If you spent any time watching televised car auctions in the mid-2000s, you saw him. A guy in a baseball cap sitting near the front, usually stone-faced, nodding his way to multi-million dollar bids. That was Ron Pratte. For about a decade, the Ron Pratte auto collection wasn't just a hobby; it was the gravitational center of the collector car world.
Then, in 2015, he decided to sell every single bit of it.
The move shocked the industry. Most collectors spend a lifetime curating their garages, only letting go of a few pieces at a time. Pratte? He just called up Barrett-Jackson and basically said, "Liquidate it all." When the dust settled at the Scottsdale auction, the total sales for his 142 vehicles and 1,600 pieces of memorabilia topped $40.44 million.
The Mystery of the Man and the Motivation
Honestly, nobody really knew Ron. He was a ghost in the community despite being its biggest spender. He made his fortune in wood framing and concrete foundations—specifically through Pratte Development Company—and famously sold out to Pulte Homes right before the housing bubble burst. Talk about timing.
But why sell the cars?
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The rumor mill went into overdrive. Was he sick? Was he broke? Neither, apparently. Pratte simply told people he had "checked that off the bucket list" and was ready for something else. He traded the pristine museum floors for the dirt, reportedly pivoting his interest toward sand rails and flying. It’s a wild thought—owning the most significant Shelby Cobra in existence and deciding you’d rather go play in the dunes.
The Heavy Hitters: What Was Actually in the Garage?
You can't talk about the Ron Pratte auto collection without mentioning the 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake. This wasn't just any Cobra. It was Carroll Shelby’s personal car. Only two were ever built, and the other one ended up at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.
When it crossed the block in 2015, it hammered for $5.115 million.
It’s easy to get lost in the numbers, but the variety was what made the collection so surreal. You had:
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- The 1950 GM Futurliner: One of only 12 ever built for the "Parade of Progress." It sold for $4 million, with every cent going to the Armed Forces Foundation.
- 1954 Pontiac Bonneville Special: An emerald green Motorama concept car that looked like something out of a sci-fi flick. It fetched $3.3 million.
- The "Beverly Hillbillies" Truck: A 1922 Oldsmobile built by George Barris. It sold for $275,000.
- Howard Hughes’ Buick: A 1953 Buick Roadmaster customized for the eccentric billionaire’s germophobia, featuring a massive air filtration system in the trunk.
Why It Still Matters Today
People still talk about this sale because it represented the "Gold Rush" era of car collecting. Pratte was known for buying at the top of the market. In fact, many of the cars he sold in 2015 actually went for less than what he originally paid for them.
For example, he bought that Super Snake for $5.5 million in 2007. When it sold for $5.115 million eight years later, he technically lost money on the hammer price. But for Ron, it never seemed to be about the ROI. He wanted the best, and for a while, he had it.
The Automobilia Obsession
Most people focus on the cars, but the "stuff" was just as insane. We're talking about 1,600 pieces of neon signs, gas pumps, and pedal cars. He didn't just have a few signs; he had a world-record-breaking collection. The automobilia alone brought in over $6.5 million. It basically tripled the previous world record for a single-owner automobilia auction.
Lessons From the Pratte Liquidations
If you’re looking to get into car collecting or just want to understand how a guy like Pratte operates, there are a few takeaways that still hold up.
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First, quality is the only thing that survives a market shift. Even when the economy dipped, the "blue chip" cars in Pratte's collection—the ones with real provenance like the Super Snake or the Futurliner—still commanded massive attention.
Second, buy what you actually like. Pratte bought a 1955 Chevy simply because it reminded him of his youth. That was the spark. If you're just buying for investment, you'll probably get burned. If you buy because you love the machine, the "loss" at auction doesn't sting as much because you got to live with the car.
Finally, know when to walk away. Pratte’s legacy isn't just the cars he owned; it’s the fact that he was willing to let them go. He realized the collection was starting to own him, requiring a massive staff and a temperature-controlled museum that he rarely visited.
Moving Forward With Your Own Collection
If you're inspired by the Ron Pratte auto collection to start your own journey, don't start with a $5 million Cobra.
Start by identifying a specific era or brand that resonates with you. Focus on vehicles with documented histories and "no-stories" mechanicals. Check auction results from sites like Bring a Trailer or Hagerty’s valuation tools to see where the market is moving before you raise a paddle. Most importantly, remember that even the world's most famous collector eventually decided that the best part of owning cars was the freedom to move on to the next adventure.
Actionable Insights for Collectors:
- Research Provenance: Before buying, trace the ownership history. A car owned by a figure like Carroll Shelby or Howard Hughes adds a "celebrity premium" that resists market downturns.
- Diversify Your Assets: Pratte didn't just have muscle cars; he had concepts, pre-war classics, and rare motorcycles. Diversification protects your value.
- Budget for Maintenance: High-end collections require specialized mechanics and climate-controlled storage. Factor these "hidden" costs into your purchase price.
- Follow the "No Reserve" Strategy: Most of Pratte's cars sold at no reserve, which actually creates more bidder excitement and can lead to higher final prices than a high-reserve auction.