Photos from the last day of the Walter Percy Chrysler Museum

[Carmine]

As you all know, last weekend was the last day. I went. Here are some pictures I took.

First of all I had to get there, so here is a 40 y/o Dodge covered in salt.

Now that your blood is flowin'...

It starts with some life-sized WPC statues from his days as a machinist. One thing I always admired was that unlike the other founders, he was a real hands-on mechanic-turned-tycoon. My favorite WPC quote:

There is in manufacturing a creative joy that only poets are supposed to know. Some day I'd like to show a poet how it feels to design and build a railroad locomotive.

 

[Carmine]

First Dodge (not "the first", just the first model).

Plymouth Model Q

Desoto

Airflow, a masterpiece of art deco and engineering...

Jeep

30 Cylinder tank engine, made from 5 six-cylinder Chrysler flatheads.

Town & Country convertible

 

[Carmine]

One-off 1954 Chrysler New Yorker showcar, styled "with the lady in mind". Positive reaction paved the way for the '55 Dodge LeFemme

The LeFemme

Airflow "mule" car. Very rare for something like this to survive.

Hemi-powered air raid siren

I'll stop just before the forward look and pick it up tomorrow...

 

['69FuryIIIConvertible]

My friend and I went on Saturday. I had to see it before it was gone

 

[Pete Kaczmarski]

I sincerely thank you for the pictures from those of us that never were able to visit there...Thanks

 

[mrfury68]

Sadly I never made it there. Thank you very much for braving the Michigan winter to go & get the pics for all of us to enjoy. Merry Christmas.

 

[cantflip]

And Thank You... would have like to add that to my list... timing sucks.

 

[detmatt]

I was spoiled having it so near and I'll miss it. I understand the CEMA show won't be held in the parking lot anymore either.

 

[Carmine]

I was spoiled having it so near and I'll miss it. I understand the CEMA show won't be held in the parking lot anymore either.

I learned what's going in the building and I'm too sickened to say.

More pics coming soon...

 

[detmatt]

Maserati North American HQ?

 

[Carmine]

OK, here are more...

This is the famous "Hemi" aircraft engine which was tested, performed exceptionally well, and unfortunately came out just in time for Jet technology to surpass piston aircraft engines.

(It mounted crankcase up when in an aircraft)

Gen 1 Hemi cutaway...

Small Iacocca shrine...

The museum has a rotating "display" holding three (usually small) concepts that spans the two upper floors through the atrium.

 

[Carmine]

Maserati North American HQ?

yes.

 

[Carmine]

ok, back on track...

There is a massive freight elevator for moving cars that also transports people...

Dyno operator console from Highland Park days

Concept car used in the movie "The Wraith"

Cars in the basement tend to be "race" themed, and are set up on a track.

One wall has a mural, originally inside the Toledo Machining Complex cafeteria. It was done by a regular worker, obviously with exceptional artistic talent. I love this kind of stuff. It isn't distorted in real life, that's my camera trying to capture it all (It's probably 30 feet long)

In front of the mural is "sacrificial" Prowler you are allowed to sit (or stand) inside.

There are also AMCs and a few Hudsons.

Kids area... In theory you could now be 21 years old and working at Chrysler, played here 15 years ago and found that nothing has changed. You can even design your own version of an LH car! The plasma sets are about 4" thick and should be in their own museum.

This is one of those "musclecar" models that nobody remembers anymore... Actually, a pretty cool example with the blue-on-blue stripes. I would have ordered them on a Vitamin C Super Bee.

FWD performance era, trucks behind it.

Viper cafe. I'd be surprised if any food was ever consumed here.

Your tour ends with a shot outside the museum, and some guy fool using a C body to transport kids (in a stroller!) in the dead of winter.

 

[detmatt]

yes.

Lol! That was actually a sarcastic guess! Not kidding.

 

[Carmine]

Lol! That was actually a sarcastic guess! Not kidding.

Actually Masi/Alpo, but that's not official.

I might as well say this now, because it's bound to come up. I never (even 15 years ago) thought this was a wise location for a public attraction. Nothing against Auburn Hills or N. Oakland county in general, but cultural attraction-wise this is the middle of nowhere, even for many Metro-Detroiters. It's about 40 miles from the airport, 25 from the center of Detroit. Another 40 from Greenfield Village/Henry Ford museum. There is nothing to do besides the WPC in this area, except maybe lunch at an Applebees. Now the nearby Lions and Piston venues are even defunct.

To be fair, 15-years ago downtown Detroit was a ghost town/disaster. Now it's 85%+ occupancy (and has the Lions/Pistons back). If "i" were sitting at the top of the pentastar, I'd relocate the museum somewhere downtown, capture some tax incentives, provide space (rather than renting) for Auto Show HQ, fund it from Marketing and place some new models out in front. You'd be right next to a TON of other attractions, cultural, casino, dining, etc. I discussed this with an "official" person on-site during the last day and it sounds like I might not be the only person thinking that way, however the most that person X would reveal was that 100% of everything inside was being kept by the company. So cross yer fingers.

 

[Carmine]

BTW, thanks for all the thanks. I had you otta-towners in mind when I took them. Probably over the holidays I'll get the chance to post some pics from the actual CTC open house. That is some real cool shizzle!

 

[rapidtrans]

It would not make sense to build a Chrysler Museum anywhere but on Chrysler property. I don't think many would visit it were it built down by JNAP or even WAP. I'd bet that most of the volunteers work next door and live within 10 miles of CTC.
People have harped about the location since the closing announcement. I don't think it was ever intended to make money or draw huge crowds.
GM museum collection is not even open to public.
I see the lack of corporate interest and closing of WPC as part of Sergios attitude toward Chrysler and it's history.

 

[Carmine]

It would not make sense to build a Chrysler Museum anywhere but on Chrysler property. I don't think many would visit it were it built down by JNAP or even WAP. I'd bet that most of the volunteers work next door and live within 10 miles of CTC.
People have harped about the location since the closing announcement. I don't think it was ever intended to make money or draw huge crowds.
GM museum collection is not even open to public.
I see the lack of corporate interest and closing of WPC as part of Sergios attitude toward Chrysler and it's history.

I don't want to go too far into the weeds on Sergio, because we probably agree anyway.

I will however say that the goal of this place should be to preserve and display this history for everyone, not just employees. I wouldn't expect it to be a profit center, but it shouldn't be a money pit either. That's why if it should ever reopen in some form, it needs to be in a location that is a hub, not a "sidewall".

 

[saforwardlook]

I would like to see a museum maintained offsite so that its existence would no longer be subject to expansion of the Technology Center.

While Sergio has done a lot of good for the company IMO, as he knows a good product when he sees it and drives it, but overall, I believe he has spread the resources of the company too thin trying to develop Alfa Romeo and Maserati as well as more modern Fiat products and still keep the U.S. brands fresh in the market place. FCA still has plenty of debt that needs to be erased, and his foray into revitalizing those two old brands seems to be hurting overall and continuously delaying needed updates on its core brands. FCA is also lagging in new technology development as GM and Ford are working hard on (not to mention all the other big players around the world) that will hurt them going forward too.

A friend of mine who I used to work with is one of the board members of the museum and tells me the entire collection will still be housed in the same central warehouse they have been using for a long time (cars on display in the museum are rotated from the full collection in the warehouse). He is involved in the collection maintenance. I will try to find out anything he can share on the museum's future and update you when I learn anything. There is a lot of great history there that should be available for the public to see IMO.

The Corvette museum isn't in Detroit, rather it is in Bowling Green, KY at their assembly plant. Maybe something like that would work for Chrysler, and the Corvette museum is open on a regular basis and is well attended from what I see on their website:

Plant Tours – National Corvette Museum

 

[cantflip]

I would like to see a museum maintained offsite so that its existence would no longer be subject to expansion of the Technology Center.

While Sergio has done a lot of good for the company IMO, as he knows a good product when he sees it and drives it, but overall, I believe he has spread the resources of the company too thin trying to develop Alfa Romeo and Maserati as well as more modern Fiat products and still keep the U.S. brands fresh in the market place. FCA still has plenty of debt that needs to be erased, and his foray into revitalizing those two old brands seems to be hurting overall and continuously delaying needed updates on its core brands. FCA is also lagging in new technology development as GM and Ford are working hard on (not to mention all the other big players around the world) that will hurt them going forward too.

A friend of mine who I used to work with is one of the board members of the museum and tells me the entire collection will still be housed in the same central warehouse they have been using for a long time (cars on display in the museum are rotated from the full collection in the warehouse). He is involved in the collection maintenance. I will try to find out anything he can share on the museum's future and update you when I learn anything. There is a lot of great history there that should be available for the public to see IMO.

The Corvette museum isn't in Detroit, rather it is in Bowling Green, KY at their assembly plant. Maybe something like that would work for Chrysler, and the Corvette museum is open on a regular basis and is well attended from what I see on their website:

Plant Tours – National Corvette Museum

Minus the sink hole please...