Seeing Red – Bill Putman’s Collection of Cars

 As part of my yearly trek back to Cape Cod I make it a point to stop off and visit one of the more interesting private collections of cars in the area.  This is known as Toad Hall and belongs to Bill Putman who not only collects cars, but single malt scotch and cats.

Bill runs an excellent bed and breakfast on the edge of Hyannis Port called the Simmons Homestead Inn.  Those lucky enough to stay there can not only enjoy the beauty of the Cape, but experience a remarkable inn with a fascinating car collection.

Bill spent the early 1970’s racing a Datsun (now known as Nissan) 240Z car around some New England race tracks and did very well.  Since his retirement from the corporate world Bill has been collecting cars that represent some of the best that England had to offer as well as makes from other countries. 

As far as Bill is concerned the only proper color for a car under his roof is red so they all wear that color as well as the words “Minuteman Racing”.

It is a lot of fun to browse Bill’s collection and see all these fantastic cars.  Many of which I drove in my youth as well as yearned for. 

You can check out Bill’s web site or, better yet, go visit his inn on the Cape.  If you are nice he might let you sample one of the hundreds of single malt whiskeys he collects.

I’m not sure these cats fully appreciate all the aspects of a Lotus.