Tupelo Auto Museum Closing - (Contents To Be Auctioned Off)

[DEEPNHOCK]

(12/16/2018)

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

(snippet copy. See link for entire article)

TUPELO • Jane Spain’s favorite car in the Tupelo Automobile Museum is a 1954 Mercury Sun Valley. Painted a pale yellow, its innovative and distinctive plexiglass panoramic roof allowed passengers to soak up the views.
And that’s what she and her late husband, Frank, did in the late 1990s, when they drove the car from Alaska back to Tupelo. The memories of that trip – even when the car broke down in the Yukon, where they had to wait a few days for parts – are indelibly etched in her mind.
“It was an awesome adventure,” she said with a smile.
But the Sun Valley, along with the other 177 vehicles in the museum, will be sold at auction in late April, never to be gathered under one roof again.
Spain made the bittersweet decision to sell the cars because, after 16 years, it was no longer sustainable to run the museum. Most importantly, she said it was time to do what the construction of the museum was meant to do – fund a charitable educational foundation Frank had envisioned.

[j.byrd]

Fabulous place, we went over there twice when we lived in Alabama. Museums are going away. There is also an article on Hemming's site about it. https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2018/1...on/?refer=news

[StudeRich]

Wow a nice Messerschmidt, a '58 Packard Starlight, a '56 Packard Caribbean Convertible, there must be a Stude. in there somewhere.

Beautiful Collection.

I think it is just in the WRONG part of the Country, to get the Museum attendance OR the Auction Sales, really Too Bad.

[Silverplate]

Visited this past spring. Early cars are really nice. Later model cars are below average. I actually would not have recommended spending your money on admission. Still hate to see any museum go out of business.

[52-fan]

I have always had mixed feelings about automobile museums. They save rare cars, at least for a while, but they also remove the cars from the road and display them in an environment where you can't see them doing what they were made for. Also many deteriorate from sitting unused for long periods. I hope these go to owners who will drive them a bit.

[T.J lavallee]

Location is everything to most people. If an attraction is in an out of the way location then plans have to be made. Perhaps overnight stays, meals and fuel expenses. Most folks are inclined to a morning or afternoon outing. Even then, nearby museums are experiencing lower attendance these days. I absolutely love automobile museums but they are so few and far in-between that I rarely go anymore due to the expense incurred on getting there. Truly a sad state of affairs.

[jnormanh]

Car museums don't draw many visitors these days.

Those of you who were teenagers in the 1950s and 60s remember that you could identify every new car on the street from a city block away, and probably knew what was under the hood.

Starting in the 1970s there were just too many other things to be interested in, and today's teens, asked what make a new car is, would answer: "Uh...it's a blue one".

Different times, different strokes. I can remember wanting a Triumph Bonneville more than anything on earth. Today you can barely give bikes away.

But then I don't own a cellphone.

[studegary]

I wasn't even aware that this museum existed. The two Packards attracted my attention.

This makes me think of the SNM. It is probably going to be difficult to get enough door entry fees to keep going. Before they built the new building, I found them a large, suitable building for FREE at a Metro North station. The DIA museum took the building and is doing great with attendance. I know that South Bend was home to Studebaker, but there is very little else, besides the SNM, to draw people (general population) to the museum. I doubt that many Notre Dame visitors/students go to the SNM.

[BobPalma]

Wow a nice Messerschmidt, a '58 Packard Starlight, a '56 Packard Caribbean Convertible, there must be a Stude. in there somewhere. Beautiful Collection.

I think it is just in the WRONG part of the Country, to get the Museum attendance OR the Auction Sales, really Too Bad.

Rich: There is a reddish 1951 Studebaker Starlight Coupe right next to "Jane's" 1954 Mercury Sun Valley in the original article.

Also, the Packard Caribbean is a 1955 model, not 1956.

'Sure would love to go to that sale! BP

[WinM1895]

Wow a nice Messerschmidt, a '58 Packard Starlight, a '56 Packard Caribbean Convertible, there must be a Stude. in there somewhere.

Rich, it's a 1955 Caribbean, same color as the "Howard Hughes" Caribbean that came into Frost & French while we were working there.

1956 has a different grille, lower bumper and front fenders.

[Dick Steinkamp]

Those of you who were teenagers in the 1950s and 60s remember that you could identify every new car on the street from a city block away, and probably knew what was under the hood.

Starting in the 1970s there were just too many other things to be interested in, and today's teens, asked what make a new car is, would answer: "Uh...it's a blue one".

I agree about being personally able to ID cars in the 50's and 60's. Not everyone could...just us car guys.

My dad told stories about sitting by the side of the road with his buddies, closed eyes, and identifying cars solely by their sound. Other than Fords and some Chevy's, I can't even identify most 20's and 30's cars until I see the name on them someplace.

My grandson (a car guy) can not only ID any newish car from a distance, but can tell me their performance figures and anything unique about them. I can't.

I don't think things have changed much from my dad's time. We just THINK we are unique.

[jclary]

I agree about being personally able to ID cars in the 50's and 60's. Not everyone could...just us car guys.

My dad told stories about sitting by the side of the road with his buddies, closed eyes, and identifying cars solely by their sound. Other than Fords and some Chevy's, I can't even identify most 20's and 30's cars until I see the name on them someplace.

My grandson (a car guy) can not only ID any newish car from a distance, but can tell me their performance figures and anything unique about them. I can't.

I don't think things have changed much from my dad's time. We just THINK we are unique.

I agree with you, Dick. I have reached the age where I have come to the conclusion that anyone who thinks they have had an "original Idea"...
most likely has not read much!

Instead, I think the one who stumbles on something, and takes the initiative to beat everyone else to the copyright or patent office, gets the credit!

[DEEPNHOCK]

The OP was just an FYI... But the replies made me think about the 'why', and the respondents replies...

(opinion)
Rather than analyze the validity of the business model of this particular 'museum' effort...
I'd rather think about the later term in life 'adventure' this loving couple went on.
Imagine succesfully retiring and then..... Well? Then what?
These two went on a treasure hunt. And they didn't just stuff junk in a shed.
They shared the treasures they sought out, finagled, and brought back home.
I admire a couple that would have the audacity to go to Alaska, buy a car, and (gasp!) drive it back home to Tupelo.
A lot of the forum people here won't even go to a chapter meeting (sigh, I have to sheepishly raise my hand here ).
And they didn't stop there. That just got them started.
I would like to think about the wonderful decade or so this couple had together at the twighlight of their years.
They actually did something together. How quaint, and wonderful.
Sure, selling it off must be hard, but even that is being done as a remembrance to her husband, Frank.
His legacy will live in.. Jane will keep her favorites (and sell off the one's she really didn't like )
Life is too short. This hobby is supposed to be fun.
I love stories about a married couple having fun together.

[52-fan]

Rich: There is a reddish 1951 Studebaker Starlight Coupe right next to "Jane's" 1954 Mercury Sun Valley in the original article.

Also, the Packard Caribbean is a 1955 model, not 1956.

'Sure would love to go to that sale! BP

That "reddish" 51 looks pink to me.

[studegary]

That "reddish" 51 looks pink to me.

That cream with a green top Mercury hardtop was too common for me. I owned a 1954 like that. One evening, on Main Street, Beacon, NY (at the time, New York's smallest city) I counted six or seven of them. I used to be accused of being places that I wasn't at. That '54 followed my customized 1949 coupe. I did not keep the 1954 for very long.