OWLS HEAD — An antique one-of-a-kind vehicle, and a brand-new film telling its story are the focal points of Owls Head Transportation Museum’s latest event. A panel including Andy Swift of Firefly Restoration and Chris Hood, owner of CW Yachts and the great-grandson of the vehicle’s inventor, will be on hand; a film by Alison Langley will also premiere at the event.

On Saturday, March 9, the Owls Head Transportation Museum will hold its second event in their spring education series, What Drives Us. This three-pronged event will include an “open hood” perspective of ALL the vehicles in the museum’s collection as well as an all-day special STEM family education activity. The highlight of the day will be a 1 p.m. lecture focusing on a one-of-a-kind vehicle: the 1901 Hood Steam Electric Car.

Invented by Ralph Otho, the 1901 Steamer is one of only two prototypes built by Hood – his first steam-powered car was built in 1899. Hood incorporated electrical innovation in the steam power age. The key innovation of this engine was the combination of steam and electricity in the pursuit of optimum efficiency.

A 1pm lecture will feature Firefly Restoration’s Andy Swift, Dave Ramee and Svea Delevett along with Hood’s great-grandson Chris Hood, owner of CW Hood Yachts. The panel of speakers will be available to answer questions from the audience during what Executive Director John Bottero says will be an “exploration into the process of invention.”

A film produced by photographer Alison Langley, Ralph Otho Hood, Inside the Inventor’s Mind will be premiered at the event. The film was commissioned by the Richard C. Paine Jr Automobile Collection Charitable Trust.

A trailer of the film may be watched here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoVAoH7PdNM

Invention and engineering are also the focus of the STEM Saturday activity available to young learners on Saturday. For the “LEGO Race Derby,” children will build their own model race cars, then learn about aerodynamics and velocity as the vehicles are sent down a special racetrack with a computerized speed timer. OHTM’s education department offers STEM Saturdays year-round, with programming focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

What Drives Us isn’t just for automobile enthusiasts. Not only will the hoods on all the vehicles in the collection be lifted for the March 9 event – the engines on the museum’s historic aircraft will also be on display.

“Aircraft and Ground Vehicle conservators, as well as museum volunteers and docents, will be on hand to give guests unprecedented access to these rare vehicles throughout the day,” said OHTM, in a news release.

The following automobiles and aircraft will be featured at the event:

Ground Vehicles:
1926 Model T Snowmobile
1932 MG J2
1912 Woods Electric
1916 Scripps Booth
1918 American Lafrance Model T Ford Fire Truck
1932 Chevrolet Confederate Sedan & 1932 Chevrolet Confederate Roadster

Aircraft:
1930 Pircairn PA-7S Sport Mailwing w/ Curtiss Wright Whirlwind R760 engine
1950s Pietenpol w/ Model A engine
1932 Fokker C.IVA
1917 Curtiss JN-4D “Jenny”

The What Drives Us education series is produced with the cooperation of the Richard C. Paine Jr Automobile Collection Charitable Trust, Owls Head Transportation Museum, The Stanley Museum, and the Maine Math and Science Alliance. For more information on this and other events at OHTM, visit: https://owlshead.org/

WHEN:
Saturday, March 9
Open Hood 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Lecture 1:00 pm
STEM Activity: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm