GOING DUTCH
The Louwman Museum is a longtime supporter of the Run and hosts one of the world ’ s finest and oldest vehicle collections . Zack Stiling takes a look at the history of this remarkable institution , whose collection spans the entire history of motoring .
The Louwman Museum in the Netherlands is not only one of the world ’ s finest privately-owned vehicle collections , it ’ s also one of the oldest . Piet Louwman set himself up as a car dealer in the Hague in 1923 and obtained a contract to import and sell Dodges . In 1934 , he decided to obtain one of the very first Dodge cars to display in his showroom . A 1914 Dodge Type 30 tourer was despatched from Detroit which , unbeknownst to Piet at the time , had been the personal transport of Horace Elgin Dodge , hence it came with all kinds of bells and whistles , from spotlights and bumpers to an adjustable ‘ fat man ’ steering wheel and opera windows in the hood .
Piet had the foresight to recognise the value of preserving cars , and the Dodge marked the beginning of his collection . His son Evert inherited not only his father ’ s business but also his passion , and he made the collection publicly accessible in 1969 . The presentday Louwman Museum opened in the Hague in 2010 , in a new building designed by Michael Graves which is crisp and modern but respectfully traditional .
For veteran enthusiasts , one of the museum ’ s greatest draws is its collection of early cars , which includes one of the oldest vehicles in existence , the 1887 De Dion-Bouton et Trépardoux steam quadricycle . There are early models from pioneering marques such as Peugeot , Daimler and Panhard et Levassor , and no fewer than seven Victorian-era Benzes . Few people today have ever heard of Henry Buffum , but he was responsible for the first ever fourcylinder car and the museum houses one of his fourcylinder Stanhopes from 1895 . Further in , visitors may discover the earliest petrol-electric hybrid , the unique 1896 Armstrong , and the 1903 Spyker 60hp racing car , which was the first ever car with a six-cylinder engine and brakes acting on all four wheels , and the first petrol vehicle with four-wheel drive .
34 The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run