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LeMay Auto Museum, Tacoma, WA Part 2 1955 to Present.

Harold LeMay (1919 to 2000) started out small by bringing home something that caught his eye and joining a local club. The car in question was a Ford Model T, but Harold had mistakenly signed on with a club for Model A owners.

Undeterred, Harold kept both the car and the membership. But he didn’t stop there. He bought another car, and then another. By the time he passed away at 81 in 2000, Harold had amassed what The Guinness Book of World Records then listed as the largest privately held car collection on the planet, reportedly numbering more than 3500 vehicles.

A self-made man who spent his life in and around vehicles. After starting a trash collection business with one truck after WWll, he eventually grew the business to include a fleet of trucks, buses, and tow trucks employing some 475 people. In addition to proving profitable, the day job kept Harold out on the roads and byways of greater Tacoma WA where he often came across vehicles that eventually ended up in his collection.

LeMay didn't want his collection broken up and sold off after his death. His family remembered and the LeMay America's Car Museum was born. The new 165,000 square foot facility in Tacoma WA is dedicated to exhibiting some of the best and unique cars of all time. This is Part 2 of the LeMay Car Museum.

1 1955 Chevy Bel Air. The Great One with a new OHV V8. A Classic til this day. Like most car collectors, Harold LeMay started out small by bringing home something that caught his eye and joining a local club.

2 1955 Chevy NASCAR Racing Car. As the story goes, the car he brought home was a Ford Model T, but Harold had mistakenly signed on with a club for Ford Model A owners.

3 1955 Ford & 1966 Mustang. Undeterred, Harold kept both the car and the membership.

4 1956 Chevy Nomad. But he didn’t stop there. He bought another car, and then another and another.

5 1956 Chrysler New Yorker. A rare car in 3 tone. Very classy and part of Exner's Forward Look. By the time he passed away at 81 in 2000, Harold had amassed what The Guinness Book of World Records then listed as the largest privately held car collection on the planet, reportedly numbering more than 3500 vehicles.

6 1956 Continental Mark II. Sold new for an incredible $10,000. My Uncle always wanted one and finally was able to buy one back in the 90's. I got to drive it and it was amazing. Among those in LeMay's collection were about a dozen Model A Fords.

7 1956 Ford NASCAR Racing Car. A self-made man who spent his life in and around vehicles, Harold started working right out of high school.

8 1956 Pontiac Star Chief Safari Wagon. After starting a trash collection business with one truck after WWll at age 26, he eventually grew the business to include a fleet of trucks, buses, and tow trucks employing some 475 people.

9 1957 BMW Isetta 300. In addition to proving profitable, the day job kept Harold out on the roads and byways of greater Tacoma, where he often came across vehicles that eventually ended up in his collection.

10 1957 Buick Century Caballero Wagon. It didn’t hurt to have access to his own trucks to bring the cars home. And he wasn’t always selective.

11 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham. This car originally sold for a whopping $13,000. HAROLD LEMAY (1919 to 2000) was the owner of LeMay Enterprises, a refuse company in the Tacoma, WA metro area.

12 1957 Chevy Bel Air 4 door sedan. Harold became the owner of one of the largest private auto collections in the world at the time of his death in 2000.

13 1957 Chevy Bel Air Convertible. The ICON of all 50's cars. I took my road test in my Aunt's 57 Chevy and passed first time. Harold began his Spanaway Garbage Collection Company which would become LeMay Enterprises after World War II.

14 1957 T Bird. He also owned Lucky Towing, HELM Trucking, Lucky Sales & Services, and other companies.

15 1958 Chevy Impala. LeMay amassed the largest privately owned collection of automobiles, motorcycles and trucks in America.

16 1958 Edsel Station Wagon. At its peak, the LeMay Collection numbered in excess of 3,500 vehicles in 53 locations across Tacoma, WA.

17 1958 Ford Hardtop Convertible. The Collection, recognized by many as a national treasure, represents the American experience with the automobile as it spans the 20th century.

18 1958 Oldsmobile 88. The Museum features virtually every American make as well as numerous foreign cars.

19 1958 Plymouth the Forward Look. The LeMay Collection was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest privately owned car collection in the world.

20 1958 Plymouth. Each summer until his death in 2000 Harold LeMay, his wife Nancy and their family would open their estate for the annual LeMay Car Show to the public.

21 1959 BMW 507 Roadster. This LeMay car show tradition continued each summer and thousands of visitors had the opportunity to view his vast collection.

22 1959 Cadillac Coupe DeVille. Harold LeMay told his family he didn't want his collection broken up and sold off after his death.

23 1959 Chevy Impala. Another Chevy classic with the cat's eye tail lights and large fins. I loved my Dad's new 59 Chevy but I was too young to drive it. He traded it in 1963 for another Chevy Impala and I got to drive that one. After Harold's death in 2000 his family remembered his wishes and the LeMay America's Car Museum was born.

24 1959 Pontiac Bonneville at family open house. My first car as a convertible bought it in 1965 like new. The 389 V8 was powerful with a 4 BBL. Harold LeMay's wife Nancy and their son Doug are all active members in the Tacoma, WA community.

25 1960 Chevy El Camino. I always liked the 1960 Chevy front end and the toned down tail lights. The LeMay Family also share Harold's passion for car collecting and have continued it after his death.

26 1960 Corvette. The new 165,000 square foot facility built in 2012 is dedicated to exhibiting some of the best and most unique cars of all time.

27 1960 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible. The Collection consists of automobiles spanning over 100 years of automotive history.

28 1961 Buick Electra 225 Convertible. The collection celebrates America’s love affair with the automobile.

29 1961 Chevy Impala 4 door sedan. It includes both domestic and foreign marques.

30 1961 Chrysler 300G

31 1962 Chevy Bel Air 409 2 door sedan at family open house

32 1963 Corvette Split Window Coupe. Beautiful Stingray and a much demanded Vette today.

33 1963 Corvette Stingray

34 1963 Pontiac Bonneville

35 1963 Studebaker Avanti

36 1964 Pontiac GTO 1st year. The'64 GTO convertible first year and another ICON of classic cars. My friend Mike bought a new '64 GTO convertible in red and I got to drive it. Light car with tremendous HP. Fast at the track back then.

37 1965 Chevy Impala SS NASCAR Racing Car

38 1966 Buick Skylark GS

39 1966 Mustang

40 1966 Pontiac GTO Convertible. Notice the original red line tires.

41 1967 Ford Shelby GT500 Fastback Cobra

42 1969 Dodge Charger Dukes of Hazzard

43 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS350. The '69 Camaro SS350 was my first new car which I kept for 10 years! Wish I still had it today.

44 1969 Corvette 427 Convertible

45 1969 De Tomaso Mangusta. 1967–1971 only 401 produced

46 1970 Plymouth Cuda

47 1972 Dodge Challenger Chi Town Hustler Funny Car

48 1972 Olds Hurst HO 455

49 1973 Ferrari Spider

50 1982 DeLorean

51 1988 Lamborghini Countach

52 2005 Ford GT

53 Interior 3 Tiers

54 LeMay family collection car museum filled to the Rafters

55 Various Ford Pickup Trucks

56 Main floor Corvette Exhibition

57 Fifties Chevy Collection

58 Custom Cars


Video and audio clips

AMERICA’S CAR MUSEUM


LeMay Auto Museum


Exploring LeMay Car Museum



Related


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Comments

Mario on Feb 9, 2025 said:

Come in and explore the LeMay Auto Museum Part 2 showing cars from 1955 and up.

Tour the inside and outside as if it were a car show and enjoy! Mario

[Reply to this comment]

azmuscle on Feb 10, 2025 said:

Now this looks more familiar to me. I cannot imagine how one amasses this amount of cars. I couldn't even afford to pay his battery Tender bill. And the upkeep, no matter if driven or not, must be on the grand scale of detailing.

I like the varied offerings from a NHRA Drag Race Funny Car to the Isetta Steve Erkel drove to fame in the TV Show Family Matters.

I see the Corvettes parked nose to tail and tail to nose. Kool. And the custom cars, led by that Mercury Comet. Nice.

I saw the redline tires as mentioned on the GTO and the black Corvette has them too. I had a red set of Uniroyal Tiger Paws on my 1965 Mercury Comet Caliente. HOT HOT HOT.......

From the sedate to the over the top, it's all here. Very nice work Mario putting this together. Thanks for the free entry.

[Reply to this comment]

Mario on Feb 12, 2025 said:

Thank you Rob, as always you have great stories and insight on all my posts. Some of my posts are good and some maybe not but I do put a lot of time, effort and research in all of them to do the best I can.

I'm on my way to 200 Pages this year so stay tuned in. I'll let you know when I'm close.

The Corvette main floor is awesome and I wish I could have just one of them. It amazes me how Harold LeMay could collect so many great classics and antiques and his family maintains them to this day. Another wonderful Car Museum to visit someday. Best Regards, Mario

[Reply to this comment]

Mario on Feb 12, 2025 said:

The 50's & 60's are my favorite years for cars and I have to point out my favorites on this Page.

The '55 Chevy Bel Air 2 door HT 2 tone. The ultimate classic car of all time in my opinion. First Chevy with optional V8 engine.

The '56 Chrysler NY 3 tone paint. A rare car in 3 tone. Very classy and part of Exner's Forward Look.

The '56 Continental Mark II. Sold new for an incredible $10,000. My Uncle always wanted one and finally was able to buy one back in the 90's. I got to drive it and it was amazing.

The '57 Chevy Bel Air convertible the ICON of all 50's cars. I took my road test in my Aunt's 57 Chevy and passed first time.

The '59 Chevy Impala HT. Another Chevy classic with the cat's eye tail lights and large fins. I loved my Dad's new 59 Chevy but I was too young to drive it. He traded it in 1963 for another Chevy Impala and I got to drive that one.

The '59 Pontiac Bonneville 4 door HT. My first car as a convertible bought it in 1965 like new. The 389 V8 was powerful with a 4 BBL.

The '63 Vette Split Window Coupe. Beautiful Stingray and a much demanded Vette today.

The'64 GTO convertible first year and another ICON of classic cars. My friend Mike bought a new 64 GTO convertible in red and I got to drive it. Light car with tremendous HP. Fast at the track back then.

Finally the '69 Camaro SS350. My first new car which I kept for 10 years! Wish I still had it today.

[Reply to this comment]


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