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.All Trips / Car Culture / Nevada / North America / Southwestern USA
Hood Ornaments and Emblems: National Automobile Museum
There’s something about the artistry of old cars I find appealing. Besides their interesting designs and contours, a detail I’d never thought much about became apparent to me when we visited the terrific National Automobile Museum in Reno. I became intrigued by the details of the older car’s hood ornaments and emblems. This was especially true of cars made more than a century ago.
I thought it might be interesting to look at some of these older cars from the perspective of first studying their emblems and/or ornaments, then looking at the whole car. These are arranged chronologically by year of release …
Tagged cars, National Automobile Museum, Reno
.All Trips / Car Culture / Nevada / North America / Southwestern USA
Mr. Harrah collected approximately 1,450 automobiles during his lifetime — a staggering number when you think about it — which he stored in warehouses around Reno. His was the world’s largest collection of historic automobiles which were open to the …
The National Automobile Museum, Reno
The National Automobile Museum is considered one of the 10 best car museums in the USA and features an amazing collection of vehicles from the late 19th century and 20th century. The museum displays over 200 cars, and lots of associated memorabilia.
Most of the vehicles displayed in the museum are from the private collection of magnate William F. Harrah, founder of Harrah’s Hotels and Casinos, so the museum is sometimes referred to as “The Harrah Collection”. The museum opened in 1989.
One of the first cars you see on entering the museum, a 1994 Beatnik Bandit II, built by Eddie Roth
Mr. Harrah collected approximately 1,450 automobiles during his lifetime — a staggering number when you think about it — which he stored in warehouses around Reno. His was the world’s largest collection of historic automobiles which were open to the …
Tagged automobiles, cars, museum, National Automobile Museum, Reno
“Pic of the Week”, May 8, 2020: A Century of Yukon License Plates
I couldn’t help but smile when I saw this display of license plates at the Yukon Transportation Museum. Where else would you find an actual (not a custom plate) license plate #2?
Besides its displays of cars, trucks and planes, the museum features an exhibit of a century of Yukon license plates in one of its halls. Licensing of motor vehicles was not required in this Canadian territory until 1914. It was interesting to see how little the style of the plates changed, and how small the number of motor vehicles must have been in those early years given the single and double digit plate numbers. Even today Yukon vehicle plates only have three letters and 2 numbers …
May 7, 2020
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.All Trips / Alberta / Car Culture / Central Canada / North America
Great Cars along the Highway: 1958 Buick Special, Calgary
A marquee car for Buick was its Special, considered an entry-level vehicle. This lovely 1958 model is the last year the Special was made. In the 1959 model year, the LeSabre was to replace the Special.
The chrome work on many cars from the 1950s is lovely, and this one certainly is not an exception. Note the gas cap in the middle of the rear bumper. The engine is a 364 cubic inch nailhead V8. It has an automatic transmission.
1958 Buick Special. Note the steel antennae by the wheels
I was wondering what the function of these steel antennae behind the rear wheel was, and have to conclude that they were there to help with parallel parking. If you hear metal scraping the curb, you’re too close. A single antennae is also …
Tagged 1958, Buick Special, Calgary, car, cars
.All Trips / Alberta / Car Culture / Central Canada / North America
Great Cars along the Highway: 1948 Ford Tudor Super Deluxe Sedan
This beautiful 1948 Ford was part of a car show in Calgary. It’s powered by a 403 cu inch V8. I remember as a boy, one of our family friends had a car of about this vintage and design, and I loved going for a ride in it. Couldn’t see much from the back seat as a kid, but it was still a fun ride.
(Click on thumbnails to enlarge, right arrow to advance slideshow)
Tagged 1948 Ford Tudor Super Deluxe Sedan, Calgary, cars, Ford
.All Trips / North America / Western Canada / Yukon
The Yukon Transporation Museum, Whitehorse
I enjoy transportation and car museums, so it’s no surprise that I thought this was one of the most interesting places to visit in Whitehorse. The museum is mostly housed in a large building with several wings, but also spreads onto the surrounding grounds. The Yukon is large territory, but is sparsely populated. The museum focuses on those things that made the Yukon Territory what it is today, so there is a heavy emphasis of large machinery, trucks and airplanes — the type of equipment needed to get around in and develop a wild and frozen land. But the collection goes beyond that.
Diorama of the Chilkoot Pass, Yukon Transporation Museum
The Museum tells some of the stories of the Yukon’s development, especially of the very important Klondike Gold Rush. This …
.All Trips / Car Culture / Central USA / Colorado / North America
Great Cars along the Highway. Pearl Street, Boulder, Colorado
Pearl Street is the heart of downtown Boulder. Much of this street is a pedestrian zone, with lots of shops, restaurants and buskers. It’s a lively place in the evening, filled with people, conversation and music.
During our last visit to Boulder, we wandered to Pearl Street and found one of the most unusual car displays I’ve ever seen. One vehicle in particular was a tribute to rock and (*I think*) especially to Freddie Mercury of Queen fame (one of my favorite voices in popular music). Someone had spent hundreds and hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars glitzing up a ‘rock ‘n roll’ car in tribute.
Pearl Street, Boulder, Colorado
Some of the photos below give you a closer look at some of the many …
Tagged Boulder, cars, Pearl Street
.All Trips / Car Culture / England / Europe
Toys for Boys! The Cotswold Motoring Museum and Toy Collection
As with all good museums of its type, a visit to the Cotswold Motoring Museum is like stepping back in time. Located in one of the most beautiful parts of England, in the town of Bourton-on-the-Water, the museum is housed in a building that once functioned as a mill.
A modest admission fee lets you explore the many features inside (see link above for details). There is an assortment of interesting vintage cars, caravans and motorcycles dating from the early 20th century through the 1970s. You can see the museum at your leisure as you walk from one gallery to the next. Most of the vehicles are of English vintage, but not all are. Lining the walls …
