CORVETTES IN COMPETITION

Posted on July 30, 2023 by MartynL

The evolution of racing America's sports car showcased in CORVETTES IN COMPETITION at the Petersen Museum. In the 1950s, sports cars were taking the nation by storm, and foreign manufacturers like MG, Ferrari, and Porsche were ruling the streets. But then, in 1953, Chevrolet unleashed a game-changer: the Corvette! Initially a head-turner, it needed a hero to match its looks with power. Enter Zora Arkus-Duntov, the Russian engineer who transformed the Corvette into a speed demon that could rival...

WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS HOT ROD

Posted on March 18, 2023 by MartynL

Bruce Meyer donates the WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS HOT ROD – ’32 Ford McGee Roadster – to the Petersen Automotive Museum. “The McGee Roadster is so much more than just a car. It is the symbol of an entire era and generation of innovative hot rodders,” said Terry Karges, right, executive director of the Petersen. “We are honored by Bruce’s donation and proud to preserve this piece of history.” Constructed by noted hot rod builder Bob McGee, the McGee Roadster introduced an aesthetic that qui...

MERCEDES-BENZ: AMG RED PIG RACER

Posted on May 4, 2020 by MartynL

That’s what they called the 300 SEL sedan powered by a 6.8 liter, 428 horsepower V8 sedan that won its class at the 1971 24 Hours of Spa and finished second overall! The MERCEDES-BENZ: AMG RED PIG RACER is credited with the birth of AMG. Today, AMG is the in-house performance arm of Mercedes-Benz, but it started out as a humble operation run by two engineers. The car that launched AMG on the path to three-pointed stardom was a hulking sedan named the “Red Pig.” Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard M...

METALLICA’S JAMES HATFIELD: RECLAIMED RUST

Posted on April 19, 2020 by MartynL

Artisan designed and built hot rods & customs showcase METALLICA’S JAMES HATFIELD: RECLAIMED RUST eclectic collection of bespoke, head-turning wheels. Best known as a co-founder, songwriter, singer, and guitarist for heavy metal band Metallica, James Hetfield has also gained recognition in the automotive world for his unique collection of entirely bespoke vehicles. While the vast majority of collectors acquire vehicles by purchasing pre-existing examples, Hetfield elected instead to build h...

JAMES HETFIELD ROCKS THE PETERSEN

Posted on February 4, 2020February 4, 2020 by MartynL

Metallica co-founder, lead singer, guitarist and songwriter James Hetfield Rocks The Petersen with 10 of his favorite customs. The Petersen Automotive Museum debuted a new exhibit - Reclaimed Rust: The James Hetfield Collection - on February 1, 2020 which features 10 custom vehicles donated from the rock star’s personal collection. Located in the Bruce Meyer Family Gallery, the show celebrates Hetfield’s creativity as a world-renowned artist through his handcrafted custom cars and unique photos....

BUICK POWER: APOLLO GT.

Posted on January 12, 2020January 12, 2020 by MartynL

Rare and inventive, the Buick-powered, Italian-bodied Apollo GT is far from forgotten. The sports car history books are chock full of ambitious young folks dreaming big, pooling their cash, and setting up shop to take on the world. Then they often run out of money and close their doors after just a few years. Making cars is a business, after all, and as it turns out, building sports cars, like the stunning BUICK POWER: APOLLO GT and turning a profit is not at all easy. A perfect example of one ...

WILD-EYED & REVVED-UP: RODS AND ROSES!

Posted on July 6, 2017July 6, 2017 by MartynL

It's become a tradition: The High Noon Engine Rev at the Rods & Roses Car Show in Carpinteria, CA. The show celebrated its 20 Anniversary on July 1st – and the roar of the engines this year was a loud salute to local automotive legend, Andy Granetelli. There were over 150 wicked, wonderful and wild-eyed customs, classics and musclecars lining Linden Avenue, Carpinteria's main thoroughfare that delivers you to the "World's Safest Beach" on the Pacific. Proceeds from this always-enjoyable sho...