BLOG: Wheels, Wheels, and More Wheels on Route 66

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m00npie
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Joined: April 23rd, 2010, 7:27 pm

BLOG: Wheels, Wheels, and More Wheels on Route 66

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Route 66 is all about cruising, and during our short trip down Oklahoma’s portion of Route 66 we encountered not one but two museums — one dedicated to vehicles with four wheels, and the other was stuffed which two-wheeled ones. Both were just the right size to stretch your legs and see some cool rides in the process. SEABA STATION MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM
336992 E Hwy 66 – Warwick, OK
Link: SeabaStation.com The first museum we encountered along our journey was a motorcycle museum located just outside Chandler, OK in the former “Seaba Filling Station.” From the outside, the building appears small and largely nondescript; fortunately, the museum is much larger on the inside than it appeared from the parking lot. I wasn’t expecting to see much inside, especially when I noticed our car was the only vehicle in the parking lot. Susan convinced me to give it a chance by telling me admission was free (donations are encouraged). If you’re a fan of old motorcycles, the Seaba Station Motorcycle Museum houses nearly a hundred motorcycles that felt less like a museum and more like a very large collection of vintage, unrestored motorcycles. Only a few of the motorcycles have signage explaining their lineage or historical relevance; many more have small signs with the make/model/year, and many of the bikes have no signs at all. The bikes are parked in close proximity preventing people from walking between them (it probably keeps kids from climbing on them as well), but you could touch the headlight of every bike if you really wanted to. The bikes are grouped by manufacturer: there’s a row of BSAs, a row of Triumphs, a row of Indians, a row of Harleys, and lots of foreign (Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda) bikes. The museum consists of one large and two smaller rooms, all of which were filled wall-to-wall (and in some cases, floor to ceiling) with motorcycles to look at. Image The amount of time a person can spend at the museum depends on their interest in looking at old motorcycles. Those with a casual interest in motorcycles can see everything in abought fifteen minutes, while current or former motorcycle enthusiasts may need more time to peruse the museum’s collection. This isn’t really the type of museum someone would visit to learn about old motorcycles, but for those who have owned and ridden old bikes it’s like a walk (ride?) down memory lane. Also inside the museum is a gift shop with (among other things) Route 66 t-shirts and coffee mugs, and clean restrooms. The Seaba Station Motorcycle Museum is a great place to stop and stretch your legs while looking at some two-wheeled history in the process. HEART OF ROUTE 66 AUTO MUSEUM
13 Sahoma Lake Rd – Sapulpa, OK

Link: HeartOfRoute66.org Image The second vehicle museum we came across was the Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum located in Sapulpa, just outside Tulsa. Next to the museum is the “World’s Tallest Gas Pump,” a Route 66 photo opportunity that led us right to the museum (it worked). Unlike the motorcycles at the Seaba Station, many of which looked like they had just rolled off the road (or dirt track), the cars on display at the Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum were so shiny you could see your own reflection in every paint job. Admission was $6.50 per adult, some of which surely goes to cases of Turtle Wax. The Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum consists of one large display room with three smaller rooms. Most of the cars are roped off with “do not touch” signs on the windshields. Most of the classics are here. 1957 Chevy? 1965 Corvette? 1970 Barracuda? Check, check, check. But there are also some less common cars on display, like a special built Maserati, a pair of Willys military vehicles, and a 1967 Amphicar complete with a propeller for traveling across water. Every car on display is so shiny it almost hurts your eyes to look at them directly; lights reflect off of every every fender, every headlight, and every bumper. Every vehicle has a sign that explains a bit about the car, and there’s a lot of signs, memorabilia, and collections hanging on the walls, too. There’s a lot to see, look at, and read. Image I believe the owners of the museum own more cars than they have room to display, which explains some obvious gaps in the collection (there wasn’t a single Camaro or Firebird on display, for example). That being said, every car on the showroom was absolutely immaculate. Depending on a person’s interest level, I would expect it to take somewhere between 30-60 minutes to see everything on display. Both of the museums had displays dedicated to Route 66 — these museums know their customer base. Both were nice and clean with room to walk around and stretch your legs while traveling the mother road. We enjoyed looking at all the cars and motorcycles on display and would recommend either to anyone interested in old vehicles. Similar Posts:


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