The Collection
The visit starts off with a 1916 Cadillac Type 53 powered by the first V8 engine produced by the American brand. As you can expect, Cadillac models are abundantly represented due to the early prestige of the brand. Packard and Buick are also present but I was surprised to find a 1936 Cord 810 Westchester, a wedding gift to King Hussein who admired its advanced technology (V8, front-wheel drive, pre-selector transmission and retractable headlights).
Moving on through the years, the American automobile is gradually replaced by its European counterparts. A modest 1947 Humber Snipe is accompanied by a gorgeous 1953 Aston Martin DB2. And here, in a corner of the large hall, stands “my” Mercedes 300SL placed in a special exhibit depicting a hill climb. The placard reads: “He - the King - also won with it the Lebanese Hill Climb race of 1958. It remained his race car of choice.” I felt like shouting: “I was there!” Once more, my good friend the automobile had brought me back to the happy days of my childhood.
Having a plane to catch, I finally removed myself from in front of the 300SL to continue the visit of this unexpected collection. A few steps away, a 1966 red Amphicar - “the car that swims” - seems to be ready to dive into the still waters of the Red Sea where King Hussein enjoyed showcasing the unusual machine. Then comes a very formal Mercedes 600 and the 1968 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow that the King drove in private, accompanied by Queen Alia. The Rolls was also used for the 1974 visit to Jordan of President Nixon. Ten years later, in 1984, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited historic Petra riding in the 1984 Range Rover converted to open-air by famed Woods & Picket of England.
Being a diehard race fan, I had to make a special stop in front of the 1988 Mercedes 190E powered by a 6 cylinder 2.3 litre turbo engine producing 300 hp. The car and its “royal” driver won the 1988 Rumman Hill. Not far from the impressive white Mercedes is a bright red “rocket”, a 1989 Ferrari F40, followed by a monstrous 450 hp Porsche 959 biturbo and a 1992 350 hp Ford Escort RS Rally Cosworth with which Hussein broke the Rumman Hill Climb record in 1996. He was 61 years old.
By then, King Hussein was already ill and a Mercedes 500 SEL was witness to his triumphant return from treatment at the Mayo Cancer Clinic in 1992. A video shows him sitting atop the Mercedes through the sunroof, waving cheerfully to the dense crowd. Seven years later, a military version of the Mercedes-Benz 280GE carried the casket in the funeral procession of King Hussein.
Should you visit Jordan and the Holy Land, do take the time to stop by the Museum and learn the modern history of Jordan. You will see as I did that passion for the automobile seems to know no boundary.
photo:Alain Raymond
The visit starts off with a 1916 Cadillac Type 53 powered by the first V8 engine produced by the American brand. As you can expect, Cadillac models are abundantly represented due to the early prestige of the brand. Packard and Buick are also present but I was surprised to find a 1936 Cord 810 Westchester, a wedding gift to King Hussein who admired its advanced technology (V8, front-wheel drive, pre-selector transmission and retractable headlights).
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| 1916 Cadillac Type 53 |
Moving on through the years, the American automobile is gradually replaced by its European counterparts. A modest 1947 Humber Snipe is accompanied by a gorgeous 1953 Aston Martin DB2. And here, in a corner of the large hall, stands “my” Mercedes 300SL placed in a special exhibit depicting a hill climb. The placard reads: “He - the King - also won with it the Lebanese Hill Climb race of 1958. It remained his race car of choice.” I felt like shouting: “I was there!” Once more, my good friend the automobile had brought me back to the happy days of my childhood.
Having a plane to catch, I finally removed myself from in front of the 300SL to continue the visit of this unexpected collection. A few steps away, a 1966 red Amphicar - “the car that swims” - seems to be ready to dive into the still waters of the Red Sea where King Hussein enjoyed showcasing the unusual machine. Then comes a very formal Mercedes 600 and the 1968 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow that the King drove in private, accompanied by Queen Alia. The Rolls was also used for the 1974 visit to Jordan of President Nixon. Ten years later, in 1984, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited historic Petra riding in the 1984 Range Rover converted to open-air by famed Woods & Picket of England.
Being a diehard race fan, I had to make a special stop in front of the 1988 Mercedes 190E powered by a 6 cylinder 2.3 litre turbo engine producing 300 hp. The car and its “royal” driver won the 1988 Rumman Hill. Not far from the impressive white Mercedes is a bright red “rocket”, a 1989 Ferrari F40, followed by a monstrous 450 hp Porsche 959 biturbo and a 1992 350 hp Ford Escort RS Rally Cosworth with which Hussein broke the Rumman Hill Climb record in 1996. He was 61 years old.
By then, King Hussein was already ill and a Mercedes 500 SEL was witness to his triumphant return from treatment at the Mayo Cancer Clinic in 1992. A video shows him sitting atop the Mercedes through the sunroof, waving cheerfully to the dense crowd. Seven years later, a military version of the Mercedes-Benz 280GE carried the casket in the funeral procession of King Hussein.
Should you visit Jordan and the Holy Land, do take the time to stop by the Museum and learn the modern history of Jordan. You will see as I did that passion for the automobile seems to know no boundary.
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| The Ferrari exhibit |
photo:Alain Raymond
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