Scott Craig – Tennessee In Photographs

The Lane Motor Museum is only a few miles from my home and for anyone interested in automobiles or motorsports it is a truly interesting place.  They have many vehicles that are not going to be seen at most museums.  As with a very few other museums there are only a few few barricades to prevent visitors from getting close to the exhibits so I was able to take some good photographs of the vehicles on display.

If you are in the Nashville area this place is a must see.  They are on Murfreesboro Road near downtown Nashville and not at all difficult to find.  Take a look next time you are in town, it’s worth the visit.  I’ve been there several times, and the exhibits are always changing so it never gets dull.  Give them a try, I’m sure you will enjoy it.

Note that some of the vehicles in the photographs below are no longer on display.  Like most museums the Lane Museum changes their displays around from time to time.  It keeps the displays fresh and dynamic for people like me who visit frequently.  On the other hand if someone plans to visit to see a specific vehicle it would be in their best interest to call ahead and make sure it is still on display.

General Museum Photographs

Automobile Photographs

Motorcycle Photographs

Logo and Emblem Photographs

Summer Smash II – July 24, 2010 What do a 200,000 pound former US Army LARC LX, a watermelon, and an old car have in common?  Not a thing but the Lane Motor Museum’s Summer Smash II combined them into an interesting exhibition. The LARC LX is reputedly the largest amphibious vehicle ever built.  Weighing in at 200,000 pounds and carrying a 165hp diesel engine for each of the four gigantic wheels it is truly an enormous wheeled vehicle. This is the second “Summer Smash” that the museum has held, and the purpose is to use the LARC LX to smash a car and any other items that people happened to bring with them to be crushed.  As the photos below show it does a very, very good job of that! They started with the car but I’m going to start with the watermelon ;) And here comes the car ….   Before and after shots of the victim ….

Summer Smash III – July 23, 2011 Today was the third annual Summer Smash at the Lane Museum.  As has been the case for the past few weeks it was very hot but unlike previous days there was a good breeze blowing to keep things from overheating too badly. As with last year the LARC LX was called back into service but this year it was a double-smash.  A Porsche and a Volvo were the victims this year and they did not fare much better than the Pontiac last year. Before …..   During …..   Aftermath …..     The Victor …..   To The Spectators Go The Spoils …..

Summer Smash IV – July 14, 2012 The fourth annual Summer Smash was today at the Lane Museum, however it looked very iffy for most of the morning.  I awoke to the sound of heavy thunder and torrential rain, and these continued throughout most of the morning.  The skies finally began to clear about noon and rather than the terrible heat of the past couple of years, as well as the past couple of weeks, we were treated to some relatively cool outdoors weather for a change. Prior to the LARC LX doing it’s thing by crushing a couple of cars outside Mr. Jeff Lane demonstrated a few of the indoors exhibits.  First up was the McLean Wheel, a very unusual powered unicycle.  As much as I enjoy riding motorcycles I don’t think I would be tempted by this machine!   According to Mr. Lane it will get up to about 20mph but you have to be careful when twisting the throttle because the torque does tend to twist one around the inside of the machine ;) Next was a strange little machine made in France in 1932 and named the Helicron.  Powered by a 2-cylinder Citroen engine turning an airplane propeller it is quite unusual.  Records indicate that only one was built, and this is it. According to Mr. Lane it would be an ideal vehicle for places like Kansas but in this part of the world it is problematic since having to stop at anything more than a 10% grade pretty much insures that you won’t get it going over the hill.  He also said that the obvious concern of hitting someone with that propeller is not an issue since it is so loud that anyone can hear it long before it gets to them.  Having heard it indoors I can vouch for that!   Next to be demonstrated was a 7-horsepower Stickney “Hit and Miss” engine.     So, now let’s watch something get MASHED!  This is something that the 200,000 pound US Army LARC LX does quite well.  The victims for this year appeared to be a Karman Ghia hulk and a BMW sedan.   The 9′ tall water-filled wheels of the LARC made quick work of the Karman Ghia, however the BMW decided to be difficult and slide across the parking lot…   That’s nothing that can’t be resolved with a fork lift though!   One more good crunch ought to do it!   Ooops, looks like some remnants from this morning’s rain left inside somehow.  But wait!  That’s not rain, that’s the water from inside that 9′ tall water-filled tire coming out!  Guess that little BMW had the last word in this uneven fight ;) Oh well, guess that’s it for today.  Time to get this beast back into its parking area and get a jackstand under that front axle before it goes all the way to the ground.  But as long as you’re headed for the barn, how about mashing this tuba and French Horn that some spectators brought to be crushed. Easily done! Thanks to Jeff Lane and the entire staff of the Lane Museum for an enjoyable afternoon.  I look forward to this event each year, and it just keeps getting better and better.