Classic American Car Collector Dies Leaving Over Two Dozen Flashy Autos for Family to Auction

(Courtesy of John Harris)

An impressive collection of almost 30 classic cars is being rolled out for auction in Florida. An American hotrod collector recently passed away in his eighties, and family members had no idea what automobile memorabilia he had tucked inside his garage.

Real estate developer and car show promoter Leroy Gonzalez, from Tampa, had coveted fancy cars since childhood. In January, he died aged 84, leaving behind his dream American car collection. He had new models, some fixer-uppers he was working on, and a wish list that never materialized.

Leroy’s son, 56-year-old building contractor Richard Leroy Gonzalez, says his dad was a hardworking man, a private person, and his very best friend.

“He collected older vintage Corvettes and Fords,” Richard told The Epoch Times. “It all started when he was a young boy, because he was very poor in Tampa. He used to see the doctors with the real fancy cars, and just always dreamed of having cars like all little boys do.”

(Left) Leroy Gonzalez working on a car as a young man; (Right) A more recent photo of the late Leroy Gonzalez. (Courtesy of John Harris)

A 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. (Courtesy of John Harris)

Leroy forged his signature at age 17 to join the Navy, Richard said. He resigned after serving in Korea, then bought a louver press and traveled across the United States with a friend, drag racing legend Don Garlits, to go work on trucks and cars.

“I think that just lit the fire for the old cars,” Richard said.

Leroy started his own Florida car show, World of Wheels, that took place every year from the mid-’60s to the early ’80s, Tampa Bay Times reported. Richard recalls custom cars filling the family’s driveway when his dad’s garage ran out of room.

Aspects of a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. (Courtesy of John Harris)

After Leroy’s passing, his family visited the five barns on his ranch to evaluate the extent of his “hidden” car collection. They were shocked by what they found.

“I knew he had bought a lot of cars, but I didn’t know he hadn’t sold them,” Richard told The Epoch Times. "Some of them were very well-kept; other ones were put in barns just to sit there.

“It’s just way too much to manage. ... We’re auctioning off about 29 cars. It’s mainly come down to letting other people enjoy these cars as much as he did,” he said.

Aspects of a 1940 Ford Standard Coupe. (Courtesy of John Harris)

Aspects of a 1947 Ford Black Coupe. (Courtesy of John Harris)

The family has already parted with Leroy’s favorite toys: a replica of the GT40 Ford that won the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans, a later model Corvette, a Cadillac XLR, and an authentic 2006 Ford GT worth $500,000—the most expensive car in the collection.

A friend of Leroy’s for some 12 years, John Harris, is overseeing the auction. Leroy first attended Harris’s auctions as a buyer; the pair bonded over their shared love for classic cars.

A 1964 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible. (Courtesy of John Harris)

Aspects of a 1964 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible. (Courtesy of John Harris)

Harris was struck by the variety of cars in his late friend’s collection. “There’s trucks that are in parts from the 1930s, and there’s Corvettes that are from the 60s that are perfect, ready to take on the street, beautiful bodies and interiors,” he said. “There’s some classics, too; there’s a 1948 Lincoln Continental convertible ... a very unique car.”

Of particular interest to Harris, there is a unique 14-foot fiberglass great white shark, once owned by Leroy, which was a promotional piece and guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

“We used to take it to dealerships all over the southern United States to promote car sales. ... In the ’70s, in Florida, that was a big deal,” he said. “People would go in and actually pay to have their picture taken with this 14-foot fiberglass great white shark.”

This treasured memento, and the rest of Leroy’s collection, will be up for auction at Harris Auctions on Dec. 3. Richard hopes his father’s automobiles will bring joy to new collectors for the holidays.

A 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. (Courtesy of John Harris)

Aspects showing a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. (Courtesy of John Harris)

Aspects of a 1999 Plymouth Prowler. (Courtesy of John Harris)

A 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible. (Courtesy of John Harris)

Different aspects of a 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible. (Courtesy of John Harris)

Aspects of a 2002 Chevrolet Corvette. (Courtesy of John Harris)

A 1966 Chevrolet Corvette. (Courtesy of John Harris)

Aspects of a 1966 Chevrolet Corvette. (Courtesy of John Harris)

Leroy's car collection. (Courtesy of John Harris)

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