Classic Car Museums

Every year many classic car auctions and shows are organized all over the world, but museums are the one place were classic cars can be seen at any time. One of the most significant classic car museums is the Canton Classic Car Museum from Ohio.

This particular museum was founded by the late Marshall Belden in 1978, a man that realized what an important part classic cars play in our history. Nowadays the classic car museum is a home for more than forty-five rare or eccentric classic cars. But these impressive vehicles aren’t the only stars of the museum. Thousands of historical pieces are displayed as well. This category includes: steam engines, movie posters or historical photographs.

The museum is available seven days a week, from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm and it charges only $7.50 for adults and $5.00 for children under the age of 6. It also offers discounts for groups and guided tours. And if you are interested in souvenirs the gift shop opened during museum hours will be the answer for your shopping crave.

The museum is proud of its American iconic cars such as the 1957 Chevy Bel Air convertible, one of the most famous cars ever built by Chevrolet or the 1959 Cadillac Biarritz convertible, the very car that reflects the futuristic vision of Harley Earl and Frank Hershey. The time period covered by this gorgeous cars ranges from 1901 to 1970. The oldest one is the 1901 curved-dash Oldsmobile, while the “new generation” brags around with a 1970 Plymouth Super Bird.

One-of-a-kind is a term that characterizes most of the cars displayed inside this classic car museum. Each room has a theme. For example, the 1930’s theme is represented by some true automotive works of art. Brands such as Marmon, Pierce-Arrow, Cord, Packard or Cadillac take you back in time and present you the 1930s.

Another amazing car is the Bantam pickup truck, a car that is actually a prototype built by Bantam for the U. S. Government. The car was supposed to be a multi-purpose military vehicle, but in the end it became available on the market. The Bantam pickup truck started to be known as the Jeep. The initial contract that involved manufacturing a military vehicle was awarded to Willys/Overland and to the Ford Motor Company, because the Bantam company was too small for the task.

The Canton Classic Car Museum is also the proud owner of an original, not restored fire truck. We are talking about a 1937 Ahrens-Fox Quad powered by a massive Hercules engine. Another precious acquisition is a 1937 Packard hearse which is equipped with a V12 engine. The most interesting feature of this car is represented by the hand-carved mahogany body panels.

Europeans are represented as well. A 1962 German-built Amphicar dominates one of the rooms. Believe it or not, this car was the kind of car that could be used as a pleasure boat as well. That’s the reason why the Amphicar is equipped with dual propellers and the front wheels are specially designed to be used also as dual rudders. Another interesting car hosted by the museum is a three-wheel Italian classic car, the 1957 BMW Isetta. Exactly this model was part of a television show entitled “Family Matters”.

I hope that I convinced you to go and visit this classic car museum because it is worth the trip. The amazing rare classic cars, the events that the museum organizes each week, the town itself make a visit to the Canton Classic Car Museum an unforgettable experience.

Post tags: Tags: 1939 Bantam Pickup Truck, 1957 Chevy Bel Air, 1959 Cadillac Biarritz, Canton Classic Car Museum, Classic Car Museums