Car stuff to do in Chicago?

There is a good chance I'll be in Chicago soon. I'll have a non-sporting vehicle, so I can go beyond the CTA's limits, if needed, but most of my time will be around the loop.

Any suggestions for car-related fun in the area?

Volo museum, autobahn country club, Road America a couple hours north (NASA midwest season end coming up). Not necessarily auto, but science and industry museum come to mind.

All the cool car shows have finished for the year or I could point you to one.
North Shore Motorsports http://www.northshoresportscars.com/about-us/

They used to race cars in Soldier Field - now some football team plays there. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGoxE-yqEGE

Yeah, not car stuff but cool. Museum of Science and Industry - I second this. Art Institute - Yes.

My all time favorite thing to do in Chicago........The Italian Village Restaurant - eat upstairs at the village.

http://www.italianvillage-chicago.com/

If you like automobilia, you'll love The Motorsport Gallery in Downers Grove.

gjz30075 wrote: If you like automobilia, you'll love The Motorsport Gallery in Downers Grove.

I used to live in that town and go pickup stuff at this store - I have to agree with you that they have some great stuff - lots of old books

(honestly I didn't know they were still in business)

If you can get out to Addison of a Friday night, a buddy's hotrod shop hosts an adult beverage night. The shop is called Hot Rod Chassis & Cycle and is geared toward 64 and older style builds. Tell Kevin, Appleseed sent you.

Volo Auto Museum. It's about an hour north of Chicago & well worth it. Was visiting a friend out there last week & checked that place out. Lot's of Hollywood cars.

http://volocars.com/

In the Loop your car stuff will be limited, as you are in the heart of the city. The Science and Industry museum is worth the trip just to check out the WWII German U-Boat. (mass transit will get you there)

Outside of the city:

Volo--- cool auto and military collection and most cars are for sale

Northshore Sportscars--- In Lake Bluff--- cool if you like British cars (also most cars for sale)

Continental Autosport---Hindsdale-- Ferrari, Maserati, exotica---wear your nicest Italian loafers!

Racetracks:

Autobahn-- Joliet-- Country club sort of track, they host all kinds of stuff

Blackhawk Farms---South Beloit--- great club track

Rockford Speedway--- roundy round short-track fun--- about 1.5 hours from the city

Road America--- Elkhart Lake-- one of the best tracks in the U.S. if not the world--- great place- 2.5 hours from city

I'd also check with the local SCCA region to see if there are any autocross events happening in the area.

have fun, Chicago rocks!

There is a Lambo and Bentley dealership some where in that area. I think it was called Gold Coast Bentley. It was cool to go look at.

When will you be there?

Joe Gearin wrote: Northshore Sportscars--- In Lake Bluff--- cool if you like British cars (also most cars for sale)

Northshore Sportscars is actually a Morgan dealership. Very cool place. I think they even have a few 3-wheelers there right now, but they might be kits. This is as of 2-months ago. After you're done, meander about 1/2 mile west, and go to Rita's for the fried perch. Or go about 1/2 mile east and go to the Silo for pizza (not the best pizza in Chicago, but not bad). Or Scooners, great little hot dog joint.

93EXCivic wrote: There is a Lambo and Bentley dealership some where in that area. I think it was called Gold Coast Bentley. It was cool to go look at.

I believe it is out of business. Shady place as well. It had a used car dealer right next to it (run by the same dude) that felt like it was run by a Middle Eastern Mafia. We looked at two cars there, (BMW and Mercedes)--one had been in a flood, the other an accident, and they denied both and wouldn't even show us the car fax. Look up some reviews of "Luxury Motors Downers Grove" for more scary stuff about it.

http://www.historicautoattractions.com/Pages/home.html

Here's another NW of Chicago.

Also I saw on the local news about another car museum that just opened to the public but I forgot it's name and it's so new that it doesn't show up on my Google search.

Oh, I can't believe no one has mentioned this yet!

CIR: Chicago Indoor Racing. Tracks in Addison and Buffalo Grove. Got a bar and restaurant on the premises too, very nice place.
http://www.chicagoindoorracing.com/

Also, Melrose Park Indoor Grand Prix. I've heard that the racing experience is about as good as CIR, but the facility otherwise is not as nice.
http://www.mpgrandprix.com/

Oh... there is also a Porsche racing team/tuner shop near O'Hare. European Motorsports maybe?

Eurosport is the Porsche tuner. I see it every time I go to Ohare. They also have a branch at Autobahn.

Depending on when you're going: There's a 24 Hours of LeMons race at Autobahn soon--the weekend of the 8th. http://www.24hoursoflemons.com/chicago2011.aspx

You're guaranteed to see a purple Bluesmobile-themed GM A-body and a Ford Escort with Richard Nixon mounted to the roof. Possibly also an MR2 powered by a five-cylinder aircraft radial engine. Definitely there'll be a $1 chili dog buffet put on by a man who makes (literally) award-winning chili.

He knows your secrets and will use them against you.

http://www.haasauto.com/ Newman Haas is down the road from me. Interesting hardware at their shop/dealership

OT but does anyone in the Chi remember the name of the guy from Alabama that advertised in Hemmings and had the building stuffed to the hilt on all 3 (or 4?) floors with British car parts? Was maybe 20 years ago, near north side as far as I remember, entrance was through the garage door in the back alley, maybe Damen and North Ave-ish? My memory fails which is embarrasing given all the hours spent pestering him and hanging around. Just curious whatever happened to the man, the building and all those parts!!??!

mtn wrote:

93EXCivic wrote: There is a Lambo and Bentley dealership some where in that area. I think it was called Gold Coast Bentley. It was cool to go look at.

I believe it is out of business. Shady place as well. It had a used car dealer right next to it (run by the same dude) that felt like it was run by a Middle Eastern Mafia. We looked at two cars there, (BMW and Mercedes)--one had been in a flood, the other an accident, and they denied both and wouldn't even show us the car fax. Look up some reviews of "Luxury Motors Downers Grove" for more scary stuff about it.

http://www.bentleygoldcoast.com/

Looks like it is still in business to me and I really don't remember any car dealership next to it. This wasn't far from the magnificent mile.

93EXCivic wrote:

mtn wrote:

93EXCivic wrote: There is a Lambo and Bentley dealership some where in that area. I think it was called Gold Coast Bentley. It was cool to go look at.

I believe it is out of business. Shady place as well. It had a used car dealer right next to it (run by the same dude) that felt like it was run by a Middle Eastern Mafia. We looked at two cars there, (BMW and Mercedes)--one had been in a flood, the other an accident, and they denied both and wouldn't even show us the car fax. Look up some reviews of "Luxury Motors Downers Grove" for more scary stuff about it.

http://www.bentleygoldcoast.com/ Looks like it is still in business to me and I really don't remember any car dealership next to it. This wasn't far from the magnificent mile.

There is/was a Downers Grove location under a different name, owned by the same scumbag. Although he might have sold all the locations to a different dealership.

Took that at Gold Coast. Interesting place...rare to be able to walk right in and ogle Ferraris, Lamborghinis and such. (Very near to Ghirardelli Chocolate as well.)

Not very car-related, but Blue Man Group is an easy cab ride away and worth the ticket.

The Chop House is also mandatory for a trip to Chicago, and your bill will be about the Challenge Budget so that kinda counts.

pinchvalve wrote: Took that at Gold Coast. Interesting place...rare to be able to walk right in and ogle Ferraris, Lamborghinis and such. (Very near to Ghirardelli Chocolate as well.) Not very car-related, but Blue Man Group is an easy cab ride away and worth the ticket. The Chop House is also mandatory for a trip to Chicago, and your bill will be about the Challenge Budget so that kinda counts.

This has nothing to do with Chicago but that pic reminds me of walking around Midwestern Auto Group MAG.

Yeah I just walked past Gold Coast Motors a couple months ago. It's amazing that the CPD lets them park cars to be serviced on the sidewalk.

This maybe out of your way, but if you're in the loop and have a day to waste, you can take the South Shore Line to South Bend, IN to see the purpose built Studebaker Museum and have lunch at Tippecanoe Place (Studebaker Mansion).

There is a lot of stuff people posted above that I dont need to repeat that are great places to go.

Make sure to stop at Pizzeria UNO, Girodanos, or Ginos East for some deepdish pizza.

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: Make sure to stop at Pizzeria UNO, Girodanos, or Ginos East for some deepdish pizza.

I must be a bad Chicagoan (although I am really a suburbanite who wants to move out of Chicagoland) because I really am not a fan of Chicago Deep Dish. Chicago Thin Crust is where it is at (Maybe I'm not a bad Chicagoan, I just ended a sentence with a preposition!)

In any case, my favorite Deep Dish is Lou Malnati's.

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: Yeah I just walked past Gold Coast Motors a couple months ago. It's amazing that the CPD lets them park cars to be serviced on the sidewalk.

I'm sure they either know someone or grease some palms.

You should also make a trip to Revolution Brewing. Best brewery IMO in Chicago. If you like dark beers try the Eugene. Delicious!

Oh and if you want someone to race against at CIR I live near the one in the suburbs

I bought my 986s and my E55 from luxury motors. Just like any used car lot do your due diligence.

I always make one pass up and down Michigan but I like shopping so yrmv.