CRG Discussion Forum

Camaro Research Group Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: sdkar on March 09, 2012, 04:29:32 PM

Title: Best Car Museums to Visit?
Post by: sdkar on March 09, 2012, 04:29:32 PM
Hey guys,

My wife and I are planning a road trip along the east coast.  We are going to go from South Florida up to Virginia.  I am looking for any cool suggestions for car museums or maybe even some old junkyards to check out.  The internet is not revealing too much without some intensive searching, but I know that there are so many unheard of that are absolute gems to visit.  Places that don't really advertise and word of mouth is the only way to find them.  So, what do you guys suggest?  

Thanks,

Steve
Title: Re: Best Car Museums to Visit?
Post by: 69Z28-RS on March 09, 2012, 06:17:25 PM
I'm sure you know of the Don Garlits museum in Ocala, FL?    you can't miss that driving up I75...
Title: Re: Best Car Museums to Visit?
Post by: sdkar on March 09, 2012, 08:46:11 PM
That one is definitely on the itinerary.  There doesn't seem to be any particular museums for Camaros.  There is the Corvette museum in Bowling Green KY that looks like it has a Camaro section or something to that effect.  Not sure how far off the path that museum is...it may be worth the few hours out of the way though. 

I see there is a Classic car museum in Sarasota FL.  Has anyone been to that one?  Any good?  I am hoping for a few good recommendations. 

Thanks for the Don Garlits tip.  It's on the list.

Title: Re: Best Car Museums to Visit?
Post by: mickeystoys69RSSS on March 09, 2012, 11:12:28 PM
Muscle Car City in Punta Gorda. If you have never been it is a must see!!! You will definatly see some camaros there along with corvettes, chevelles, bel airs, impalas. The guy is a serious GM fan. I mean like one of everything that GM made that was cool muscle.  65,000 HP on display. It is a collection that is owned by one person and used to be private. It is now open to the public.

http://www.musclecarcity.net/

Here is the description from the website:

Muscle Car City - A Classic Collection

Muscle Car City is a 99,000 square foot museum with well over 200 vintage '50s to early '70s muscle cars.  Featuring classic cars and hot rods spanning 35 years of makes and models. The collection boasts GM Performance Cars from '67 - '70 Z-28 Camaros, '68 - '71 396 Camaros, '64 - '71 SS Chevelles, '65 – '71 SS El Caminos, '58 - '67 Big Block Impalas, '64 - '71 Pontiac GTOs, '64 - '72 Oldsmobile 442s and a huge assortment of Hot Rods and Antique Chevys. Rick has managed to maintain and collect one or more Corvette of each year from 1954 - 1975 and several of each series from 1975 - 2006.

The Man behind the Muscle

As a child, cars played a big part of Rick Treworgy's life. Models, pedal cars, any toy with 4 wheels inspired him. As soon as he was old enough to ride a bike, a motor was his next thought. He legally started driving in 1965 at age 16; a great time for a muscle car guy! Rick, like most kids, started with 10 year old cars, but hey - '55 through '57 Chevys weren't too shabby.

At first his interest in old cars was purely economic, (they were all he could afford), but as time passed he found a certain charm in those old cars. He bought, sold and restored these cars, and this was how he kept his hobby alive.

Soon enough, Rick began collecting GM cars, Chevy's in particular. After nearly 40 years of turning his dream into a reality and stock piling well over 200 vintage '50s to early '70s muscle cars, he decided to turn this collection into Muscle Car City!

Rick bought an abandoned store from the biggest retailer in the world, Wal-Mart, and now he’s ready to share his world-class collection with the rest of us. This has become one of the largest GM muscle car collections in the nation.

Rick has kept the entire collection in pristine running condition. That's quite a feat considering the classic cars and hot rods span 80 years of makes and models! Rick learned that almost anyone can have a nice new car; however it takes someone who really cares to have a nice old car.

Title: Re: Best Car Museums to Visit?
Post by: RAfbody on March 10, 2012, 01:24:19 AM
There is the Corvette museum in Bowling Green KY that looks like it has a Camaro section or something to that effect.  Not sure how far off the path that museum is...it may be worth the few hours out of the way though.

I was there several years age and the only camaros were test mules for the new corvette drive train.  It is a pretty neat museum with lots of cars and information.  It will be quite a ways out of your way though.  From the West Virginia-Virginia  border on I-77 it would take over 6 hours to get there I would think.
Title: Re: Best Car Museums to Visit?
Post by: DavidS on March 10, 2012, 02:39:16 AM
I'll second Muscle Car City in Punta Gorda.  I went with my father-in-law and thought it was a terrific place.  My father-in-law loves Corvettes and spent about an hour looking at them while I checked out the Camaros.  The Impalas and Chevelles were pretty cool too. 
Title: Re: Best Car Museums to Visit?
Post by: lakeholme on March 10, 2012, 03:02:26 AM
In NC all near Charlotte,
If you're into racing, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, downtown Charlotte.
In Harrisburg, Backing Up the Classics is OK. Hendick's Motorsports, but his private collection is not open to the public.
In Mooresville, Memory Lane is Alex Beam's collection.

In Spartenburg,SC, the BMW museum at their plant is good. I


Russ is right. Bowling Green is a long way from VA. The  Corvette museum and plant is a must see, if for no other reason there is a great big picture of JohnZ.
Title: Re: Best Car Museums to Visit?
Post by: mopar346 on March 10, 2012, 04:56:12 AM
Hadn't heard about Punta Gorda, I'll have to make the trip.

Garlits you know.

Tim Wellborn's Musclecar Museum Alexander City, AL off your path but one of the best (Sorry, I'm a Mopar guy, but a car guy first)
http://www.wellbornmusclecarmuseum.com/

Floyd Garret's in Severville, Tn - Excellent
http://musclecarmuseum.com/

Corvette Museum was nothing but a New Corvette Borchure in my view, 10 new one to every old one, I GUESS worth going once but
now I just drive buy without a thought of stopping, the rest of these I go to when ever I am near then except for maybe Garlit's but that's cause I pass it 6-8 times a year and go 1-2 times a year

Charlotte, mentioned but I thought it was at the speedway, had the Charlotte 600 Pace Car 69 convertible

Maybe too far up but Hershey has a big antigue car museum, I haven't been to this one but I hear it is great
http://www.aacamuseum.org/

Seems like there are more, but I cant think of them right now, if they come to me I will post again.

Have fun.
Title: Re: Best Car Museums to Visit?
Post by: maroman on March 10, 2012, 07:35:08 PM
In N.C. , not really a museum but stop at DEI. Dale spent $200,000 on his "shop".
Title: Re: Best Car Museums to Visit?
Post by: lakeholme on March 11, 2012, 02:11:13 PM
In N.C. , not really a museum but stop at DEI. Dale spent $200,000 on his "shop".
From DEI, you could go to Welcome, NC and catch Richard Childrers Racing; and then to Randleman, NC and see Richard Petty's museum.

When are you going??? If it is April, the 19-21, PM me an address and I'll send you Autofair tickets at the Charlotte Speedway.
Title: Re: Best Car Museums to Visit?
Post by: mopar346 on March 14, 2012, 02:34:00 AM
Yea, forgot about the Petty museum, that's a good one, especially for a Mopar guy.
Title: Re: Best Car Museums to Visit?
Post by: sdkar on March 14, 2012, 11:01:30 PM
lakeholme,

I will be up there at that time.  I looked up the event and it looks like it would be a great day.  If you have tickets to spare, I would appreciate immensely and would use them.

Steve
Title: Re: Best Car Museums to Visit?
Post by: sdkar on March 14, 2012, 11:09:03 PM
Hey guys,

Don't forget, I would love to visit any cool junkyards if anyone knows of any between Florida and Virginia.  When I got married and went on my honeymoon up to North Carolina, I remember driving past quite a few junkyards with acre after acre of nothing but old cars.  Being the young romantic and out of respect for my new bride, I never stopped to check them out.  Well, I would love to check one or a few of them out if I can find them.  The wife is totally okay with going and will even trek along with me to see what we can see.  So, if anyone has info on one, please post it. 

Steve
sdkar@bellsouth.net
Title: Re: Best Car Museums to Visit?
Post by: lakeholme on April 07, 2012, 02:15:46 AM
Sdkar,
Did you get my pm?
Title: Re: Best Car Museums to Visit?
Post by: mopar346 on April 16, 2012, 12:58:33 AM
Spent the day in Hershey Museum, by my self without the wife saying are you still reading that. Very interesting reading. I had been once before in the past but forgotten, realized I recognized it once I got inside. WELL worth the $10 and 2 hour drive.
Title: Re: Best Car Museums to Visit?
Post by: maroman on April 16, 2012, 01:42:17 AM
Spent the day in Hershey Museum, by my self without the wife saying are you still reading that. Very interesting reading. I had been once before in the past but forgotten, realized I recognized it once I got inside. WELL worth the $10 and 2 hour drive.
You should have given me a call! That's in my back yard. BTW, if you were an AACA member it would have been free.
Title: Re: Best Car Museums to Visit?
Post by: mopar346 on April 17, 2012, 09:15:09 PM
I'll keep that in mind, I am up here 2 weeks a month and stay throw the week end.
Title: Re: Best Car Museums to Visit?
Post by: maroman on May 05, 2012, 12:34:39 AM
I went to Floyd Garrett's Musclecar museum this week. Lots of odd cars. Does anyone know if the hemi Chevy actually runs? It's in a silver '69 Z.