Earlier this month I visited the Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum in the Tulsa suburb of Sapulpa. You can’t miss it, it is right on Route 66 and has this gigantic gasoline pump outside.
Ironically the museum has connections for charging electric cars in their parking lot.
And then when you walk up to the entrance you pass these front ends of various cars on your way. Do you know what they are? I don’t, but I do know that there is a geocache nearby that I found a few months ago. The really good stuff though is inside the building.
They have a “Special Built” Maserati. Very swoopy. It is not very high. I imagine it can go really fast.
Pure function on the interior though. Not too much luxury but have you seen so many drink cup holders? (I am not sure that is what they are.)
Then a little 1958 BMW Isletta. I think it is kind of cute.
Here’s a 1967 Amphicar, made to travel on the road and in the water. Made in Germany not many were made. I remember the 60’s when I was in grade school. We were lied to, by now all cars should be amphicars and not and fly as well. What happened to the future of the Jetsons.
Here’s the propellers underneath the car. I watched a couple of videos about the car. One of them said that the problem is that the Amphicar combined the worst properties of a car with the worst properties of a boat.
I don’t see anybody wearing a lifejacket. I don’t think it would do very well in any sort of waves.
Here is a 1958 Messerschmitt. I don’t know what the model is. The guy at the museum said that Messerschmitt was forbidden to build aircraft for a while after WWII so to keep things going, they built cars.
A 1947 MG. There is nothing like British Sports Cars in my opinion. Yes they were not very reliable and expensive to operate and maintain but they are beautiful.
This car is owned by a friend of mine and is on loan to the museum (as most of the cars seem to be.) It is a 1955 Jaguar XK 140-MC. Talk about smooth beautiful lines this is it. I always loved Jaguars. Not the modern ones though. They are now expensive Fords in my opinion.
And they have lots of other cars and car memorabilia. Check their web site for more info. I think they are open Tuesday through Sunday. Cheap to get in, $6.50.
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I love auto museums and this one is a beauty
Very impressive cars. I would love a drive in that maserati but if I managed to get in it I doubt I would be able toget out!
Wow! Amazing auto show ~ I like the older Jaguars too ~ Xo
Living moment by moment,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Such a variety of unusual and unique cars in this museum. Very interesting!
I haven’t seen any of those on the road but I did see a big guy driving a teeny Smart car one day and my daughter took a photo recently of someone driving a sport Mcclaren that had to cost almost a million dollars! There is a speedway not that far from us in Morrison called Bandimere and there are sometimes racing cars in the area because of that.
Looks amazing. Classic cars.
I especially like the car fronts coming out of the walls. Red seems to be the color of the day.
This looks like a great day trip. Maybe do this and the Tulsa Historical Society.
Yes, I’ve heard that story about Messerschmitt being banned from building planes.
Love the old jags, but they were worse than Fords when it came to repairs. It seems that the British believed that working on your car on Sunday afternoons should become your new hobby.
Have enjoyed every one of your Route 66 posts recently. I like car museums and Bill really really enjoys them. That gas pump out front is very cool.
Alan – I had never heard of an Amphicar – but I sure loved the flying car/boat in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! Yes, a whole generation was let down on our dreams after the Jetsons! I used to dream of owning a Jag painted that classic racing green, but it wouldn’t last long on Montana roads!
What fun! Some of these little cars look like toys. I had to smile at the electric charging stations amid the memorabilia from the past.