Photo: Contributed Photos
1967 Austin Healey 3000MKI
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1967 Austin Healey 3000MKI
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
Ferrari 330 GTS (Flickr/Sumlin)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Ferrari 330 GTS (Flickr/Sumlin)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
1956 Austin Healey 100-BN2 1 Owned by Mogans Bach. (From Flickr/Jack Snell)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1956 Austin Healey 100-BN2 1 Owned by Mogans Bach. (From Flickr/Jack Snell)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
1963 Ferrari 250 GTL Lusso (Flickr/ JaseMan)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1963 Ferrari 250 GTL Lusso (Flickr/ JaseMan)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
1957 Porsche 356 A Speedster... (Flickr/Ma-Eh)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1957 Porsche 356 A Speedster... (Flickr/Ma-Eh)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
1964 Porsche Checker
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1964 Porsche Checker
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
1985 Ferrari 288 GTO - Overhead (Flickr/char1iej)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1985 Ferrari 288 GTO - Overhead (Flickr/char1iej)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
Ferrari Dino 246 GTS (Flickr/Biscuit in Pursuit)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Ferrari Dino 246 GTS (Flickr/Biscuit in Pursuit)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
961 Porsche 356 - Art Conner (Flickr/prorallypix)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
961 Porsche 356 - Art Conner (Flickr/prorallypix)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
1974 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona (Flickr/elstro_88)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1974 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona (Flickr/elstro_88)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
1962 Ferrari 250 GTE (JC) (Flickr/Jack_Snell) (The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1962 Ferrari 250 GTE (JC) (Flickr/Jack_Snell) (The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1955 Jaguar XK140 2 (Flickr/Jack_Snell)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1955 Jaguar XK140 2 (Flickr/Jack_Snell)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
1959 MGA Twin Cam 1588cc (Flickr/ peterhut)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1959 MGA Twin Cam 1588cc (Flickr/ peterhut)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
1961 Porsche Speedster
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1961 Porsche Speedster
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
1973 Chevrolet Cheyenne (Flickr/SoulRider.222)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1973 Chevrolet Cheyenne (Flickr/SoulRider.222)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
1956 Porsche 356 1500 GS Carrera... (Flickr/Jack_Snell)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1956 Porsche 356 1500 GS Carrera... (Flickr/Jack_Snell)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
1988 Ferrari 328 GTS (Flickr/SoulRider.222)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1988 Ferrari 328 GTS (Flickr/SoulRider.222)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
10000 tours du Castellet - circuit Paul Ricard - Classic Endurance Racing (Flickr/ jfhweb)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
10000 tours du Castellet - circuit Paul Ricard - Classic Endurance Racing (Flickr/ jfhweb)
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: JeffWeb, Contributed Photos
1966 - 1968 Ferrari 330 GTC (06) (Flickr/Georg Schwalbach (GS1311))
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1966 - 1968 Ferrari 330 GTC (06) (Flickr/Georg Schwalbach (GS1311))
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
1961 Porsche Cabriolet
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1961 Porsche Cabriolet
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
1961 Austin Healey 3000MKI
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1961 Austin Healey 3000MKI
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
1983 Ferrari 512BBi
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1983 Ferrari 512BBi
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
1993 Mercedes-Benz 500E
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1993 Mercedes-Benz 500E
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
1988 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe (Flickr/ t i g) (The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1988 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe (Flickr/ t i g) (The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1960 Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite ( Flickr/colby_hoke) (The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1960 Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite ( Flickr/colby_hoke) (The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1995 Volvo 960
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
1995 Volvo 960
(The cars on this list were taken from public records. All photos are of the car's model but not the actual car.)
Photo: Contributed Photos
David Letterman's 10 Ferraris stored at Danbury warehouse
For some, owning a Ferrari sports car is the culmination of a lifelong dream, the retirement carrot at the end of a decades-long stick.
For others -- the uber-rich, the CEO who has everything -- owning a Ferrari is just another notch on a well-worn car collector's belt.
David Letterman -- yes, that David Letterman -- is among the latter.
The host of "Late Show with David Letterman" stores 28 cars and two motorcycles in a Danbury warehouse at 45A Miry Brook Road, right next to Danbury Municipal Airport.
Ten of those cars wear the Ferrari nameplate, according to the Danbury assessor's office.
Now I know why Dave smiles every time he throws pencils behind the set, or squeals "hee-hee" with that celebrated, gap-toothed grin of his.
If I owned 10 Ferraris in Danbury, I'd be smiling, too -- probably permanently.
Letterman's other motor vehicles in Danbury include eight Porsches, four Austin Healeys, two Honda motorcycles, a Chevy pickup and one car each from automakers Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, MG, Volvo and Pontiac.
The total collection is assessed at more than $1.2 million, according to Danbury's 2011 grand list of all the motor vehicles in the city.
So what's the price of fame these days? In this case, Letterman's most recent motor vehicle tax bill set him back a cool $26,528.39.
The News-Times tried to reach Letterman, 65, for comment several times last week with telephone messages and emails. His spokesman, Tom Keaney, finally declined the offer Thursday night.
"Sorry for the delay and thanks for the inquiry. I do appreciate your giving us the opportunity to weigh in, but I'm afraid we must respectfully decline the interview and the photo," Keaney wrote back.
Four of Letterman's prized autos -- a 1968 Ferrari 330 GTS, a 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO, a 1963 Ferrari Lusso and a 1974 Ferrari Daytona -- are the highest-assessed personal cars on Danbury's grand list, a public record.
The 1968 Ferrari takes top honors at $178,140, followed by the 1985 Ferrari at $157,680, the 1963 Ferrari at $154,380 and the 1974 Ferrari at $95,870.
The stealthy warehouse where Letterman stores his cars is owned by Miry Brook LLC and used by Highcroft Racing, a motorsports team in Danbury.
The warehouse covers nearly 37,000 square feet and sits on 3.28 acres, according to VisionAppraisal.com, the website database used by the city of Danbury and many other state communities.
Although Highcroft Racing officials denied Friday that Letterman's cars are stored there, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton disputed that claim.
"The cars are there. His collection is there," said Boughton, adding that race car driver Mario Andretti has also stored cars at the warehouse. "If the cars are stored there -- which they are -- they're on our grand list. It doesn't matter where the cars are registered. It's where they're parked every night."
It's the same thing with company cars that are registered in New York or elsewhere, Boughton said. If you're parking a company car in your driveway in Danbury, the city is sending out a tax bill.
None of Letterman's 30 motor vehicles are registered in Danbury. Twenty-one of them are registered in Los Angeles and the other nine are registered in New York City, where Letterman's TV show is taped.
So why Danbury?
Exactly.
The city is the perfect place to hide a million-dollar car collection. Or at least it used to be.
Aside from the warehouse's convenient location to the airport -- easy access for private planes -- Danbury's tax rate is lower than many of its suburban neighbors, including Bethel, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newtown and Redding.
Sure, Letterman could've stored his cars and motorcycles in New York state, where property tax isn't levied on motor vehicles. But it's a lot easier to hide in plain sight on Miry Brook Road, a hood ornament away from Danbury's airport.
Besides, if you can afford a million-dollar car collection, what's a $26,000 tax bill?
Several of Letterman's coveted Ferraris have been restored at F40 Motorsports in Portland, just over the Connecticut River from Middletown.
"He's a good client of ours. He's restored a lot of cars with us," said sales manager Mike Roberts. "Ferrari is the Rolex of cars. They're the benchmark, the GE of car companies.
"Right now, a vintage (Ferrari) car is a better investment than the stock market," Roberts said. "We just sold a '63 Lusso like Mr. Letterman's at auction somewhere north of $800,000, plus the 10-percent buyer's premium."
The identity of the winning bidder was not immediately known.
But if the buyer is looking for somewhere to store it, I know a good warehouse in Danbury.
bkoonz@newstimes.com; 203-731-3411; http://twitter.com/BrianKoonz; http://blog.ctnews.com/takeonlife/
http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/David-Letterman-s-10-Ferraris-stored-at-Danbury-3518591.php
