MTFCA Forum

I have wanted to go here for several years, ever since I knew it existed. Eating breakfast at the Northernmost Denny’s in the World! As soon as I found out work was sending me to Fairbanks, Alaska, I already knew I had stuff to go do and see.

I’m not sure on their policy about taking pictures, but if they don’t mind I will take gobs of pics and post my favorites here. Lol, if they’d let me I’d open the hoods and crawl underneath just about every car they have. As it is, they’ll probably have to kick me out so they can lock up and go home.

I'm jealous! Sure hope they let you take lots of pictures to share.

They have some neat videos on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/FountainheadMuseum/videos

Here are some of my favorite things in the museum. I drooled all over everything but the pics I’m posting are the best of the best.

Here’s a speedster and Snow Flyer. I really like that through the firewall spotlight.

I’ve seen the video of this running around on the snow and MAN ITS SO COOL I couldn’t even stand it. I wanted to ride on it so bad.

1909 Model T, has an NH carb and brassworks radiator, but still a really well done car. No clue if the block is real or not.

This 1907 air cooled Franklin was really really cool. Probably my favorite non-Ford car that I saw.

This Model K was absolutely gorgeous. Even though I’ve seen lots of pictures of Rob’s K, it’s hard to appreciate how imposing this car is. It has a presence and looks like it wants to just go.

Lol this skinny car made me chuckle. It’s like a cartoon in a good way. The Oakland was beautifully crafted, this would be an awesome car to tour in. Just seems very elegant and stately.

This Premier has a really cool starting system - you pump up a reservoir to 150 PSI and then it has tubing to distribute the pressure to the cylinders to get them moving.

This 1911 Kelsey looked really fun, but seems like it would overheat from no airflow?

UGGGHHHHHH I probably looked at this ‘23 Mercury speedster the longest. I wish they would have let me open the hood cause I know there’s a Rajo head in there. I would have crawled all over it and underneath just looking at everything.

This ‘33 Auburn speedster was just stunning. The front lower headlights turn with the wheels, just a very simple little mechanism but really neat.

The burl walnut on this Packard was mind blowing. This was the only car that just seemed too nice to drive. I think getting to sit in it would be sensory overload. It’d be hard to pay attention to the road.

Looks familiar. My wife and I have been to Alaska the last three Septembers and plan on going again this year. We went to the Fountain Head three years ago. Some place we have a picture of us in period attire in one of the cars. I don't remember which car though.
I love Alaska - a soon as you get north of Anchorage. It's just another big town. Last year, we flew to Coldfoot and to a Glacier in Denali. Both were great, but they cost almost as much as flying from Indianapolis to Anchorage.
If you plan ahead, you can rent a motorhome at Great Alaskan Holiday's in Anchorage and travel around. You have to plan ahead though.
There is a lot to see up there. We've been there six weeks total now and still have a lot to see.
Oh yeah, you're in the middle of mosquito season. Enjoy.

I think they were the ones that had the 1898 Hay-Hotchkiss. I wonder if they still have it? And if so, could you ask if they ever got it to run and drive reliably enough?

The skeeters haven’t been bad at all. I’ve only seen a few really really late in the evening. Granted, they’re almost as big as yellow jackets but there hasn’t been the “carry you away” hoard that I was expecting.

They had a video of them driving the Hay around up on a TV monitor. Lol, it ran about 50 yards and bogged down.

Pardon the drift.
About eight years ago, they were trying to get the Hay-H to be the earliest American built gasoline powered automobile to be regularly driven in the world! There are several American steam and electric cars that run, as well as several European built gasoline automobiles, a few going back as far as 1892. About a dozen earlier gasoline powered American automobiles exist in major museums (mostly Smithsonian and the Henry Ford) along with a few others locked in local museums or private collections that haven't been run in a very long time (most well over a century now!). They were running into several problems with the rather convoluted early designs and controls. I haven't heard anything about their Hay H since about eight years ago.
Just me being curious. Not many American built pre-1900 cars on the road.