The Incredible Car Collection of Chick-fil-A Founder Truett Cathy
While Chick-fil-A founder Truett S. Cathy may be remembered for his irresistible chicken sandwich and altruistic spirit, he was also a true “car guy”. Beginning with his relationship with Ford’s former Atlanta Assembly Plant where he served workers for over sixty years, Cathy developed a love for anything with a motor and wheels and built an incredible collection of rare, eclectic and personal cars, trucks, motorcycles and scooters. While he loved his Fords and Lincolns, Cathy was a collector of opportunity and always kept an ear out for great deals, regardless of make, model or country of origin.
For your viewing pleasure, here are 10 of our favorite cars from Truett's amazing collection:
Lincoln Mark V
Truett was a huge fan of Lincoln because of his unique relationship with Ford, as well as their relative value compared to contemporary Cadillacs. These two have been meticulously preserved, with less than 5,000 miles between them.
2000 American General Hummer Wagon
This 2000 American General Hummer Wagon is a heavyweight of a completely different kind. The off-road wheel setup and bull-bar makes this utilitarian giant rather imposing in person.
1981 DMC DeLorean DMC-12
With the recent popularity of the Back to the Future series as the “Future” date came and went, the DMC DeLorean DMC-12 is also enjoying a revival of sorts. This 1981 example was as close to perfect as they come, with only 634 miles on the odometer.
1983 Lamborghini Countach LP500 S
Another hero of the eighties, the Lamborghini Countach has seen a similar rise in popularity in recent years. This example is a 1983 LP500 S.
1979 Dodge Lil Red Express Truck
The 1979 Dodge Lil Red Express Truck is a unique truck, being one of the last “muscle cars” offered before the gas crisis largely killed American performance. The truck was powered by a modified version of the police-spec 360 cubic-inch V8 that made 230hp and 290 ft-lb of torque, giving the truck a quarter mile time of around 15 seconds.
1992 Land Rover Range Rover
This custom six-wheeled Land Rover Range Rover was built for Mike Tyson in 1992. The interior features white leather and red mink inserts.
2001 Superformance S1
The 2001 Superformance S1 was built to be a modern rendition of the Lotus Super 7. The roadster was designed to accommodate larger American frames, up to 6’4” and 250 lbs. Only 56 cars were produced by the time production ended in March of 2004.
1959 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II
The 1959 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II features a 6.2L aluminum V8 that was new for that year. This particular example was once owned by the classic movie star, Eva Gabor and has only amassed 18,024 miles since it rolled off of the line.
1965 Austin-Healey 3000 Mark III
Very popular in European vintage rallies, the Austin-Healey 3000 is a small British sports car with a body designed by Jensen motors. This 1965 model is a Mark III, coming with a standard walnut-veneer dash, wind-up windows and a 150 hp engine. (See more of a similar Austin Healy Driving Line visited, here.)
Brewster 8
The Brewster 8 was a coach built car that was created to appeal to buyers that desired a less ostentatious vehicle than their traditional cars built on Rolls-Royce chassis. Built on the contemporary Ford V8 chassis, the car offered a traditionally European level of refinement, luxury, and customization with familiar, cheaper mechanicals.
Truett’s collection is being sold through a private auction, with the proceeds going to support the Winshape Foundation, an organization he started with his wife in 1982.
Make sure you check out more of the collection in the gallery below, and of course, "Eat more chikin."
