just found this forum, some info on the red mclaren in los gatos

[m34ever]

I just found this forum through a link on bimmerforums and i have spent the last 2 hours reading through it and searching for any info i could find on the car i saw. I have always loved mclarens and they definetly take the top spot on my favorite car list. Anyways, a few months ago sometime in late nov early dec of 2003 i was at home when my friend called me and told me about what he thought was a mclaren being unloaded from a truck. I hauled ass down there from my house in south san jose and when i arrived i saw the truck and three guys outside a building talking but didnt see a mclaren. As i rolled by slowly i saw what looked like a z8, 360 and f50. A few weeks later two of my friends and i were in los gatos and i decided we should roll by the building to see if it was open. Luckily for us the large roll up door was open. We walked up and parked in the entrance was a brabus sl55 being washed by a kid who seemed to be in his late teens early twenties. He said we could go in and look around and as soon as we stepped inside we were in heaven. On the right we saw a z8, f50, f40, some sort of a porsche under a cover, some sort of aston martin. On the left side was a f355, 360, murcielago, 456, Dino, testarossa and a few cars under covers that we couldnt really pick out. In the back of the building was a red mclaren f1. I walked around it and drooled for awhile. I tried finding a chassis number on it but i couldnt see one out in the open anywhere. We thanked the guy who let us in and left, he said to come back anytime. It is rare i see this place open (maybe once since then) and the place was very odd, it wasnt a shop or anything, just had lots of lifts with cars ontop and under all covered and kept nice. Not sure if it is someones personal collection or what. Just wanted to share my long story and hopefully someone can shed some light on all this.

[Peloton25]

I found a post I believe could now be yours on a BMW forum recently - I can't recall exactly which forum though - and passed it along to a friend who lives in the area and has been searching for this F1.

Maybe you recognize this:

"there's a red one (mclaren) along with a long list of other insane cars on University Ave in Los Gatos, its a unmarked building with a aluminum roll up door right off of blossom hill. If you go by and the door is open they will let you go in and walk around, most insane place i have ever been to in my life."

He's been scoping out that area on occasion ever since, but hasn't had the same luck that you and the person who wrote what I quoted (if that wasn't you) had.

The McLaren F1 is chassis #028. It belongs to Clifford Meltzer who makes his home in the Los Gatos area.

Here's one good photo of the car from an Imagestation album - click the photo to see the rest:



I'd assume the other cars you saw in that garage also belong to Meltzer, and that might just be where he stores them. If you ever happen to go back, be sure to take a camera if they'll let you. Also, the plaque with the chassis number is located on the tunnel to the right of the driver's seat, just ahead of the shifter and it also houses the ignition key hole.



Thanks for coming to share your experience and enjoy your stay. There's a lot of good info on the F1 that has been amassed here by some incredibly knowledgeable people and some very lucky ones too.

>8^)
ER

[m34ever]

yea, that was me who posted that. I wish i could meet this clifford meltzer guy. Next time i drive by the shop and i see it open i will definetly stop by again. The kid who was working there had no problem with my two friends and i going in and checking out the cars, he even uncovered a few for us. we thanked him many times and he said to come back whenever we want and to bring girls next time, haha. The place is on univeristy and blossom hill and its the second door from the corner. Its a unmarked building with just a single roll up door, a black door next to it and a window thats blacked out. ill check back on this thread to see if you guys get anymore info on it.

[Peloton25]

I forgot that I have some other info on Mr. Meltzer - I don't believe I've posted it here though:

Former President and CEO of Digital Fountain and also former Cisco senior vice president for IOS.

http://www.digitalfountain.com/

He was previously listed on the Board of Directors for Digital Fountain - here was his bio:

Cliff is a seven-year veteran of Cisco Systems where he held numerous senior executive positions. Prior to Cisco, Cliff spent 16 years at IBM, the last 10 at the company's prestigious IBM Watson research center doing research and product development on high performance networking products. Cliff's unique blend of research and Internet product development experience are invaluable to the strong science component and extensive Internet product capabilities that Digital Fountain has to offer. Cliff holds both a BA in Mathematics and an MS in Computer Science from the University of Rochester.

= = = = =

Apparently, among his collection he owns the big four Ferraris - 288 GTO, F40, F50, and that Enzo. He also recently purchased that red McLaren F1 out of a Japanese collection and has successfully imported it under the DOT's Show&Display provisions. I read somewhere that he's in his early 50s, so I think that could be him leaning against the wall in that last photo of the Imagestation album that has the caption "Thanks Cliff". That's just a guess though.

>8^)
ER

[BMW V12]

thanks for the info m34ever ,

and please make some pics when you get there once again!!!

there are not many grand prix red ones out there

^_^

[m34ever]

thanks for the info. At the building he did have the GTO, f40 and f50 along with others. The murcielago in the building was black, not yellow so maybe the one in those pictures isnt his. I didnt see the yellow enzo there but im sure he keeps some cars at his house. One thing i did notice was that the mclaren badge on the back of the car on the left side was faded away but in those pictures it looks new. Also it had a liscence plate on it although i dont remember what it was and in those pics their isnt one. Of course he could have just taken the plate off and replaced the badge.

[diabloroadster2]

he only has a 3 car garage at his home. i know he has an m5 and a db7. i assume those would be 2 he would keep at his home

he came to check out the s7 when it was first delivered to Los Gatos. one of the salesmen said "that guy is loaded" so he must have some serious cash.

im keeping my eyes peeled

[teflon]

An article on Digital Fountain

I think Cliff's last name is Meltzer, not "Metzler".

Greg A

[Peloton25]

Originally Posted by teflon

I think Cliff's last name is Meltzer, not "Metzler".

I think you're right.

Oops...

>8^)
ER

[a5678]

M34ever, you are one lucky man.

[m34ever]

Originally Posted by a5678

M34ever, you are one lucky man.

haha, thanks. I see 360 modenas, porsche turbos, sl55's and like so often i dont even turn my head anymore. diabloroadster2 do you work at ferrari or just visit often? i stop by once or twice a month and check out what they have. That saleen s7 was amazing. I watched the red enzo get put onto a flatbed and drive off to its new owners house up in blackhawk. you see a lot of amazing things in los gatos.

[diabloroadster2]

Originally Posted by m34ever

haha, thanks. I see 360 modenas, porsche turbos, sl55's and like so often i dont even turn my head anymore. diabloroadster2 do you work at ferrari or just visit often? i stop by once or twice a month and check out what they have. That saleen s7 was amazing. I watched the red enzo get put onto a flatbed and drive off to its new owners house up in blackhawk. you see a lot of amazing things in los gatos.

i just visit often.. 2 or 3 times a week. im the unofficial photogrpaher for them i guess. the S7 pictures on their website were taken by me.

ive actually met Cliff before.. but at that point, he didnt have the mclaren. he had actually just purchased it.

[tvrfreak]

Are you the guy I had a quick word with when I went to drive the Vanquish last Friday? The one who was giving the manager there a couple of photographs? If so, hello from Bahrain!

[maartenvanthek]

tvrfreak, you haven't had your brains blown out by some terrorist yet??:P if not, watch out for the man who opines on anything

[mini magic]

wow. that was amazingly racist