Greg’s NYC Barn Find
So Greg, tell me what you’re driving these days…
I drive a 2015 Porsche 911 GTS which I use as a family car. It’s phenomenal. I’ve had it for 3 years now and the combination of utility and performance is just amazing. I also have a 1973 BMW 3.0CS which I found in a garage with the windows down, covered in dust, and a hundred phone numbers left on it from other admirers.
I’m thinking there’s a story there…
The story of the BMW, who we affectionately call Wilbur after the Charlotte's Web character, is my NYC barn find. It’s special because it is the first vintage car I purchased with my own money.
At the time I had sold a 1995 BMW M3 to a close friend that lived in Brooklyn Heights. Since I was without a car I needed to borrow the car back so I retrieved it from his garage. It was parked 4 floors below street level and on the way to spiraling up to street level I saw the BMW CS covered in a few inches of dust.
The car was unlocked so I was able to look it over thoroughly, found the service history dating back to 1974 in the glovebox, confirmed it had its original engine, and inspected that it did not have the usual rust issues that plagued these cars. I then dutifully removed all of the notes left in the car with people's phone numbers and offers to purchase it and recorded the VIN number for later.
I sent the VIN to my sister-in-law’s step-father who is a private investigator and was able to get me the owner's name and address. I then hand-delivered a letter to his front door explaining that I was a BMW enthusiast, a lifetime member of the BMW CCA, and having seen his CS I felt compelled to reach out. I asked if he was interested in discussing the car, and if so, to give me a call as I'd love to hear its story. He called me the same day and said to meet him at the garage and we could go through it in detail.
During the meeting, I learned that he daily drove the car until a rock fractured the windshield and he was unable to find a replacement. The car was subsequently parked for 8 years (at $350 a month) since it would no longer pass the NY state inspection and therefore illegal to drive. Unfortunately, he had left it with the windows open so during the garage's messy renovation the interior and exterior got caked with copious amounts of dust that can be seen in the photos. He also had left a bottle of antifreeze on the back seat which eventually leaked and permanently stained the leather.
After looking at the car together and learning about his history with it, I did the obvious thing and asked if he was willing to sell me the car. Which he quickly agreed to at a very reasonable price. Once the paperwork was sorted I gathered up my tools, a new battery, fuel, an air compressor, and enlisted the help of my friend Stew. We spent a morning refreshing the fuel, lubricating the cylinders, changing the spark plugs, inflating the tires, and changing the battery and the car hesitantly started for the first time in 8 years. I limped it over to my garage which was a little over a mile away and Wilbur has been a member of the family ever since.
Had to work for that a bit, didn’t you?
A little. Cars occupy a good part of every day of my life whether it be driving, researching, browsing listings, or the latest news. I take a lot of pride in owning my cars and enjoy driving immensely. Needless to say, it means a lot to me to be able to own a car and the freedom and enjoyment it provides.
Tell me about your first car.
It was a 1970 Corvette big block convertible in Bridgehampton Blue with a bright blue interior, and a white top. My dad had many Corvette's when I was growing up and we would always spend a lot of time at the shop where they were serviced and restored. When I was getting close to having a license I had a limited budget but strong interest in getting something really cool. This car was in pieces in the shop but we were able to figure out a price and with some sweat equity, I was able to make it mine. It's a miracle I didn't wreck it given its enormous power and poor handling characteristics but I was responsible and won every drag race on the LIE service road that I took part in. I was also pulled over several times for various reasons including looking too young to drive but fortunately, I never got any tickets.
Growing up the Miami Vice Ferrari Testarossa was my dream car. These days I’d say the McLaren F1 tops the list. With my son, Senna, growing out of the GTS, I now have my eye on the Ferrari FF. I was actually fortunate enough to get behind the wheel of an F40 and I can say it’s one of the greatest driving experiences I've ever had. The overwhelming power and its delivery through the turbos is unlike anything else I've been in.
Best road trip ever?
The greatest roads I've driven are from a Motorcycle trip I took with my friend Adrien. We started in Munich, Germany and went west through the Swiss, Italian, and French Alps and drove 2k miles in 9 days. One of the highlights was the Grossglockner high alpine road in Austria.
So where do we find you?
Around home, I’d say Hayfields is my go-to, but there’s nothing better than an actual racetrack. I love the drive and can appreciate seeing other cars in the wild and in their natural environment, so keep an eye out for Wilbur. And feel free to reach out on Instagram @gbs_78
