Ladies and Gentlemen Start your Memberships!

We were thrilled when we learned Northern Nevada would soon be home to the Wild West Motorsports Park and even more excited to be able to offer you the chance to experience it firsthand.

We are excited to announce that if you become a member of the National Automobile Museum before August 24^th you will receive two free tickets to the Grand Opening of the Wild West Motorsports Park! While the cars in our museum are pristine, at the Silver State Showdown (11^th or 12^th round of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series) you will get to see the top names in off-road racing in action! Tickets are for either Saturday August 25^th or Sunday August 26^th!

Your National Automobile Museum Membership is $70 and includes

• Admission for two adults
• Admission for children and grandchildren under age 19
• 50 % off guest admission tickets 
• 10% discount in Museum store 
• Subscription to the Museum’s award winning magazine Precious Metal 
• Advance notice and invitations to new exhibits and special events
• Attendance priority to activities with limited access
• Complimentary pair of Lucas Oil Race tickets

Another fantastic event is the Reno-Tahoe Open. Our area is fortunate enough to be one of 47 cities nationwide to host a PGA Tour Event. The National Automobile Museum has partnered with The RTO to display a range of fantastic vehicles during the tournament. 

National Car Collector Appreciation Day

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In honor of National Collector Car Appreciation Day on July 13 - anyone who drives to the National Automobile Museum in a collector car on Friday receives half off admission. Celebrate cars!! 

It all started back in 1893 when Charles and Frank Duryea constructed the first horseless-carriage. The boys were quite proud of their new creation and set out to replace the bicycle and the horse as the principle means of personal transportation in the United States. Naturally, the first thing they did was race it! The initial win led to an automotive industry, social changes to American lifestyle and eventually the hobby of collecting and restoring keepsake vehicles to honor the role of the car in our lives. 

Ever stop to think about the impact of your hobby on your daily life, of your family and friends and the industry it created? For many of us the collector car becomes more than an expression of an interest. Some of us are defined by our choices -brass era, hot rod, custom, muscle, classic, sand rail. Match the man to the machine. Remember the folklore of matching the dog owner to the breed of their pet? Impact beyond the household – how about the events we attend, the parts and repairs we commission; the trips, car shows and tours we drive. It all adds up to a lifestyle and an industry we enjoy today.

A couple of years ago the Senate passed a SEMA sponsored resolution recognizing the significance of the automobile collecting hobby in America. 

Get out the sponge and bucket, fill up the tank and drive your collector car this Friday, July 13 to the National Automobile Museum.

See you out there on National Collector Car Appreciation Day.

Guest Blogger - Flat Tire Jack

Celebrating Art Cars

We have enjoyed the last year of hosting burning man art cars with the Mutant Rides exhibit. We will say goodbye to the eclectic collection on July 25, but before, we do we invite you to stop in and experience a piece of Burning Man before it leaves us. (Below is a taste of “Boss Hog.”)

On July 20^th, we will be hosting the first ArtCar Fest in Reno. Art Cars from around the country and Canada will gather in our parking lot alongside Harrod Blank and other artists from the fest.  It will be an evening of art, cars, and costumes. Still up in the air whether to attend…maybe this will convince you:

• Melting Pot World Emporium will be providing a Burning Man costume show
• Free refreshments compliments of Grand Sierra Resort and a cash bar with Silver Peak microbrews
• Say goodbye to the “Mutant Rides” and meet the artists behind them
• Celebrate among Art Car artists, including Harrod Bank 
•  Mingle with the Burning Man creative team, including Michael Mikel

We hope to see you there! July 20, from 7-10 p.m.

$10 admission and while RSVP are not required, we encourage them.

The 1910 White Roars to Life

It was a special Flag Day at the National Automobile Museum. Hootin' and hollerin' galore. Flags were waving but it was the Starting Flag that created a stir this day as opposed to Old Glory.

After multiple years of hibernation the 1910 White Touring car roared back to life again. Jay Hubbard, Automotive Collections Manager, Al Abrahamson and a select group of volunteers rebuilt the large displacement four cylinder engine to re-commission the open touring car.

After several pulls on the crank and a few adjustments, the '10 White lit off in a billow of smoke and then settled in a loping idle. Vital signs were checked and the car was driven out of the garage and into the light of day. Hooray!

Radical Racer – National Automobile Museum Guest Blogger

Family Night Out

We are teaming up with the Food Bank of Northern Nevada this month! When we teamed up with them last December we asked visitors to donate one food item and receive $1 entry into the museum. The turnout was so amazing, we wanted to do it again!
The Food Bank of Northern Nevada dispersed food to over 210,000 people in need last year. If you plan on coming, here is a link to their most needed food items.

BoDawgs will be onsite, selling and serving their food to those who are visiting the museum. Silver Peak will also be there selling and serving beer. Make it a family night out. We hope to see you there, with food in hand!

What: $1 Night Out
Who: Everyone is invited
When: Wednesday, June 13. 4 p.m.- 9 p.m.
Where: The Museum (10 S. Lake St. Reno)
Why: To raise food for the community and have a good time.

For any more questions, feel free to call us at 775.333.9300

Autoweek Announcement

In the March 5 issue of Autoweek, Ken Gross named the best five automobile museums in the nation. We are honored that he named the National Automobile Museum among them!

Don't subscribe? Check out the article here. Ken Gross named on of our rarities: the Julian pancake-engine car.

A Corvette to be won

If you haven’t stopped by in awhile, you might not have seen our new raffle item: a 1989 Corvette convertible.

For the 17^th consecutive year, the museum is raffling off a car.  We are fond of corvettes; this will be our 15^th in 17 years- and what is not to love about this 240 horse power, V8 engine? This corvette comes with a black convertible top, automatic transmission and 28,000 miles; valued at $10,000.

To get in the raffle, you can drop by the museum (check out the beauty) or purchase the tickets online. Tickets are $1 each, or 40 for $20. The winner will be announced on November 8…that could be you. Increase your odds by buying tickets!

During last year’s anniversary party, we raffled the car to a visitor from San Antonio. He agreed to have us sell, and benevolently donated back half the proceeds to the museum ($6000).

We are looking forward to another great year in raising funds for the museum.

Al Jolson's 1933 Cadillac Phaeton

National Auto Museum, Reno - Al Jolson's 1933 Cadillac Phaeton

Cadillac Motor Car Company’s first V-type engine design was introduced in October 1914, as the Cadillac V-8 Model 51. In its quest for higher engine performance, Cadillac experimented for more than three years with a V-16 engine design. The V-16 was designed, engineered, prototypes handbuilt, and hundred of thousands of miles of testing were accomplished without public knowledge. But when it was formally announced in December 1929, orders poured in from eager would-be owners who had not even seen one. The new 16-cylinder Cadillac made its first public appearance in the form of a majestic Imperial Landau Sedan with Fleetwood coachwork at the 1930 New York Automobile Show. In an era of fours, sixes, and straight-eights, the public was dazzled by the very notion of a 16-cylinder powerplant.

Despite the technological innovations and high quality custom coachwork, Cadillac sales dropped yearly as the Depression continued to devastate the luxury car market. Cadillac’s worst year was 1933, and it was announced that only a limited number of V-16’s would be produced. Serial numbers would range from 1 to 400, and the owner’s name and the car’s serial number would be engraved on a special plate attached as an integral part of the car. Al Jolson, a famous singer and movie star in the 1920’s and 1930’s, ordered the five-passenger All-Weather Phaeton displayed here. It was Cadillac’s most expensive model for 1933, priced at $8,000. Of an anticipated 400 V-16’s, only 126 were produced in 1933, and Al Jolson’s car was number 56.

The Museum's placard for this car reads:

1933 CADILLAC
Model: Series 452C, All-Weather Phaeton
Built by: Cadillac Motor Car Co., Detroit, Michigan
Body by: Fleetwood
Price: $8,000
Engine: OHV V-16 cylinder, 165 H.P.
Bore: 3 in.
Stroke: 4 in.
Displacement: 452.4 cu. in.


Donated by: Harrah’s Hotels & Casinos
Adopted by: Gary & Roy Goodlett Family (E)

A Legacy For Lana

The Chrysler Newport, one of the last dual cowl phaetons, was designed by Ralph Roberts and custom-built by LeBaron, Carrossiers in Detroit, Michigan. The car featured an all-aluminum body, concealed headlamps, folding windshield and hide-away top. There were a total of six Newports constructed by Chrysler as show vehicles and four are known to exist today. One of the Newports was selected as the 1940 Indianapolis 500 Pace Car. This was the first and still the only time a non-production car has been used in this event.

The owner of the car displayed here was millionaire playboy Henry J. "Bob" Topping, former husband of Lana Turner. Topping customized the car by substituting a Cadillac engine and transmission for the Chrysler components. He also personalized the car by having his name cast into the hubcaps and engine valve covers and adding his initials to the grill.

The Beatnik Bandit

From Revell model car kits to being one of the first group of Hot Wheels created, the Beatnik Bandit is one of the most recognized custom show cars.

Built on a 1955 Olds chassis shortened to 85 inches and powered by an Olds engine. Twin Ford Carbs sit on top the Bell Auto Parts blower.

Joy-stick steering control was the feature under the Bandit's custom bubble top. A fender mounted antenna operated the bubble top.

The Beatnik Bandit is a custom car created in 1961 by "Big Daddy" Ed Roth, originally as a project for Rod & Custom magazine. A Hot Wheels car was made based on the Beatnik Bandit. The thing that made the Beatnik Bandit different from most other cars, though, was that, instead of a steering wheel, it was controlled by a joystick.

View the Beatnik Bandit daily at the National Automobile Museum

Thank you!

Thank you to all of the following sponsors and volunteers during our Trick or Treat in the Streets of the Museum. We would also like to thank all of our guest that joined us during this years event.

Bank of America
Classic Chevys of Reno
Clever Advertising
William E. (Chip) Connor
DigiPrint
Grassroots Books
Huntington Learning Center
Intrepid Motorcar Company
Kiwanis Club of Reno Sunrisers
Kiwanis Club of Downtown Sparks
Nichols Consulting Engineers
Raley’s Supermarkets
Rotary Club of Reno Centennial Sunset
Safeway Supermarket of Sparks
Sierra Service Stations
Wells Fargo
Museum Board of Trustees, Members,
Volunteers and Staff

1906 Adams-Farwell Wins Special Award at Pebble Beach Concours

Our 1906 Adams-Farwell won the prestigious Charles A. Chayne Trophy at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on Sunday, August 21.This trophy is awarded to the car with the most advanced engineering of its era.

Our Museum is fortunate to have many exceptional automobiles thanks to Bill Harrah, who was an astute collector. Our Adams-Farwell is the only one in existence today and is equipped with a very unique rotary engine.

Jay Hubbard, Automotive Collections Manager, deserves credit for ensuring this rare, challenging automobile was in fine working order for participation in this world-renowned event and for the award presentation on the “ramp at Pebble Beach.”  An honor that many desire and only a select few achieve.

Free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families

In partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star families and museums across America offer free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families through Labor Day 2011. NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman states, “Blue Star Museums recognizes and thanks our military families for all they are doing for our country, and simultaneously begins young people on a path to becoming life-long museum goers.”  The National Automobile Museum is proud to be a participating member in the Blue Star program.