Chicago, a city celebrated for its stunning architecture and vibrant culture, holds a hidden gem for automotive enthusiasts. Beyond the iconic skyline and shores of Lake Michigan, nestled in the city’s west side, lies the Klairmont Kollections. This remarkable museum, housed in a sprawling warehouse, is home to an astounding array of vehicles, many of which are rarely seen elsewhere. For those passionate about automotive history and the artistry of car design, Klairmont Kollections offers an unforgettable experience, showcasing a diverse collection that spans over a century of motoring innovation.
My wife, Sheryl, and I are on a quest to explore the best transportation museums across America, starting right here in the Midwest. Having previously documented renowned train museums like the Illinois Railway Museum and the National Railroad Museum, along with unique automotive showcases such as the Crazy ’80s Car Museum and the Volo Auto Museum, I was eager to discover what Klairmont Kollections, often hailed as Chicago’s premier auto museum, had to offer.
If you are captivated by transportation history, America boasts a wealth of destinations to ignite your imagination. The Klairmont Kollections Museum is a standout, particularly if you’re seeking to witness vehicles that transcend the ordinary. But beyond the impressive collection, the museum embodies a compelling story of passion and dedication.
Larry Klairmont: A Gearhead’s Journey
Despite living near Chicago for most of my life, my introduction to the Klairmont Kollections was surprisingly recent. It truly lives up to its claim as Chicago’s Premier Auto Museum, a non-profit institution born from one man’s lifelong passion.
Larry M. Klairmont’s story is one of American grit and entrepreneurial spirit. Born into humble beginnings in 1926, he contributed to his family’s income from a young age, working various jobs. At just 16, duty called, and he served in the military during World War II, facing intense combat in battles like Iwo Jima and Saipan. His valor earned him two Purple Hearts, two Silver Stars, and a Bronze Star.
Post-war America in 1952 presented Klairmont with opportunity. He launched Imperial Cleaners, which rapidly expanded to become Chicago’s largest dry cleaning business within a decade, boasting 100 locations.
Klairmont’s ambition didn’t stop there. He ventured into real estate, founding Imperial Realty Company. His approach was to acquire and restore historic buildings in the Chicago area, revitalizing them for modern use. Imperial Realty’s reach is extensive in northern Illinois, leasing properties to major retailers like Walmart and Subway.
His business success enabled Klairmont to engage in philanthropy and, most importantly, to pursue his childhood dream: collecting extraordinary automobiles.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Klairmont’s fascination with cars began in childhood. His first car post-war was a 1935 Plymouth, quickly followed by a 1951 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn. Despite finding the Rolls-Royce underwhelming to drive, it became a symbol of his growing collection and an early lesson in car appreciation.
Klairmont’s collection grew substantially over the years, shared with his wife Elaine for 57 years until her passing in 2008. In 2010, he met Joyce Oberlander, who played a pivotal role in shaping his collection’s future. As Mecum recounts, Oberlander suggested consolidating his 600 cars into one location. This led to the establishment of Klairmont Kollections in a 100,000-square-foot former printing facility, transforming it into a museum to house his automotive treasures.
Inside Klairmont Kollections: A Tour of Automotive History
Even a Revcon RV is part of the eclectic collection.
Klairmont Kollections opened its doors to the public in 2011. While the collection evolves as vehicles are sometimes sold at auction, the museum consistently displays hundreds of cars across its two floors. Larry Klairmont passed away in 2021, but his non-profit museum endures, dedicated to educating visitors about automotive history from its earliest days to contemporary innovations.
Upon entering, visitors are greeted with a video presentation about Klairmont’s life story. The first exhibit room showcases vintage police cars, a captivating introduction that leads into the main hall filled with extraordinary and rare automobiles.
During my visit, a 1947 Tatra T87 and a 1937 Cord Beverly Sedan immediately captured my attention.
Nearby stood a recreation of the Cucamonga Service Station, a Route 66 landmark from Rancho Cucamonga, California. This replica pays homage to the iconic roadside architecture of early automotive travel, adding a nostalgic touch to the museum.
While the main hall had fewer cars than expected, highlights included a 1947 Chrysler Town & Country and a striking 1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk.
An unexpected curiosity was the restroom in this hall, adorned with vintage French postcards and adult film stills, humorously marked “18 or older only.”
Across from this hall, an alcove revealed some of the museum’s most unique vehicles. The 2002 Lincoln Continental Concept was a standout, embodying ambitious design and engineering. Lincoln’s own description highlights its innovative features:
“Two important goals of the Lincoln design team were to maximize interior space and optimize ingress and egress. This led to the creation of a unique proportion, in which the Continental’s cabin is centered within the wheelbase. The passenger space is exceptionally large, the trunk is cavernous, and a powerful 6.0-liter V-12 engine resides under the hood.
The powered center-opening doors are triggered by remote or simply by a touch of the flush aluminum door handles. The Continental’s doors operate independently and with both doors open, the pillarless aperture is almost six feet wide. All this is made possible by articulating hinges that open to 90 degrees and a ring frame that adds structural rigidity along the A-pillar, rear roof pillar, sill and roof rails.”
“The headliner and the Eames lounge chair-inspired seats are covered in full-grain aniline leather dyed a creamy hue called Rhode Island Sand. A translucent silk panel shades the overhead fiber optic light strip. The flooring is a close-sheared midnight blue sheepskin. The instrument panel and doors are trimmed in a combination of Rhode Island Sand and Midnight Blue leather. The dark leather helps mask the transition to the window glass.
The Continental’s full-width instrument panel is built around reconfigurable displays for engine functions and vehicle systems, including concierge and telematics features, navigation and the THX-certified audio system. The chaplets that ring the speedometer and other gauges displays are fixed to the glass for a jewel-like effect.”
Adjacent to the Lincoln, the 1962 Vortex X-2000 and the 1950 Studebaker Ice Princess XF58 were equally captivating. These unique, one-of-a-kind creations exemplify Klairmont’s affinity for the unusual.
Klairmont Kollections describes the Vortex X-2000:
“Jerry Woodward, one of the greatest creative car builders in the U.S., started with a 1952 Lincoln V8, designed it for a 3-wheel design, a delta shape, and other futuristic features. It took Woodward six years to assembler and complete the design of this Vortex, building this vehicle for the streets and highways of Utah.
Jerry Woodward claimed the vehicle can take a 90-degree turn at 60 mph, though there is no proof of this. The Vortex has a tubular steel frame in the front of the vehicle for safety purposes, the headrests contain radio and TV speakers, electric fans are linked to the V8 engines with thermostatically controlled temperatures.”
Originally named “X1970-Vortex,” it was renamed X-2000 to emphasize its futuristic design. This singular vehicle has been part of the Klairmont collection since 2013.
Then there’s the remarkable Studebaker Ice Princess.
Featuring four steering wheels, six exhaust pipes, and a twin canopy reportedly from a fighter jet, the Ice Princess is truly extraordinary. Klairmont Kollections provides background on its creator:
“After traveling around the world in his youth, Richard Fletcher landed in Phoenix in Feb. 1979. There, he became a manufacturer of customs, but special cars for the movies and actors. Fletcher built cars from scratch and altered them. He sculpted with foam and merged the shapes with different pieces of cars.
The first version of the Ice Princess was called the Vampiremobile before its name change in 2005, and was made in the late 1980s from a 1950 Studebaker, 2-door streamline style and futuristic aerospace style. The essential features are the 4 front wheels, the tapered headlights, and Imperial fins nozzle reactors in the style of the early 1960s Cadillac. The bubble top was made in the mindset of the Lincoln Futura, and F-4 Phantom airplane twin cockpit. The Ice Princess is a rare 1 of 1 gem that was shown at the 2020 Chicago Auto Show and was a huge hit.”
Powered by an 8.2-liter Cadillac V8 and boasting unique gauges including a “blood” meter from its “Vampiremobile” days, the Ice Princess has toured Europe twice, captivating audiences with its bizarre charm.
Continuing through the hall, a Tucker and the striking 1955 Ford Beatnik Bubbletop came into view. This custom creation by Gary “Chopit” Fioto, though based on a Ford, incorporates parts from Cadillac, Chrysler, and Lincoln, showcasing bespoke automotive artistry.
Remarkably, this was just the first main hall. Further exploration revealed a replica of an 1867 Roper steam-powered motorcycle and a 1903 Oldsmobile Curved Dash, spanning the early eras of motorized transportation.
The next room transitioned into Klairmont’s education section, featuring displays on automotive component functionality and a workshop area showcasing vehicles in various stages of restoration. The centerpiece here was a Santarsiero Atlantis.
Having previously written about Ron Santarsiero’s unique creations, I recognized the Atlantis as another example of his imaginative, parts-bin engineering.
Built upon a first-generation Dodge Dakota chassis, complete with its 3.9-liter V6 engine, the Atlantis incorporates elements from Chevy Camaro and other Chrysler components, all enveloped in a custom body reminiscent of 1930s streamliners.
Moving onward, a room dedicated to the cars of the 1960s and 1970s displayed a collection of unrestored survivors, boasting original paint and low mileage. For enthusiasts of classic muscle car parts, seeing these pristine examples can offer invaluable insights into original factory specifications and finishes.
A Levi’s Gremlin was a particularly surprising find, a testament to the era’s unique automotive styles.
The final room on the main floor presented an eclectic mix, ranging from a 1916 Detroit Electric Brougham to a Pulse Autocycle and the Rolls-Royce Silver Spur Swarovski Crystal Car. Klairmont’s diverse taste extended to celebrity vehicles, including Michael Jordan’s Bentley Continental Flying Spur.
This room appeared to be undergoing rearrangement, with online images showing a denser car display. The museum is actively working to improve vehicle visibility for visitors.
Upstairs, even more automotive treasures awaited. While a Tesla Roadster, once part of the collection, was no longer present, the exhibit still featured race cars, a model train set (under maintenance during my visit), and a Jeep section that was temporarily closed.
A notable highlight was the 1982 Dodge Turbo Charger Pace Car.
A Bricklin SV-1, with its distinctive design, is always a welcome sight.
The upstairs also housed a microcar section. While not as extensive as some dedicated microcar collections, it included gems like a 1959 Goggomobil Dart and the whimsical 1957 Cyclops II Microcar.
Klairmont’s humorous description of the Cyclops is worth quoting:
“Mad genius and cartoonist, Stan Mott, created the first Cyclops Microcar with the help of designer Robert Cumberford in 1957. Part microcar, part go-kart, part accident-waiting-to-happen, this small vehicle has become a fixture of American motor history. It stands at 52 inches tall, 48 inches long, and 38 inches wide, seating only two people. It has been entered in prestigious events as the Rallye Monte Carlo and the U.S. Grand Prix at Watkins Glen. This one was made to look like a tiny motorized magician.”
Final Verdict: A Must-See (Prepare for the Heat)
However, a crucial note for visitors: during my visit, the museum’s lower floor was noticeably warm, even on a moderate day. While the upper floor was air-conditioned, the main exhibit area was quite stuffy. It’s advisable to dress accordingly and bring your own water, as the museum’s water fountains were not functional.
Admission to Klairmont Kollections is reasonably priced at $21.95 for adults, $15 for children, $20 for seniors, and free for military personnel.
Despite the heat issue, Klairmont Kollections is an exceptional museum. If you’re seeking an extraordinary collection of cars, unlike anything you’ve likely encountered, I highly recommend a visit. For those engaged in muscle car restoration or simply fascinated by automotive history, seeing these vehicles firsthand provides a unique and inspiring experience, even if you’re not directly searching for Chicago Muscle Car Parts Reviews today.
(Images: Author, unless otherwise noted.)
