| Ron Hackenberger | |
| Birth Date: | [1] |
| Nationality: | American |
| Occupation: | Businessman |
| Known For: | Car collection |
| Spouse: | Eunice Hackenberger |
| Children: | 6 daughters |
Ronald Ray Hackenberger (born 1935 or 1936) is an American businessman and car collector. He began as a truck driver before running his own trucking business, then moved into ranching, real estate, and hospitality. He bought his first Studebaker at 15 and eventually amassed a collection of over 700 vehicles, including over 250 Studebakers, which were all sold at an auction in July 2017.
Hackenberger worked as a truck driver before starting his own trucking business, growing to 100 trucks and trailers.[2] [3]
Hackenberger sold the trucking business and then bought a cattle ranch in Texas.[2] [3] He also expanded into hospitality and real estate businesses.[4] He now has a campground and catering service business in Ohio.[2]
Hackenberger started collecting cars in 1962.[3] He bought his first car, a 1948 Studebaker, at the age of 15, using a loan from his grandfather.[4] [5]
Apart from more than 250 vehicles made by Studebaker, Hackenberger's collection includes Hudsons, Kaisers and Packards, British and Italian roadsters, and French cars such as Citroen DSs and 2CVs, also a DeLorean and a Bricklin SV-1.[6] His muscle cars include a 1965 Ford Mustang, a 1966 Dodge Charger, and a 1967 Plymouth Barracuda.[5]
There are microcars, such as Crosleys, a Nash Metropolitan, a Goggomobil, a Honda N600s and Z600s and a BMW Isetta.[5] [6] There are 1940s motorcycles, John Deere tractors, Jaguars, and a Cadillac ambulance that looks like it came "straight out of Ghostbusters".[4]
His Studebakers include Larks, Hawks, at least one Avanti, as well as horse-drawn buggies and wagons from the carmaker's early days.[7]
Hackenberger had originally hoped to open a museum to display his car collection, before deciding to sell them.[3] He sold all of his collection by auction, on July 15 and 16, 2017, in Norwalk, Ohio.[8]
The auction raised over $2 million, with the top price being $37,800 for a 1947 Indian Chief motorcycle with sidecar, followed by $31,500 each for a 1965 Amphicar 770, a 1969 Jaguar E-Type Roadster, and a 1938 Studebaker pickup.[9] [10] [11]
He married his wife, Eunice, in 1962. They have six daughters and live in Norwalk, Ohio.[2] [8]