Local Cruiser Owns 153 Cars

While most people only have one or two cars, some car lovers at Cruisin’ the Coast have hundreds. One man owns more cars than your local dealership.

Henry Shane has been collecting cars for 35 years. He currently has 153 in his collection, which he keeps at a private museum in Louisiana. Shane says, “I bought one and I enjoyed it. You say ‘Well, I think I’ll get another one, but I’ll never get more than five,’ and you know it just grows on you.”

Shane tells News 25 he’s probably purchased over 1,000 cars in his lifetime. When we asked him which one’s his favorite, he said the one he’s currently driving. Shane says, “The one I’m driving is what I tell everybody. I don’t have a regular car. I drive an antique car every day of my life and I switch around every two days.”

Shane has been participating in the Vicari Car Auction for all 18 years it’s been at Cruisin’. He has seen it grow from just a few cars to now having to turn cars away. Shane also says, “I think what makes it special is the whole car experience of Cruisin’ the Coast. When you come here and you don’t leave here excited about an automobile, then I don’t know, you’re missing the whole thing, and that makes people getting involved in wanting to own one.”

This year, Shane is auctioning off four cars, including two Superbirds, which are getting a lot of attention. One is an orange hemi and one is a 440 six pack in a rare blue color. Although he’s selling these two, he has a few Superbirds left at home. Shane closes, “I have too many of them so I’m selling two here today and keeping three more back in my collection.”

The Superbirds will be auctioned off on Saturday. The orange hemi is expected to go for half a million dollars. Shane’s private car museum is called Cars of Yesteryears and is in Metairie, Louisiana. It is closed to the public, however he regularly hosts charitable events and fundraisers inside.