The Peruvian Auburns
- 21 feb
- 3 Min. de lectura
Actualizado: 22 feb
Lima has grown into a huge metropolis, and getting around can take hours. During a brief visit to the city, it is essential to explore the historic centre and its magnificent cathedral. Nature lovers will also enjoy a trip to the Palomino Islands, where they can experience the unforgettable thrill of swimming in the cold Pacific waters surrounded by hundreds of sea lions. This is the typical itinerary for any tourist. If you're a fan of classic cars, a visit to the Nicolini Museum is also a must.
From a young age, Jorge Nicolini has travelled through Peru in search of forgotten classics. In the mid-1960s, when many of the wonders we now admire in museums were hidden away in garages, Jorge began seeking out them. He acknowledges that some unique pieces were destroyed before he could rescue them, but he is very proud to have saved a significant part of the country's automotive heritage. His father's businesses, including a pasta manufacturing company and a distributor of Packard and other foreign brands, opened many doors for Jorge in his adventure. After decades of collecting the finest examples of Peruvian automotive engineering, his collection became the Nicolini Museum, which opened to the public in 2002.
I had the opportunity to visit the museum during a brief stop on the way to Arequipa. Just as I had the privilege of visiting Bernardo Eggers' Studebaker collection in Chile alongside its founder, I had the same opportunity at the Nicolini Museum.
Located far from the city centre in a neighbourhood surrounded by arid mountains, the museum's collection is impressive. In the courtyard, a mechanic was adjusting a magnificent green Ford V8 Phaeton.
In the main room, surrounded by a hundred perfectly restored vehicles, mostly from the United States, sits the pride of Jorge's collection: a 1935 Auburn Speedster 851 SC. 'SC' stands for 'supercharged', as can be seen from the large tubes emerging from its left side, as Jorge warns. According to Jorge, only a little more than half a dozen of these cars have survived to this day. In the same room, there are dozens of Packards, Cadillacs, De Sotos, Lincolns and Studebakers, some of which were used by presidents of the Republic. Two caught my attention in particular: a two-door Ford Edsel, which might be the first I have seen, and an impressive 1934 Chrysler Airflow.
Among the few European cars present were a Rolls-Royce, an MGA, a Fiat 500 Giardinetta, an Isetta and a 1915 Wanderer 5/15 PS W3/II — a two-seater with the seats arranged one behind the other and also known as the Wanderer Tandem Sport. Alongside these small European cars, there were also a couple of Japanese cars. These were a 1935 Datsun 14 Roadster, produced just two years after the company started trading and apparently imported brand new to Peru, and a beautifully restored early-'60s Mazda R360. The latter was one of the first Japanese kei cars featuring a four-stroke engine. Of all the models in the showroom, Jorge has a special fondness for the yellow 1967 Plymouth Satellite, which he used as his daily car when he was younger.
In an adjacent room, there were about twenty more recent cars of various origins that had not been restored.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the museum is the workshop, where restorations take place. A team of artisans specialising in various restoration disciplines work there to leave the cars in incredible condition. Carpenters, upholsterers, bodyworkers, painters, electricians, metalworkers and mechanics work continuously to restore the cars to their former glory. For any classic car enthusiast, entering that restoration temple is a dream come true. Around twenty American, European and Japanese cars, some in a sorry state, were waiting their turn. You could find everything there, from a Trabant to a Jaguar XK. One car that caught my attention was a 1930s Mercedes 170H with a rear engine, similar to the one we saw in Santiago de Chile.
Other gems in an advanced stage of restoration included Jorge's favourite, another Auburn — this time a four-door convertible.
Peru has natural and architectural wonders that make it a very attractive destination. If you are also a fan of classic cars, the Nicolini Museum is another excellent reason to visit the country.
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