shape that it cost a fortune to restore them. Now they’re almost prohibitively costly,” he says.
Due to the cost of restoring these vehi- cles, Van Horn resorted to the days before the museum –when he first start- ed collecting the vehicles and storing them on his property. Today he still has his own little storage yard that he calls his “boneyard” of parts.
But he also has his own little museum again.
In 2000 the Van Horn Truck Museum closed and most of the trucks along with hundreds of other antique items were auctioned off. However, after a few years Van Horn got the bug again and a large building was built behind the house. “A few vehicles saved back from the muse- um sale were put on display and at that
“I had 85 restores on display at one time,” says Lloyd Van Horn.
time a new collection of gas and oil mem- orabilia was started with many very early and rare oil cans, other unusual gas and oil items and early and unusual gas pumps along with a great advertising sign collection was put together.” In 2009, Van Horn was seeking to keep his museum’s memory alive so he and Margaret donated a 1930 Studebaker wrecker to the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum. “I wanted to make sure that the truck was well taken care of and would be shared with the general public,” says Van
Horn. “I knew the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum was the right place.” Van Horn is the author of two books on vehicles from 1895 to the early 1930s, vehicles with gas, electric and steam power. As he said, “If you like early auto- motive history these books are one-of-a- kind, loaded with history right from the beginning of the automobile age.” Lloyd Van Horn can be reached at
traderhorn50401@hotmail.com or (641) 423-9066.
Jim Jennings, a former newspaper reporter, is ARA’s director of communications and public relations. He has more than 25 years of expe- rience in communications and public relations in the metro Washington, D.C. area, specializ-
ing in small business issues.
September-October 2016 | Automotive Recycling 33
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