Walter P. Chrysler Museum Unveils Exclusive 1928 Chrysler Model 72 Le Mans Die Cast


AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Sept. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Attention die
cast collectors! The Walter P. Chrysler Museum has commissioned a 1928
Chrysler Model 72 Le Mans Race Car that's sure to rev up any assemblage.
The 1:18 scale pre-war vintage model, the first in the Museum's
Heritage Collection, celebrates the #8 racer that placed third overall at
the 1928 Le Mans 24 Hours Race. A faithful reproduction of the carefully
researched replica on exhibit at the Museum, the striking pale yellow and
black die cast features a steerable wheel and opening hood, trunk and
doors. The model is presented on a display base, is packed in a keepsake
Museum box and comes complete with written historical background.
The die cast model is $49.95 and is currently available exclusively
through the Walter P. Chrysler Museum Store. (High resolution images for
media use are available online at http://cgmedia.daimlerchrysler.com/image-
gallery.do?method=view&imageGalleryId=44&mid=129 .)
From 1925-1931, Chrysler vehicles were more successful in European
races than any other American make, and they proved competitive against
such thoroughbred marques as Bentley, Stutz, Aston Martin, Alfa Romeo,
Itala and others.
Among Chrysler's finest achievements during those years was its
performance at the 1928 Le Mans race. Four, mainly stock, Chrysler Model
72s were entered by a French-Belgian team that included such top-notch
drivers as Louis Chiron.
Though the European makes were favored to sweep the race, two of the
Chrysler Model 72s amazed fans by continuing to run with the vehicle driven
by Henry Stoffel and Andrea Rossignol placing third and the other, driven
by the Ghica brothers, placing fourth.
The triumph at Le Mans was that two moderately priced mass-produced
cars held their own against thoroughbred sporting machines.
The 1928 Chrysler Model 72 Le Mans Race Car model is part of the
Chrysler Design Gallery, an upscale collection of exclusive die cast,
original automotive sculptures and digitally-rendered art prints
highlighting such popular vehicles as the Dodge Challenger Concept. All
Chrysler Design Gallery collectibles are available through the Walter P.
Chrysler Museum Store.
To view the 1928 Chrysler Model 72 Le Mans Race Car and other Chrysler
Design Gallery items, as well as additional merchandise highlighting
DaimlerChrysler's American heritage, visit http://www.chryslerheritage.com
.
The Museum Store is located on the main level of the Walter P. Chrysler
Museum, at the corner of Featherstone and Squirrel Roads on
DaimlerChrysler's Auburn Hills, Mich. complex. The shop is open during
regular Museum hours: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday and noon - 6 p.m.
Sunday. Checks, American Express, Discover, MasterCard and VISA are
accepted.
The Museum accepts orders by phone at 248-944-0434 or fax at
248-944-0460. Sales tax is added according to the rate in the customer's
state (6 percent in Michigan). Shipping is $4.95 for packages up to 15
pounds and $4.95 for each additional 15 pounds.

 

I'll have to add that to my list of places to go on vacation.

 

i am a member of the "friends of the museum" group...its pretty sweet. i have some pictures from the last visit, if anyone wants to see them?

 

You have to ask? Of course, please share them. I'd love to see them.

 

i know that i had more, but i cant seem to find them...[:@]

There are always some featured vehicles which change from time to time, and there seem to be some cars that never change (which i cant find pictures of at the time), at least while ive been going there, which is about 2 years. next time that i go up there i will take lots of pictures, to give you all an idea of what its like!

running from the first floor, up through the second floor to the ceiling is a turntable which holds three cars. when we were there last time, they have one of the prowler concepts, a pt cruiser concept and the original viper concept.

there are three floors...the first floor contains the gift store, usually 3-4 cars, the entrance, and a small history lesson worth of various items.

first floor pictures:
the dodge dude, based on the durango. you can see the large cylinder next to the drivers door...that is where those three cars i mentioned are anchored.



the top floor is where they feature cars, in this case, thje sidewinder, the copperhead, a dart, a challenger, a neon, a pimped out minivan, etc. They take cars from enthusiasts who are willing to have their car in there for a year. there is a theater that plays a steady loop of three short movies about mopar stuff.

top floor pictures:
a hemi dart, and i believe that it is a replica..only 50 were made, and as 50 of the fastest production cars EVER made in the US, they are priceless. in the background, you can see the viper concept and the blue fender of the pt cruiser concept, and right behind the dart, the copperhead concept.


i dont remember the story behind this car...its an AMX, modified for some movie...


Now the attractions that i was the most excited to see...
The copperhead concept






sidewinder concepts










the basement is the "third" floor, and typically has, i think, about 15 cars in there...with a variety of different types, from the team oreca viper which won the 24 hours of daytona, to an old 1st gen ram that won the baja 1000. they also have one of the early nascar intrepid wind tunnel cars, and a stratus sedan race car...along with a bunch of muscle cars...

Third floor pictures






im pretty aggrivated that i cannot find my pictures from the museum earlier...ive probably been there 20 or 30 times...my one complaint with the place is that the lighting is odd, so its tricky to get pictures of all of the cars, all looking nice because i am constantly changing camera modes...

in the parking lot:
a custom green viper


a red viper
[IMG]http://www.dodgeforum.com/upfiles/2745/F23F8F4BF673401D85

 

THANK YOU PATRICK! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

There, I got it out of my system. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Okay, I'm alright. Thank you! Thank you!

Next summer when I'm visiting my parents and they want suggestions on where to take a vacation, I'm going to suggest this. Thank you!

This brings me back to the Lutz area of styling. I wish they would have produced the Copperhead. It looked unique

 

i believe that i saw the copperhead when i was young, but ive never seen the sidewinder in person before....i think that they have new cars at the museum now, so im hoping to head up there, maybe next weekend.

this was the first year that i went to the huge car show...it was unreal! they did let in some nonners, but for the most part, it was ALL mopars. there were cars that ive never seen in magazines, let alone in person...like the original dart charger concept, that someone owns now...

i know that i have more pictures...they might be on one of the other two computers........

 

Neat! Please post them when you get the chance. What engine did they put in the copperhead concept? Are you saying the original Dart concept and Charger concept, or Dart Charger concept?

 

the original dart charger concept...

[IMG]local://upfiles/4/A97BA64F430D4A158934510C591E8DC1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/4/A7ED7F3370834EC0AB713AF8BA3684E0.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/4/7FE549C08C534548B96C3BD64DF76431.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/4/C1E2478A53C2418DB226FCD898A3698B.jpg[/IMG]

 

Interesting design, but I'm glad they didn't do it that way. Are my eyes deceiving me or is there something in the middle, between the driver and passenger seats.