Daytripping 2
Couple of things to post about. First off, if you haven't heard, there was a solar eclipse. We had about 92% of totality here in Seattle. We weren't about to try to get into the insanity in the path of totality. I set my camera up in the middle of the parking lot and started taking shots. Direct shots of the sun were not any good. However, I was able to catch phone photos of the camera screen and the compound lenses provided a nice sunspot view of the eclipse. The maple tree next to our door also gave us a real nice effect where all the leaves provided little eclipses.
We also took a day where rain was forecast to head to Tacoma and see the America's Car Museum. The collection was put together by Harold LeMay, a local enthusiast that put his acquired fortune into cars. Old cars, unique cars and really rare vehicles. It's four floors of vehicles and a worthwhile expense. It's fun getting senior rates, and you get a free photo in a 1923 Buick. Duesenbergs, Hupmobiles, Franklins, Rolls Royces, Royals, Reos, Marmons, Packards, LaSalles, International Harvesters, and many more. I'm posting a bunch of photos to whet your appetites.
A couple of the neatest cars are not parked next to each other. Lincoln Zephyr 3 window coupes. The one from 1939 has been converted into a beautiful hot rod while the 1940 version is still stock. You get to see the "before" car and the "after" one. The hot rod is beautiful and you can see the body lines in the stock one.
I want to make sure that I don't forget to add some of the more obscure vehicles. They have an electric tiller steered 1903 replica car that I did not photograph since it is a replica, not the real thing. We saw a real 1902 Studebaker in Jerome, AZ at the Gold King mine tourist attraction run by some right-wing desert rat. (The anti-Obama signs were a dead give-away. Had we known, we would not have shelled out the soldi to enter.) We spoke with a museum official while we were down in their shop area where they maintain the collection. I told him about the real deal vehicle and how it's warehoused in an open shed and slowly deteriorating. He was going to speak with the museum's curator after I showed him the photo on my phone from our spring trip in 2015. I'd love to see that vehicle preserved here rather than wasting away in the high desert serving as a home for mice.
So much for the old electric. There are a few more non-fossil fuelers there, including a Stanley Steamer and some solar cars from university competitions. The earlier wooden wheeled ones are really interesting. You can see how wagons were the start of horse-less carriages.
In the lower levels there is a glass walled room with some really nice vehicles. It's too bad the glass causes some reflection when you capture an image but the beauty of the cars overcomes the inconvenience. The 1913 Daimler was a surprise. I had not realized that they began in Britain. You can even learn at my age. I'm also going to include some of the hood ornament close-ups I took. These are now almost gone. Stylized emblems are now used, simple, easily recognized by their form based on manufacturer but decades ago they were true sculptures, like the Lincoln Greyhound, the Packard's winged figure or the older more simple wings, and the way that some were actually temperature gauges for the radiators. Note that Packard used a few different figures, depending on the model.
I'm closing with the Stanley Steamer. This is the first and only one I've ever seen, and it's in beautiful condition. In keeping with steam power there is also the 1878 Silsby fire engine Don't take any shortcuts on the exhibits. Cover the entire place so you don't miss any of these wonderful and beautiful autos.
So much for this posting. Got things to take care of this afternoon.
Ciao for now.