Our Car Museum is Closing

[Jerry Cermack]

Car enthusiast might find this article interesting.  We have a Car museum here in my town of Tupelo, MS.  The founder and owner, Frank Spain, died in 2006 and his wife has continued to run the Museum since then, but she has decided to sell the178 cars at auction and the money will go to charity.  Here is a link to the article in our newspaper. You might enjoy the pictures of the cars.

http://www.djournal.com/news/tupelo-automobile-museum-to-close-its-contents-sold-to-benefit/article_7615904a-5458-51a2-aa4c-f38830b4fccd.html

[Paul Okarma]

Thanks for posting.  Sad to see it close, but understandable.

[Sandy Glenn]

Glad you posted the article, Jerry, but I'm really sorry to see the museum close.  Wish I could visit it, or even better yet, buy one or two of those gorgeous cars.  That isn't likely to happen since I'm sure they will go for top dollar (as well they should).

My dad was a mechanic... like him, I think I have a little 10W30 running through my veins.  I love those old cars.

[Jerry Cermack]

Sandy......It is an amazing private collection to see....178 cars under one roof. They announced a couple of days ago, that it will remain open until late March or early April.

You need to make plans for the Auction and get the famous 1948 Tucker.  One of only 51 made.... ;D

[Farold Hoover]

Most of the tuckers known to exist was restored in Wellington Kansas by Stan Gilliland of auburn cord parts.  He was the tucker consultant for the movie

[Jerry Cermack]

I've seen this Tucker, and it looks like it doesn't need any restoration at all.  According to the Museum Director, it has some interesting background.

"Spain in the 1990s bought what Mancuso calls a unique Tucker with its Cord transmission and an exterior color (beige) of which only five were painted that way.

“It was used at the Indianapolis Speed Trials and went around the race track,” he said. “We have the promotional video that Tucker shot with our vehicle in it, which is pretty special. And the car is fully functional. It just needs a new battery and a light tuneup.”

[Jeff Friend]

Thank you, Jerry, for posting this.  We try to go to automobile museums when we are on a trip.  We went to the Gilmore museum and The Henry Ford after the convention at Grand Rapids.  They both have Tuckers.  Might be worth a trip to Tupelo before the doors are closed.

It is too bad some benefactor didn't step in and allow the collection to stay together in Tupelo.  Now the cars are going to be scattered all over, and most of them may never be on public display again. :(

Jeff

[Jerry Cermack]

Update on the first day of the car museum auction.

https://www.djournal.com/news/first-day-of-tupelo-automobile-museum-auction-off-to-fast/article_39b99c4e-04f0-5a3e-8e33-5716d7db14ae.html

[Sandy Glenn]

My goodness... some heavy hitters there and according to the article, the bidding for the vehicles starts today.

So Jerry, what have you bought and what else are you gonna buy? ;) ;D

[Jerry Cermack]

My goodness... some heavy hitters there and according to the article, the bidding for the vehicles starts today.

So Jerry, what have you bought and?.. what else are you gonna buy? ;) ;D

Nothing!!  ...............and Nothing! :'(

[Jerry Cermack]

Well, the Tucker brought $1.8 Million in the auction yesterday.  :o

https://www.djournal.com/news/star-of-tupelo-automobile-museum-goes-for-m/article_367d6912-6c46-51c0-b5fa-7075ade286e9.html

[Paul Okarma]

Thanks for posting.  may have to check out the new auto museum in Maine that's mentioned.

[Raymond Dube]

Always sad to see a collection like that being broken up....esp since, the way prices have shot up, it is so hard nowadays to put a collection like that together.

[Jerry Cermack]

Here is a link to what the cars sold for.

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/25593/#/aa0=1&MR0_length=12&w0=list&aj0=value_desc&m0=0

[Raymond Dube]

Thanks, I was curious. The car market can be so fickle at times...