zerinVR6
07-01-2005, 08:30 AM
Text and Photos by Dubspeed Media Staff Writer Donald W. Bond
Full Photo Gallery Link: http://www.dubspeedracing.com/photo...ery.php?cat=800 (http://www.dubspeedracing.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=800)
Los Angeles, CA -
We’ve all been to a museum or two in our lifetime, some more than others. Sure we’ve seen the great works of Picasso and Rembrandt, but what about the great works of art like Meyer and Foose?
http://www.dubspeedracing.com/photopost/data/800/greencar.jpg
Yes, that’s right, we aren’t talking about art you can’t touch and wonder why the woman in the painting has three eyes…we are talking about the metal machines we grew up with and still drooling over all housed in an art deco building on Wilshire Boulevard in Hollywood, California. Located in the museum district it is relatively easy to get too, even driving through popular LA traffic.
As you drive around the right side of the building, you will park in the parking garage. Big deal right? Well, your tour starts here while trying to find a place to park. You may slide your Suburban next to a Bonneville Salt Flats rocket car or maybe a vintage Rolls-Royce waiting to be restored. Take a few minutes in the garage as you make you way inside. Just like finding a treasure in an old barn, you will be amazed at what you see.
After paying your ten bucks to get inside, you have three levels of the museum to explore. The first floor takes you through the days of yesterday from the motorized buggies to the custom fifties. It’s nice to walk through a car museum that doesn’t just have the cars all lined up in a row, but placed in the settings in which they came from. To the Arnold-style Drive-Ins to old gas stations once located on Route 66. Be sure you take a camera with a good flash as it is rather dark on the first floor. All cars are labeled as to what is special about each one. Be sure to read them as you may think the ones you are not interested in, have the best stories.
http://www.dubspeedracing.com/photopost/data/800/hollywood.jpg
Heading up to the 2nd level where you will be greeted by the ‘real’ Hot Wheels Twin Mill. Right now, the Hot Wheels exhibit is going on. Practically all of us owned a few Hot Wheels in our lifetime and maybe a few of us are still lucky have them stashed away in an old shoebox somewhere. You will see six life-size versions of Hot Wheels, including one of my favorite, the Twin Mill. Also you will be greeted by the original Deora, based on the Dodge A-100 pick up. Where did the name come from you ask? In the early 60’s after the Deora was built, a contest was held and a 13 year old boy came up with the name. Also on display is the sister, Deora II, a today’s futuristic version of the original. We can’t forget Don Prudhomme’s The Snake Funny Car. This is a full working version, but not the original. Thanks to several fans submitting photos of the actual car, they were able to build a new one for everyone to see. Not only will you see hundreds of the small wonders, but you will get to view how they are made, from design concept to the molds and finished product.
http://www.dubspeedracing.com/photopost/data/800/twinmill.jpg
The 2nd floor is quite large, housing at the moment, Cars of Heads of State. This display includes the custom built Range Rover for Pope John Paul II including a on-off Cadillac limousine convertible for the Pope in Mexico. Only used one time. This was the last time a Pope rode in an open car before the new Mercedes “Popemobile” was built. You will see Kings and Queens vintage limos, Presidential cars custom made for Eisenhower, Bush, Clinton and Roosevelt. There is a Presidential limousine once used by the last three Presidents; this particular car is still owned by the U.S. Government and will not be sold to the general public like the others have in the past. Due to the secrecy surrounding the special armor and glass on this Caddy, it will stay in the government hands.
http://www.dubspeedracing.com/photopost/data/800/pope.jpg
After drooling over the 2nd floor, you make your way up to the final floor via elevator. Here you will find the Bruce Meyer Gallery of Classic Hot Rods. I remember seeing a few of these when I was kid displayed during the Houston Autorama. On display are several of the Oakland Roadster show winners, including the cars of Chip Foose which was a two-time winner and on display, the first winner of the 1950 Oakland show, a light blue Track-T. You will find Cars of the Stars, movie cars and my favorite, Stallone’s 1950 Merc from the movie Cobra. It’s not silver now, but was repainted in deep purple with flames and reworked for Nicholas Cage’s movie, Gone in 60 Seconds. I’m a fan of the chopped and channeled LedSleds.
http://www.dubspeedracing.com/photopost/data/800/tracktblue.jpg
Remember the Green Hornet? The Black Beauty is here! Sinister as ever! Let’s not forget the original Batmobile and Batmobile II from Michael Keaton’s version of the masked crusader. The original Batmobile on display is the promotional car without the black fuzzy exterior, but if you watch some of the old episodes you may spot the shiny black one! Around the last corner you’ll find the Futuristic cars and the most famous of the all, a black 1948 Tucker. Next to it is the last known clay model to exist. Including drawings and concepts.
http://www.dubspeedracing.com/photopost/data/800/greenhornet.jpg
There you have it. So it’s not just cars, but fascinating history we gearheads enjoy…without the 3-eyed woman….
Next time you’re in the LA area, make plans to visit the Petersen Museum. The exhibits are constantly change, so you will not see the same cars on your next visit. For more information, log onto www.petersen.org (http://www.petersen.org/). You’ll be glad you did.
Full Photo Gallery Link: http://www.dubspeedracing.com/photo...ery.php?cat=800 (http://www.dubspeedracing.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=800)
Los Angeles, CA -
We’ve all been to a museum or two in our lifetime, some more than others. Sure we’ve seen the great works of Picasso and Rembrandt, but what about the great works of art like Meyer and Foose?
http://www.dubspeedracing.com/photopost/data/800/greencar.jpg
Yes, that’s right, we aren’t talking about art you can’t touch and wonder why the woman in the painting has three eyes…we are talking about the metal machines we grew up with and still drooling over all housed in an art deco building on Wilshire Boulevard in Hollywood, California. Located in the museum district it is relatively easy to get too, even driving through popular LA traffic.
As you drive around the right side of the building, you will park in the parking garage. Big deal right? Well, your tour starts here while trying to find a place to park. You may slide your Suburban next to a Bonneville Salt Flats rocket car or maybe a vintage Rolls-Royce waiting to be restored. Take a few minutes in the garage as you make you way inside. Just like finding a treasure in an old barn, you will be amazed at what you see.
After paying your ten bucks to get inside, you have three levels of the museum to explore. The first floor takes you through the days of yesterday from the motorized buggies to the custom fifties. It’s nice to walk through a car museum that doesn’t just have the cars all lined up in a row, but placed in the settings in which they came from. To the Arnold-style Drive-Ins to old gas stations once located on Route 66. Be sure you take a camera with a good flash as it is rather dark on the first floor. All cars are labeled as to what is special about each one. Be sure to read them as you may think the ones you are not interested in, have the best stories.
http://www.dubspeedracing.com/photopost/data/800/hollywood.jpg
Heading up to the 2nd level where you will be greeted by the ‘real’ Hot Wheels Twin Mill. Right now, the Hot Wheels exhibit is going on. Practically all of us owned a few Hot Wheels in our lifetime and maybe a few of us are still lucky have them stashed away in an old shoebox somewhere. You will see six life-size versions of Hot Wheels, including one of my favorite, the Twin Mill. Also you will be greeted by the original Deora, based on the Dodge A-100 pick up. Where did the name come from you ask? In the early 60’s after the Deora was built, a contest was held and a 13 year old boy came up with the name. Also on display is the sister, Deora II, a today’s futuristic version of the original. We can’t forget Don Prudhomme’s The Snake Funny Car. This is a full working version, but not the original. Thanks to several fans submitting photos of the actual car, they were able to build a new one for everyone to see. Not only will you see hundreds of the small wonders, but you will get to view how they are made, from design concept to the molds and finished product.
http://www.dubspeedracing.com/photopost/data/800/twinmill.jpg
The 2nd floor is quite large, housing at the moment, Cars of Heads of State. This display includes the custom built Range Rover for Pope John Paul II including a on-off Cadillac limousine convertible for the Pope in Mexico. Only used one time. This was the last time a Pope rode in an open car before the new Mercedes “Popemobile” was built. You will see Kings and Queens vintage limos, Presidential cars custom made for Eisenhower, Bush, Clinton and Roosevelt. There is a Presidential limousine once used by the last three Presidents; this particular car is still owned by the U.S. Government and will not be sold to the general public like the others have in the past. Due to the secrecy surrounding the special armor and glass on this Caddy, it will stay in the government hands.
http://www.dubspeedracing.com/photopost/data/800/pope.jpg
After drooling over the 2nd floor, you make your way up to the final floor via elevator. Here you will find the Bruce Meyer Gallery of Classic Hot Rods. I remember seeing a few of these when I was kid displayed during the Houston Autorama. On display are several of the Oakland Roadster show winners, including the cars of Chip Foose which was a two-time winner and on display, the first winner of the 1950 Oakland show, a light blue Track-T. You will find Cars of the Stars, movie cars and my favorite, Stallone’s 1950 Merc from the movie Cobra. It’s not silver now, but was repainted in deep purple with flames and reworked for Nicholas Cage’s movie, Gone in 60 Seconds. I’m a fan of the chopped and channeled LedSleds.
http://www.dubspeedracing.com/photopost/data/800/tracktblue.jpg
Remember the Green Hornet? The Black Beauty is here! Sinister as ever! Let’s not forget the original Batmobile and Batmobile II from Michael Keaton’s version of the masked crusader. The original Batmobile on display is the promotional car without the black fuzzy exterior, but if you watch some of the old episodes you may spot the shiny black one! Around the last corner you’ll find the Futuristic cars and the most famous of the all, a black 1948 Tucker. Next to it is the last known clay model to exist. Including drawings and concepts.
http://www.dubspeedracing.com/photopost/data/800/greenhornet.jpg
There you have it. So it’s not just cars, but fascinating history we gearheads enjoy…without the 3-eyed woman….
Next time you’re in the LA area, make plans to visit the Petersen Museum. The exhibits are constantly change, so you will not see the same cars on your next visit. For more information, log onto www.petersen.org (http://www.petersen.org/). You’ll be glad you did.