CHICAGO _ Larry Klairmont's early interest in cars got him into a bit of hot water. It was during the Depression and 5-year-old Larry was a particularly small boy whose family was so poor it ate potatoes for months on end. Naturally, the youngster had few toys. And he was bored.
"One day when I was walking home from school I was looking at parked cars and noticed all these hood ornaments," said Klairmont, who grew up with his grandmother in small-town Maywood, Ill. "Being a little aggressive, I started taking the ornaments off. I took them home and put them on display, and a few days later we get a knock on the door. Two police officers. One says to my grandmother, 'I'd like to see Larry Klairmont.' She said 'Let me find him for you.' He helped drag me out from under the bed. The policeman looked at me and said, 'This is Larry Klairmont?' He laughed and told me not to do that anymore."
While Klairmont's criminal antics ended, his passion for cars endured. These days he owns Klairmont Kollections, a glistening assemblage of 319 vehicles that represents motoring history. The private museum, which caters to charities and other organizations and is available for tours, is housed in a nondescript building on Chicago's northwest side. Vehicles range from a 1906 American Motors Tourist and rare 1924 Pierce-Arrow Series 33 to a 1958 BMW Isetta and 1979 Ferrari 308 GTS.
With its 30-foot ceilings, the two-level museum takes up nearly 100,000 square feet, including a 24,000-square-foot expansion opened last year.
Open since 2011, the museum includes re-creations of a Packard dealership, the iconic Route 66 Cucamonga Gas Station and a classic drive-in theater featuring an array of coupes from the '50s and '60s. Neon and vintage posters and signage abound throughout the collection.
At nearly 90, Klairmont's ardor for life remains undimmed. For one thing, he has a Can-Am Spyder motorcycle that he likes to ride.
"He's an amazing guy," said Andrew Vogel, who handles marketing for the collection. "He's at the museum nearly every day, looking after one project or another. Not only does he expend that much energy, but the museum gives him a lot of energy too."
