It turns out the inventor of the bounce house was a secret car enthusiast. Bob Regehr stashed away hundreds of cars (and a few tractors) before his death in September 2019, and 140 of them are now up for grabs. The massive collection will be sold off by VanDerBrink Auctions on October 24.
Regehr began collecting cars when he was just 14 years old, buying a 1940 Mercury. He later became a car salesman, and then opened a Texaco station, in order to be around cars. The gas station made some money, allowing Regehr to make offers when cars he liked rolled in for a fill-up.
In 1968, Regehr got the idea to put a cover over a trampoline, debuting his creation at the 1968 Chicago World's Fair. That invention led to financial success, allowing Regehr to further indulge his passion for cars.
Hot Rod published a story on the collection in 2009, reporting that Regehr had 226 cars and a stash of N.O.S. parts stored in various buildings. At the time, Regehr had reportedly lost track of what he had, which might explain why the collection was pared down over the ensuing decade.
Regehr had a thing for Fords, with over 50 Blue Oval vehicles included in the sale. His favorite model was the 1932 Ford, and a wide variety of body styles are represented in the collection. That includes two rare B400 two-door convertible sedans, which were originally United States Embassy cars in Europe, according to the 2009 Hot Rod story.
General Motors and Chrysler are represented as well, with several Corvettes, a 1972 Pontiac GTO, and a 1955 Dodge Coronet Hemi included in the auction. Several tractors and an assortment of parts and old toys are being auctioned off as well.