(Fairbanks, AK) --
A rare 1921 Heine-Velox automobile is now on display at
the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum at Wedgewood Resort. This massive car’s
$25,000 price tag was shocking for its time--equal to almost $305,000 in
today’s dollars. No other car came close to it. One could buy a fully loaded
Rolls Royce for $10,000 or a Lozier Big Six limousine for around $6,500. For
comparison, a Ford Model T cost less than $500 in 1921.
The Heine-Velox, built in San Francisco by Gustav Otto
Heine, was one of the most interesting and unusual cars produced in the western
United States. It introduced features that were big steps forward for 1921:
hydraulic brakes, headlamps with high and low beams, a cold-weather starting
system, a slanted windshield mounted in rubber, a canted dashboard, and a
system that allowed the engine oil level to be controlled from the driver’s
seat.
Only five of these curious-looking cars were built:
three sedans, an unfinished limousine, and the Sporting Victoria that arrived
at the Fountainhead Museum this month. According to Tim Cerny, president of
Fountainhead Hotels, “The Heine-Velox is so rare that most avid car collectors
have never seen one, let alone even heard of the marquee. It’s a large,
impressive car and a particularly fine example of the ingenuity of one of
American’s early automobile designers.”
While it may seem odd for such an extraordinary car to
be in Fairbanks, Cerny points out that the Heine-Velox is not the only rare
automobile in their collection. “Each of our 74 vehicles were selected because
they hold a special place in American automotive history,” he notes, “whether
for a technological or design element, or for their uniqueness. Several are the
only examples of their kind left in existence. Others, like our Heine-Velox
Victoria, were the only ones ever made.”
In addition to antique and classic cars, the Fountainhead
Museum’s galleries showcase Alaska’s automotive history and vintage clothing
dating back to the 1700s. The pairing of the cars and historical costumes
vividly illustrates the dramatic evolution of fashion and automotive design in
the early 20th Century.
The Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum is open on Sundays
from noon to 6 pm and for private tours by appointment.
Current Vacancies
