Like most of the writers and many of the readers here, I look for interesting car related things everywhere I go. Cruise-ins and small racing events are always great, especially in other countries. Car museums are interesting for some local history, although I did go to a great car museum in Spain that weirdly only had one Spanish car.
My favorite random car find while traveling was probably the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum in Fairbanks, Alaska. There are beautiful things to see in Alaska, but an astonishing collection of pre-war cars was not what I was expecting to find 140 miles south of the Arctic Circle.
The museum has just under a hundred vehicles, almost all American made cars from the late 1800s through just before World War II. Auburn, Oakland, Argonne, Compound, McFarlan, all sorts of cars you forgot existed and a few you never knew existed. They also have Alaska’s first automobile.
One of the best parts of the museum is that they have period and class-correct fashions paired with the vehicles, so you can see not only what the cars looked like, but what the people driving and riding in them looked like.
Very much recommended if you’re in the area.
I’m sure you’ve had a similar experience stumbling upon an unforeseen automotive find. What automotive-related places have you unexpectedly found while traveling?