Car Museum's Virtual Tour Lets You 'Sit' in Prewar Marvels

Every classic car collection and museum needs a virtual tour option like Ken and Joan Austin's Rod Shop in Newberg, Oregon. Not only can you virtually walk through the collection and check out some of the rare vintage metal, but you can actually "sit" inside most of the cars and check them out as if you were actually behind the wheel. For many of us, it's the closest we're going to get to driving perfectly restored icons like a 1937 Ford Roadster and 1928 Chevy Coupe, or an incredibly rare 1931 American Austin.

The Rod Shop is home to mostly prewar American cars, many of which are hot rods. That's because prior to becoming a successful businessman, Ken Austin built and repaired them. Austin unfortunately passed away in 2019 at the age of 87, but his automotive passion persists in his collection, which ranges from concourse-ready, ultra-rare classics to custom-built hot rods.

The aforementioned American Austin is an example of the former, as the American Austin Car Company isn't exactly the most well-known of classic American marques, having only existed from 1929 to 1935. Meanwhile, the collection's 1927 Ford Model T Street Rod is a good example of a mean-looking custom, with its exposed engine and all-business interior.