When Ernie Adams was a kid in the 5-square mile town of Harvard, Nebraska, two brothers would drop off a batch of what they caught fishing that day. But what really caught his eye was the 1934 Ford two-door sedan they pulled up to the house in.
“They would drive up slowly and I saw those spokes in the wheel roll real slow,” Adams recalls. “I still see that in my mind today.”
Those images sparked the car creator’s lifelong passion for automobiles. And the results of what has been called “a hobby out of control” are on full display at the Dwarf Car Museum, the nonprofit destination that Adams runs with his family in Maricopa.
Adams is the originator of the Dwarf Car, which is about 11/16th in scale to a full-size car but flaunts all the bells and whistles found in the non-mini versions. Ever since he made his first Dwarf Car in 1965, Adams has carved a niche for himself and created a new class with a line of race cars and cruisers in this vein, each one handmade and truly one-of-a-kind.
Each one required 3,000 hours of work to craft the details in these miniature versions to replicate what would be found in a full-scale car. It’s estimated Adams built and sold hundreds of Dwarf Race Cars, as well as Dwarf Cruisers that can hit 100 miles per hour—most done as a side project during his 30-year career as a truck mechanic.
At any time, there are 13 cars in the museum.
When Adams’ son Kevin greets visitors, he offers a general introduction about the museum, its contents, and a bit of history. It doesn’t take long for guests to be amazed.
“When I tell them that these cars actually run and are street legal, their eyes get really big or they gasp,” Kevin says. “It’s kind of disbelief.”
Adams opens and closes the doors daily. Kevin’s wife Ginger, brother Richard, and mother Sheila all play key roles in running the museum, making it a true family business.
But that wasn’t the original purpose of the space, which began as Adams’ workshop where he’d build the cars. Curiosity brought in visitors who wanted to take a look at all the Dwarf Cars that were covered up. This meant uncovering the cars, and after they left, covering them up again. This pattern repeated itself often.
“The first thing they’d say is that it looks like a museum,” Kevin recalls. “More people would keep coming. I was sitting with my dad one day and said, ‘Why don’t we turn it into a museum?’”
And just like that, the Dwarf Car Museum was born.
“I watched Ernie build these cars for most of my life. They are pieces of art and people should be looking at them,” Kevin says. “The satisfaction for me is just being able to show them what we do as a family, having them meet Ernie and smile, and have a good time.”
Adams admits he misses the art of building cars. But he also relishes what the museum offers to those who appreciate his work.
“I really like to sit out there all day and visit with people who come in,” he says. “I don’t say a lot … I let the cars show themselves.”
"They are pieces of art and people should be looking at them.”
“I don’t say a lot … I let the cars show themselves.”