$9.5 million in classic cars brighten future for Vegas kids
Beverly Rogers started to cry as soon as she entered the Rogers’ Classic Car Museum on Gragson Avenue Saturday morning.
“I didn’t expect it,” she said of the emotion she felt about auctioning off more than 230 classic cars owned by her late husband, Jim, former owner of the NBC affiliate KSNV-TV, Channel 3, and chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education.
“Thank you for your interest in my husband’s lifetime hobby,” Rogers told the crowd before the bidding began.
About 3,000 people were on hand Saturday to browse and bid on a piece of history. They left behind $9.5 million to benefit education in Nevada.
The top-selling car was a beige 1962 Rolls-Royce Mulliner Drophead Coupe that sold for $320,000.
Beverly Rogers said her husband, who died last June at age 75 following a lengthy battle with cancer, collected classic cars as a way to preserve the past.
“He looked at them as the working man’s climb to success,” she said. “He started collecting the ones he remembered as a kid and then once he started learning more about them, he got really into it.”
Jim primarily collected American cars, which he had restored to their original form, Rogers said.
Cars up for grabs at Saturday’s auction included a 1915 Ford Model T, a 1953 Cadillac Eldorado convertible and a 1939 Cadillac Series 90 V-16 Imperial Touring Sedan.
In addition to automobiles, the auction included several engines, gas pumps, a telephone booth, scooters and an antique cannon, which went for $8,000.
George Knoblock of Las Vegas bought his first classic car — a two-tone coral and white 1955 Oldsmobile — at the auction for $22,000.
“I came here to see if there was something I wanted and decided to bid on it,” he said. “This is a unique opportunity.”
Knoblock said the key to buying a classic car is realizing that many are showpieces and may not run properly.
“I’m going to give it to a mechanic to look over and make sure everything’s running well,” he said. “When there’s a nice day on a weekend, I’ll take it out, otherwise it will be garaged.”
John Ferrari of Baltimore, Md., bought a 1928 Hupmobile Limousine for $19,000 and was eyeing several other cars.
“The car has a good reputation of being well-built,” he said. “And it’s a piece of history.”
Proceeds from the auction will go to the Rogers Foundations, which was established in 2013 to support education in Southern Nevada. The organization awards scholarships and grants to students and educational institutions as well as supports the arts.
“There are really good people in this town and Jim was passionate about making it a better place to live,” Rogers said. “The future is in the children and making sure they’re educated because it’s the only thing that will build a foundation for a better life.”
Orange County, Calif., resident George Spence was in town with his wife, Gwen, for the weekend Scale the Strat event and decided to attend the auction.
“I love cars and when I saw they had it, I had to stop by,” Spence said. “You don’t see cars like this that often.”
Spence said he adopted his father’s love of classic cars and owns six — everything from Cadillacs to Jeeps.
“This is a beautiful collection and he really took care of convertibles from the 1940s and 50s,” Spence said. “I’m really impressed.”
Seeing the cars auctioned off was a mix of emotions for museum curator, Mike Pratt, a close friend who helped Rogers assemble the collection.
“It’s bittersweet because Jim and I spent a lot of time and money collecting these cars,” Pratt said. “I’m glad I’m able to be here in his absence.”
Pratt said he and Rogers tried to give the cars to the state and several universities but none wanted the responsibility of maintaining them.
“As Jim’s health was getting worse we talked and he said I’d have to sell them and that’s what I’m doing,” Pratt said. “Assisting anyone and everyone with education was his dream, and I know he’d be ecstatic. I know he’s smiling and I guess you smile with tears in your eyes.”
Pratt said the future of Rogers’ Classic Car Museum is unknown after March 6, the deadline for buyers to remove their new classics.
“I’ve got several potential buyers who want to take it,” he said. “One gentleman wants to reinstate the building with classic autos, which would be a great opportunity for visitors and locals to experience the nostalgia of classic cars.”
Pratt said he hopes those who bought the automobiles give them a good home.
“It’s like seeing your child go off to college,” he said. “You can only cross your fingers and hope for the best after they walk out the door.”
Contact reporter Ann Friedman at 702-380-4588 or afriedman@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AnnFriedmanRJ on Twitter.
