is already experienced going 222 miles an hour in Jack Roger's 1985 Camaro, his 1000-hp childhood dream car ended with satisfaction when he quoted the experience as, “…the ride of my life…”  

7. 1960 Chevrolet Corvette

The 1960 Chevrolet Corvette was the first Corvette ever to compete in a Le Mans race, and it was campaigned by Briggs Cunningham. Bruce’s 1960 Corvette is covered in white paint and has blue stripes on the hood.

The 1960 Chevrolet Corvette belongs to the C1 generation and has an average price tag of $112,152. Time Magazine covered the ‘60s campaign for Corvette and in the end, Meyer’s Corvette ended up winning in their class and finished in the top 10 list.

6. 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS

Bruce Meyer considers himself a "Porsche Guy." That is why he owns the legendary 1973 Porsche RS homologation, which allowed Porsche to compete in racing. Only 500 units of the same model were ever made. Meyer's rare Porsche has white paint on the outside.

The 2.7 RS was built to qualify a Porsche for racing in the production car while at that time they also needed enough units built to even qualify for production class racing. 

5. 1979 Porsche 935 K3

Bruce calls the 1979 Kremer Porsche 935 K3 the most famous 911 Porsche in the world. He's been doing it right since the 1979 Kremer Porsche 935 K3 won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Former owners donated the same Porsche before going to prison.

Kremer was the performance wing department that was dedicated to making the fastest racing Porsches back in the '70s. As per Bruce Meyer, it was untouched for almost 30 years as the car was owned by Manfred and Erwin Kremer. The legendary car was equipped with a 3.2-liter turbocharged boxer engine while the air-to-air intercoolers were a significant change in making this a racing monster. 

4. 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4

Bruce Meyer bought the 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 in 1970. He was offered a Ferrari GTO in 1971, but Bruce refused the deal because of the price difference between the two cars at that time. The 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 can fetch up to $3.0 million at auction, and it is worth all that money given its history, design, and performance.

Only 330 units of the Ferrari 275 GTB/4 were ever produced, making it very rare. The 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 that Meyer bought is one of the first cars that the enthusiast started collecting cars. Bruce bought the car back in 1970 from Bill Duheny - a wealthy family at Greystone at that time by paying around $10,500. 

3. 1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB Berlinetta

Meyer's Berlinetta was one of 176 units of the Ferrari 250 GT Short Wheelbase Berlinetta that were made back in 1961. Bruce Meyer’s 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta has silver exterior paint and a blue stripe running from the end of the hood all the way to the back. The estimated auction value of the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta is around $7.9 million.

1961 was a special year for Porsche as Phil Hill won the world championship while this car came third in the 1961 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Talking about his Berlinetta, Bruce said, “…probably the most famous car in here is this car here which is a 1961 Ferrari short-wheelbase Berlinetta”.

2. 1962 Shelby Cobra

Bruce Meyer loves this car so much that he said, "If I had to pick one car, it would probably be this black Cobra." Mister Buyers acquired the first production 1962 Shelby Cobra CSX2001 in France almost two decades ago. As per Meyers, the Shelby Cobra was not always black. Originally, it was painted Aston Martin green. That said, the 1962 Shelby Cobra CSX2000 was sold for a whopping $13.2 million.

Bruce was fortunate enough to buy the car back in 2000 from Paris, France at Retromobile. This is an annual get-together of dealers and enthusiasts. All of the parts were kept original besides the paint job which was originally Aston Martin Green and Bruce later painted it with Glossy Black color. Additionally, the car was sent to Le Mans back in the early '60s. 

1. 1957 Ferrari 250 TRC Testa Rossa

Meyer has a soft spot in his heart for the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, also known as the Testarossa. He considers the 1957 Testarossa the most beautiful car in his collection. Furthermore, this is the same car that was once owned by John von Neumann. However, the 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa’s history doesn’t end here. It has also been driven by Ken Miles. The estimated auction value of the 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa is around $20 million.

However, reportedly, one 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa was sold for $39.2 million. One of the exotic cars from the 1950s, the 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, holds a special place for an enthusiast like B. Meyer. Although this car didn't win the La Man, after it was bought by Autozipper, Ken Miles actually drove the car for a short period of time.

Special Mentions:

2018 Ford GT

The Ford GT used to set a different tone in the Petersen Automotive Museum. Many other cars that Bruce Meyer kept on display were classic high-performance cars, unlike the Ford GT which has been driven in various Petersen events, and has recorded a 633-mile run in total. However, on 10/18/22, it was auctioned off at the Bring A Trailer with a final bid of $1,020,000. 

Meyer's Ford GT doesn't have any stripes as it features a five-stage liquid silver paint job. This bespoke paint Ford GT is not for show as the car was seen driven a few times on numerous car shows. 

This is it for now on Bruce Meyer's car collection. We will be back if the Beverly Hills garage introduces new additions to it. For more car collection articles, please check out the links below.

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