As we drove into Colorado, we decided to stop near the border at Allen Unique Auto museum. The collection, the personal assortment of oil heiress Tammy Allen, contains over 80 different rare and a few one-of-a-kind vehicles.
While Tammy is mostly known for her collection and charitable donations, her father Steve Allen, an executive with an oil company she inherited is more famous. He was a central player in a long-running political scandal in Alaska that landed him in federal prison on a number of bribery and corruption charges.
The collection is quite interesting with unique cars ranging from a four speed 1956 BMW Isetta, considered the first mass produced micro car (see below) and a classic stainless-steel Delorean (like the one featured in Back to the Future). She also has the famous Sonny and Cher Ford Mustangs produced specifically for the couple.
But, the most interesting vehicle in her collection is not that sexy or automotively intriguing, instead its uniqueness comes from its possible story.
It’s an ambulance that “may” have been the one that carried JFK from Air Force One to Bethesda Naval Hospital following his assassination. Apparently two ambulances were dispatched that day, one containing the fallen president and the second as a decoy to fool the press. Legend says that the Kennedy family had the actual ambulance destroyed years later but it has been reputably disputed. So this particular vehicle may truly be a one-of-a-kind piece of history. Who knows for sure?
This is a great afternoon stop for any car lover.
