Event Coverage World's largest Car Collection...Lemay's

Just out of curiousity - that white highboy is the one with the jet turbine in it, isn't it. the name seems similar.....

 

Yes the white 32 ford roadster highboy is turbine powered.

 

Yes, it is an amazing show. The family is still collecting as well. They also hold an auction every year, they have wharehouses full of restoreable cars to auction off. Last year they had 2 Zephyrs, went for $1200 each. Also a running driving 36 Ford truck for $600.

 

Sorry, but....... fucking hoarders.

 

I only wish I could hoard.

 

I am go bummed. I have heard about this from friends but did not realize it was this weekend. thanks for sharing the pictures.

 

Use the other side of the ruler. Inches, not millimeters!

 

Thanks for sharing. What's the light grey 5 window in the second set of pics? Looks to be early 20's? Chevy?

 

WOW...a feast for all the automotive sense's....This place is a no miss for the Lifetime!!!

 

Wow,That kind of stuff has to be some responsibility,it's obviously one of our National Treasures....

 

Check the row boat hanging fron the ceiling. All Model A . Frame rail, axle, wishbone, spring and wheels. Very cool idea.

 

yeah that place is pretty sweet!! cant wait untill 2010 when they get the museum rolling... thats gonna be something else i think they said it ill be the worlds largest auto enthusiast museum or something i heard they have over 10,000 cars for it plus monthly traveling exhibits it would be cool to see the roth exhibt eventually make it up here???

 

Damn! I need to switch professions and become a garbage collector! How the heck did he amass that kind of collection on that salary? Was he like a Tony Soprano garbage collector or what? Imagine the insurance policy on that place.

That's awesome though that they let people see all of that stuff.

 

Simply FABULOUS. The good we do in life IS left behind for others to enjoy.

 

exactly.

 

i would happily pay $15 to go see that andy day....

 

Holy Cow! You can apparently find a lot of great stuff in garbage. Maybe I should do some dumpster diving!

 

Yes, a truck ina truck ina truck ina truck... ina truck. See you in arlington? FEDER? B

 

So this Mr. Lemay is a different guy than the General Lemay that was a player in the high end classics back in the 70's 80's?

 

I've talked to people who have been there and most have said it will truely leave you speechless trying to take it all in. I'm thankful that someone was able to preserve all of this in one place. Imagine a young kid 30-40 years from now going to see it walking around with his mouth open and wondering where all of this came from.

Frank

 

Guys
we were there in July 2007. It is really overwhelming. You have to have a guide for the tour, as they can't take the risk of people damaging the cars or stealing stuff. I pretty much ignored what the guide was saying and just soaked it in.
The diversity is incredible; we were told that if he liked it, he bought it. The story is he bought a bunch of parts at Hershey one year and didn't have a way to get it back to Tacoma. So he bought an old bread van and drove it home!
Go if you have the chance and figure on a half day.
Gary

 

Digging up a post a few months old but brought back some memories.

I now live in Louisville, but grew up just a few miles from this collection. I first saw it back before he bought the convent (Marymount).

I think I first went in the early 90-91 time frame.

Spent a day with one of his grandson's once, and met and ate with Harold and his wife Nancy many times. Every year my dad and myself would spend a few days before the open house helping to dust cars, move cars (remember driving a 50's caddy around the yard), and even helped build the gas station pictured here.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=490332&d=1220159305

Most of the roads around his house were the tabs leftover from making shingles. He got paid to take them away and used them for roadway (actually worked fairly well).

I can remember about 5 of us spreading those tabs out for the gas station. Harold himself (in his 70's) was backing up the dump truck and had a shovel in his hand, blue jeans on and away we went.

Ate many times in his house, sat next to him while eating, etc. His wife and my dad are still on a first name basis and he talks to her regularly along with some of Harolds closest friends.

Having helped before and during the show, I had somewhat free rein to wander around before the crowds. It was a good experience for sure.

I remember one day riding the double decker buses he bought to transport people from the convent to his house. Sitting in there I overheard a guy saying how he knew Harold personally, etc. Other person asked if he had seen him today and he said no. I just laughed inside even harder, as Harold was driving the bus.

He was a business man, and a successful one. At a swap meet one he offered my dad 25 cents on a horn emblem that was marked 50 cents.

If you can get out to see his collection I highly suggest you do. Even if/when the museum is built it will loose some of the feel if going around the buildings at Harolds personal home, cars he probably parked personally in the spots they are in now.

 

I was going to ask the same question about how you go from being a garbage collector to amassing millions in dollars in antique vehicles. Of course, figuring his age, he probably started buying all this stuff before things went apeshit on cost 10-15 years ago. Antiques weren't always an arm and a leg. But, a good businessman will also barter his way up the ladder, buying swapping and horsetrading is what it's all about. I love these stories! (I'm love a good barter myself...)

One odd thing, in the sea of all these fantastic classic cars, is the old "Playboy Bunny Coach" sitting in the middle of it all! Struck me as odd for a true antique guy to have it of all cars in his collection. I remember seeing photos of it being restored several years back.

 

Lemay had more real estate than most people think. Garbage was his first business and most visible, he owns/owned a bunch of real estate/commercial properties also.

My dad told me about a month ago the garage business was sold recently. I suspect it was just a fraction of his and his heirs income and had gotten to a point of more hassle than they wanted to handle.

I suspect the family still has most if not all the real estate he owned.

I heard in HIS lifetime, he sold ~6 cars, bought a couple of those back. He just didn't sell anything. Once he passed, the family realized a lot of cars were sitting that would never get used and just rotting away, and started to reduce the collection in terms of the cars that were not in a condition to be shown. Focus on quality a bit more instead of quantity.

He had ~6 properties with cars on them, only 2 were ever open to public.

 

He's got a good lady. My wife would kill me.

 

That collection is absoulutely awesome. Its even better hearing the comments about the guy @ his family being such nice people. For " Automotive enthusiast " this place makes the Smithsonian look like chump change

 

Speechless

 

Where do you think my rare "Milk Truck" wheels came from???? LeMay!!!!
He has property ALL OVER the state (or he did) and they were full of old cars and parts. He would also buy up wrecking yards, he just loved old cars.
Every year the auctions get better and better cars....as they pull 'em out.

Both my father-in-law and a freind work for LeMay. My wife (before we met) has been to LeMay's house for dinner while he was still alive.....she said the place is amazing.
The company was recently sold. I'm sure the car side of LeMay will stay the same however.

 

My brain hurts from thinking about owning that many cars.

 

Yes, Harold "LUCKY" Lemay was a real "go-getter" for sure. I'd always end up next to him at a swapmeet dealing for the same part. Even though he had millions, he would not give more than a part was worth. Frugel. He once stood beside me looking at a piece, and said "you again?" We just laughed. It was always great to see him at the Open House. He always remembered my wife and I. I'm glad you brought this back to the top for the people that have not seen the pictures. It was another fun day in Spanaway, WA. B