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SALT LAKE CITY -- Automotive history arrived Wednesday at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. Curators joined handlers for an offload of vintage cars.
Americans love their cars; that's no secret. Based on that, the museum is preparing to showcase some of the finest automobiles in the world.
Guest curator Ken Gross said, "Most people think of an automobile as something functional; these cars are so far beyond. They are functional and yet they are on another plane altogether."
They call it "functional art." First off the truck was a 1937 Cord 812 from the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nev. Ab Jenkins raced it, and now you can get close.
"They're beautiful. Many of them are one-of-a-kind. They represent an individual's idea of how to go fast, how to be stylish," Gross said. "Let's face it, that's what art is all about."
The load-in attracted a small crowd at the University of Utah, some stopping, but not believing their eyes.
The oldest car delivered Wednesday was a 1927 Ford Modified Roadster -- privately owned from Madison, Wis.
Art exhibits in museums don't always attract a large cross-section of society. Those who are supervising this project, however, believe the appeal will be huge.
Webb Farrer, the auto exhibition consultant, said, "The draw, it's going to bring in so many, so many participants that generally would not come to the museum. And they'll be able to see all the great things the museum has, as well."
Steve McQueen's 1957 Jaguar Roadster also made its way through the museum doors. He was known as the cool guy of Hollywood who loved cars. One of his characters said, "Racing is life... everything before and after is just waiting."
"Speed: The Art of the Performance Automobile" opens at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts on June 2, and will be here through September 16.
