Briggs Cunningham Auto Museum, sadly closed in 1987 forever.

I am an amateur photographer and filmed this over 34 years ago. (No digital cameras then) this was one of the best and cleanest auto collections you ever saw!

Their motto was: "You won't believe your eyes", and that was true.

Every auto and engine was meticulously kept up. The museum was curated by John Burgess and his heart was really into preserving these cars.

I followed him to the Concourse De Elegance in Northern California when they took their famous Bugatti Royale to display.
The car was amazing and only 1 of 7 in the entire world and was estimated by some to be worth over $8 million in 1983!

It was sad to see them close, as they were a landmark in Southern California.

I filmed each car and engine and had DVDs made from the original VHS tape which are a much higher quality video than this compressed portion for Youtube.

This full-length, amateur DVD of the museum are available for $29, including shipping via USPS.

This museum and the cars were a big part of history.
The cars have been scattered throughout the world to various collectors, but most went to The Collier Collection in Florida.

Hope you enjoyed it and thanks for watching. (more) (less)

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Auto
• Museum
• Briggs
• Cunningham
• Bugatti
• Royale
• Jaguar
• locomobile
• Dave
• Herbert
• John
• Burgess

[lownotslow67]

Great video! I would love a copy of the cd.

How do I go about contacting you to get a copy? (brand new u tube user)

Thank you!

[NightFlyyer]

Send me your name address and email address in a PM (private Message) and if you have Paypal, I can send you an invoice and once the funds are received, then I will ship the DVD. $29 includes shipping.

[CJHirtler]

Great to see this , I worked there for 10 years. Lots of fond memories.

[NightFlyyer]

Thanks kindly. I think I remember your name, CJ?

[genuinbeauty]

I loved everything my Great grandfather did. He will always live on. Always.

[NightFlyyer]

He was a good man. We will keep him alive in videos like this.

[mallkat]

I visited the museum in 1968, a very memorable experience.

[proudtwinmommy]

@Theognome I think this looked like a cool place to visit! I wish I could have gone with you and your uncle to "play on the cars". Unfortunately, my parents told me I never visited the museum as a child, I don't have an Uncle Briggs so, I guess you were the lucky one to have such a great experience!

[Theognome]

Great stuff! I remember well both Briggs and John from my childhood. As a young boy, my uncle would take me to the museum to 'play on the cars'. My great uncle, Briggs, loved to see a young boy (I was 6) become so enthralled with the cars. To me, at the time, they were toys- and I treated them as such. When he sold the collection back in '87, all of us were saddened- and even more so when he passed away in '03.

Bill Cunningham

[Theognome]

Great stuff! I remember well both Briggs and John from my childhood. As a young boy, my uncle would take me to the museum to 'play on the cars'. My great uncle, Briggs, loved to see a young boy (I was 6) become so enthralled with the cars. To me, at the time, they were toys- and I treated them as such. When he sold the collection back in '87, all of us were saddened- and even more so when he passed away in '03.

Bill Cunningham

[kirkconway]

i mean at least keep it So calif but DONT LET IT GO TO ITALY OF ALL PLACE'S WHERE HARDLY ANYONE CAN SEE IT and enjoy it.

I know what Phil Hill was feeling when he was at the front in the lot. and watching them load the locomobile that was in the museum.

I know he was thinking what in the heck is going on here?

this make;s no sense at all.

[kirkconway]

i was amazed at all the car's cunningham had plus his own race car's. and i was looking at the car's from the lobby.

and there it was, a Pearl White 67 Lamborghini Miura with matching interior.

I thout Id never see one exccept for pic's or model's.

I was stunned to say the least.

sitting there in all it's place next to a couple of ferrari's,

Id take that Miura anytime ,,, ANYWHERE!!!!!

i was saddened to see the collection closed. why would they sell, it & close it???

[stihl075]

I used to go there before work when on swing shift. What a great place. Then got day shift and would meet mt girl friend there for lunch.

The pot luck dinners...............

I was a single parent raising a little girl. She loves cars still.

I am so glad she got to meet Briggs, what a gentleman.

People either have never heard of him, or their eyes light up and memories roll out.

Dan Gurney has a picture on his wall when he drove for Briggs, in an Abarth.

[JGMagoo]

Why was the collection sold and the museum closed?

[JGMagoo]

When I first became a gear-head at the age of about 13 in 1952 (I'm 71 now and still a gear-head) Briggs Cunningham was my biggest hero because of his efforts at competing in world-class sports car racing using AMERICAN-built cars!

I visited this museum in about 1985 and was extremely impressed by the number and quality of the cars. I LOVED the Bugatti Royale and how much the wheels on it resembled the wheels on the Chev Corvette of '84 -'85.