The John Mumford Collection – Preserving History

The John Mumford collection is a museum yet it’s not. It’s a private collection by a man who has been obsessed with hot rods and customs since his childhood. Mumford, an AMBR-winning rodder, collector and retired venture capitalist puts the same zeal into his passion for rods & customs as he did launching over a dozen successful corporations. While he’s still active in global business, he puts the majority of his time into anything car related.

He’s always had an eye for locating, housing and restoring hot rods, customs and factory race cars some of which are considered to be the most historically significant cars of the 20th century. He’s also enjoyed a decade’s long friendship and working relationship with Roy Brizio, not a bad guy to have as a friend when hot rodding is your hobby of choice!

The Barris Ala Kart and the original Sam Barris ’49 Merc are centerpieces of Mumford’s San Francisco based collection along with Axle Stewart’s ’32 Ford roadster (the original Dago dropped axle car). The collection is enormous (it includes over 100 vehicles, speed parts and memorabilia) so much so that it has been divided into two heated and humidified buildings – one for Fords and one for GM vehicles. Sorry Mopar guys!

Mumford first discovered hot rods shortly before he left to fight for his country in Vietnam. “Growing up I was always interested in hot rods,” he said. “My family ended up in Southern California in the late 50s where the scene was thriving. I loved it. The last car I had before shipping off to Vietnam was a ’34 Ford. A number of years after the war when I was buried in business, I realized I needed a hobby. Flipping through the San Jose Mercury newspaper one day, I saw a ’34 Ford with a blown flathead. I needed someone to make it safe and road worthy. Someone recommended this kid Roy Brizio from South San Francisco. Roy and I worked well together and we’ve worked together ever since. He’s built and restored most of my cars.”

One philosophy the Brizio’s (both Andy and Roy) have always lived by is to drive what you build. Mumford subscribes whole heartedly to that theory having driven every one of his cars, including the Ala Kart! He has been cross country in hot rods so many times he’s lost count.

Whatever Mumford has touched in his life has been successful and his collection reflects that. Our hats are off to men with means like John Mumford who are preserving hot rod history to share it with future generations…

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