Historic Auto Attractions: an amazing journey through history

Twenty-three years ago, I had the opportunity to interview Wayne Lensing, the owner of Lefthander Chassis, a performance parts supply store for auto racing, at 1370 Metric Road in Roscoe.

Lensing, a history buff and car lover, was hosting the grand opening of his new venture - the Historic Auto Attractions museum, just up the street at 3825 Metric Road.

Back in 2001, Lensing had filled the unique  36,000 square foot museum with a collection of automobiles and memorabilia from historical events, movies and television, and a Presidential Hall featuring wax mannequins of world leaders and American presidents.

Fast forward 23 years. The museum has expanded to 86,000 square feet.  Many new and colorful exhibits and displays have been added in addition to old favorites. The museum reopened for another season on April 1, 2024.

Lensing hasn’t slowed down one bit.  He continues to scour the country in his pursuit of rare and unusual artifacts.  He also designs and improves the museum dioramas, bringing realism through sound and color.

Through the years, Lensing has become well known in the museum world, and gets frequent calls from sources letting him know when artifacts become available. Many exhibit pieces have been donated to the museum by visitors.

Last year, Lensing hired a program director, Alex Merry.  Before coming to Historic Auto Attractions, Merry was a director at Burpee Museum in Rockford, Illinois. She fills many roles at the museum. Lensing also brought on Tony Farrell as chief historian and guide. “Our goal is to bring the museum to a new level.  We’re a good team,” Lensing said.

Here is just a snapshot of what awaits visitors at Historic Auto Attractions:

• A 1928 Delage Limousine, custom built for the King of Siam
• Joseph Stalin’s 1946 Packard
• The Ford Deluxe V-8 replica driven by Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway in the 1967 movie Bonnie and Clyde.
• An exhibit room dedicated to the Kennedy family, including the Secret Service limousine that followed President John F. Kennedy the day he was assassinated.
• Dioramas and artifacts of famous people throughout history, such as Abraham Lincoln.
• Mannequins and artifacts from musicians such as Elvis Presley
• Wax figures of United States Presidents (with very authentic replications of President Trump and President Biden)
• Dioramas featuring the Wild West and the American frontier
• A tribute to those who lost their lives in 9/11 attacks at the World Trade Center.
• A huge animal kingdom diorama featuring the sights and sounds of jungle animals.
• Props and automobiles from movie and TV sets
• An extensive collection of rare, antique clocks

One of the most intriguing exhibits is a gold 1957 Plymouth automobile: Miss Belvedere. The automobile was part of a time capsule, buried in a sealed nuclear-proof vault on the grounds of the Tulsa, Oklahoma courthouse in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Oklahoma statehood (1907-1957).

When it was dug up in 2007, they discovered that the seal had broken and the car was covered with rust.  It was totally ruined. A few years ago, Lensing purchased the car and brought it to its final resting place at Historic Auto Attractions.

The museum is home to the world’s largest collection of presidential, world leader and gangster vehicles and memorabilia. Visitors can easily spend three to four hours taking in all that the museum has to offer.

Historic Auto Attractions is open 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday, with extended hours 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. It is closed on Mondays.

More information can be found at www.historicautoattractions.com, or call 815-389-7917.