History One Final* Visit to the Walter P. Chrysler Museum

Some sad or at least unsettling news already reported here... the Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills, MI is not closing, exactly. But it is suspending viewing hours for the general public indefinitely at the end of the year. Here is a brief explanation of the facility's future, along with a big gallery of photos of the car collection taken this weekend.

What a great collection of cars. Hope we get to see them again soon!

A Final* Visit to the Walter P. Chrysler Museum | Mac's Motor City Garage.com

 

I went last year when I went from Atlanta to Detroit for the Autorama. Great museum and very well presented. Hopefully groups can stillo be arranged.

 

The museum will remain in use for corporate meetings, but no word yet on tours. Fingers crossed.

 

Thank's for the pic's !!!!!

 

I really enjoyed the pictures!! Thank you for posting these.

 

Thanks for the pics Bill.

An old guy by me is the original owner of one of these. He drives it all the time and tells me it's very rare.

 

You're totally welcome. Happy New Year!

 

thank you for sharing this !

 

Great place, sad to see it close to the public.

 

Very rare.

 

Thanks for all the response! By the way, museum officials tell me that the last day was one of the biggest ever with over 500 visitors.

 

Some years ago I was contacted by a friend in the Upper Crust that worked for Chrysler. They were looking for a C300 to purchase and wanted mine. Problem was they didn't want to pay much. I had a friend in the SF Bay area that had one (the red one in the photo). He sold it to them to assist putting his youngest daughter through school.

They also purchased a black one from some local source and I kept getting calls from the restorer on what was right. Finally one day he said they should have just paid your price as it would have been much easier.

Mine is a real Tango Red example (the rarest production color) and the red one in the photo was originall Platinum (white).

One other note, the last time I was in Auburn Hills at the museum I spent the afternoon with Dick Burke (one of the original Ramchargers). We had communicated for years via phone and e-mail but it was really good to meet him in person.

Sad what has happened to the museum but just another example of where America is going.

 

I got to know Dick Burke a few years ago doing a historical piece on the Ramchargers and the Ram Rod. Nice guy, hope he's doing well.

 

I'd tried to make contact with Dick and somehow as told that he had passed away. Don't know how much truth there is to that.

Yes, he was really a super nice guy........

 

Dick Burke worked for me after he retired. I'm sorry to say that he did pass on a few years ago. He was a friend and gentleman.

 

Sorry to hear of Dick's passing. Here's a photo of Dick in 1959 with the Ram Rod, the Ram Charger club car that would later become known as the High & Mighty.

 

I am sorry to hear this and now know it is correct. My first contact with Dick was when I did a series of TV Comercials with our cars on the introduction of the Chrysler 300M.

We communicated often and I have several documents he sent me. Never came to realize until sometime later he was one of those original Ramchargers.

I only spent the one afternoon and evening with him in May of 2005 and I'll always fondly remember them and Dick. He was so excited to hear that I was there at the museum that day and sought me out. Should have been the other way around. RIP Dick.............

 

My condolences. In May I attended an SAE meeting at the museum with a presentation by the original Ramchargers. Richard wasn't there but I didn't think anything of it at the time.

 

I believe the black car won a big award at Eyes On Design this year, for whatever it's worth.