"The Automobile is the Art"
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News & Views for the Car Enthusiast! |
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From the Desk of Darrel Burnett
Executive Director
“The first 18 years of your life are longer than the next 50.”
This is my observation. If you think jets are fast you should see how fast time flies! Wasn’t it just spring yesterday? How did August 1st get here so fast? This calendar flip is as jarring as any in my universe and is a reminder of just how much summer I need to pack into a precious, few days.
I remember years ago when I was a freshly minted young professional of 22. I ran into my former high school principal Richard Adair whom I hadn’t seen since graduating. On the job, Mr. Adair was right out of central casting for high school principals….no nonsense….tough…. seemingly humorless…..a Marine veteran. I remember thinking that day how nice he had suddenly become now that I was 22. I also remember him being so old…. 52, 53 or something ancient like that (interesting how my perspective has changed!) Mr. Adair looked me in the eye and said, “The first 18 years of your life are longer than the next 50.” That was true wisdom. I believe Mr. Adair’s “Theory of Age-ativity” belongs right next to Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity in the book of brilliance.
That wisdom also applies to automobiles. While many models and companies have deservedly disappeared from the landscape and from memory…..others continue to inspire us and are timeless treasures. One of those is Porsche, a cutting-edge company that remains ageless and peerless on multiple levels. Dr. Ferdinand Porsche went into business in 1931 but the first Porsche automobile didn’t arrive in America until exactly 70 years ago, in 1952. Once again, can it possibly be 70 years already?
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1952 Porsche 356 Cabriolet |
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This Porsche 356 Cabriolet was the first ever sold in the U.S. in November 1952. I wish I could tell you that it has been carefully preserved and worshiped over the past 7 decades as a priceless artifact….but that wouldn’t be telling the truth. This 356 was actually within an eyelash of becoming a novelty salad bar at a themed restaurant in Oklahoma City back in the 80s. Luckily, the car was in such horrific condition that the restaurant gave up on the project and sold it to a scrapyard instead. An eventual $800 purchase was the first step in a 15-year restoration to convert it into the priceless precious metal it is today. |
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I couldn’t help thinking about that very first Porsche late last week when my good friend Mike Haddad appeared in our parking lot at The Automobile Gallery & Event Center and casually handed me the keys to his 205 mph Porsche Turbo S. If you sent this monster’s DNA to Anscestry.com, I’m convinced it would come back 50% automotive and 50% locomotive. Those twin turbos gobble up pavement like a 17-year-old attacking a breakfast bowl of Wheaties. I’ve had the good fortune to drive some incredible cars in my time, but I don’t know if I have ever driven a better one. Stay tuned….In just a few weeks Mike is generously putting his Turbo S on display as part of our CARes for the Community exhibit at the Gallery. You won’t want to miss it!!!
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Nor will you want to miss The Steering Column this month when I feature America’s answer to Porsche….our rare 1962 Turbo Corvair. Like its European counterpart, Chevrolet saw the future in a rear engine car. To this day, the Corvair remains the only American mass-produced car with a rear-mounted, air-cooled engine in history.
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Don’t miss Darrel Burnett’s Steering Column coming to an inbox near you August 15th…..Magic or Mistake? The 1962 Chevrolet Turbo Corvair!
If you aren't signed up for it, let us know HERE (scroll to the bottome of the page)
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The car horn was invented by a gentleman by the name of Miller Reese Hutchinson after nearly hitting a pedestrian in his car. After patenting his horn in 1908, Mr. Hutchinson sold the rights to the Lovell-McConnell Manufacturing Company and soon the horn became standard equipment on General Motors cars.
With more than 1 billion cars on the road around the world, you might be interested to know that most car horns blow in the key of “F”. So, if you are keeping score at home, The Automobile Gallery gives Mr. Hutchinson an “A+” for his invention…. and your car horn an “F”. On that note, we invite you to blow your own horn after wowing all your friends with this amazing fun fact!
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British Royalty Visits The Automobile Gallery
& Event Center!
Our open invitation to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth stands but, while we wait, The Automobile Gallery & Event Center was deeply honored to host automotive aristocracy July 17th when we welcomed officials from the Aston Martin Owners Club – North America. These gentlemen know how to arrive in style. Aston Martins from all eras filled our parking lot as we filled with pride.
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In honor of their visit, we treated our distinguished visitors to a 1 of 1 Aston Martin Vantage V-8 Roadster courtesy of owner Dale Besson.
The Aston Martin Club of North America rounded out the weekend with a major presence at the Brian Redman Vintage Event at Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI. To learn more about the Aston Martin Owners Club – North America we invite you to visit our friends at www.amocna.org.
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Pictured Left to Right: AMOC Vice Chair Nick Candee - Event Organizer Peter Conover – AMOC Official Henry Matson - AMOC North America Chairman Bob Welch, M.D. – AMOC Official Jim Causey |
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The Automobile Gallery Congratulates the Iola Car Show for 50 Years!
Our entire team here at the Gallery salutes our friends and colleagues at the Iola Car Show which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year!
We were honored to have our 1941 Willys Army Jeep in a special display at the show which drew more than 100,000 spectators to this golden anniversary event. Command Sargent Major Brian Sengbusch’s brothers Keith and Bruce commissioned the Gallery’s restoration team to return Brian’s personal Jeep to exactly the way it was delivered to the U.S. Army in 1941.
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Command Sargent Major Brian Sengbusch, Vietnam |
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It was a proud moment for the Gallery and for the Sengbusch family as Command Sargent Major Sengbusch was honored for his heroism and service to our great country. |
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Google Reviews - we'd love yours!
Like the Gallery? Leave us a 5-star Google review! This will help people find us who are searching online for things to do in Northeast WI.
How to do it on your PC
- Click this link
- Scroll down on the right-hand side where the Gallery operational information is listed
- Click "Write a review"
- Click on the stars and leave a commment
It's that easy! Thank you for your time and review - it means a lot to us!
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Manchester City
vs.
Bayern Munich
Exquisite Gallery Car Display
In a head-to-head showdown of English vs. German car display, it's hard to say who the winner is as the competetiion was tight!
German Side
2012 Mercedes SLS Gullwing- 1 of 389 ever made
1988 Mercedes 560SL
1974 Mercedes 450SL
English Side
1964 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud- 1 of 4 ever made with James Young body
1993 Jaguar XJR-S – 1 of 22 ever produced in red
2009 Aston Martin v-8 Roadster- 1 of 4 ever produced
If you haven't seen it yet, make sure to stop by as we'll have this rare display showcased through August. We also have a raffle basket representing each side with gift cards and goodies provided by The Lorelei Inn (German side) and The English Inn (English side) both valued over $75.
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$5 Fridays at the Gallery
Introducing $5 Fridays occurring once a month beginning August 12th! What it is:
- $5 Admission all day
- Bar open from 3-6p for happy hour with drink specials
- Special attendees...Guest vehicles and their owners
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Drive to End Alzheimer's
Join us for a great Gallery Event for a Great Cause! The Drive to End Alzheimer's, is scheduled for August 21st. Join this worthy cause and register to drive one of 4 routes all ending at The Automobile Gallery for a tour of the Gallery, a booyah lunch hosted by the Herman Club, and delicious pie!
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What: The Gallery's AUTOberfest
When: October 1st, 2-6p
Why: Because who doesn't want to peruse through 40+ German guest vehicles, drink German beer, and eat German food!
How Much: Only $15 gets you admission to the Gallery, 2 free beer samples, and a pretzel necklace
Purchase your tickets HERE!
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Blood Drive at the Gallery
American Red Cross is hosting a blood drive right here at the Gallery on September 29th, 9a-2p. Be a lifesaver; drive over to donate!
Sign-up link coming soon!
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GET INVOLVED!
Opportunities at the Gallery
If you or anyone you know would like to get involved with the Gallery we have three opportunities available right now:
Marketing intern to help us build our marketing plans and social media strategy
Event Coordinator (casual part-time) to work and manage on-site evening and weekend events
Volunteers to staff events, maintain the vehicles and Gallery, and educate guests
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Event Calendar Snapshot
August 12: $5 Fridays at the Gallery (admission is $5 all day, cash bar providing guests with happy hour specials while they tour the Gallery with special guest car owners)
August 21: 3rd Annual Drive to End Alzheimer's
September 29: American Red Cross & The Gallery Blood Drive, 9a-2p
October 1: AUTOberfest
October 13: God Bless the USA patriotic concert by Daddy D's
December 20 and 21: Good Old Fashioned Christmas show by Daddy D's
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Pictured above: Rose and Wayne Smith share stories with Executive Director Darrel Burnett |
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The love of automobiles transcends generations and never was that more evident than when sweethearts Rose and Wayne Smith paid their first visit to The Automobile Gallery & Event Center with their daughter Jan Mirenda Smith. Rose and Wayne will soon be celebrating their 68th wedding anniversary and were a delight to have as our guests.
Jan jokes that the first magazines she saw in the house as a small child were Car and Driver and Road and Track! Wayne was a “car guy” from the day he was born, and Rose shared that passion. Her first car was a 1966 Mustang while Wayne’s was a 1966 Triumph Spitfire. Now that is a match made in heaven!
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Whether they come from across the street or across the ocean, our visitors make every day a delight at The Automobile Gallery & Event Center. On this day, Yvonne and Clive Owen from Oxford, England just outside London spent the day with us touring our exclusive collection. True car enthusiasts, Yvonne and Clive fell in love with our collection, especially the Gallery’s ultra-rare 1917 Milburn Electric, 1 of 50 Milburn electrics known to exist in the world.
We would be remiss if we didn't mention the number of other guests we had from around the globe...We had guests from Israel, France, and Mexico too!
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An “Electric” Atmosphere at the Appleton Old Car Show
After delighting our friends from Oxford, England, our 1917 Milburn Electric was quickly chauffeured to the spectacular Appleton Old Car Show in Appleton, WI where it was featured in an early electric car display in the prestigious Motoring Memories Tent. An estimated crowd of 10,000 people had the opportunity to see our Milburn up close which is 1 of just 50 known to exist in the world.
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Our thanks to Michael Keller and the great staff at the Appleton Old Car Show for the special invitation. And a special thanks goes to two of our great colleagues here at The Automobile Gallery & Event Center, Jim “Shack” Shackelford and Deb Lardinois for chaperoning our Milburn at the show! |
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This Month's Featured Car Clubs
August 20th Milwaukee and Green Bay Porsche Club
August 25 Early V8 Ford Club
August 25-28 Open Air Classics
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CARes for the Community comes to The Automobile Gallery & Event Center!
Our area leaders have generously allowed us to display their extraordinary vehicles all in the name of raising money for our area's youth services.
If you're interested in participating, contact us at inquire@theautomobilegallery.org!
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Memberships at
The Automobile Gallery
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We have memberships for individuals, couples, families, and corporations!
All memberships include:
- Unlimited visits to the Gallery for one year
- Discounts on all gift shop purchases
- Discounts on Special Event Tickets
- Early ticket sales for special openings and special events
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The Automobile Gallery is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to the enjoyment and enrichment of our visitors and community. Becoming a member of The Automobile Gallery helps support its mission, which in part is to educate, inspire and share the passion of the automobile with others. Through the generosity of memberships, donations, admissions and event income, The Automobile Gallery will continue for generations to come as one of the finest galleries of its kind in the country.
You may support The Automobile Gallery by making a gift to our endowment fund. This endowment will provide funding in perpetuity for the Gallery to serve the community through various educational programs, exhibits, and interactive learning environments to teach the history of the American Automobile.
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Joyce-Lyn & Steve Altieri
Brent Baker
James Bednarowski
Christopher Boland
Ann & Steve Bradford
Kaleb Cieslewicz
Grant De Broux
Joe Griffiths & Family
Michael Sullivan &M2Logistics
Keith Obermiller & Family
Tom & Dawn Olejniczak
Jeff & Cheryl Tyndall
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Contemporary Automobile Gallery and Event Venue Where
"The Automobile is the Art"
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Gallery open 9:00am - 3:00pm daily, hours subject to change.
*Prepurchase Tickets and Gift Certificates Available*
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You are receiving this email because you interacted with The Automobile Gallery by becoming a member, making an online purchase, entering a giveaway, purchasing admission tickets or filling out our online subscription form. We do not like SPAM, therefore we will not sell or share your email address. |
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