Micro Cars in Nashville

We spent a couple of days in Nashville, Tennessee on our journey north. We were able to spend a few hours with some long time friends, Bill and Bitsy.

Visiting us in our home on wheels.

We also visited the Lane Motor Museum, which was started in 2002 by Jeff and Susan Lane.  It features mostly European cars.  Elizabeth enjoyed her time there over the previous motor museums we have visited as the Lane has a “unique collection of cars.”  It is not just a collection of US muscle cars or race cars. They have everything from micro cars, propeller driven bicycles, packable motorcycles, cars that are also boats and home-made streamliners.

The first car you see is a 1965 Peel Trident made by the Peel Engineering Company on the Isle of Man. The car is 73 in long and 39 in wide, with a weight of 330 lbs. 

Will I be able to drive it????

In the collection is also a Peel P50 which is a three-wheeled microcar made from 1962 to 1965. At 54 long and 39 in wide and with an unladen weight of 130 lbs. it is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the smallest production car ever made. The original model has no reverse gear, but a handle at the rear, called a "reversing handle," allows the very lightweight car to be maneuvered physically when required. Peel produced 50 P50s and only 27 are known to still exist, one of which was sold for a record US$176,000 at a Sotheby's auction in March 2016!  In 2010 Peel started up production on the P50 and the Trident. If you have deep enough pockets you might be able to purchase a new one…  Click HERE for a link to Peel Engineering. 

I weigh more than this car.....

The staff have a unique sense of humor.

A Tatra towing a Tissier towing a Golith towing a Subaru towing an Acoma.
Jenga anyone?

They have at least two cars that are also boats. A project cooked up by Chevrolet engineers, Richard E. Hulten and Roger D. Holm, the Corphibian was a running, driving, floating proof of concept intended for mass production.  Regrettably,  I did not get a photo, but here is the business end of an Amphicar.

Twin screws on a car?

On of my favorite cars is the Messerschmitt KR200, or Kabinenroller (Cabin Scooter).  It reminds me of a fighter plane on wheels.

Regrettably I didn’t get a photo, but they have a Tatra T87.  It was made in Czechoslovakia and this model of car is credited with killing more Nazi officers than active combat!

What about these predecessors to today's electric assisted bicycles?

If you ever find yourself in Nashville and want something to do not related to country music, we highly recommend the Lane Motor Museum. 

Where Are We Going Next?