AS car collections go, it’s hard to beat the one owned by a Qatari Sheikh who has around 1,300 to show off.
Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani houses his bizarre and wide-ranging collection in a private museum in Doha.
It currently has some 300 cars, trucks and motorcycles on display, with another 1,000 or so stored away.
A new museum is expected to open in the next couple of years which will display his entire collection.
One vehicle which was certainly way ahead of its time was the Studebaker Electric – a pioneering EV with the company dating back to the 19th century.
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It was claimed to have a range of more than 100 miles and was fitted with a dozen six-volt batteries.
The museum does feature a lot of American cars and vehicles and one that will certainly catch the eye is a Chrysler 300J.
The 300J was one of a number of “letter-series” 300s which were produced from 1955 to 1965 and the 1963 example is the rarest of the lot, as just 400 or so were made.
Another eye-catching car is the early Ford Thunderbird from 1956.
The car was launched in 1955 and the following year the spare wheel was moved to the outside of the car to free up boot space, then it was moved back inside in 1957.
So this 1956 model is the rarest of the early T-birds made.
Another unique car is the Cadillac Eldorado.
Following a diplomatic row in June 2017, Qatar was cut adrift from its other Middle Eastern countries, with the issues only been resolved in early 2021.
The museum invited visitors to write messages of hope on a 1958 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible and even the whitewall tyres are covered.
The Sheikh also has a fair few American muscle cars in his collection, including an early Chevrolet Camaro SS396 convertible which was fitted with a 6.5-litre V8 engine, which produced an impressive 375bhp.
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There is also an original Pontiac GTO, which originally wasn’t a separate model but part of an optional package for the Pontiac Le Mans.
As part of that package you got a 6.4-litre V8 engine producing some 325-360bhp.
He also owns two Ford Mustangs, both made in early 1965 which show off the car’s sleek design and styling.
The Sheikh also owns a large number of American trucks with the oldest of the lot being the Dodge Power Wagon.
It was one of the last of the WC Series made, with production running from 1940 to 1945.
BRITISH CLASSICS
Classic British cars also feature heavily including a pair of Range Rovers.
The museum states they both date from 1969 although the three-door version didn’t appear until 1970 while a five-door model appeared in 1981.
Also putting in an appearance is a rare Bentley T2 which was the sibling to the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow.
The T2 though was only produced between 1977 and 1980 with only 558 being made.
Also in the luxury car bracket is a Rolls-Royce Corniche, complete with a 6.75-litre V8 engine.
At the other end of the price spectrum, there is a Morris Minor Tourer convertible and an Austin Healey ‘Frogeye’ Sprite.
The Austin Healey arrived in 1958 and became the byword for affordable fun even if this model was only produced for three years.
There are also a number of Land Rovers on display, including a Series 1 and a Series 3.
Also worth a look is the Jaguar MkVII which is powered by a 160bhp 3442cc version of Jaguar's XK straight-six engine meaning the car could hit 100mph.
The oldest car in the collection is a Benz Ideal dating from 1900.
The car had a single-cylinder engine, giving the Benz a top speed of just 8mph although it did also come with a built-in umbrella which was stored on the rear mudguard.
LOTS OF MERCEDES
Mercedes-Benzes are highly sort after in the Middle East and the Sheikh has several.
One given pride of place is the sleek Mercedes 190SL, the smaller sibling to the 300SL and was produced between 1954 and 1963.
There’s also a Mercedes-Benz 600, which were produced between 1963 and 1981, with 2,677 actually made.
At the time of production they were the most technically advanced saloons in the world, featuring self-levelling air suspension, power steering and a fuel-injected 6.3-litre V8 engine.
Another is a Mercedes-Benz S500 (W140) which appears to have been crossed with a G-Wagen.
This limo is the work of New Jersey-based EMC, which specialises in G-Wagens.
There are also a number of dropheads including a 280SL, a 220S cabriolet and W111 cabriolet.
A Lamborghini LM-002 is also of note as just 328 were made.
The Sheikh’s is fitted with a Countach-derived 5.7-litre V12 engine.
