Sixth Annual Acorn Tour Route Blends Spectacular Color With Enticing Stops

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Sept. 8, 2008 - The Walter P. Chrysler Museum is hosting its sixth annual Acorn Tour, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008. The scenic excursion, exclusively for auto enthusiasts with vehicles of any make at least 45 years old (manufactured in 1963 or earlier), combines leisurely travel along roadways awash in autumn's vibrant hues with enjoyable stops for tours and dining.

The 2008 Acorn Tour gets underway at 8:30 a.m. at the three-story Walter P. Chrysler Museum, in Auburn Hills, with continental breakfast and informal tours of more than 70 antique, custom and concept vehicles that span a century and celebrate the proud American heritage of an automotive original.

From the Museum, the Acorn Tour winds through western Oakland County, Mich. to:

  --  Dick Shuman's private vehicle collection, in Walled Lake, for a
      narrated stroll among the veteran auto dealer's vintage models dating
      back to a 1908 Maxwell he acquired in a trade for a new Chrysler Town
      & Country minivan. Several performance vehicles from collector Steve
      Atwell's garage will be displayed as well. Shuman's personal museum
      also showcases automotive memorabilia and photographs, including the
      last set of eight Helck automotive prints commissioned by Esquire
      Magazine following World War II and the famous 1953 Blackwell painting
      of Henry Ford, Edsel Ford and Henry Ford II commemorating the
      automaker's 50th anniversary.
  --  picturesque views of Middle Straits Lake and the lush fairways of Bay
      Pointe Golf Club, in West Bloomfield, for a delicious midday repast.
      Enjoy your choice of luncheon entree: Fresh Salmon Fillet (with maitre
      d' butter) or Chicken Marsala (with mushrooms and onions). Savor every
      bite with a libation from a cash bar.
  --  the Cranbrook Educational Community, in Bloomfield Hills, for a guided
      tour of:
      --  the 1908 Arts and Crafts-style Albert Kahn-designed House &
          Gardens, the oldest surviving manor home in metro Detroit, owned
          by George Booth and Helen Scripps Booth; or
      --  Saarinen House and Garden, the restored home of Finnish-American
          designers Eliel and Loja Saarinen, that combines Arts and Crafts
          with Art Deco design elements for a total work of art; or
      --  Cranbrook Outdoor Sculptures and Art Museum, highlighting
          Cranbrook's profound influence on the worlds of twentieth-century
          art, architecture and design.
  --  The Cupcake Station, in downtown Birmingham, to top the tour with a
      sampling of sweet treats.

Convenient parking is available at all Acorn Tour stops and a suggested route of paved roads will be provided. The Walter P. Chrysler Museum is located at the corner of Featherstone and Squirrel Roads on the Chrysler Headquarters complex, in Auburn Hills. From I-75, take exit 78 (Chrysler Drive) and follow the signs.

The Acorn Tour is $58 per person, payable in advance at registration by Tuesday, September 30.

Acorn Tour participants are asked to provide the following information at registration:

  --  driver's name and address, telephone number, e-mail address and make
      and model of vehicle
  --  luncheon entree selection for each guest in the party
  --  preferred Cranbrook tour (list first, second, third choices due to
      limited admission to Saarinen House)
  --  if paying by credit card: account owner name, account number and
      expiration date