Cars in the Mullin Museum, Oxnard, CA

[Gary_Ash]

We visited the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, CA north of LA, saw the collection of European cars.  No U.S. cars here.  Lots of Bugattis, Delahayes, and other French cars currently on display.  Museum is open Fridays and Saturdays, reservations required.  Definitely worth spending a couple of hours here.

 

1951 Delahaye type 235. 

 

Labourdette wooden skiff body on 1922 Hispano-Suiza H6 chassis.

 

1902 Panhard et Levassor, type B1

 

1937 Delahaye 145, V-12 4.5 liter. 

 

1931 Bugatti Type 54 roadster, 300 hp.

 

1939 Bugatti Type 64, original chassis with recreated body, unpainted aluminum. There isn’t one drop of Bondo on this body, took 5,000 hours to fabricate, smooth, and polish.

 

The mahogany buck used to fabricate the body, waterjet cut from 3D CAD file.

 

Rear view of the Type 64 Bugatti. 

 

1937 Delahaye 145, V-12 engine, winner of 1938 Grand Prix, beat the Mercedes cars.  Read the book “Faster” to learn the story of this car.

 

Citroen ID 19 set up as a recreation of the 1967 “Rocket” used as a car show display piece by Citroen.

 

 

 

Edited March 14, 2022 by Gary_Ash (see edit history)

[edinmass]

It’s quite the place........wait till you see the new museum in the Cotswolds.........has a race track attached to it.

[Gary_Ash]

Ed:  We have  hotel reservation at the Montague Arms in Beaulieu, Dorset, UK that we made 2 years ago, have postponed due to Covid but intend to be there ASAP.  That’s where the National Motor Museum (UK) is, we’ve visited it once. So, where is this place in the Cotswolds?

[edinmass]

Chipping Norton, and all you need to visit is an invitation from Peter Mullin and a private jet to land at the airstrip. Being a billionaire will increase you odds of viewing it by five or six percent........

 

Wait to go to Dorset until the steam show is on.........largest steam meet in the world with hundreds of steam powered cars, trucks, tractors, equipment, ect..........it's on my must do list.

 

 

https://mullinautomotivemuseum.com/mullin-automotive-park/

 

 

Approval is here.......  https://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/people/local-businesses/130million-mullin-automotive-park-at-enstone-airfield-given-the-go-7260714

 

 

Edited March 14, 2022 by edinmass (see edit history)

[Walt G]

Many who visit the National Motor Museum do not also visit their library while there. Of course years ago after making the drive down there from London the library was one of my main goals to see. I asked about some material and their staff was very efficient and cordial.  They also have some neat period photographs of American made cars pre WWII. It has been 2 decades since I visited there but remember the visit with great fondness. 

[George K]

I seem to remember that Georg Christian von Lobkowitz Type 54. He was killing in it in the 1932 German Grand Prix. Rebodied by a Czech body builder. Must of been noon somewhere I was drinking alone.

[Gary_Ash]

Ed, I looked at the website for the Great Dorset Steam Fair to be held in August this year.  We’re actually planning to be in Devon and Cornwall as well as Dorset at that time. As interesting as the old steam tractors and old cars are, the event looks more like an orgy with many ten thousands of people, not my favorite kind of thing.  I think I’ll just join Walt in the library at the National Motor Museum, then we can dine at the Montague Arms Hotel where we can be properly tended to, and later enjoy a glass of port in the lounge. 

[edinmass]

37 minutes ago, Gary_Ash said:

Ed, I looked at the website for the Great Dorset Steam Fair to be held in August this year.  We’re actually planning to be in Devon and Cornwall as well as Dorset at that time. As interesting as the old steam tractors and old cars are, the event looks more like an orgy with many ten thousands of people, not my favorite kind of thing.  I think I’ll just join Walt in the library at the National Motor Museum, then we can dine at the Montague Arms Hotel where we can be properly tended to, and later enjoy a glass of port in the lounge. 

 

 

I'm disappointed you won't attend..........have some bangers & mash for me..........👍

 

 

 

 

Any event that has 103 actual steam rollers running and building a road is something I want to witness.........they have a bunch of cool junk there ......https://www.gdsf.co.uk

 

 

 

Edited March 14, 2022 by edinmass (see edit history)

[nzcarnerd]

We did Dorset Steam Fair in 2016. A five day event but two was enough for us. Walked for miles. There were more than 60 showman's engines there that year.  For me the most interesting thing I saw was the steam ploughing with the engine at each end of drawing the implements back and forward across the field. At that location the far away engines were out of sight up the hill and communication was by steam whistle. I guess they probably had cell phones as well. The plough was reversible but the grubbers and harrows had to be turned at each end.

 

I took videos of that, and no photos,  but don't seem to be able to post them here.

 

 

 

 

[edinmass]

If you want to learn the Webster’s dictionary definition of eccentric, go to the Steam Show. It redefined it for me.

[Walt G]

39 minutes ago, edinmass said:

If you want to learn the Webster’s dictionary definition of eccentric, go to the Steam Show. It redefined it for me.

Eccentric is Great! 🙃 I know I have been considered some what historic eccentric my whole life . Creative, artistic people are viewed that way, it is just that those types have a different perspective and way of seeing things. Anyone who looks at 70+ year old automobiles and spends many hard earned $ on them has to be eccentric. Think of it - you are thrilled to buy parts, paper, etc that were obsolete a year after they were made over a century ago.

The library at the National Motor Museum is superb, may be worth a note to them that you will be visiting and what you will be looking for.

[nzcarnerd]

1 hour ago, edinmass said:

If you want to learn the Webster’s dictionary definition of eccentric, go to the Steam Show. It redefined it for me.

This you tube video has much the same equipment I saw in 2016 - the steam engines are the largest types built as far as I know. Most engines are 10 nhp or less, the ploughing engines are 22. 

 

You could waste quite a few hours looking at you tube videos from the steam fair.

 

[oldcarfudd]

Whaddya mean, eccentric?  I resemble that remark!

[1912Staver]

If by the largest you mean the largest of the paired engines that winch a plow back and forth , then yes I expect these ones are in that category. But quite a number of the North American engines were larger in overall size and power. The 150 HP Case in particular is simply massive.

[edinmass]

4 hours ago, Walt G said:

Eccentric is Great! 🙃 I know I have been considered some what historic eccentric my whole life . Creative, artistic people are viewed that way, it is just that those types have a different perspective and way of seeing things. Anyone who looks at 70+ year old automobiles and spends many hard earned $ on them has to be eccentric. Think of it - you are thrilled to buy parts, paper, etc that were obsolete a year after they were made over a century ago.

The library at the National Motor Museum is superb, may be worth a note to them that you will be visiting and what you will be looking for.

I live in a world were eccentric is normal.........and like it. Driving a 100 year old car is nothing special. Interesting cars are the norm, and fantastic cars are a weekly experience. The sky in my world is pink.....and I enjoy it every day. 

[nzcarnerd]

7 hours ago, 1912Staver said:

If by the largest you mean the largest of the paired engines that winch a plow back and forth , then yes I expect these ones are in that category. But quite a number of the North American engines were larger in overall size and power. The 150 HP Case in particular is simply massive.

I think it depends on how you measure the horse power. I don't know how the nhp - nominal horsepower works. Going by the figures quoted on the section - " Approximate Conversions from NHP to HP" the 22nhp ploughing engine is not far behind the 150hp Case. Of course the two engines were designed for different purposes - Paxman History Pages - Nominal Horsepower (NHP)

 

I have seen the videos of that big Case. Interesting story of how it was recreated from plans because no originals exist.

 

 

[Terry Harper]

10 hours ago, nzcarnerd said:

I think it depends on how you measure the horse power. I don't know how the nhp - nominal horsepower works. Going by the figures quoted on the section - " Approximate Conversions from NHP to HP" the 22nhp ploughing engine is not far behind the 150hp Case. Of course the two engines were designed for different purposes - Paxman History Pages - Nominal Horsepower (NHP)

 

I have seen the videos of that big Case. Interesting story of how it was recreated from plans because no originals exist.

 

 

Yes, very true. and the mean pressure at the cylinders can vary widely due to heat loss, design of the passages, valves, etc. Then there is the multiplication of torque through the gearing, final drive etc. and of course it's torque that is actually doing the work. Our two steam log haulers are rated at 90 hp which seems rather unimpressive for a 20 ton machine. However, the overall gear ratio is 5.92:1. By our calculations its putting out around 11,000 ft/lbs. of torque at the tracks.

 

All good fun!

[1937hd45]

On 3/14/2022 at 9:52 AM, George K said:

I seem to remember that Georg Christian von Lobkowitz Type 54. He was killing in it in the 1932 German Grand Prix. Rebodied by a Czech body builder. Must of been noon somewhere I was drinking alone.

Thank you for the info on that car. I saw it a few years ag at the Fairfield Hunt Club concourse. Green interior and outside exhaust really looked nice. Bob 

[nzcarnerd]

32 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said:

Thank you for the info on that car. I saw it a few years ag at the Fairfield Hunt Club concourse. Green interior and outside exhaust really looked nice. Bob 

I took this at a shop in New England in 2015. I recall it as a Type 54 - the blue chassis, not the coupe. I thought one of two but another reference I found quotes as many as five. I wonder where this one is now.

 

 

[nzcarnerd]

This Delahaye was built at a local shop a couple of years ago for an overseas client. I guess he may have seen the Mullin car and wanted something similar. It is on a 235 chassis and has a triple carb engine.

 

Delahaye 235 Roadster | Auto Restorations Ltd

 

My two photos from 2018. Unfortunately I didn't get an engine shot.

 

The same client has several other Delages and Delahayes, including the Vesters and Nierinck 135M roadster that was rescued from storage, in New York I think, and is nearing completion. 

 

 

[George K]

2 hours ago, 1937hd45 said:

Thank you for the info on that car. I saw it a few years ag at the Fairfield Hunt Club concourse. Green interior and outside exhaust really looked nice. Bob 

Thanks Bob. That body is now on a chassis and drive train that we bought from Uwe Hucke the fanatic Bugatti collector in Monte Carlo. I loved the old green leather when we got it. I’m sure it’s been replace. It was finished by my dear friend Mike Giddings who has been gone for sometime. Mike was with McLaren in the Cam-Am period. He’s the fellow with the natty sweater tied on him in the photo. Great guy. We had a lot of fun. I miss him.

[George K]

This is the Type 54 we did and I like the most. Louwman owns it for years.

[1937hd45]

The Williamson Type 55 being RErestored around 1972. After his passing the car was auctioned and restored again. I'm seeing a pattern of high end cars that were restored and show winners in their day getting RErestored or bodies swapped around to forgiving past sins. I don't know who keeps the records but the good auction houses seam to go to great lengths to mention the known work in the past. 

[George K]

My experience has been that most auction houses do and say whatever is in the sellers and their best interest. Spin doctors. Moody cars are not bad cars the are complicated cars. Caveat Emptor.