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AIR-COOLED TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASED AT GILMORE CAR MUSEUM
Hickory Corners, MI
With the summer driving season upon us we often worry about over-heating our vehicles and during winter we add anti-freeze to keep them from freezing up. This Saturday, June 18 the Gilmore Car Museum near Kalamazoo will hold its first All Air-Cooled Car Show.
The event, sponsored by the H.H. Franklin Club, is open to the public from 9am – 4pm, rain or shine, and will feature only those vehicles that require no water for cooling their engines.
“While cars that use no radiator, no water pump, no coolant or anti-freeze may sound like an ultra-modern, high tech innovation,” explains show chairman Eric Macleod, “they have actually been in use for more than 100 years.”
The H. H. Franklin Club, sponsor of the event, was founded in 1951 to preserve the legacy of America’s most successful air-cooled automobile; the Franklin. The Syracuse, NY firm first produced its innovative air-cooled motorcar in 1902 and continued until 1934.
In 2010, the club established its 7,000 square foot Franklin collection, designed to look like the 1911 Los Angeles Franklin dealership, on the Gilmore campus.
“The goal of our collection and this special show is to share the story of the air cooled car said Bob Amon, past president of the H. H. Franklin Club.
“People sometimes think my air-cooled Franklin is strange” he said. “They forget about the 25 million air-cooled VW Beetles—the best-selling car of all time—was air cooled.”
The advantages most often associated with air-cooled autos are simplicity, efficiency, light weight and low cost.
During this show you’re sure to see some of the most well known makes of air-cooled cars ever produced alongside those seldom seen. Cars produced by Volkswagen, Porsche and even Chevrolet’s Corvair will share the show field with examples from BMW, Citroen and Tatra.
“I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” said Michael Spezia, Executive Director of the Gilmore Car Museum. “I’ll have my French built Citroen 2 CV here at the show.”
Nestled on 90 landscaped acres near Kalamazoo, MI, the museum is well-known for its collection of nearly 250 extraordinary vehicles and this year opened an all-new exhibit building dedicated to vintage motorcycles.
Discount admission to the Air-Cooled Gathering and the Gilmore Car Museum campus is only $9.00 per person for the day and includes all museum exhibits at no extra charge - those under 11 are FREE! Admission to include your air-cooled car one the show field is only $7 and includes the car and driver.
The Gilmore Car Museum is located just 20 minutes northeast of Kalamazoo on M-43 and Hickory Road. You can learn more about the museum and its events at www.GilmoreCarMuseum.org or call 269-671-5089 for more information.
The Franklins are part of the H H Franklin Club Inc. http://www.franklincar.org. For information on showing your air-cooled vehicle email fuel-n-fire@comcast.net.
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