Inside the Collection: Meet Joe Salzburg
Start your engines! Get ready for a wild ride featuring a whole collection dedicated to cars.
Jul. 7, 2024
Joe Salzburg has been collecting cars, both big and small, since his childhood. As a kid, Joe's passion for car collecting went into overdrive. Today, he has more than 20,000 car-related items in his massive collection.
With everything from Hot Wheels racing cars to one of his real cars — a vintage 1972 AMC Javelin — cars of all kinds are definitely in Joe's wheelhouse.
For Joe, the value of an item doesn't matter; he collects for the memories the cars bring him. In addition to his car collection, he has also acquired around 400 autographs from automobile experts, actors and drivers, adding to the overall value of his items.
It's time to start your engines! Joe has a need for speed, and we're just trying to keep up! Take a look at Joe's incredible car collection.
1. Hot Wheels Don Prudhomme Car
This vintage toy car was made by Hot Wheels and was part of a limited run of the Legend Series.
According to Joe, owning this Hot Wheels car was every kid's and car collector's dream. Were you one of the many who had this car on your Toys 'R' Us wishlist?
This toy car was modeled after the iconic 1960s dragster driver Don Prudhomme's real car.
It's rare to find this vintage toy in the box and still working. Most Hot Wheels toys were given up once kids got older, but Joe keeps his childhood items close to his heart.
Our expert valued this Hot Wheels car at $400.
2. American Graffiti Car Series
These cars might look familiar! These are the American Graffiti (1973) collector car series.
The iconic film featured mega movie stars such as Harrison Ford, Ron Howard, Cindy Williams and Richard Dreyfuss, many of whom got a jumpstart in their acting careers from the movie.
Although American Graffiti wasn't a car movie, the film featured a ton of cool cars.
In addition to these slick rides, Joe was able to acquire five autographs from cast members of the film, adding to the overall value of the cars.
Our expert valued all four of these cool rides at $1,000. Joe didn't think they would be worth that much, but hey, he's in the driver's seat for a reason!
3. Speed Racer Toys
"Go Speed Racer, go!"
There is no doubt that cars fuel Joe's fascination. He grew up watching the 1967 cartoon Speed Racer, a car-toon that will be forever popular.
His Speed Racer collection keeps growing, mainly because Joe loves to keep a part of his past in his future.
This toy came with all of its original accessories, which is rare for a toy from the early 2000s to have today.
Our expert valued this iconic item at $225. Thanks to Joe, we'll have the theme song to Speed Racer in our heads for weeks now.
4. Vintage Schuco Car
This little tin toy is a vintage Schuco car, originally made in Germany in 1912. While it may have many miles on it today, it's still in great condition.
This toy belonged to his late father and holds a lot of sentimental value for Joe, who received it as a gift for his growing collection.
He was missing a few parts, like a key and a windshield, but luckily he was able to get his hands on reproduction parts to complete the car. The brand was known for their great detail to toys, and this item proves it!
Our expert valued this toy at $600, mostly due to its iconic color and condition.
Although Joe could make a pretty penny from this car resale, he'll never give up the keys because of its sentimental value.
5. 1972 AMC Javelin
No car collection is complete without at least one real car!
This is a vintage 1972 AMC Javelin, originally made by American Motors Corporation.
Joe is a longtime fan of AMC cars. This car is completely restored and came in the color purple — a color he never thought he'd own a car in — but adds to the rarity.
There are a lot of reasons why this car is special to him, but perhaps the value today will add to its significance.
Our expert valued this car at $75,000.
6. Bob Malcom Store Display
This is a car collector's equivalent to a Barbie Dream House!
This cardboard, highly detailed Bob Malcom store display is one of Joe's favorite items.
Bob Malcom was a big Dodge, Chrysler and Plymouth dealer back in the day. Many knew him, and Joe kept his legacy alive in this very realistic-looking display. Joe proves that even the dealers deserve great detail!
Our expert value this item at $400.
7. The total value of Joe's car collection:
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