The Robert Lee Museum collection has been stuck in legal limbo so long, little remains, finally, the last 27 cars have been traded to the local govt

This Tucker is going to get fixed up, maybe superficially restored. All about the Tucker here: http://www.streetcustoms.com.br/revistas-carros/noticias/tucker-1035-de-roberto-lee-sera-restaurado.html

At one point in its history, it was placed on the chassis of a 1947 Cadillac Series 62, complete with the Cadillac’s drivetrain, firewall and dashboard. Some alterations to the body were also made, and it has suffered from random acts of vandalism over the last couple of decades. The city of Caçapava plans at least a cosmetic restoration of the Tucker prior to installing it in a municipal museum

Robert Lee was killed in 1975, the museum closed in 1993. The cars have been pilfered, vandalised, and neglected for 18 rainy years. See more about the abandoned museum: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Robert%20Lee

The way the local government was finally able to make a breakthrough in the war between the inheritors, was to trade the rotten brats deal where they could develop all of the properties in the inheritance if they gave up the remains of the car collection. All the self centered dorks wanted was money, now they can make money off housing developements where hte museum once was.

learned about it from http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2011/02/15/long-neglected-tucker-exhumed-headed-for-restoration

Robert Lee's Museu de Caçapava, the lost museum

Above is the before.... below, the after

Above, before... below, after the 1964 Willy Capeta

"the photo above is the Willys Capeta, Soler design of the Hall for 1965 ... It looked like a mix of Willys Interlagos with DKW with Malzoni and Brasinca Uirapuru.Esse car was donated by Ford of Australia to be part of the acquis when The Museum was inaugurated ... the adhesive reflective of the team BINO, family Greco." from comments translated by Google

Robert Lee was assassinated by his wife, someone in high society with powerful friends, and it seems that the judge in the case absolved her due to "being taken by strong emotion" .

For the full gallery : http://74.125.93.104/translate_c?hl=en&sl=pt&u=http://picasaweb.google.com.br/lcorreard/MuseuDoAutomVelDeCaApava2008&prev=/search%3Fq%3DMuseu%2Bde%2BCa%25C3%25A7apava%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us&usg=ALkJrhg0dgoO2dpwZIOA6WJUxN-oREC2vQ#

Another gallery: http://www.autoclassic.com.br/galeria/museulee/album/index_2.htm#20

In Brazil, people are very angry with the authorities from Caçapava, that has let such a huge collection disappear. Nik at Carros Antigos has made all the news about that issue, including the other blogs and message boards where we are discussing that, listed here: http://carrosantigos.wordpress.com/2008/12/11/a-discussao-sobre-o-acervo-do-roberto-lee/

Here is the gallery of Lucas, who has before and after photos of the Tucker in the lost museum

From the framed prints on the wall being removed we can see that time passed. If I am correct, the top photo was 2004, the bottom was 2008. I could be wrong.

http://picasaweb.google.com.br/lcorreard

Remember: "we lost one, but let it be remembered by saving others" (Adam Rosenbaum, Portland Maine) http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2006/11/we-lost-one-but-let-it-be-remembered.html

Once upon a car museum... in Brazil, the owner died. The heirs fought over the inheritance, it's unknown what became of the lost museums' treasures

Current state above of the museum

V12 engine and trans

In the good days when the museum was open

1932 BP-3 Alfa Romeo, Gran Prix

1929 Willys Whippet

1929 Cadillac pickup

1925 Packard 8 Phaeton

1931 Packard 845 Super 8 Cabriolet

http://www.carrosantigos2004.blogger.com.br/2004_10_01_archive.html

The following is from the email I received from "CarrosAntiago" Nik!

Roberto Lee was the father and the mother of the idea that old cars must be preserved in Brazil.

He build in Caçapava, São Paulo, a museum that for many years received visitors from all the country. People who knew him at the time say he was always there receiving friends and anyone who wanted to visit some of the classic cars he collected for years.

Roberto traveled all around Brazil saving rare cars from being destroyed in a time that we still had a lot of them to be saved. The proof is that in his collection you can see a Tucker.
The problem is that Roberto has been assassinated by his wife in the mid 70s and since them the collection was destroyed by many people who even stole parts, cars, and bikes. It seems the daughter’s didn’t have the same opinion about it and then they are fighting for his fortune since then.

Meanwhile, the treasury is being lost.

The post is because we here in Brazil recently received new photos from the area and what was left from there and what we see is a shame. A shame to our memory, to the history of the automobile and to the legacy of Roberto Lee, he was a gentle and good man.

There was a prototype car made in Brazil in the early 60s, named Carcará (name of a small eagle from here), which is lost since the 70s, that seemed to be at Roberto’s museum. The car has a wonderful story, and is very important to OUR automotive records (traveled at 210km/h with a 3 cylinders engine, Latin America record for the category until today) but seems that was stolen after Roberto’s death.

The new pictures are here. http://picasaweb.google.com.br/lcorreard/MuseuDoAutomVelDeCaApava2008#
And the old ones from when the cars were still around and in good shape here. http://picasaweb.google.com.br/lcorreard/MuseuDoAutomVelDeCaApavaANTIGAMENTE#

I will try to go to Caçapava after Christmas. If I do get close of the cars to photograph them. I will let you know.
Best regards from the friend that also LOVE your web site, Nik.

PS: Are you crazy? The blog takes me a lot of time and you still want me to write it in english????

YES!