James ‘Jim’ Glickenhaus is a modest man with not so modest aspirations, considered as the last real privateer and the venerable leader behind Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus (SCG).
Like the man himself, the famous yet ‘secret’ Jim Glickenhaus garage, car stash, shop, and SCG’s base of operations sit in an equally unassuming location. It’s an old beverage garage hidden away in a quaint residential street in Sleepy Hollow in New York. The only giveaway that you’ve arrived in the right place is the small plaque with Lady Liberty’s torch and the letters SCG under it.
Jim Glickenhaus’ garage is a true legend. Unlike most garages housing hundreds and even thousands of cars, this one only has a handful. But it’s the handful that even the biggest car collector would salivate over. It has some of the rarest, most significant, and most expensive gems in the car world, with equally interesting stories to go along with each car in the darkened garage.
Jim Glickenhaus Network
Jim Glickenhaus’ massive and still growing network started in a modest suburb in NYC, but what’s the most significant of it all? It’s only a short bike ride from Luigi Chinetti Motors, the legendary Ferrari dealership.
From a kid bitten by the car bug with an engineering spirit at such a young age, staring endlessly at the Maranello-based carmaker’s finest creations, he began helping Mr. Chinetti himself working on his cars. Then he purchased his first Ferrari, a striped 275 with bright yellow and purple, at $6k, although its value today is already several million.
That doesn’t end there, however. After cash rolled in from his success in the film business, then investing it in Wall Street, Jim Glickenhaus started buying notable racecars. But it’s not just collecting rare cars because he converted them for the road, driven hard on the road, to be exact.
Much of his network of cars are not only expensive but intoxicatingly historical.
A Closer Look on Jim Glickenhaus’ Car Collection
Jim Glickenhaus’ garage is not about how many cars are in it. It’s about a collection of historically significant dream machines, all registered in NYC and ready for a drive.
With Ferrari as his first love, it’s no wonder that the car collection includes a handful from the Maranello carmaker. With others are mostly Ferrari-beaters.
1947 Ferrari 159 Spyder Corsa
The story? It’s only the oldest Ferrari continually existing on the planet, the first Ferrari customer car and the third that the Italian race car driver Enzo Ferrari made. It’s not just a beauty either. This car has an impressive race history, like winning the 1947 Turin Grand Prix.
It’s iconic memorabilia that shows his respect and most appreciation for Ferrari.
1966 Ferrari 412P 0854
The coupe is the second and last 412 P build by Ferrari, which first appeared in the 24 Hours of Spa and finished third overall. Besides a long-standing history in car racing, this Ferrari endurance race is the only remaining example of the original P Ferrari that still wears its original body with its factory paint in some spots and the engine and gearbox intact.
It’s the real classic! Not to mention, only four 412 P chassis were ever made and still one of the best cars from Ferrari.
1967 Ferrari P3/4 0846
From 412 P, one of the most impressive Ferrari creations, this one is the most fun P Ferrari ever made. It’s another endurance racecar with a P3 chassis, later modified to take a P4 engine. The open-type prototype has everything a champion will ever have. After all, it took first place during 1967’s 24 Hours of Daytona.
Since the P3/4 delivers and more, it’s not surprising that it inspired the Ferrari P4/5 designed by Pininfarina later on.
1970 Ferrari Modulo
This one is a modification success by Glickenhaus himself. It was a one-off showpiece Pininfarina created using a Ferrari 512S race chassis back in 1970. While the chassis was running, it doesn’t mean that the car ever did. But when Glickenhaus bought it directly from Pininfarina, he made it so that the Modulo was ready for the road. After four years, the once-concept car has become roadworthy!
Unfortunately, something went wrong, and it caught fire during a drive through Monaco in 2019. But the great news is, the irreplaceable Ferrari is all patched up and remains drivable to this day.
1988 Ferrari GTB Turbo
People often immediately think of the F40 or the 288 GTO when it comes to turbocharged Ferraris. But in Ferrari’s home of Italy, the GTB Turbo is living history. It was the first turbocharged Ferrari ever made, although mostly built for the Italian market.
This Ferrari is a two-liter blow fury that Enzo Ferrari himself gave to the racecar driver Nino Vaccarella.
1931 Duesenberg J446
Part of Glickenhaus’ car collection is a Model J Duesenberg featuring a Franay body. It was a luxury automobile commissioned by Queen Marie of Yugoslavia. The convertible sedan is a massive engine powerhouse with twin overhead camshafts, designed to compete with the most luxurious and high-powered vehicles in the world during its making.
It’s no wonder why Jim Glickenhaus picked this exotic auto for his not-so-secret car collection. It’s only one of the rarest and distinctive Duesenbergs ever made.
1932 Stutz DV-32
Named after its dual valve cylinder head, this impressive car was Stutz’s attempt to secure its place in the fading market of luxury cars way back then. The Super Bearcat is arguably one of the most desired Stutz cars, built for drivers who want the same power and performance as a classic Stutz race car.
If you watched the movie, The Great Gatsby, this car was in the spotlight, much to many car lovers and enthusiasts’ delight.
1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible
No, it’s not just a classic Chevy, it really is ‘THE CLASSIC’ Chevy that promised a purr in its performance. It’s one both car people and non-car people know and love.
The revolutionary convertible design has been around for a few decades before the Bel Air, but it’s never found great success then. Only after Bel Air, when its beauty matches the car’s performance, did it really take off. Now, if you think of the most popular classic cars on the planet and a classy masterpiece from Chevrolet, nothing fits the description better than the ’57 Chevy.
1966 Lola T-70 SI 71-32
Now, here’s a history-maker, basically the car that inspired and started the now infamous boutique manufacturer of high-performing and exotic racing and road cars that is SCG. It was once briefly Andy Warhol’s, bought to use for a movie he wasn’t able to shoot.
Besides that, this particular car is a Donohue/Penske Can-Am driven by Mark Donohue to win in eight major races. Then, Glickenhaus bought and converted it to road use, turning it into a road machine complete with remote-controlled power doors.
1967 Ford MKIV J6
The history? It was driven by Bruce McLaren and Mark Donohue in the 1967 24 Hours at Le Mans, ending in fourth place overall. The car was created in Dearborn, Michigan, and the only one made in the US to ever win Le Mans.
Good thing that it was a winner since building those six MKIV chassis cost Ford a ridiculous amount of cash. And it turned out that the car still bears a lump after McLaren bonked it with his helmet during a frustrating mid-race incident.
1967 Dino Competizione
It is another Pininfarina masterpiece, a one-off prototype also best known as the Yellow Dino. Jim Glickenhaus got this one directly from its maker, making him the first-ever owner of this showpiece. It’s one of the most special and unique cars in Jim Glickenhaus’ garage, now fully functional and ready for a road run, of course, and one he likes to drive around Sicily. Not to mention, the Dino is a right-hand drive, true to its European race car origin.
It’s historical too, mainly because this car inspired Ferrari to create mid-engine road-going sports cars.
1967 Baja Boot
The legendary strange-looking vehicle and the original desert racer that later inspired the SGC Boot. It was built by equally legendary GM skunkworks team with head designer Vic Hickey, who also conceptualized the likes of the Lunar Rover, Trailblazer, and the military Humvee later on.
There were only two Baja Boots made, one bought and driven by Steve McQueen in the Baja 1000, not so successful then, but won the inaugural Baja 500 two years later. From desert races, the Boot was soon navigating the streets, like all of Jim’s cars.
2010 SCG P 4/5 Competizione
We saved the best for last – the Ferrari-based privateer racer designed by Pininfarina and the first proper prototype to come out of SCG. It was ‘un Ferrari for a while there, but the vehicle was designed to rule the 2011 24 Hours of Nurburgring then again in 2012. So it wasn’t surprising that Ferrari blessed this masterpiece later on.
There’s one thing that all cars in Jim Glickenhaus’ garage have in common, besides them being historical and legendary masterpieces – they demand to be driven!
