In the world of old cars, Mark J. Smith was a larger-than-life presence for more than 50 years before his passing in 2021 at the age of 69. His vast knowledge of antique and classic vehicles and their provenance has been described as encyclopedic and passionate, and provided the foundation for his long career of buying, selling and collecting old cars. From Duesenbergs to Ferraris, Rolls-Royces to Shelby Cobras, it can be said that he had a keen eye for quality, and many of the best of the world’s most significant vehicles became part of his collection over the years.
Having bought his first old car when he was 15, a 1930 Model A Ford, Mark was already busy buying and selling antique cars by the time he was in college. He left school to pursue his passion, worked long hours, and built a career that would lead him to become recognized as a respected authority on vehicles of every era. He knew what was good, and what was great. He said that one of his greatest achievements was to advance the collecting of old cars from being “a pastime for eccentrics to being a sound investment.”
Mark’s large personal automobile collection included such revered names as Packard, Pierce-Arrow, Duesenberg, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Stutz and others. He sought out the best original, unrestored examples of these cars, in many cases having known and tracked their whereabouts for decades, prepared to acquire them when they would become available.
Not known to many was his passion –some might say obsession– with also collecting original, unrestored early Fords, primarily Model T’s and Model A’s. This gallery contains his entire collection of those cars, amassed over many years and approximately 50 in total, all of which resided for decades in the basement of an old commercial building he owned in Lynchburg, Virginia. It was Mark’s goal to collect as many examples of as many unique body styles of these cars as he could.
Upon his passing, the Ford collection was acquired by 3 Dog Garage, both to keep it intact for the enjoyment and education of future generations, and to honor the unique personal legacy of Mark Smith that it represents.
