Although I knew in the back of my mind that this could be a bad idea, I decided to head out to Hershey PA on Wednesday of last week for a “twofer”: I intended to visit the AACA Museum and also swing by the AACA Library to drop off some books I wanted to donate. Yes, it was raining when I left, with the forecast predicting “rain all day”. I’ve tried more and more to not let the weather forecast dictate my plans, and so I departed around 7 a.m. as intended. However, the weather forecast I had consulted was the one for my hometown. Neglectfully, I had not checked the weather predictions for central Pennsylvania.

The first hour and a half of the drive, though, was uneventful. At about the halfway point, I pulled into a favorite Dunkin’ Donuts which I frequent, treated myself to a hot brew, and sat down for a while. That’s when I heard the sheets of rain begin to whip against the building, riled up by the increasing winds. Hmmm. If I got to the Museum by 10, rushed through it, skipped the book dropoff, and skipped lunch, I’d still be driving back home in what now looked like the brunt of the storm. Time to reconsider….

I remembered that there was a car museum in Allentown PA, although I knew nothing about it. I looked it up: “America on Wheels”. I called to ensure that they were open, but the best I could glean from the voice recording was that they were open “Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.”. Since today was Wednesday, I reckoned that they were indeed open. This meant heading back the way I had just traveled, but maybe I could salvage the day. Allentown would be only an hour home, so reverse direction I did.

The Google Machine took me directly there, which was a few miles off the highway. I was not alone in visiting the museum on this soggy day. Paying my $13 Senior rate, I walked in and was immediately impressed. The displays were well done, and each car had a descriptive plaque. There were also “side exhibits” more geared toward school-age children, which were nevertheless nice to see. A standout feature was the continuous focus on local Pennsylvania history, such as several antique automobiles which had been sold new in the Allentown area.

The day’s highlight was the special exhibit of air-cooled cars. As I entered it, my low expectations were quickly exceeded when I spotted, of all things, a beautifully restored BMW Isetta. The remainder of the air-cooled cars did not disappoint either.

It’s ironic and perhaps a bit sad that this museum does not do more marketing. As someone who has been regularly traveling for the last few decades in the greater Macungie/Carlisle/Hershey area for automotive events, I would suggest that the museum could (and should) do a better job of promoting itself. If you’re reading this and have not paid the America on Wheels Museum a visit, it is highly recommended.

 

BELOW, MACK TRUCKS, AS A LOCALLY-MANUFACTURED BRAND, WAS WELL-REPRESENTED

 

BELOW, A TRIO OF PRE-WAR FORDS

 

BELOW, AN ORIGINAL CONDITION 1942 PLYMOUTH (ANY ’42 CAR IS RARE)

 

BELOW, AIR COOLED CARS GALORE!

 

 

 

 

 

 

BELOW, THE ‘RESTORATION SHOP’ FEATURED SOME BEFORE & AFTER EXAMPLES

 

BELOW, THE INTERIOR OF A 1950S DINER HAD BEEN PURCHASED AND MOVED TO THE MUSEUM

All photographs copyright © 2024 Richard A. Reina. Photos may not be copied or reproduced without express written permission.