The Many Motor Museums of Bowling Green

Archivist Tom Berry at Heavy Equipment Museum

Some of auto memorabilia at Snooks Dream Cars Auto Museum

Equipment being demonstrated at show at Heavy Equipment Museum

One of many exhibits at Snooks Dream Cars, Bowling Green, Ohio

Antique cars on display inside Snooks Dream Cars Museum

Entrance sign in Bowling Green to Historical Construction Equipment Museum

Antique Service Station Entrance to Snooks Dream Cars, Bowling Green

Front door to Snooks Dream Cars Museum

Amphibious Vehicles on shore in Iceland during filming of Flags of our Fathers

Jeff Snooks with some of his classic race cars at Snooks Dream Cars

Marvin Barr, WWII Marine Corps Vet who rode a vehicle similar to this onto the beach of Okinawa in 1945

Tom Price heading for the beach in “Flags of our Fathers”

Tom Price on one of his many restored Marine Corps vehicles

In the Saturday, February 21st edition of the Plain Dealer I have a story about several interesting automotive collections in the Bowling Green, Ohio area.

You can read the full story in the PD or go to their web site, www.cleveland.com and type in my name to get the latest stories that I have written.  Pictures above are ones not used by the paper.

The story involves three different collections:  Snooks Dream Cars, a private museum housed in a unique replica of a 1940’s Texaco service station. You can also learn more at www.snooksdreamcars.com

The Historical Construction Equipment Museum in Bowling  Green is just what the name implies, an unusual collection of giant equipment that was once used to build our roads and buildings.  They put on a show each year where much of the old equipment is fired up and actually demonstrated.  Learn more about them at  www.hcea.net

Tom Price, whom we feature in the article, is a friend and former  Marine who has a hobby of collecting old Marine Corps vehicles.  Including one of the last surviving WWII Amphibeous Tractors used in many of the battles of WWII. 

Tom rented his Amphib to Clint Eastwood for the making of the movie “Flags of our Fathers” and in the deal Tom also had a bit part driving his vehicle in the movie which was filmed in Iceland. 

I know, the real battle of Iwo Jima was fought in the South Pacific.  Well it seems that after we beat the Japanese and took the island, we gave it back to them after the war and when Eastwood asked permission to film his movie there the Japanese refused.  So the onlly other place in the world with similar black volcanic beaches happened to be Iceland.  So that’s where the movie was made.

Tom’s collection is private but he says he welcomes visitors who would like to see it.  just call him at 419-262-2567.

He has some great stories to tell about working in the movie.