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Posts for 2016

Winter driving tips for holiday travel

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Holiday travel is starting to get heavier and will continue to be busy through the rest of the year, but so are the chances for snow. Murphy’s Law predicts that it will snow on the day that you are planning on heading home for Christmas or New Year’s celebrations. So how do you combat that? Here are a few winter driving tips to help you make your holiday travel smooth and accident free and allow you to arrive at your destination safe and sound.

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Christmas gift ideas for classic car lovers

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‘Tis the season for gift giving. Everyone has those gifts that are easy to buy for their friends, whether it’s your mom or your grandma. But there’s also that one person who no matter how many Christmas gift ideas you have, you can’t think of a single thing that they would appreciate or enjoy. Classic car lovers can always be an especially difficult person to buy for; not everybody can afford to buy a classic car that needs to be restored in a garage for someone. So here are some fun ideas of gifts for classic car lovers that your hard-to-buy-for person may appreciate.

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Winter car maintenance tips

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Winter has officially come and the snow has started flying. That can only mean one thing: it’s time to winterize not only your house, but your car as well. Winter car maintenance is crucial to ensuring a long life for your car, whether its old or new, but especially old cars need specific care to make sure they’re winterized. Here are a few car care tips to ensure your car is ready for the harsh South Dakota winter ahead.

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Teaching kids car maintenance

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As they grow up, teaching kids becomes even more important. It’s important to teach them a wide range of skills, everything from how to walk to tying their shoes to reading and writing. Teaching kids basic car maintenance is crucial to their later success because they ultimately will one day own a car, and teaching them that they can take care of basic things themselves can save them a lot of time and money later in life. Here are a few basic car maintenance things that adults should be teaching kids.

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Car classifications: Is it a classic, antique, or vintage?

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While it may not seem that way to the untrained eye, there are a lot of differences between classic cars and others, such as vintage or antique cars. The car classifications are important and interesting to note for those as interested in classic cars as we are here at Pioneer Auto Show. So what are the differences between a vintage car, an antique car, and a classic car and what are the car classifications that make a car classic? Here are the definitions of classic, antique, and vintage cars.

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Fall riding tips for a late motorcycle ride

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Fall is one of the best times to take a motorcycle ride through not only the Black Hills, but many other parts of the country. The changing leaves add a nice touch to any ride and are always worth getting out to see. But doing for a motorcycle ride in the fall can have its own set of challenges that riders must face and be ready for. Changing temperatures and the possibility of snow or rain all present themselves to riders, so here are a few tips on how to take a very enjoyable motorcycle ride in the fall.

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Tractor safety tips

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It’s important to practice proper safety procedures when operating any machinery, but especially large, heavy machinery, such as tractors. Pioneer Auto Show has a large variety of tractors on display, over 60 to be exact. All of the tractors are on display for viewing during business hours, but how do you properly handle one of these pieces of machinery? Here are a few safety tips to follow when operating a tractor on your own farm.

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American cars vs. foreign cars

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Whenever buying a car or looking at classic cars, the question always posed is “Is this an American or foreign made car?” There are numerous differences between American cars and foreign made cars and most people who prefer one won’t drive the other, and vice versa. While there are benefits to each one, as well as downfalls, the difference between the two are always worth noting. Here are a few of the differences that we have noted between American cars and foreign made cars.

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Learn How to Begin the Restoration Process on a Classic Car in Three Simple Steps

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Have you ever attended an old-fashioned car show and wished you could enter a classic car in it? Well, now you can! Starting the restoration process on a classic car can be simple, but there are a few factors to consider before jumping in.

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As Automobiles Expand, so do Travel Plans for many Summer Road Trips

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When automobiles were first created, only the wealthy families could afford them. Road trips were a high class privilege until after World War II when everyone was able to venture out and see the United States for themselves. The entire nation was every family’s dream to explore from coast to coast in their automobiles. Since then, road trips continue to be a symbol of freedom and adventure.

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Car maintenance tips for your summer travel

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We are well into the dog days of summer and the heat this year seems higher than most years. The heat can not only have an effect on you and your family, but it can also take its toll on your car and its ability to function. There are a few things you can do to help your car survive the high heat of this summer and ensure that it makes it through the summer to the fall. Here are a few tips of things you should do, especially right before a family road trip.

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Pet friendly family vacation tips

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Tis the season for family vacations and that includes Fido. He is part of the family after all, so why leave him home when you can bring him along for the ride. He likes a road trip as much as the rest of the family. There are some things that need to be done, however, prior to your road trip with Fido. Do some research into pet friendly areas that you can take your pet with you, such as hotels and entertainment venues. Lucky for you, Pioneer Auto Show is pet friendly and we’d love to have your family pet join you! Here are a few road trip tips to help you have a smooth pet friendly family vacation.

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"A man, a tractor and the wide open road"

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"A man, a tractor and the wide open road" Dewey Brooks and his promise that he kept for his Dad.

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Pioneer Auto Show launches new website

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The World Famous Pioneer Auto Show has launched a new website and is home to some neat features. The new, easier to navigate, website was launched in June and is jam packed with everything you will need to know about how to make the most of your trip to the Pioneer Auto Show.

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Enjoying a Tour of Western U.S.

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South Dakota Mail, Plankington, SD
September 1, 2005

The Mail Office acknowledges a most pleasant visit Tuesday morning, August 23rd with two visitors from Spain, who were stopping in Plankington on their way to and from a tour of the Western United States.

Nuria Barreda and Igor Cortazar, of Bilboa (a city of over 300,000) in the northern part of Spain, spent some time visiting with John and Susan Steele, as they made their way through four states, camping, mountain climbing, and seeing the sights of the “wild west”.

This is the second time Nuria has been to Plankington, having been a foreign exchange student, living with the Steeles for three months in 1996. For Igor this is his first time in the United States and, in fact, the first time he’s been out of his native country.

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Murdo in May Auction

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B. Mitchell Carlson and Roy Velander reporting
Old Cars Weekly
June 15, 2006

Pioneer Auto Museum presented its Murdo in May Collector Car Auction on May 20th in Murdo, SD of which 103 vehicles offered, 62 were declared sold. This represents a 60.2 percent selling rate.

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In Murdo, they don’t call it hospitality row for nothing

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Our Towns is a feature of the Monday Argus Leader
By Terry Woster
Argus Leader Staff

Murdo- Murdo folks know their future depends in part on tourism, so they like to see travelers roll off Interstate 90. But if a recent visitor from Iowa comes again, there’ll be no welcoming smiles.

The traveler apparently drove through Murdo one hot day this summer and went home to Doon Iowa, to publish his impressions in the Doon Press. The column criticized Jones County for poor sidewalks, gravel streets, dry lawns and “a variety of wood clapboard churches that show better times.” The town owes its life to its county seat, I-90 and the antique car museum, the writer said.

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South Dakota Road Trip

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By Jerry Ziems

Last summer I had occasion to go to Rapid City South Dakota on business traveling across the state on I-90 is somewhat boring and the only thing you see are billboards. A little more than halfway across the state is a little town called Murdo.

Murdo is home to a car museum belonging to a gentleman named Dave Geisler. The museum covers a lot of ground and consists of several large sheds full of old cars, trucks, tractors and equipment. It is worth much more than the admission price of $7.00. I spent a couple hours there and did not see it all. I did, however, spot a red 1955 Thunderbird that had license plates on it from 1972. It looked pretty good except for the convertible top. As I was leaving I talked to Dave about the T-Bird and he said it was for sale for $16,500. He also mentioned that "Murdo in May" was coming up soon.

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Editor's Point

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Murdo, S.D., is home to Dave Geisler, your "friend beside the road." That's how he introduces himself when visitors stop at the Pioneer Auto Show museum. Murdo isn't much longer than a blink as cars speed along I-90. A few hundred people call Murdo home, so it is hardly a major metropolis. But it has something other places don't always have.

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Tour Spotlight Pioneer Auto Show and Prairie Town -- Murdo, South Dakota

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Bus Tours Magazine
March, 2008

If you are traveling to or from Mt. Rushmore, the Black Hills or Yellowstone National Park, treat your group to a stop at the exciting Pioneer Auto Show and Prairie Town, in Murdo, South Dakota, located halfway between Sioux Falls and Rapid City. Classic car enthusiasts and nostalgia buffs will love The Big Variety Show, which is a fun-filled experience featuring more than 250 antique and classic cars, motorcycles and tractors, as well as collectible music boxes, toys and nostalgic items. In addition, the show features a dramatic collection of famous Zeitner rocks, gems and fossils.

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Wild Bill’s Car Connection

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By Billy B. Ruiz
Central Dakota Times
Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Make and Year of Vehicle: 1968 Shelby GT500 Two-Door Hatchback
Owner: Dave Geisler, Owner of Pioneer Auto Museum of Murdo
Stock or Modified: Stock
Transmission: C6 Automatic
Motor: 428
Rear-End Gear Ratio: Stock Posi-Trac Nine-Inch Ford
Interior Package: Black with Bucket Seats and Floor Shifter
Color: Red with White Stripes
Wheels and Tires: Cobra Mags and Radials- The original Bias Goodyears are shown in this article because this reporter thinks they are the reason for all the accidents.
Intake-Carburetion: Holley
Accessories: Shelby Dash Floor Console with Shifter-Shelby and Cobra badges and highway patrol car behind it.
Brakes: Disc Front, Drum Back

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This Flying By on the Interstate Has Got to Stop

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Golden West Communications Newsletter
September 20, 2006

A.J. Geisler was selling gasoline at his Phillips 66 Station in Murdo, SD for 30 cents a gallon and vertical fender fins were still a year away from appearing on the 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air when President Eisenhower signed into law the bill creating the nation’s Interstate Highway system.

At the same time, a group of scientists and engineers were putting into place the makings for a very different highway of their own, an electronic highway that would decades later bring another type of traveler to the Geisler’s business.

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Pioneer Auto Show receives commendations for great service

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By Pam Daum

The Tourism Education Council, the South Dakota Department of Tourism and Governor Mike Rounds have recognized Murdo’s Pioneer Auto Show and their employees for their outstanding service. South Dakota has a tradition of hospitality, and the Pioneer Auto Show employees have extended this tradition to visitors that have passed through their door, providing friendly service that has brought letters of praise from those receiving the service. “Many have found that extending a helping hand and giving a warm smile has its own rewards, but we want to recognize those individuals who are singled out by our visitors for going beyond what is expected,” wrote Governor Rounds.

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Old Cars Weekly Articles

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Midwest-built cars help fill ‘Pioneer’ collection

Murdo, S.D., is as good a place as any to discuss cars built in the Midwest, outside of Michigan, and Dave Geisler, of the Pioneer Auto Show, may be better than most to be in that discussion.

“The Pioneer Auto Show was started in 1954 by my dad, A.J. ‘Dick’ Geisler and his family,” Geisler said. In 1945, the family moved to Murdo and opened a John Deere and Chevrolet dealership, followed later by a Phillips 66 gas station.

Eventually, when the car collection started building, A.J.’s sons, John and Dave, joined in finding some wonderful examples of America’s motoring past. Many cars came to the collection through tips and classified ads.

Read the full article here (.pdf)

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Courrier Magazine - January 2010

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Guest easily can spend a day and evening at Murdo-based Pioneer Auto and Antique Town, which encompasses more than 40 buildings over several acres. Hundreds of antique cars, tractors and motorcycles, as well as vintage toys and other nostalgia, are just a portion of what’s available at his unique attraction. The facility also is home to the National Rockhound Hall of Fame and Lapidary, where rare rocks, gems and fossils are displayed.

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