Monterey Car Week‘s Automobilia Collectors Expo is a fantastic place to find rare and interesting car-related items. Over the years, I have bought watches, tool kits, artwork, ties, wallets, brochures, and oh so many books.
This year, I decided to make a list of the things I most wanted from the Automobilia Collectors Expo. I may or may not come home with some — I will see how the items I consigned to my friend Court Forey do and go from there.
1.) Michael Schumacher-signed helmet: Not really a replica, but a Michael Schumacher helmet from the 2000s in the same livery it wore when he raced, capped off with a signed visor. Schumacher remains my all-time favorite driver in the entire history of F1. I had the privilege of meeting and speaking with him on more than one occasion, so this is very special to me. It is available from Court Forey at the expo.
2.) “Heroes of the Forest: The Complete History of the Pebble Beach Road Races” by Mark R. Brinker: This beautifully presented and written magnum opus is an exhaustive look at the entire history of the Pebble Beach Road Races. Many forget that people originally did car stuff in Monterey because of these races. This four-volume book discusses the original point of the entire Monterey Car Week phenomenon with not a single detail omitted. This is exclusively available from Horton Books at the expo.
3.) Handcrafted Ferrari die-cast model cars by Vintage 43: Sure, there are lots of nice die-cast cars, but how about one that has been made by hand? These two Ferraris are examples of how good artisan-made models can be. Both were built by some of the most meticulous people I know and are literally like shrinking a vintage Ferrari. They are both available at the Vintage 43 booth.
4.) BMW Art Car book by René Staud: René is an amazing photographer who sells his prints for very affordable prices. Then there are his books, which are simply amazing. My favorite of them all is his BMW Art Car book covering 1975-2025. I, of course, prefer the most expensive slipcase version. You can get it at René’s booth.
This is but a small sampling of the many great items available at the Automobilia Collectors Expo. It runs through Wednesday, August 12, and I highly recommend checking it out as there is literally something for everyone, with prices ranging from a few dollars to tens of thousands of dollars and everything in between. This is a can’t-miss event during Monterey Car Week.
