Heart to Start On Display Now
Cars capture the attention and imagination of people in ways that not many other objects do. The roar of the engine and the feeling of travelling down the road can be scary for some and exhilarating for others. For a few committed entrepreneurs it can even inspire a desire to build and sell their own cars, with varying levels of success.
Heart to Start exhibits the creations of three American designers and businessmen that tried to be the next big thing in the automotive world. They each had their own set of skills that they employed to built and market their cars. Gary Davis was a charismatic salesman, he marketed and displayed the Davis Baby at back to back events across the country with only days in between showings. James Martin was an avid inventor, his streamlined Aerodynamic was a striking shape in 1928 but progress was hampered by the Great Depression. Ben Gregory was a passionate designer and a proponent of the front wheel drive set up in vehicles. Gregory proved to be the best known designer of the group, largely thanks to his work designing the M422 Mighty Mite jeep adopted into service by the United States Marine Corps. All three of them brought car designs to investors and companies hoping they would take off. Despite having varying levels of success and, in some cases, run ins with the law, these three pioneers are remembered here.