Big day! Passed the 1000 miles mark (and then some), and was in three different towns: Auburn, Dayton and Chicago.
The first stop, the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum, was an absolute gem -- both the facility and it’s contents. It had more than 120 cars, displayed in the former company headquarters. The HQ included a spectacular, meticulously restored art deco showroom. More than a hundred years of automotive history here, featuring some of the most beautiful, technologically advanced, and expensive cars from the first third of the Twentieth Century.
The cars were simply breathtaking. A critic might say that they were over-restored -- to a condition better than factory new. (In fact, the museum had an exhibit about this “problem,” with an example of an unrestored car in adequate working order.) But the cars were so gorgeous I wouldn’t have changed a thing. Indeed, the museum cars could really be seen as handcrafted sculpture, art, and historical artifacts. So beautiful were these machines, and so impeccably displayed, that one need not be an auto enthusiast to go crazy over them.
Some highlights were the first American production front-wheel drive car, an Cord L-29.
The remarkable FWD and unibody constructed Cord 810.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s vivid orange Cord L-29, along with a brace of gorgeous boat-tailed speedsters. Frank Lloyd Wright's car was manufactured in the museum building behind the ACD Museum -- now the National Automotive and Truck Museum of the United States.
And some unspeakably elegant Duesenbergs.
There were a number of non -ACD models. One of the visitor faves was a pretty, red 1950’s Mercedes-Benz 300SL.
I saw my first Pierce Arrow! Story goes, my grandfather had one, and when he went to war he entrusted it to the safekeeping of his brother. Needless to say, his brother totaled the car and my grandfather never had anything quite like it again. I remember a Chrysler New Yorker or Imperial, which had power breaks that my granddad found to strong, and an Audi 100.
A couple of fun facts I learned: getting your car custom painted in gaudy (or tasteful) colors was a $20 factory option back in the late ‘20’s. Also, with some of Auburn’s high-end models, the manufacturer provided a guaranty that the car had been driven more than100 m.p.h. prior to delivering it to its owner.
I definitely want to come back to this museum! Again and again if I can! It looks like there are three other museums that sound worth seeing in Auburn. A national car and truck museum right next to ACD, a “WW II Victory” museum, and the Kruse auto museum.
My next stop was Dayton, and the Packard Museum, which had a very different feel . . .
Sunday, November 11, 2007
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5 comments:
Was the black car the Pierce Arrow? I loved Frank Lloyd Wright's orange car. I think he favored orange at Taliesen West. Those turquoise Dusenbergs are spectacular.
It's me, ma, who seems to have acquired a nom de plume, "Whit," who posted the last comment.
BLOGGER WHIT: Yes, the black saloon with the yellow license plate is the Pierce Arrow. Frank Lloyd Wright apparently found his Auburn one of only a very few automobile designs worthy of admiration and bought his very expensive orange car on installment. The payments were apparently so steep that they caused him real financial distress for a long time!
It is remarkable (I had no clue) what flamboyant colors high end auto buyers chose for their cars from the 'teens through the 'thirties. It makes me wonder if current car companies are too conservative with the palates they offer!
Whit,
Thanks for visiting the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum. My name is Gran Roberts and I am the marketing director at the museum. I am glad you enjoyed your visit and we hope you can visit again in the future.
I need to point out two corrections in your article if it is ok. You mentioned that the museum had about 75 cars on display. The museum actually displays over 120 cars on display throughout the museum, as well as many other automotive related items. We have an additional 30 cars that we rotate into the collection throughout the year.
America's first Four Wheel-Drive production car was not an Auburn, but a Cord L-29. The Orange car that belonged to Frank Llyod Wright is a Cord L-29. That car was produced in the museum building behind us that is now the NATMUS museum.
Thanks again for your visit and for posting your comments. Have a great day!
BLOGGER WHIT: Thanks for your comment, Gran. I've incorporated your information into the post. I really look forward to returning to your museum -- it's one of the very best!
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