Day Trips: Dick's Classic Car Museum, San Marcos

Photos by Gerald E. Mcleod

Dick's Classic Garage Car Museum in San Marcos travels nearly 60 years of automotive history in four large rooms. The journey goes from a 1901 Oldsmobile horseless carriage to the big fins of a 1959 Cadillac Fleet­wood. Every car in the exhibit is operational, although the 1921 Stanley Steamer takes a while to get up a full head of steam.

Well-written descriptions accompany each vehicle and outline its place in history. The pre-World War II cars are the most beautiful. Cars like the 1936 Cord 810 Cabriolet Convertible are works of art. In fact, New York City's Museum of Modern Art named it one of the 10 most significant automobile designs.

The car museum is like a mix of a new car showroom and a Hollywood celebrity's private garage. Most of the vehicles are extremely rare, like the 1948 Tucker Torpedo. This particular car was the last to roll off the Tucker assembly line and has less than one mile on the odometer. The candy-apple red car with its distinctive third headlamp is even more spectacular in person than it is in the movies.

Dick's Classic Garage Car Museum is on the south side of San Marcos at 120 Stagecoach Trail, a short distance west of I-35 at the FM 12 exit. On the third Saturday of each month the museum sponsors a car show in its parking lot with free museum admission from 5pm to 8pm. For hours and directions, call 512/878-2406 or go to www.dicksclassicgarage.com.

1,238th in a series. Collect them all. , a book of "Day Trips," is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 33284, South Austin, TX 78704.