Located in Balboa Park at 2080 Pan American Plaza, San Diego, CA 92101
North of the Air & Space Museum in Balboa Park stands the San Diego Automotive Museum.

From 1914 to 1925 all Model Ts were painted black because the paint dried faster and allowed the price to remain low. This one was later painted blue, and its driver side door doesn't open, it was purely for decoration.
The Model T was the first Ford to have a left-hand driver position that became industry standard here in America.

Challenge from competitors like Chevrolet forced Henry Ford to produce another model which would appeal to the masses.
From 1927 to 1932, Ford's Model A presented 20 different body styles like taxicab, truck, or station wagon.
This one is a 1931 Deluxe Roadster. According to Ford News, 10.5 million people came out to see the Model A on its reveal date.
This was exceptional as it represented 10% of the US population at the time.

Rolls-Royce is a name synonymous with high-end cars. The 1925 Silver Ghost is proof. Although they were produced 100 years ago, about 20% of them still exist today.
This one was used in films at Warner Brothers Studios from the 1930s to the 1960s. It's mostly original with only 24,000 miles.

The 1931 Cadillac 452 Roadster is in the museum's permanent collection and it's easy to see why.
It was built with a gigantic V-16 engine, indicated by badging on the front grille as well as each wheel.
In the back is the third spare tire, a luggage rack, a rumble seat, and a storage compartment on the side.
The leather interior and clean arrangement of the instrument panel contribute to its quality.
The black and red color scheme grabs your attention and the 452's shape exudes class and elegance.

The 1932 Morgan Super Sport looks like a normal car until you see the back.
The single-seat three-wheel design allowed it to be classified in Britain as a motorcycle, saving on insurance and license fees.
The electric cars of today are promoting environmentally responsible solutions to automobile pollution.
This hydrogen-powered Shelby Cobra H2 was demonstrating the same initiative back in 1965. Its V8 engine ran clean and safe.
Its interior was purpose built with one seat, a couple batteries, and a fire extinguisher next to the driver and instrument cluster.
The Shelby Cobra H2 claimed the record for the fastest hydrogen-powered vehicle at 140 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats.
This one looks like it's wearing braces or mouth hardware.
It's the 1953 Kurtis Kraft 500S Roadster, a street-legal version of their Indy 500 race car.
Kurtis Kraft won the top seven places that year. No other car builder has done it before or since.

There are muscle cars like the 1969 Corvette Stingray,
the 1970 Mercury Cougar,
and a particular car driven by Steve McQueen, the "Bullitt".
The 1967 "Bullitt" Mustang Fastback was featured in the famous car chase scene from the movie of the same name.
This Mustang has its interior restored to reflect the look when it debuted.
The Highland Green paint and Torque Thrust "McQueen" wheels complete the "Bullitt" appearance.

There's a section of hot rods like the modified 1927 Ford Model T Pickup.
The 1932 Ford "Old School" Roadster.
A 1933 Ford 3-window coupe.
And a 1935 Chevy Cabriolet.

The Automotive Museum also houses an extensive amount of motorcycles. A selection of different types and manufacturers, from the early years to more current models.

Here's a display for Evel Knievel and his 1976 Stratocycle from the movie "Viva Knievel" starring himself, Gene Kelly, Leslie Nielsen, Red Buttons, and Frank Gifford among others.
Knievel performed over 300 motorcycle jumps, most notably the failed attempt over the fountains at Caesar's Palace. His son, Robbie, continued the tradition of stunt jumping.

Solar Turbine's Midget Racer is one of 110 kit cars sold in 1946.
This one was raced for several years around the Midwest and neglected in a chicken shed in Iowa, until it was restored for its 50th anniversary.

Here's another vintage sprint car, the 1960 South Bay #33 out of Redondo Beach, CA.

There are supercars, and understandably all are painted bright red. We have the 1974 Lamborghini Countach.
A performance-oriented 1992 Dodge Viper with no door handles or air conditioning.
A very rare car in the first one of only three: the 1966 Bizzarrini P538.
Also, a 2005 Ford GT based on the GT40 which swept the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1966.

A 2020 model of the Ford GT is a display carousel centerpiece.
It trades in the supercharged V8 for a twin-turbo V6. It accelerates with a 0-60 time of 3.0 seconds.

This 1947 Cadillac was transformed into "Louie Mattar's Fabulous Car". It was designed to drive non-stop from coast-to-coast.
Louie Mattar of San Diego modified it over seven years to include everything needed for a cross-country road trip.
There is a platform for changing tires on the go. These metal pipes can be slid into fittings on the chassis of the vehicle providing a work surface to perform

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