Real estate developer, entrepreneur, and one of the nation’s leading philanthropists, Guy E. Beatty’s story is that of a man who shared his riches and gave back to the community.
Mr. Beatty had a love of automobiles. He loved to show his automobiles for people to enjoy them. He restored and cared for his collection. Rather than selling his automobiles, he requested that they be donated to museums and other organizations that would care for them and keep their history alive.
After his death in 2013, the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum accepted a gracious donation of ten Full Classic automobiles, as defined by the Classic Car Club of America, from the private collection of Guy E. Beatty. These automobiles help to fill gaps in the museum’s collection, with one automobile donated specifically to be sold to help maintain the museum’s collection. In accepting these donated automobiles, the museum can follow in Beatty’s footsteps to educate and tell the story of the Auburn Automobile Company and of automotive history.
In February, the last of the Beatty collection vehicles arrived at the museum from Virginia. The 1931 Packard 840 Dual-Cowl Phaeton was patiently waiting to arrive to its new home in the museum until it was able to be placed in operable condition and be loaded on a secure vehicle carrier. Upon arriving, it was taken into the museum’s Collections Conservation Center for condition reporting and light cleaning and is now on display in the Special Interest Gallery.
“It is an honor that the Beattys chose the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum as the stewards of this collection, which is the largest private donation of automobiles in the 45-year history of the museum,” says Brandon J. Anderson, Executive Director & CEO. “It is our honor to preserve, interpret, and display these vehicles for the benefit of the public, which enriches each visitor’s experience and understanding of the history of the automobile.”
Sam Gate, Curator of the museum states, “These fantastic automobiles greatly help the museum to more fully tell our story and share our history. We are honored to carry on Mr. Beatty’s tradition of showing and displaying part of his collection.”
Beatty had the ability to look at a business opportunity and make it successful. He took on challenges that few would have taken and turned them into thriving ventures. He started his real estate empire in 1962 with $2,000 in his bank account and he bought, sold, and established partnerships with those who could help him realize his professional goals. Beatty decided to blend his unique financial position with his religious beliefs to help others. One of his favorite sayings was, “This is God's money, not mine…I've been put in the position to help others and give them an opportunity they may not have otherwise had.”
