The Lane Motor Museum

I didn’t think I had a particular interest in cars, but I have found that I love visiting car museums. I enjoy the history and art of the cars, and I especially enjoy seeing unusual cars. The Lane Motor Museum in Nashville has all of that. I had been thinking about visiting this museum for several years but didn’t make it a priority until I read an article about the museum unveiling a working replica of the Buckminster Fuller 3-wheeled Dymaxion car. I had never heard of this 1933 futuristic car (I’ve never heard of most kinds of car – it took me many years to learn the make of my own car); however, I was immediately hooked by the pictures. I had to see this car!

Only three Dymaxion cars were made and only one of those still exists (in a museum in Reno). The first one crashed at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, killing the driver and injuring two passengers. Later it burned in a refueling accident. Jeff Lane, founder of the Lane Motor Museum, commissioned a replica of Dymaxion #1 and it went on display in February 2015. Just a few of the cars in the museum are replicas and all of the cars are in working order, in various states of repair. The cars are driven at least once a year. In March 2015, Jeff Lane drove the Dymaxion replica from Nashville to Florida and it got a lot of press coverage: Autoweek magazine noted, “The Lane Motor Museum’s Dymaxion car replica is the scariest thing we’ve ever driven.” “Of course, blaming Bucky for the car’s shortcomings isn't entirely fair, the Dymaxion car as we know it was far from complete. In its final form, the 20-foot-long podlike contraption would negotiate the skies using some sort of jet-like propulsion system (never mind that jets hadn’t quite been invented when the car was developed). Yes, it was supposed to fly. Or so Bucky claimed.” The Wall Street Journal’s article was titled “A Test Drive of the Death-Trap Car Designed by Buckminster Fuller.”

Seeing the Dymaxion car was just the beginning of the fun for me. I spent several hours looking at the many European cars, mini and micro cars, motorcycles, race cars, scooters, amphibious cars, propeller-driven cars… and they aren't roped-off (but don’t touch). 

This car drives from either end.

Thankfully, they have a little snack room so I could take a break and refuel before continuing. 

There is also a room displaying car posters, a car-related diorama collection, a garage full of cars outside of the main museum, and even a military amphibious craft with 9-ft tall tires. 

                  

A bonus – the museum building is a former 1950’s-era Sunbeam Bread factory (information posted on the museum walls tells the story of the factory too).

Note that the museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.