If You Love Cars, the Southland Is Your Ticket

The Nethercutt Collection is one of the largest private collections of classic autos open to the public, and one of the few that doesn’t charge admission.

The original 30-vehicle showroom and antique musical implements collection at 15200 Bledsoe St. in Sylmar can be viewed on a two-hour tour, starting at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Tour reservations are required. (818) 364-6464.

The new Nethercutt Museum, with more than 150 vehicles, is across the street and is also open Tuesday through Saturday.

But the Nethercutt isn’t alone. Southern California is car country and is rich in automobilia. Here is a sampling of other museums and public collections.

Ventura County

Otis Chandler’s Vintage Museum. Oxnard. (805) 486-5929; https://www.chandlerwheels.com. Retired Los Angeles Times Publisher Otis Chandler’s collection of American motorcycles, classic cars and racing cars.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., one day a month. Call for directions and the next public viewing date.

Admission: $7; no children under 12.

Los Angeles County

NHRA Motorsports Museum. Los Angeles County Fairplex, Gate 1, 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona. (909) 622-2133; https://www.nhraonline.com/museum. The National Hot Rod Assn. museum holds scores of early track, Bonneville, dry-lake and drag-racing cars and hot rods.

Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission: Adults, $5; ages 6-15 and 60 and older, $3; under 5, free.

Petersen Automotive Museum. 6060 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. (323) 930-2277; https://www.petersen.org. One of the premier automotive museums in the nation. The first level is devoted to the history of the car in Southern California, the second floor has revolving displays.

Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Admission: adults, $7; students with valid ID and senior citizens 62 and older, $5; children 5-12, $3; under 5, free. Parking: $4.

San Bernardino County

Vintage Coach Museum. 16593 Arrow Blvd., Fontana. (909) 823-9168. Private collection of nearly 70 Hudsons from 1933 to 1954, including 15 restored to original condition.

Hours: By appointment only, Mondays through Saturdays.

Admission: Free.

Orange County

Marconi Automotive Museum. 1302 Industrial Drive, Tustin. (714) 258-3001. Collector and vintage racing enthusiast Dick Marconi’s hands-on car museum displays 65 sports and racing cars, including 18 Ferraris.

Hours: By appointment, Monday through Friday.

Admission: $5, children under 12 free.

San Diego County

Deer Park Winery and Auto Museum. 29013 Champagne Blvd. South, Escondido. (760) 749-1666. The museum is devoted to the convertible, with lots of little-known names from the 1950s such as the Crosley Hotshot.

Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission: Adults, $6; senior citizens 55 and older, $4; children under 12, free.