Today Newport is more of a tourist attraction, and one attraction for car fans is the small Audrain Automobile Museum that's named for the building where it's housed.
When I visited in early June, the exhibit combined cars with women's fashions of the same years. This was much like what I saw a few years ago at the Museo Automovilistico y de la Moda in Málaga, Spain (my post dealing with it is here).
About half the floorspace was devoted to pre-1927 automobiles that I seldom write about. Below are some iPhone photos I took of 1930-1941 cars on display.
Due to its small size, the museum isn't likely to be worth a special trip for folks living more than a couple of hundred miles away. But if you happen to be in Newport, it's worth an hour or so of your time.
Gallery
1938 Ford by Brewster (owned by Harold Stirling Vanderbilt)
An unlikely basis for a customized body. Perhaps Vanderbilt simply used the car as a Newport area runabout. Or maybe he liked custom details but felt a Ford would seem less ostentatious than a customized Packard during the Great Depression years.
Side view. The side quarter windows are covered over by the vinyl-like top. Otherwise the exterior is largely 1938 Ford DeLuxe Fordor.
1941 Cadillac 67 Fleetwood Limousine (owned by Countess Széchényi - Gladys Vanderbilt)
This car seems to be essentially stock.
1938 Packard Twelve Landaulet by Rollston (owned by Doris Duke)
Made the year Rollston went out of business.
Interior view. Note the window crank and instruments on the back of the chauffeur's compartment.
1930 Duesenberg Model J Town Cabriolet by Murphy (owned by Nanaline Holt Inman Duke)
Murphy was based in Pasadena, California and catered to the Hollywood set.
Rear quarter view with fashion item. That's the Packard in the background.
1936 Auburn 852 Speedster
I failed to take a photo of the information plaque, so am not certain this is a 1936 model. Nor do I know if it was owned by anyone famous.
Nevertheless, it's a fine example of a classic design.
In the background is the 1938 Ford. Its backlight windows seem to be stock, not customized.
The Speedster's cockpit.
When I visited in early June, the exhibit combined cars with women's fashions of the same years. This was much like what I saw a few years ago at the Museo Automovilistico y de la Moda in Málaga, Spain (my post dealing with it is here).
About half the floorspace was devoted to pre-1927 automobiles that I seldom write about. Below are some iPhone photos I took of 1930-1941 cars on display.
Due to its small size, the museum isn't likely to be worth a special trip for folks living more than a couple of hundred miles away. But if you happen to be in Newport, it's worth an hour or so of your time.
An unlikely basis for a customized body. Perhaps Vanderbilt simply used the car as a Newport area runabout. Or maybe he liked custom details but felt a Ford would seem less ostentatious than a customized Packard during the Great Depression years.
This car seems to be essentially stock.
Made the year Rollston went out of business.
Murphy was based in Pasadena, California and catered to the Hollywood set.
I failed to take a photo of the information plaque, so am not certain this is a 1936 model. Nor do I know if it was owned by anyone famous.
1 comment:
Yes, it's smaller than I expected - just the first floor showroom. When I was there a couple years ago they had a show of rarely seen GM "dream" (concept) cars like the Y-Job and '51 LeSabre.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pek4EgwJlVI.
I got a ticket for a bunch of mansions, worth it if you like that sort of thing. The nouveau riche were a lot less nouveau back then. Also a nice walk along the coast below the mansions.
The Audrian sponsors a Concours and Motor Week event. Check YouTube for a lot of other videos about the museum.
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