Paul Andrews knows what it’s like when the rubber hits the road. He also knows what it’s like to overcome a setback—and how to build something to show for it. Andrews founded the Fort Worth specialty electronics broker TTI (formerly Tex-tronics) in 1971 after General Dynamics laid him off, making him collateral damage from the grounding of an F-111 fighter jet project.
Shortly after TTI launched—and well before he sold the company to Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway in 2007—Andrews began building an exotic car collection, acquiring four-wheeled beauties from far-flung corners of the world. He has spent 41 years growing that collection and has put the vehicles on display in a Fort Worth museum with his son, Chris.
He and Chris, who now manages the collection full-time, acquire cars based on their existing inventory. They focus on buying those that are drivable and rally-ready. The two routinely tour their vehicles nationally and internationally at rallies and racing events, and they are planning to keep doing so even after trimming their collection from roughly 95 cars to a “more manageable” 15 or 20. They’ll auction the 75 to 80 cars through RM Sotheby’s this spring.
“Aside from the mechanical work required to keep a collection of this size in good shape and ready to drive, our museum is regularly used for a variety of charity events in the Fort Worth area,” says Chris. “Add in family and professional commitments—the result is a near round-the-clock endeavor.”
Among the cars the father and son have decided to keep are a 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB, a 1962 Aston Martin DB4, a 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air (similar to Paul’s very first car), and a 1948 Cadillac Eldorado Series 62 painted by American hot rod aficionado Chip Foose. Several others made the cut because of sentimental value and vintage charm.
“It provides us an opportunity to spend some quality time together as a family,” Paul says. “My wife, Judy, appreciates a number of the cars and fully supports [us] in the hobby. … We’ve met some tremendous people over the years and formed some fantastic friendships and memories.”
