Look to the right when entering the St. Louis Car Museum. The very first thing to see draws visitors into Joe Scott Jr.’s fascinating world of preserving the past. It’s a 1986 Ferrari Testarossa Junior ½ scale Go-Kart by Prestige. The tag says: “For privileged children only licensed motorized replica authorized by the Ferrari Motor Corporation.” Likely one of the most expensive toys ever sold, the fully-operational 2-speed “toy,” complete with a CD player, was priced at more than $50,000 at FAO Schwarz and Neiman Marcus stories in the mid-1980s.
And that’s not even Joe’s favorite. Among his massive collection of premier classic and collector cars, vintage signage, rare pedal cars, apparatuses and memorabilia sits a 2005 red Ford GT with white stripes. “Ford only made this specific body style for two years,” Joe says. “They are the most unique and original-looking supercars of our day. After so many years of collecting, I am less attached to items. So, I would sell the GT to the right collector, but not for a long time.”
Since 1994, the St. Louis Car Museum, which Joe calls his “fun house," has been one of the most incredible collections of rare and sought-after machines offering a variety of services that cater to all things motor-related.
The Midwest showroom is on the destination list of some of the most savvy collectors and car enthusiasts, including among others an international tour company that actually flies New Zealanders, Kiwi’s on Route 66 Car Club, into Los Angeles, rents 50 Mustangs and escorts them across the entire 6,000 miles of Route 66 stopping specifically in St. Louis to tour Joe’s collection.
It’s a place where one could find and purchase a dream classic car, or store one already owned. It’s a place to spend an afternoon with one foot back in time, drinking the beauty of some of the finest motor vehicles ever produced. That’s exactly what Joe had in mind when he purchased what was once the largest bowling alley in St. Louis, the old Bowl-a-Rama Lanes, a St. Louis building at 1575 Woodson Road 30 years ago this year.
The five-acre, 85,000-square-foot building was perfect for a showroom and shop, being the only building that was massive enough yet devoid of pillars throughout, allowing the vehicles to be moved around inside. He kept the original flooring and put a “Route 66” banner over the place where the pins used to fall.
“I like old things, always have,” Joe says. “There’s history behind each item and preservation is important. That’s where the museum comes in. It’s a great spot for people to enjoy the old times.”
And it has everything from a 2024 cyber truck to a 1919 Cole, a 2024 Porsche 911 to a 1964 Porsche 911, a 1999 Duesenberg II Model SJ likely worth $350,000 to the “toy” Ferrari that today could bring in upward of $300,000. There’s even an 1860s Wells Fargo Concord Stagecoach with all original leather and interiors.
Up for sale are muscle cars, such as the 2024 Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet, the 1959 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible Roadster and the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Sport Coupe. Then there are the exotic and luxury cars, such as the 1948 Cadillac Series 61 Club Coupe, the 1967 Porsche 911 Coupe, the 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible, the 1974 Jaguar XKE Series III Roadster and the 1949 Bentley Mark VI Shooting Brake.
Three mechanics, two detailers and an upholsterer work in the 25,000-square-foot shop, perfecting every piece that comes into the museum.
Joe says it’s difficult to recall just when he became enamored with collecting. His father was an avid enthusiast as well. He recalls that he was 11 or 12 years old when he “was gifted a broken-down MG 1100” from his grandmother. “She was previously married to a master mechanic who got me into the restoration of older cars and taught me the importance of preservation,” he adds.
There are stories behind every instance of preservation. Joe recently purchased Nicolas Cage’s 1997 Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster. “This ride was delivered brand new to Nic in Beverly Hills that year with a bright yellow finish,” Joe says. “Oddly enough, it was delivered to the St. Louis Car Museum needing some work, but our guys took care of everything. And now I think I’ll keep the Diablo in our collection until the right buyer comes along. That purchase certainly adds some pizazz to our story I think.”
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“I like old things, always have,” Joe Scott Jr. says. “There’s history behind each item and preservation is important."
“Ford only made this specific body style for two years. They're the most unique and original-looking supercars of our day," says Joe Scott Jr. about his favorite 2005 red Ford GT with white stripes.