Dan Gorman and his chrome bull

Don Gorman, while building an auto salvage yard in Rapid City, dreamed of having a museum of collectible autos and motorcycles in which everything actually worked. That’s just what A&Ak Salvage has grown to become, with their help of his wife, Marsha and their sons, Dan and Mike. I'd heard about the place, so I drove over for a look on my last trip to the Hills.

Autos and motorcycles dating to WWI are on display, along with toys, bikes, farm tractors and other collectibles. They’re parked around old-fashion gas stations and shops. Don takes one of the museum’s vintage vehicles for a spin around town every day to make sure there aren’t any funny squeaks or tings. The boss can choose his duties.

Visitors are greeted in A&A’s front yard by thousands of neatly arranged hub caps, car seats, grilles and other auto parts; and by a big shiny bull made of Cadillac bumpers. Dan, a metal sculptor, says it took a year to create. He’s been welding on a bumper elephant for three years.

How many Cadillacs does it take to make a bull? “I didn’t count,” he admits. But he may have a ‘guess the number’ contest for the pachyderm.

A&A’s first mission remains used auto parts, but they’ve happily made room for dad’s dream. Youll find it all at 1525 Seger Drive, northeast of the Rushmore Mall along I-90 (Exit 59).