National Automoblie Museum - Reno

[keithb7]

Next week my son has a free week in his University final exam schedule. By chance I booked the same week off. We both are pretty free to take off so we decided "Let's go on a road trip somehwere.".

Hang out and have some fun together. We're both into cars so we decided to head off to the National Automobile Museum in Reno. We leave in a few days. About an 18 hour drive from here, one way. We'll likely hit the railway museum in Sacramento. Hit a few top sights in San Francisco, then rip back home.

 

Looking around on the internet, it seems the National Auto Museum in Reno has a pretty large collection of cars with historical significance. Including the famous 1907 Thomas Flyer. Doubting they have a 1953 Chrysler there. But hey you never know. Hopefully I'll see my first Air Flow there. I am looking forward to this time we get to spend together. We have common interests. Gonna be great! Any other must-see things in the areas mentioned?

Thanks, 

Keith

Edited April 19, 2019 by keithb7

[pflaming]

Road trips are special. Three years ago my wife and I did a Coast to coast trip. 9000 miles. Calf to Maine, Maine to Winnipeg, Winnipeg home.

[Bobacuda]

When the Harrah's Auto Museum in Reno was still intact and on display, my wife and I drove to Reno just to see it....spent a great day there - it took a full day to see it all.  After the Harrah heirs sold out to a hotel chain, quite a few of the cars were sold off or shipped elsewhere.  I often feel like I was lucky enough to see a "Wonder of the World" before it fell apart and became a shell of itself.  Please report back and tell us how big the place is, how long it took to tour and what were your impressions of it.

[mrwrstory]

Keith-

The National Auto Museum in Reno is a good one, worth a trip 'tho not near what it used to be when Harrah's.  Great Mexican restaurant in an old adobe building across the street from the back corner of the parking lot. 

If you have not driven San Francisco, be advised it is no fun, especially in an old car.  Traffic is always a grid- lock and the steep hills with an old manual trans is a nightmare.   And,.... once you're in town there is no good way out.

Working your way West and North, consider the Nevada Narrow Gauge Railway Museum near Nevada City.  En route from Reno the Donner Pass on I-80 is a treat.  From there you can work your way through some beautiful scenery and then go North on US 99 or 101.  There's also a huge collection of autos and a museum at the LeMay Auto Museum in Tacoma.

Good luck!  Special time with your son, eh!

[keithb7]

Following up:

 

Today we arrived in Reno as the sun was rising. About 6 AM. We drove non-stop (aside from fuel stops) through the nite. About 1600 kilometers in 16.5 hours travel time. We took turns driving and sleeping. 

 

We found an iHop and settled into breakfast. We were at the National Auto Museum’s doors when they opened at 9:30 AM today. We were pretty excited. We took about 4 hours to tour the museum. I certainly could spend more time there again in the future. 4 hours was about right for my Son and I based on our previous 24 hr travel schedule. Admission was $12 each. There was ample free parking. 

 

The museum and its contents were wonderful. There seemed to be a considerable percentage of cars that were pre-1930ish. I saw my first Airflow, Tucker, Thomas, Frankilin, Stanley & White steamers here. First Silver Ghost and many more. I quite enjoyed the gas lamp era antique cars. The tiller equipped horseless buggies too. Rarely ever seen it seems, where I reside.  I can’t recall all the exact specs on the museum right now. There were 4 main viewing areas with several cars in hallways surrounding the main theartres as well. 

 

Understanding that spend a lot of time around our era Mopars here, I didn’t see enough of them at the museum. Notable to me were the 1915 Dodge Brothers car. The Huge Desoto station wagon, 1947 If I recall. The black 1935 Airflow coupe was wonderful. Seeing the Knight sleeve-valve engine, which was a working display,  was impressive. The 1907 “Great Race” winning Thomas Flyer was great to see and enjoy. I know there are many, many notable cars I’m not mentioning here. There were just too many to mention them all. Just too much for this rookie to absord in 1 visit. 

 

Next time through the museum I will: 

 

-Ensure I am well rested & fresh

-Budget yet more time 

-Likely go solo, to comfortably linger longer

 

There will be a next time. As I will be back. A marvelous array of cars that mattered,  all in gathered one place. 

 

 

 

Edited April 23, 2019 by keithb7