Another museum quits after its caretaker passes

• 

It’s only a month ago that the Dutch Ford Museum was sold out of all of its inventory. This time, another motor museum focussing on one all-American marque quits with all of the cars and automobilia in it going to the highest bidders. For now it’s not Ford but Hudson that will have to do with one museum less.

And as the Ford Museum of Mister Den Hartog, the closure of the Hudson museum is due to the death of its instigator, mister Eldon ‘Ziggity’ Hostetler, who was of Amish origins. Hostetler had been successful in breeding chicken and patenting several poultry feeding systems in Indiana. But when his wife suggested for him to restore a classic Hudson car upon retirement, a whole new world opened up for Hostetler. In the 1980s his collection of Hudson mushroomed and was eventually turned into a full museum, open to the public, in 2007.

But when Hostetler passed away at the blessed age of 93 in 2016, the place was never the same without its caretaker. And so it has to go. All of it. Some very interesting cars will therefore be for sale with Worldwide Auctioneers on August 4. Among them several prototypes and the last of the real ‘Fabulous’ Hudson Hornet racers in its original 1950s NASCAR racing livery. Quite a chance! See all of them here. To finally quote the late Eldon Hostetler himself: “I want to thank my Lord for the abilities he blessed me with and for the opportunities that were presented to me during my life."

(Words editor, pictures Worldwide Auctioneers)

Make a comment, ask a question, give your opinion, share additional information or start a discussion by filling in the fields below.