Dr.​ ​Fred​ ​Simeone​: June 2022 Person of the Month

When​ ​you’re​ ​involved​ ​in​ ​something​ ​as​ ​specific​ ​as​ ​the​ ​preservation​ ​of​ ​automotive​ ​history,​ ​you​ ​quickly​ ​find​​that​ ​you’re​ ​part​ ​of​ ​a​ ​relatively​ ​small​ ​community.​ ​A​ ​community​ ​of​ ​characters​ ​who​ ​share​ ​this​ ​same​ ​passion​ ​and​ ​have​ ​invested​ ​a​ ​large​ ​part​ ​of​ ​their​ ​time​ ​and​ ​attention​ ​to​ ​see​ ​that​ ​a​ ​colorful​ ​past​ ​is​ ​not​ ​forgotten.​Because​ ​of​ ​the​ ​work​ ​involved​ ​and​ ​the​ ​focus​ ​that​ ​is​ ​demanded​ ​by​ ​the​ ​task,​ ​you​ ​begin​ ​to​ ​recognize​ ​and​ ​be​​inspired​ ​by​ ​the​ ​even​ ​smaller​ ​group​ ​within​ ​this​ ​community​ ​who​ ​work​ ​at​ ​a​ ​particularly​ ​high​ ​level.​ ​The​ ​ones​ ​who​ ​set​ ​the​ ​bar​ ​for​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​us​ ​and​ ​whose​ ​contributions​ ​will​ ​be​ ​valued​ ​and​ ​relied​ ​upon​ ​for​ ​generations​ ​to​ ​come.​ ​When​ ​thinking​ ​of​ ​this​ ​group,​ ​a​ ​few​ ​names​ ​come​ ​to​ ​mind:​ ​Miles​ ​Collier,​ ​Leslie​ ​Kendall,​ ​Beverly​ ​Rae​ ​Kimes,​ ​Donald​ ​Osborne,​ ​Ken​ ​Gross,​ ​Doug​ ​Nye​ ​, and​ ​Dean​ ​Batchelor…​ ​​ ​to​ ​name​ ​a​ ​few.​ ​But​ ​when​ ​thinking​ ​of​ ​the​ ​contributors​ ​who​ ​have​ ​taken​ ​the​ ​concept​ ​of​ ​preservation​ ​to​ ​the​ ​very​ ​automobiles​ ​that​ ​set​ ​the​ ​records​ ​and​ ​standards​ ​that​ ​are​ ​so​ ​often​ ​written​ ​about,​ ​the​ ​group​ ​becomes​ ​even​ ​smaller.​ ​People​ ​like​ ​the​ ​late​ ​Briggs​ ​Cunningham,​ ​George​ ​Waterman,​ ​Bill​ ​Harrah,​ ​Jay​ ​Leno,​ ​the​ ​great​ ​hot​ ​rod​ ​preservationists​ ​Bruce​ ​Meyer​ ​and​ ​Ross​ ​Myers,​ ​the​ ​late​ ​Lindley​ ​Bothwell​ ​, and​ ​the​ ​recently​ ​departed,​ ​Dr.​ ​Fred​ ​Simeone.​ ​

The​ ​passing​ ​of​ ​Dr.​ ​Simeone​ ​on​ ​June​ ​11​ ​was​ ​a​ ​sad​ ​day​ ​for​ ​any​ ​automotive​ ​or​ ​racing​ ​enthusiast​ ​worth​ ​their​ ​salt​ ​or​ ​Castrol​ ​R.​ ​Yes,​ ​he​ ​was​ ​a​ ​highly​ ​respected​ ​“car​ ​collector”​ ​but,​ ​more​ ​importantly,​ ​he​ ​helped​ ​to​ ​influence​ ​the​ ​approach​ ​that​ ​North​ ​American-based​ ​enthusiasts​ ​took​ ​when​ ​deciding​ ​how​ ​to​ ​treat​ ​an​ ​important​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​automotive​ ​history.​ ​Unlike​ ​many​ ​collectors​ ​who​ ​pursue​ ​top-tier​ ​historic​ ​vehicles,​ ​Simeone​ ​was,​ ​first​ ​and​ ​foremost,​ ​interested​ ​in​ ​preserving​ ​the​ ​originality​ ​of​ ​each​ ​machine.​ ​This​ ​would​ ​include​ ​things​ ​like​ ​original​ ​paint,​ ​tattered​ ​and​ ​weathered​ ​upholstery,​ ​and​ ​greasy​ ​engine​ ​bays.​ ​Instead​ ​of​ ​erasing​ ​the​ ​vehicle’s​ ​story​ ​via​ ​a​ ​high-level​ ​or​ ​“Concours”​ ​restoration​ ​(​again,​ ​North​ ​American-based​ ​collectors​ ​have​ ​been​ ​guilty​ ​of​ ​over-restoration​ ​for​ ​decades​),​ ​Simeone​ ​was​ ​drawn​ ​to​ ​the​ ​idea​ ​of​ ​being​ ​able​ ​to​ ​see​ ​the​ ​life​ ​that​ ​the​ ​car​ ​had​ ​lived​ ​and​ ​allowing​ ​it​ ​to​ ​remain​ ​written​ ​all​ ​over​ ​it.​ ​This​ ​approach​ ​to​ ​locking​ ​the​ ​vehicle​ ​in​ ​time​ ​(​scars​ ​included​)​ ​is​ ​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​things​ ​that​ ​makes​ ​his​ ​collection​ ​so​ ​special.​ ​It​ ​would​ ​be​ ​all​ ​the​ ​achievement​ ​that​ ​anyone​ ​would​ ​need​ ​for​ ​a​ ​full​ ​round​ ​of​ ​applause,​ ​but​ ​Dr.​ ​Simeone​ ​had​ ​another​ ​aspect​ ​of​ ​his​ ​approach​ ​to​ ​collecting​ ​that​ ​we​ ​have​ ​a​ ​particular​ ​fondness​ ​for,​ ​and​ ​that​ ​was​ ​his​ ​love​ ​for​ ​exercising​ ​his​ ​vehicles​ ​for​ ​educational​ ​reasons.

Through​ ​his​ ​“Driving​ ​Demonstration”​ ​events​ ​at​ ​the​ ​Simeone​ ​Automotive​ ​Museum,​ ​enthusiasts​ ​young​ ​and​​old​ ​would​ ​get​ ​to​ ​see​ ​and​ ​hear​ ​some​ ​of​ ​the​ ​rarest​ ​and​ ​most​ ​important​ ​sports​ ​and​ ​racing​ ​cars​ ​being​ ​driven​ ​on​ ​a​ ​closed​ ​course​ ​on​ ​the​ ​museum​ ​grounds.​ ​These​ ​were​ ​regular​ ​events​ ​that​ ​included​ ​the​ ​exercising​ ​of​ ​unrestored​ ​or​ ​”as-raced”​ ​Ford​ ​GT40s,​ ​Corvette​ ​Grand​ ​Sports,​ ​8C​ ​Alfa​ ​Romeos,​ ​a​ ​Shelby​ ​Daytona​ ​coupe,​ ​Allard​ ​J2​ ​, and​ ​other​ ​iconic​ ​and​ ​unique​ ​machines​ ​that​ ​would​ ​most​ ​likely​ ​be​ ​silent​ ​displays​ ​in​ ​any​ ​other​ ​automotive​ ​museum.​ ​The​ ​fact​ ​that​ ​Fred​ ​Simeone​ ​felt​ ​it​ ​important​ ​enough​ ​to​ ​get​ ​the​ ​cars​ ​out,​ ​bring​ ​them​ ​to​ ​temperature​ ​and​ ​give​ ​them​ ​a​ ​spirited​ ​run​ ​in​ ​front​ ​of​ ​an​ ​audience​ ​of​ ​fellow​ ​enthusiasts​ ​inspires​ ​us​ ​to​ ​(​at​ ​the​ ​very​ ​least​ )​ ​take​ ​our​ ​hats​ ​off​ ​to​ ​this​ ​real-deal​ ​car​ ​guy.​ ​An​ ​educator​ ​who​ ​did​ ​more​ ​than​ ​most​ ​to​ ​pass​along​ ​his​ ​deeply​ ​held​ ​belief​ ​that​ ​these​ ​machines​ ​and​ ​the​ ​people​ ​who​ ​designed,​ ​built,​ ​and​ ​raced​ ​them​ ​have​ ​an​ ​importance​ ​to​ ​our​ ​culture​ ​and​ ​species​ ​that​ ​goes​ ​far​ ​beyond​ ​the​ ​basic​ ​thrill​ ​of​ ​a​ ​loud​ ​exhaust​ ​note.​ ​

We​ ​send​ ​along​ ​our​ ​sincere​ ​condolences​ ​to​ ​the​ ​family​ ​of​ ​Dr.​ ​Simone​ ​and​ ​thank​ ​him​ ​for​ ​his​ ​great​ ​and​ ​lasting​ ​contribution.​ ​

For​ ​those​ ​not​ ​familiar​ ​with​ ​the​ ​work​ ​of​ ​Fred​ ​Simeone​ ​or​ ​the​ ​museum​ ​that​ ​bears​ ​his​ ​name,​ ​please​ ​do​ ​yourselves​ ​a​ ​favor​ ​and​ ​click​ ​the​ ​link​ ​below.

https://www.simeonemuseum.org/