Automobile Driving Museum

posted in: Online Around the Net | 1
I finally had a chance to shine up the 911 and go for a drive with the Porsche Club. The organizers set up a morning to visit the Automobile Driving Museum in El Segundo CA.

The museum is nothing more than a warehouse, but it’s unique in that they actually drive some of the cars that are in the showroom. On the weekends they’ll pick out a couple Packard’s and just give rides to those that come to visit. Pretty good way to get the real sense of how things were back when your grandparents owned cars.

They have cars on display from the 1800’s up to about the mid-eighties. The majority are from the 50’s and 60’s, like Packard’s, Cadillac’s and Lincolns. They are in great shape, most have been brought back to original condition, it was amazing to see the amount of effort that went into the cars designs and build back in the day. The builders seem to spend as much effort on the hood ornament as they did on the rest of the car, the attention to detail is so underappreciated today.
A 100 point concourse 1936 Packard was behind glass, as well as 1930 Shutz Monte Carlo that was designed with a wood frame covered in what looks to be vinyl – image the typical vinyl top but it covers the whole car, including the engine…unbelievable.

Here is something interesting… Pininfarina actually design a 1952 Packard. I borrowed the front picture from Automotive History Online, but there is was, stuck in a little museum in California, only a few people around to appreciate it. The interior was beautiful and the just look at the rear fins, you can’t make stuff like that today.

It was worth the drive and the time spent…if you go, take advantage of the a museum docent – they will tell you all about the cars and the history of the museum.

Enjoy the pictures…their web site is also pretty good.

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