Autoblog

The Petersen celebrates 50th anniversary of the Baja 500 and 1,000

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Honda, Off-Road, Racing

The year 1963 was a pretty good one for things on wheels - Lamborghini was born that year, as was the Porsche 911, and we'll give a shout out to the all-American Apollo GT even though it only lasted four years. This summer, Petersen Automotive Museum is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Baja 500 and Baja 1,000 desert races with an exhibit called Braving Baja: 1,000 Miles to Glory.

Truth be told, the 50th anniversary of the peninsula race was last year - it was in 1962 that Dave Ekins and Billy Robertson, Jr. did a 950-mile timed run from Tijuana to La Paz to prove the grit of Honda's new CL72 Scrambler motorcycle. That single time trial has turned into the trophy truck, buggy, Volkswagen Beetle and motorcycle spectacle that we know today. 1962 was also the anniversary of Shelby American and the dearly departed Iso, so it still wasn't a bad year for things on wheels.

The event kicks off with a tribute dinner on May 2 featuring Elkins and Parnelli Jones - another legendary off-road racer - in attendance taking audience questions. Two days later will be a one-day off-road show in which anyone can participate who has a museum ticket and a vehicle that can handle the dirt.

The exhibit itself runs through September 2nd and will feature all manner of Baja paraphernalia including numerous bikes and buggies that have run the route, like a 1964 Myers Manx, a 1960 Bilstein VW Baja Bug driven by Doug Robinson and the 2003 Honda XR650R ridden by Mouse McCoy as seen in the Baja documentary Dust to Glory. If you're interested, there's a press release below with info on all the events.

Continue reading The Petersen celebrates 50th anniversary of the Baja 500 and 1,000

The Petersen celebrates 50th anniversary of the Baja 500 and 1,000 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Apr 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Overwhelming popularity persuades Petersen Museum to extend vault tours

Michael Harley — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 14:28:00 EST

Filed under: Classics

As a jaded automotive journalist, exposed to some of the world's finest automotive machinery on a regular basis, it takes something extraordinary to raise my pulse. Yet here I was, standing in the chilly underground vault of the famed Petersen Automotive Museum, and I was getting choked up.

Last month, the Los Angeles museum opened its hidden storage garage (located beneath its concrete parking structure) to the public for guided tours intended to last just a few weeks over the holidays. Officials expected a handful of visitors would pay the additional $25 fee for the private up-close-and-personal 90-minute excursions. Instead, enthusiasts flooded the lobby each day and some even lined up out the doors.

To satisfy demand, Petersen officials have announced that they are extending the intimate vault tours... indefinitely (twice a day on weekdays, and four times a day on weekends). Visitors may call and reserve a space in advance (recommended), or show up and attempt to grab any remaining slots.

Whetting your appetite, we lugged our camera equipment (sorry, public photography is not allowed on the tours) downstairs to shoot a select gallery of just some of the vault's rare treasures - nearly all with colorful and storied histories. Click through the gallery (most have been captioned) to learn about vehicles like Steve McQueen's 1957 Jaguar XK-SS "Green Rat," a mint 1967 Toyota 2000 GT, GM's hand-built Cadillac Fleetwood-based 1998 "Popemobile" and a 1972 Ferrari "Daytona" Spyder from The Gumball Rally motion picture.

Overwhelming popularity persuades Petersen Museum to extend vault tours originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Jan 2013 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Petersen Automotive Museum open its vault to public for first time

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 13:59:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc.

Two years ago we went to the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles to meet one of the original Black Beauty Chrysler Imperials from The Green Hornet television show. When the work was done, we were asked if we wanted a tour of the underground vault, to which we of course consented. We were instructed, however, "You can't mention this to anyone." And we didn't.

Now it's a secret that won't need to be kept if you're in LA from December 15 to January 6. The Petersen is opening its vault to the public for the holidays, offering guided tours of the roughly 250 cars in the stash to groups of 10 or fewer. You'll need an additional $25 ticket on top of the $12 museum ticket, but the metal in the photo above will immediately prove its worth. If you haven't seen the "Round Door" Rolls-Royce Phantom I Aerodynamic Coupe, that is worth the price of entry by itself.

Each tour will last for more than an hour, so you won't worry about being rushed. You won't be able to take photos, however, and those under 12 will not be allowed. The press release below will tell you how to get into the automotive safe, and the high-res pics above will help you figure out where you want you want to focus your eyeballs when you get there.

Continue reading Petersen Automotive Museum open its vault to public for first time

Petersen Automotive Museum open its vault to public for first time originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 15 Dec 2012 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Incredibly awesome pedal cars going up for auction

Chris Tutor — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Ford, Toys/Games

For car guys, pedal cars have an allure that survives long past the days when our short, stubby legs provided all the horsepower we needed. Which explains why people with the means have no problem paying as much as $12,000 for a hot-rodded, pedal-powered roadster. Take for instance the group of nine pedal cars being auctioned by the Petersen Automotive Museum during its Deuce Week. The first three will be auctioned on August 18 at RM Auctions in Monterey.

Pictured above is Rad Rides by Troy's shrunken version of a 1932 Ford Salt Flat Racer. Moon disc wheels and custom-crafted suspension parts make this car look like it just rolled outta Bonneville, where it was expected to break numerous land-speed records for kid-powered vehicles. Unfortunately, the driver unexpectedly needed a nap and forfeited his time slot, which explains the lack of salt spray on the body.

Steve's Auto Restorations in Portland created a hot little '32 Ford with leather interior, leather sliding top, stainless tube grille and a "mini Art Deco 1920s dash gauge cluster."

Hollywood Hot Rods calls their entry the 1932 Ford "Respect Tradition" Custom Pedal Car. Despite the miniature (faux) Hemi engine up front, the builder says they gave special attention to ensure the car can still be powered by pedal. It's an awesome recreation of the shop's full-size car including the Duvall split windshield.

The remaining six pedal cars were done by H&H Flatheads, So-Cal Speed Shop, Winfield Rod & Custom, Rolling Bones Hot Rod Shop, Fastlane Rod Shop, and the students of McPherson College Automotive Restoration. More information on those cars will be available from Petersen later. All proceeds go to help underprivileged children visit the Petersen Museum.

Incredibly awesome pedal cars going up for auction originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shelby fans around the globe give tribute with "moment of noise"

John Neff — Thu, 31 May 2012 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Performance, Celebrities

At 6:55PM PST on Wednesday, engines across the world were revved in unison to honor the late Carroll Shelby, who passed away last Thursday at the age of 89. The raucous tribute was organized by the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, which followed up the synchronized salute of RPMs with an evening of remembrance hosted by Jay Leno and attended by a litany of the auto world's most revered members, including Parnelli Jones, Phil Remington, Don Prudhomme, Linda Vaughn, Ed Pink, Edsel Ford II and Dan Gurney, among others both famous and just friends of Shelby.

The evening was called "Carroll Shelby A Life Remembered," and drew 1,200 to the Petersen Museum in LA. Autoweek was there and shares some nice anecdotes from a few of the evening's speakers here.

Outside of LA, though, many other gatherings were hosted around the world where teams of idling Shelby automobiles - Mustangs, Cobras, GT500s and more - waited for the clock to strike 6:55. Scroll down for some videos of the mass revving that occurred in Carroll's honor last night, as well as some other interesting tribute videos we found.

Continue reading Shelby fans around the globe give tribute with "moment of noise"

Shelby fans around the globe give tribute with "moment of noise" originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 31 May 2012 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The List #0060: Visit an Automotive Museum

John Neff — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: The List

Not every item on your list of 1,001 Car Things To Do Before You Die will involve racing through the night across Baja, crushing cars with a tank or surviving the world's silliest test of endurance. This week we slow things down a bit with an oft requested item for The List: Visit an automotive museum.

Many towns across the nation have their own automotive museum, but for The List, we visited what's considered by many to be the premier one in the country: the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California.

Come with our hosts Jessi and Patrick as they get a special tour of what the Petersen museum offers, and go behind the scenes with us to see how an operation like this works.

Follow the jump to watch The List #0060: Visit an Automotive Museum.

Have an RSS feed? Click here to add The List.
Do you have an idea for The List? Click here to tell us what would be on yours.
You can also click here to learn more about our hosts, Jessi and Patrick.

Continue reading The List #0060: Visit an Automotive Museum

The List #0060: Visit an Automotive Museum originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Petersen Automotive Museum co-founder Margie Petersen passes away at 76

Jeff Sabatini — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:59:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Celebrities

Margie Petersen, philanthropist and wife of late automotive publisher Robert E. Petersen, died on November 25, succumbing to breast cancer at the age of 76.

Mrs. Petersen was best known in automotive circles for helping her husband found the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, which opened in 1994, and serving on the Board of Directors of the Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation. Earlier this year, she made a $100 million contribution to the museum that bears her name, which included her family's private car collection.

But Mrs. Petersen's philanthropy extended beyond the automotive world, as the long list of organizations she worked with included Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Cedars Sinai Research for Women's Cancers in Los Angeles, St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, Boys and Girls Club of Hollywood in Los Angeles, and Friends of Robinson Gardens in Beverly Hills, California, among many others.

Born Margie McNally, in her youth Petersen was a model and actress. She and her husband had two sons that died in a plane crash in 1975. Robert E. Petersen died from cancer himself in 2007, after a lifetime of publishing such esteemed car magazines as Hot Rod and Motor Trend.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Petersen Automotive Museum at 6060 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036, or the charity of your choice in Mrs. Petersen's honor.

Click past the jump to read the entire press release.

Continue reading Petersen Automotive Museum co-founder Margie Petersen passes away at 76

Petersen Automotive Museum co-founder Margie Petersen passes away at 76 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Petersen Museum secures $100,000,000 donation

Jeff Glucker — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:21:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

Petersen Automotive Museum - Click above for high-res image gallery

Every year, more than 150,000 folks stroll through the halls of the Petersen Automotive Museum. The crowds have been coming to the Los Angles auto-institution since 1994, when the doors were first opened. And it looks like those doors will remain open for many years to come thanks to a very large donation by Margie Petersen and the Margie and Robert E. Petersen Foundation. When we say "large" we mean it, because Mrs. Petersen just handed over $100,000,000 to the Petersen Museum Foundation.

Now, before you jump out of your seat because of all those zeros, we have to explain a bit more about that figure. This $100,000,000 donation is comprised of the 300,000 square foot building, cars that were part of Robert E. Petersen's personal collection, an undisclosed influx of cash (described as a "substantial unrestricted financial gift") and a "matching challenge."

We wanted to find out a little more with regards to just how this $100 million donation breaks down. A quick call to Buddy Pepp, Executive Director of the Petersen Automotive Musuem, helped shed some light on the matter. While Mr. Pepp could not disclose the exact amount of the cash gift they're receiving, he did say that value is "enormous." He went on to state that it's "breathtaking" and will "enable us to do all the things we've wanted or need to do. It will catapult us to a world-renowned status. This donation will allow us to fulfill Bob Petersen's vision." Not only that, the "matching challenge" will make sure that the directing board keeps pushing to help the museum continue to grow.

We were hoping to get to the juicy details, and hear an exact figure, but it's good to know that the Petersen Museum is going to allow people of all ages to get a glimpse of automobiles from all eras. In fact, the total number of vehicles being donated from Petersen's private stock is 135, and that includes a handful of motorcycles as well. It's an incredibly generous gift from a couple that already give to many other groups and charities.

Gallery: Petersen Automotive Museum

[Source: Petersen Automotive Museum]

Continue reading Petersen Museum secures $100,000,000 donation

Petersen Museum secures $100,000,000 donation originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Event Alert: December Calendar of Automotive Events

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Misc. Auto Shows, Event Alert

As we slowly emerge from our Thanksgiving food comas, we can start gearing up for more holiday food, family, and fun in December, with an automotive twist. We can also look forward to the real beginning of the auto show season with the first major American show, the LA Auto Show. There are also some smaller shows like the New England Auto Show in Boston, and the conclusion of the San Francisco International Auto Show at the Moscone Center.

All of the major motorsports seasons have concluded, but there will be plenty of silly season news to cover. There are small concours and special events going on in December as well -- The 2nd Spirit of Competition Awards Dinner at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum, East Coast Indoor Nationals at the Maryland State Fairgrounds, Gulf Coast Motor Sports Holiday Cruisin Southern Style, 8th Annual Kustom Kulture Show in Anaheim, CA, and the 4th Annual Family Picnic and carnival at The Petersen Automotive Museum in LA,

There will also be a slew of Toys for Tots-type charity car shows as we head into the Holidays. We'll be returning to two of our favorites, the 6th Annual Motor4Toys event, and the 6th Annual Toys for Tots Drive hosted by the Schnuerer family in Huntington Beach, CA, but there are many more such events going on all around the country. Check your local paper for more and if you come across any, feel free to post details and links in the comments.

If none of those events appeal to you, check out our Google Calendar after the jump for even more listings, all with detailed info and links. And please use the comments section to add or modify listings.

Continue reading Event Alert: December Calendar of Automotive Events

Event Alert: December Calendar of Automotive Events originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Event Alert: November Calendar of Automotive Events

Frank Filipponio — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:25:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, SEMA Show, Auctions, Event Alert

For many of us November means football, parades, turkey hangovers, and family dysfunctionality in the form of Thanksgiving, but we car people tend to be more thankful for SEMA, the Chase and the crowning of a new champion in Formula 1 (Well, the conclusion of another season at least, since Jenson Button already locked up his first drivers championship and Brawn likewise nabbed the constructors title in its maiden season.)

As the year begins drawing to a close, we still have a handful of Fall cruises, auctions, meets and concours going on, but the automotive calendar is otherwise looking pretty sparse as we enter the penultimate month of 2009.

Connecticut has its local auto show, the Petersen is hosting an auction and tribute to Trans-Am racing, the Best of France and Italy show hits Van Nuys, and the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals visit Rosemont, Illinois. Other than that, we can expect a lot of silly season musical chairs and a slew of new car sneak peeks ahead of the first major show of the 2010 season in Los Angeles at the beginning of December.

If none of those events appeal to you, check the Google Calendar after the jump for even more listings, all with detailed info and links. And please use the comments section to add or modify listings.

Continue reading Event Alert: November Calendar of Automotive Events

Event Alert: November Calendar of Automotive Events originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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200 mph supercars featured at the 2nd Annual Caruso Concours

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Audi, Bugatti, Dodge, Ford, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Misc. Auto Shows, Ferrari

2nd Annual Caruso Concours - Click above for our high-res image gallery courtesy Greg Grudt

The 2nd Annual Caruso Concours was held this past weekend at The Americana at Brand shopping center in Glendale, California. Put off a bit by threatening skies, we didn't make it out there ourselves, but luckily, Autoblog friend and shutterbug Greg Grudt was there to capture all of the excitement for us. This sophomore outing was once again put on by The Petersen Automotive Museum, and as was the case last year, a brace of incredible vehicles showed up to this fitting but unorthodox locale. Showgoers could peruse the cars for a bit and then pick up a Tiffany necklace on their way out.

This year's gathering focused on supercars - in particular, supercars capable of 200 mph. Not meant to be an exhaustive showing of double-century barrier breakers, it nonetheless attracted an impressive array of cars capable of close to, if not over, the magic mark. The fun part was just seeing them all together in one place. Judging by Grudt's images, it looks like the Americana also happens to be hosting a few of those Toyota solar sunflowers, which made for an interesting juxtaposition.

Supercars right off the showroom floor mingled with old-timers from as far back as the Eighties. For instance, the display included not just the Bugatti Veyron, but also its forebearer, the EB110. The list of cars in attendance read like a roster of World's Fastest Cars contenders. Ferrari was represented by an Enzo, F50, F40, 288GTO, 16M, and a SuperAmerica. The Lamborghini cluster was comprised of an LP670-SV, LP640-4, LP560-4 and even a Countach. There was also a Mercedes-McLaren SLR, CLK DTM, Ford GT, Dodge Viper, Cizeta V16t, Maserati MC12, Nissan GT-R, Audi R8, and even a Jaguar XJ220, which complemented the long flowing bodywork of the adjacent Maser quite nicely. They even dragged out the AREX Concept which was supposed to be good for 214 mph.

All-in, it appears to have been a great way to bring exotics to the people. Be sure to check out Greg's pics in the gallery, and check out a larger gallery by clicking here.

Gallery: 2nd Annual Caruso Concours

Photos copyright (C)2009 Greg Grudt/Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: socalspeedzone.com]

200 mph supercars featured at the 2nd Annual Caruso Concours originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bonhams to auction off Bruce Willis muscle car collection

Noah Joseph — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Auctions, Celebrities

Auction house Bonhams is gearing up for another landmark event, scheduled to take place in just a few days at The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. Enthusiasts undeterred by the financial crisis will find all manner of automobile and automobilia at the auction, including several Steve McQueen artifacts, a land-speed record-breaking 1949 Vincent motorbike, and a selection of muscle cars from the collection of action movie star Bruce Willis.

Bruce will be offloading a prized collection of classic American steel, including a pair of Corvette roadsters (an original '57 and a '67 Stingray), a 1955 Chevy Nomad, a '69 Dodge Charger and the piece de resistance, a 1968 Shelby GT500 convertible. The star factor is sure to add to their value, and the latter is expected to fetch upwards of $150,000. For a closer look, head on down to The Petersen, or just click on the images in the gallery below to see what officer John McClane is selling.

Gallery: Bruce Willis muscle cars

[Source: Bonhams via Luxist]

Bonhams to auction off Bruce Willis muscle car collection originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Put yourself in a classic for just 10 bucks

Alex Nunez — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 19:56:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc.

If you're looking for a gift for that hard-to-shop-for car buff, or just want to treat yourself to a silly conversation starter for your office wall, the Petersen Automotive Museum may be able to help you out. Best part: it'll only run you ten bucks.

Send the museum that not-so-princely sum along with a photo that clearly shows your mug, and they'll happily insert the likeness onto a body seated behind the wheel of one of the cars in their collection. Once their expert Photoshoppers have put you in the ride of your dreams, they'll send you the finished product in print-quality digital format. That way you can set it as your desktop wallpaper or blow through a good portion of your inkjet cartridge printing it out onto photo paper.

The selection of cars is pretty extensive, and it includes Speed Racer's Mach 5, an Isetta, a '58 Dual Ghia, a '71 Pantera, the Shah of Iran's 1939 Bugatti Atlantic Type 57C, and several more. Cheesy? Sure, but if you've ever ponied up for the goofy fake photos at Six Flags or Disney World, you can't really complain here. In our opinion, it's probably better to have your face 'shopped onto the driver of a significant auto than, say, Conan the Barbarian's body. So, got $10 you want to part with? If so, click here.

[Source: The Petersen Museum via Classical Drive]

Put yourself in a classic for just 10 bucks originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Nov 2006 19:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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