Inside the GM Heritage Center. A look at the General Motors Collection.

I was lucky enough to attend a three-day meeting at the Heritage Center a couple of years ago, and the significant vehicles on display there were nothing short of awesome. This was a living history of General Motors. There were first and last cars built for some models. There were popular vehicles like the ’63 Corvette coupe and the ’59 Eldorado, and there were beautifully restored dream and concept cars dating from the1938 Y-Job all the way to the present.

Aside from the overwhelming collection of vehicles, you can also feast your eyes on the great vintage neon signage, engine displays, and other memorabilia throughout the display.

The Heritage Collection has been in the news lately because General Motors has been selling some of the vehicles at auctions like Barrett Jackson. Some of this is because they’re strapped for cash right now, but some of it certainly has to be a P.R. move to show the public that they’re trying.

I have to say, I hate seeing some of these vehicles go. I think the 1993 Impala SS concept, Corvette test mules, and even the first Saturn Ion should belong to General Motors. They just don’t have the same meanings once they disappear from the collection.

On the other hand, don’t believe that this collection is going away. GM kept the most significant cars, and, boy, are they ever significant. Harley Earl’s babies are here—the Y-Job, the ’53 LeSabre, the three Firebird turbine cars. Even without the cars they sold off, the Heritage Collection is unsurpassed.

The Heritage Center also contains the General Motors media archive. The collection of rare and significant literature, memos, and paper chronicle the entire history of this great company. I can only imagine what it would be like to spend a day—maybe a week—going through those historic documents.

The Heritage Center is not open to the public. It is mainly used for internal GM meetings and events. They can open it up for private meetings or car club tours, however. To set something like that up, you need to e-mail them at gmhc@gm.com.