In the industrial heart of Livonia, a vast garage, home to nearly 115 classic cars, pays homage to the remarkable legacy of one of NASCAR’s most influential figures and the auto industry titan, Jack Roush. The Roush Automotive Collection, named aptly after its owner, is open to the public and boasts cars of immense historical significance, many being priceless family heirlooms.
The centerpiece of the collection is a silver Mustang, affectionately called “Old Crow”, bearing a bright red spoiler and yellow front bumper. This spectacular vehicle is a tribute to Brig. Gen. Bud Anderson, a celebrated World War II flying ace, who flew four different P-51 Mustang airplanes, the majority of which he named Old Crow.
The 82-year-old owner of this automotive treasure trove, Jack Roush, is the founder and co-owner of NASCAR team RFK Racing and the force behind a global empire serving the automotive, aerospace, defense, and theme park industries. Despite his extraordinary accomplishments, he is affectionately known as Dad to Susan Roush McClenaghan, the program manager of the Roush Automotive Collection, and his two other children.
Susan, herself an accomplished drag racer, holds a deep appreciation for these classic cars and helps to preserve these invaluable slices of history for future generations. Among the wealth of unique vehicles in the collection is a 1975 Mustang II, nicknamed “Sudden Death”, built by Roush to reign supreme on the streets of Woodward and a 1913 model Rauch & Lang electric Brougham, believed to be the oldest car in the collection.
Adding to the eclectic mix of cars is Susan’s beloved replica of the iconic 1966 Batmobile from the Adam West television show “Batman”, and a poignant tribute to a near-death experience of Jack Roush. Displayed notably on the wall is a mangled wreck of a small aircraft which Roush survived an accident in, reminding of the fragility of life amid the grandeur of the collection.
Not just a display of rare and classic beauties, the Roush Automotive Collection is a visual narration of Jack Roush’s remarkable journey, starting from his first race win in a 1969 Mustang to building a global empire. These cars serve as a testament to the man’s ability to transform his passion into a legacy, carefully curated and now displayed in this vast garage, open for public viewing from Monday to Friday, a must-visit for any automotive aficionado.
