COLLECTION: "I only buy cars I'm in love with"

In a purpose-built building next to his house Mike Salomon has created his "man cave". He opens the doors and shares his cars and (car) stories with us. 

Words: Wilhelm Lutjeharms

Sports cars – this is the defining genre of Joburg-based Mike Salomon’s collection. Apart from the custom-built 1975 Volkswagen Kombi and the rare, South Africa-only 1986 BMW 745i, this collection is made up exclusively of sports cars.

“I’ve owned the 308 the longest of all the cars present. I’m very fortunate as I haven’t had to sell a single car since 2006. Also, I was able to design and build this man cave and finish the project early in 2018. 

“It all started as a teenager when I got my first car, a Volkswagen Golf. I did a lot of things to it, some of which I am proud of, (Mike pauses and smiles) and some of which I’m less proud of.”

Mike continues, “During varsity I started reading about cars, and then eventually I bought a book by Paul Frère called “The Porsche 911 Story”. After reading this book I knew what I wanted in life and that it would include 911s.”

“While studying finance and accounting, I managed to convince my dad to do a straight swap of my Golf for a 1968 911S Targa! Unlike today, nobody wanted these old cars. I then decided I wanted to go racing, so I traded the Targa for a 911 SC and converted it into a race car.

"Thereafter I got a 1973 Carrera RS replica. Next up I bought a 3.2 Carrera, which was probably one of the best cars I have ever owned. It was without air-con or a sunroof, finished in Guards Red and left-hand drive.

Around this time my first Ferrari 308 arrived, but soon after I had a bumper bashing incident and the insurance company promptly wrote it off. Things quietened down on the Ferrari front after this incident, but after a brief spell in a Subaru WRX when our first daughter was born, the need for speed was rekindled and I decided I needed to get back in a Ferrari and found this current example.”

“This 1981 Ferrari 308 GTSi is the injection model, so it is the least desirable 308 with the least amount of power. In my opinion there is not that much difference in power when you drive the carb and injection models today. I really adore this car. I even have the original delivery slip. It was delivered to a lady in Düsseldorf in Germany on the 7th of July in 1981.” 

One thing is clear though, there are no garage queens here. A few years ago Mike took the Ferrari on a 1 500-km road trip for the summer holiday. He drove it from Johannesburg to Cape Town, roof off, in 37-degree Celsius African heat!

The 1995 Lamborghini Diablo VT is fitted with a Tubi exhaust, so draws your attention visually and aurally. Also, the front driving shafts are no longer fitted, so it is actually similar to an SV’s setup. 

We slide inside and immediately we are transported back to the 90s: “This is the standard Alpine sound system. There is a CD-shuttle, with a sub0woofer located behind the passenger seat and at the front it has an amplifier – all factory fitted.” 

“I don’t drive cars for other people, I’m a true enthusiast and don’t care what people think when I drive my cars. Some people have preconceptions when they see you in certain types of cars.” These preconceptions do not bother Mike at all, as he drives the cars for the experience they offer, not the image they portray.

Apart from driving the cars regularly, Mike also takes most of them to the track, be it the Alfa-Romeo 4C, the Porsches or the Diablo. As we get out of the Lambo's snug cockpit, he nods his head and admits that that the Diablo is indeed a handful on the limit. “They all have to go on the track at some time; it is one of my favourite places to properly experience these cars.”

We walk over to the Porsches and pause next to the 1981 930 Turbo. “My one collection partner and friend phoned me and said he found this 930 Turbo in Potchefstroom. He was very excited about the car and so was I.”

“It has a beautiful Avocado Green leather interior. We had to do a lot of work on it until we were happy with the condition, though. It is just a spectacular piece of kit. Try and imagine what this car must have felt like in the 1970s. It must have been like the Bugatti Veyron of its time. You had Volkswagen Beetles that went to 100 km/h in more than 20 seconds, while the 930 Turbo did it in around 5,5 seconds.”

Even though the engine has been completely rebuilt – not a cheap exercise – Mike and his partner made sure they did it exactly in line with the factory specification.

I chuckle as I see the braai (barbeque) tongs next to driver’s seat. Being a right-hand-drive country, you need these tongs to grab your parking ticket from the booth at a mall or the airport when you drive a left-hand-drive car. Parked in line with the 930 are another two Porsche 911s.

• Find a classic Porsche 911 for yourself here.

“Everything is analogue on this 1970 Porsche 911 2.2 E. It has no servo brakes, no fancy electronics and it has a mechanical fuel injection system. This was the middle of the 911 range back in the day.” Offering 123 kW, it slotted in between the T and the sportier S. “While it may mistakenly sound like sour grapes, the S is difficult to live with on a daily basis. The S is similar to the 930, you have to keep it on the boil.”

“I heard about this car when the previous owner had to free up some cash to fund his emigration from South Africa, so I purchased the car from him.”

While appreciating this throwback to the 1970s, mainly provided by the exterior colour, Mike points out that it has the optional Recaro seat for the driver. Next up is a much more modern Porsche. 

“It is not my favourite car in the collection, but if I could only have one car, it will be this 2000 Porsche 911 GT3 Comfort. It just does so many different things and it does them all so well. You can take it to a track day or you can drive it to the office every day, no problem.” 

“It was on sale around ten years ago. We went and test drove this example. At the time it had just received a huge service at Porsche that cost close to a sixth of the asking price! It included, amongst other things, new discs and pads all-round and a new clutch. I made a low offer and the owner declined, but two weeks later he phoned me and asked if I still wanted the car and we struck a deal.”

Then, totally at the opposite end of the scale is a rare 1986 BMW 745i. “We found the car in Soweto for around R40 000. It is one of only around 200 South-Africa-only BMW 745is. BMW never built an M7, but this was probably the closest they ever got to it. Just look at the cabin, nearly every surface is covered in leather, it has electric seats and numerous other luxuries.”

“It is fitted with the M88 engine, which is the correct engine for the car, but its original engine was removed.” The rare South African 745i is not to be confused with the European 745i, which was fitted with a turbocharged version of the 735i motor.“ This engine and transmission have now been overhauled and is running nicely.” 

Some readers might agree that Mike has left the best one for last. “I don’t understand why no one is buying these. In terms of second-hand value there are few, if any, that beat it. You feel absolutely special in it. This 2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage is really the opposite of the Diablo. This is just such a gentlemen’s car. It feels as special as the Lambo, but in a completely different way.” 

“It has to be fitted with a manual transmission, you can’t have it in auto. The Vantage is so easy to drive on the limit. It is so well-balanced, partly because the engine is situated aft of the front axle and the transmission at the rear. I also have a philosophy that 300 kW is the maximum you can handle without stability control. The Aston comes close to this figure, should you decide to disengage it.”

Mike leaves me in no doubt that this collection will evolve over the coming years. 

“I don’t want to sell anything and I’m immensely grateful for everything I’ve got. It is not often that you get your childhood dreams fulfilled so literally. My problem is that I fall in love easily.”