Harold LeMay, a Tacoma businessman, loved cars and managed to collect more than 3,000 automobiles, trucks, and motorcycles over forty years of collecting. A number of the vehicles from his collection form the nucleus of the LeMay—America’s Car Museum. This collection of more than 300 cars, motorcycles, and trucks is displayed in a four-level building in Tacoma, Washington. A special display—Celebrating the Passion and Vision of Harold & Nancy LeMay—highlighted some of the cars in their personal collection. Shown below are some of the special cars in this collection.
1932 Ford (Deuce) Turbine Car
In 1962, Leonard (Len) Williams, an engineer at Boeing, purchased a small, 272-pound jet engine from his employer. A hot rod enthusiast, he then built it into a 1932 Ford Deuce Coupe to create the first privately owned turbine vehicle in the world. It was added to the LeMay collection twenty years later.
1948 Tucker
The Tucker was advertised as “The First Completely New Car in 50 Years.” It had a rear-mounted, flat 6-cylinder, 335 cubic inch, 166 horsepower engine. It had many engineer and design innovations.
1967 Ford Shelby Mustang GT-500
According to the Museum:
“In 1967, when it was introduced, the Shelby-Mustang GT-500 was, and still is, one of the most powerful Mustangs to ever roll off of the assembly line (and also the first with a roll bar), holding a legendary place in automotive history.”
1976 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
According to the Museum:
“The Trans Am had an air dam, rear decklid spoiler, shaker hood, Rally II wheels with trim rings, 400 cubic-inch four-barrel V8, G70 x 15 tires, and rally gauges.”
1983 Duesenberg II Touring Car
This Duesenberg II Dual Cowl Phaeton Royalton was built by Elite Heritage Motors tto exactly reproduce the look and size of the 1930 Duesenberg J Dual Cowl Phaeton. It has a Lincoln 460 cid V8 engine, mounted on a Ford truck chassis. It originally sold for $225,000.
More cars
America's Car Museum: Cars from the 1950s in the LeMay Collection (photo diary)
America's Car Museum: Cars from the 1930s in the LeMay Collection (photo diary)
America's Car Museum: Some classic Lincoln automobiles (photo diary)
America's Car Museum: Some cars of the 1940s (photo diary)
America's Car Museum: Some cars from the 1960s (photo diary)
America's Car Museum: Three cars from the Great Depression (photo diary)
America's Car Museum: Some luxury cars from the 1920s (photo diary)
America's Car Museum: Some luxury cars from the 1910s (photo diary)
