Two Days At the Gilmore Car Museum

[Phil Planck]

Spent the weekend near Kalamazoo, Mi. primarily to visit this Gilmore museum for the third time. It is on a large piece of property and my first visit years ago with a 356 group had the cars in several upgraded barns. Then at the Other Coast event for 356s in Oct. 2012, we went again. They were close to completion of a dedicated Model A Ford building, but it was not open yet. On this trip I took an old friend who had owned two Model A's fairly recently. I went through 3 in my youth, turning the last into a hot rod with a flathead V8. The museum has a large concentration of the luxury vehicles from the 1920s to 1940s. But also has a room dedicated to original hot rods built back in the day. Here is one of the more outstanding ones:



There was a room full of Hudson's, mostly on loan from the same person. I have already emailed Bill Sampson some high quality versions of this one off woody that was designed in 1946, but never built. Someone found the designs and spent 6 years in the 1980s converting a 1946 Hudson into a woodie.





Saw a beautiful Avanti that I could not resist shooting:


Here is an Auburn version of a Speedster:


It was getting near lunch time so we ate in this original 50s diner that was relocated to the grounds:


After lunch we walked down the road a ways to check out this Shell station:

[Phil Planck]

This was Mother's day weekend so the wives came along and also really enjoyed the museum, primarily because they had a lot of artwork and photographs of women of the period the cars were made. Next day was supposed to be for the wives, but finished a little early. My friend was so hyped up about the museum that he wanted to go back, as there were 3 or 4 buildings we had not had time to go through. So back we went, and, they were also having a car show that day. Many of the cars had left by the time we got there but there were 3 Porsches, 2 being 356s. A very nice 59 A coupe:







with and unusual way to mount the outside mirror:


Next to the A was a C cab. Appeared to have been a Euro model as had km speedo, non-sealed beams lights etc. A nice driver.




With a radio brand I had not seen before:


Also must have had the optional ventilation fan & CB radio added:

[JTR70]

Phil, thank you for sharing a few shots from your trip. What a great place to visit!! I can definitely see why you would go back!
Eye-catching A coupe! Thanks again! Justin

[S.J.Szabo]

I second Mr.Plank's admiration for the Gilmore. My first visit was for a club event in the latish 90s, and a part of the fun of several return visits has been a good rotation in privately owned display vehicles and physical changes in a nicely maturing facility. In the middle of farm country. In reclaimed barns, relocated vintage ancillary buildings, and the most recent parts of what will build out as a "main street USA" building group.

With plenty of grass space between buildings, it is very popular venue for variously flavored clubs in the region that are welcomed with pretty favorable terms with parking and support facilities sufficient for fair-sized crowds.

Catch it if you can.

[356JAGER]

Phil,
Love that A coupe, but then I'm prejudiced ...



Joel

[Phil Planck]

Nice car Joel. What is the color? Looks like a T6B. Might be better than the black I have been planning for Foam Car. It will have green carpet and interior, so this might be a nice match.

Phil

[JR]

Yep-I went to the Gilmore Museum few years ago when I was at Westerm Michigan University for my 50th Reunion.
I graduated from Western in 1956 and my wife in 1957. We were Michiganders once!
I have noticed how cold it gets up there since we left!!!!
I used to drive right by that property in the 50s going home to Lake Odessa where my folks lived.

This was me back then with my 1941 Ford Convertible.



The time flies.
Now I know about 356s1



Cheers,
Dick

[356JAGER]

Phil,
It's a green I had mixed by my paint supplier. I call it Fazination Grun, since so many seem to be fascinated by it. Looking at that A, I wonder if it's one of my imitators since it seems close, and not an original 356 color. I haven't provided the code to anyone since my intention was to have something unique. Any interior-exterior combination of the same color is hard to pull off. I had originally thought of doing a gray-green interior with fawn piping, oatmeal carpet and a color that I think rivals or surpasses Stone Grey, Mercedes Benz Grey-Beige from the late 60's early 70's. Hey, Porsche would do whatever you wanted back in the day and your car won't just be another face in the line at any events you attend and it'll be easy to spot in the parking lot...
Best
Joel

[356JAGER]

Here's an excellent example of pulling off two shades of the same color in green. Don't know the actual color, Radium Green ? perhaps.
Didn't get to ask the couple with the car, but definitely not a regular T-5 color. Gorgeous car..