San Diego Auto Museum

[Railfreak78]

Hey guys there was a nice group this time at Balboa Park. One car is getting it's own thread in case anyone wants to get daring in models. I took a lot of pics so I will divide this up. This set here will be mainly American cars. I hope you guys like and look at my other up coming posts. Here is a few to get started. If comments get in there don't fret, I'll post more I am going to start with my personal Favorite in the showcase....

[Railfreak78]

More...

[SoCalCarCulture]

Those are cool Brian, that museum also has an amazing library!

If you're interested, here's my take on it from a couple years ago...

© 2008 Dave Lindsay/SoCalCarCulture

...just click on the pic for a slideshow of 472 pics or click on any pic in the slideshow to go to that pic. Or click here for the album.

[Nick Winter]

Thats super cool Brian, we have a Automobile museum next town over I think GM owns it, over in Oshawa is the GM factory, were they've built Gm trucks and Buicks for years now. Now to the root of my going on and on, It's about a 5 minute drive yet I've never been.

[Railfreak78]

SoCal.. A couple years ago? looks we see a couple residents buts all good Thanks for the link too

[Harry P.]

Very nice! I love that red Caddy you're standing in front of...

[Railfreak78]

Now that I went through some of those I really wish I saw some of those concepts. I grew up with a dream of my own with concepts. Thanks for sharing those and the engines!

[Railfreak78]

Harry, this car blew me away! So beautiful and it was restored from a tub. I thought it was a Duez at first. I think it was found in West Virginia and saved. It's so nice now that you could eat off it. My grandfather loved these and I had no clue that this was THAT big. I'm not much for 30's cars personally but I think this sparked a second

[sjordan2]

Is this the Schwimmer collection? They have the Rolls Phantom II that Revell made a 1/16 kit from.

[Rob Hall]

Cool..that's a fun museum..went there about 4 years ago...need to go there and the Petersen again this summer.

[Harry P.]

Also dig the Tucker. I think they called that color "Waltz Blue"... supposedly Mrs. Tucker's favorite color...

[Railfreak78]

I'm not sure about the collection. I think it is a number of different parties and some one off owners. The old blue Ford has a huge history too. They made a "log" road through the now famous sand dune area in Cali that people play on with modern machines. It was a really cool history lesson for me.

[Railfreak78]

The Tucker makes me feel bad. I have always LOVED that car and for some reason forgot it was rear engine until I just saw my own pic I loved the story and that car is beautiful. It was my first time seeing one up close. I saw one years ago but not like this. I wish I could have sat in this one

[Harry P.]

The Tucker makes me feel bad. I have always LOVED that car and for some reason forgot it was rear engine until I just saw my own pic I loved the story and that car is beautiful. It was my first time seeing one up close. I saw one years ago but not like this. I wish I could have sat in this one

If you've never seen it, rent the movie "Tucker: The Man and His Dream." Great car movie. I guarantee you'll love it.

[Casey]

Nice to see there's an AMX III still around with it's period correct '70s tires, to boot.

[Railfreak78]

Nice to see there's an AMX III still around with it's period correct '70s tires, to boot.

Casey that car also blew me away I had to look at it 4 times to just say I give up and read the plaque Then to see that bad boy engine in it was really awesome! Am I wrong this was a Pantera market car?

[Foxer]

Now I know where the nickname "pots" for carburetors came from ..

Nice photos!

[beefheart22]

Thanks for sharing Brian. Cool stuff!

[Eshaver]

I was in San Diego once back in 1973. I remember Balboa park too. I'm real glad to see that the city saw fit to do a transportation meuseuem as the automobile in California is shall we say hand in hand . Thank you for sharing your experences with us . I wish there were more pictures as I bet there were some great sights . Ed Shaver

[Rob Hall]

Other museums at Balboa Park I like are the Model Railroad Museum and the Air & Space Museum.

I try and get to the beach (Pacific Beach in San Diego, Hermosa Beach and Santa Monica are my favorites) at least once or twice a year...been to Balboa Park 3 times over the last 13 years.

I like the Timken Museum of Art at Balboa Park, same Timken family I believe as Timken bearings back in NE Ohio where I grew up.

Edited May 10, 2010 by Rob Hall

[Pete J.]

Brian - Glad you enjoyed the Museum. Next time you are in town, The San Diego Model Car Club meets in the second floor on the third Tuesday at 6:30 every month. Modelers are always welcome. Just come in an introduce yourself.

As an aside(and I don't know the story) but the Air & Space Museum was originally designed in the shape of the Ford V8 trade mark. I believe at some point it was a Ford display. Perhaps someone on the web knows the story.