This past weekend I enjoyed viewing a private collection not normally open to the public. It was very interesting, but the collector was equally so. What follows is what I have put together from a number of sources. I can't attest to the correctnes of any of this, but it is quite a story.
The collector, Larry Klairmont was raised by a grandmother on the north side of Chicago. As a teenager one brisk, late fall Sunday morning he took a streetcar (trolley) to Wrigley field to watch a football game. At that time, the Chicago Bears and the Chicago Cardinals played at Wrigley during the baseball off-season. Either when he got off the trolley or at some time during the game he heard the momentous announcement that the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor. It was December 7, 1941.
In a move that wasn't that unusual in that era of idealisim and patriotisim, he lied about his age (17) and joined the Navy. He was assigned to some aspect of naval aviation which pleased hm. He had visions of receiving pilot training. The reality set in however that with many college grads to pick from, the Navy was not likely to make a pilot out of a 17 year old who had not finished high school. With this, he went to the powers that be and reminded them that he had joined up to fight and asked for a transfer. He was accomodated by being transfered to the Marine Corps. At that time the Marines were a branch of the Navy (as the Air Corps was a branch of the Army).
Still a teenager, he took part in the Pacific island hopping campaigns advancing to platoon leader and collecting; two purple hearts, a bronze star and a silver star.
After the war he married and had five children. Whatever he was doing for a living, he realized that on his wages a family of seven would not do more than scrape by. He needed more money. He needed to be in business for himself. Whatever the thought process, he decided to go into the laundry and dry cleaning business, and after his regular job, he would go and do the build-out, make the fistures and install the equipment for the new store. He was apparently a good business man as he prospered and one store became two then three, etc. Now having the necessary capital he decided to get intio real estate, both as an investor and as an agent. It was the perfect time to do so. World War Two and Korean War veterans could get VA loans requiening a down payment of 3% (usually less the $300). These veterans and everyone else were interested in home ownership. Entire sub divisions were springing up in what were previosly farm fields.
Now that considerable money was coming in, our collector decided to indulge a long time interest; cars. His tastes were totally ecclectic; classics, hot rods, race cars etc. Like most urban collectors, his cars were "at the curb", around the corner and when lucky, at a freinds garage. His wife who seems to be a very practical; person suggested that he buy a property to house his growing collection. He did so. The collection was not (and still is not) open to the public. His friends were invited to view it and that was about all. Later, his practical wife again made a suggestion; that the public be invited to enjoy the collection as his friends were doing. Larry was not willing to go that far, but he now makes the facility available free of charge, to charitable and civic organizations for fund raisers and meetings.
At the present time there are about 150 cars on display, and about 150 in on-site storage. A few years ago he auctioned off about 150 cars, "to make room". To my admittedly inexpert eye, most are, or very near 100 point cars. Anyone on this forum who has read this far is probably wondering "does he have a pagoda ? . Not that I saw, although he does have two Gullwings. There is also a motor scooter collection, an elaborate model train layout, three aircraft, a collection of minis such as the BMW Isetta, etc, etc,
There is more information on Youtube. Search Klairmont.
Gus
3/4/16. Added picture and corrected YouTube subject
