Las Vegas Imperial Palace auto car collection review

The car collection at Imperial Palace is an institution.  I've been going there since I was a wee boy in the 1980s.  Back then, the highlights of my trips to Vegas involved visiting the collection and being given a $10 roll of quarters to use at the video game arcade at the oh-so-pink Circus Circus.

Most of the cars on display are for sale.  If you visit once a year, I guesstimate the turnover of cars is around 20%.  My biggest complaint involves the display.  This place seriously needs freshening up.  The fluorescent bulbs and ugly 1990s high school classroom blue carpeting have got to go.

Without further ado, here are my favorite cars:

1963 Ford Thunderbird Italien concept car

Engine bay of 1987 Buick GNX ($95,000; 5,480 miles)

Lancia 037 bought new in Guatemala

1 of 2 RHD Ferrari Superfast Series II ($1.8 million) (and look at that atrocious lighting!)

1968 Toyota Corona RT-52 Coupe with 2,274 original miles ($25,500).  I love the diversity of the collection.  So long as the car is cool and interesting, it's in!

Yugo!

1980 Peugeot 505 sedan with less than 8,000 km for $39,500

1954 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith Vignale Saloon ($450,000)

Ford RS200 traffic jam

1956 Lancia C10 Appia panel van ($65,000)

1954 Alfa Romeo 1900SS Ghia coupe ($325,000)

Jaguar XJ220

Ferrari Daytona and Datsun 280ZX

1961 Aston Martin DB4GT Superleggera

1966 Bizzarini P538 Spyder prototype (red) and 1967 Bizzarini P538 Coupe (white)

Spa Italia 2010 photos

Andrew at Urbane Musings posted some fantastic pictures of the event today.  Here is his write-up and here is his complete gallery.  I've selected my favorite pictures/models from each of the major marques and posted them below.  It must have been an incredible day, Andrew.

Maserati 3500GT

Alfa Romeo Concept

Lamborghini Espada

Lancia Delta Integrale

Ferrari Mondial

Lancia Delta Integrale elephant logo

What's up with the leaping elephant logo on the HF (high fidelity) Delta Integrales?   Apparently, Lancia began using it in the early '50s when the company started racing.  They are good luck charms in "Eastern culture", so long as the trunk is stretched out front.  Source.

Picture source.

Canepa Motorsports Museum review and pictures (Part 2)

(Part 1 is here.)

On the second floor is the museum proper.  The great thing about the Canepa Motorsports Museum (and showroom) is that there are no velvet ropes to separate you from the cars.  The experience is intimate and private.  It also helps that for the entire time you are there, there may only be one other visitor present.

The centerpiece is this Porsche 917 in Gulf Oil livery.  I have never said this about any inanimate object, but I wanted to lick this thing.

Note the unique two wiper design.

Next we have a 1985 Formula One Tyrrell 012.  It is in immaculate condition as it has undergone a 3,000 man-hour restoration at Canepa's on-site facilities.

When I think early 90s race cars, this red, white, and blue Nissan GTP ZX Turbo always comes to mind.  Asking price-- $750,000.

This 1983 Lancia LC-2 Group C competition car in Martini livery has a 246 mile per hour top speed.

I'll end this piece with this Porsche 956 engine.  If you ever have to be drive to/through Santa Cruz or Monterey, I strongly recommend visiting this collection.