Wide variety of exciting exhibits — over 400 vehicles
Rare one-of-a-kind cars featured
An appreciation for the history of the automobile
For those who have an appreciation for the history of the automobile, really deserve the chance and opportunity, to visit the Petersen Automotive Museum. The place is packed with revolving exhibits, and in the basement is "The Vault" which consists of overflow vehicles. The first floor is typically about automotive artistry, the second floor is principally concerned with design, engineering and interactive teaching exhibits. The third floor covers racing, hot rods, customs, off-road and motorcycles. This is the area with an emphasis on the car culture in Southern California. In all, over 100,000 square feet of exhibit space. There's also a full photo studio, conference room and founder's lounge. The 4th floor is reserved for special events.
As you enter the Petersen lobby you're greeted by this, which appears as an "exotic" something out of Italy. However, it's "All American" and was built in nearby Irvine, CA, by the engineering company Aria Group. With a general theme of being a modern re-imaged 1973 mid-engine "Aerovette" Corvette concept, this car, called "FXE," was designed using 3-D printing along with carbon fiber and titanium chassis components. In 2017 when first debuted, plans were for a 6.3L V8 plus twin electric motors.
Also in the lobby is a Super performance Cobra, named the MKIII-R as it is modeled after Carroll Shelby's original 427 AC car, however with some modernized, updated styling features integrated "scalloped" fenders and hood, plus aerodynamic tweaks on the front splitter and rear diffuser. While the purists might protest, it in the end is a blending of new and old, and now with 7.3L "Godzilla" Ford power under the hood.
One of the areas covered on this visit was a "Dream Cars: History Of The Future" exhibit, described as follows:
"Imagining a future in which technology would provide a solution to every problem, designers during the1950s and 1960s conveyed their concepts of advanced automobiles through paintings, drawings, exclusive posters, scale models and full-size prototypes. Once called 'dream cars' the automobiles they conceived embodied forward-thinking features that many believed would soon be viable.
With a front end that must have been designed before everybody knew the Edsel was a sales flop, the 1959 Scimitar concept was first shown at the Geneva Auto Show. Designed by Brooks Stevens, it was constructed using a Chrysler New Yorker chassis and featured a 413-cid Chrysler powerplant. Only three Scimitars were produced.
One of three surviving Gran Torinos used in the TV series "Starsky and Hutch, this 1976 car was known as "Car #1" and was ordered from the Ford Motor Company Studio TV Car Loan Program. Known as a "Striped Tomato" the car became highly recognizable and Ford decided to produce a limited run, said to be as many as 1300 in all.
The Denny Hulme-driven McLaren Can-Am car from 1968 SCCA race season, injected aluminum big block Chevrolet for power. This car won the series championship.
California is off-road crazy and some of the vehicles displayed reflect that love for conquering the rocks and wilds of the backcountry. Here's the "Brocky" which is built specifically for varied off-road use. From climbing rocks to blasting across sand dunes, it's a versatile "go-anywhere, do anything" 600 horsepower, 4WD race machine.
Steve Saleen's S7 Special Edition from 2018 with its lightweight carbon fiber body, aerodynamic low drag and with turbocharged 7-liter V8. Zero to 60-mph in 2.7 seconds. Only 10 were built.
A classic 1931 Ford Model A Station Wagon "Woodie" displayed in all its glory! One of 841 produced, it was priced at $615 when new and it was simply a basic utilitarian vehicle and the hand-crafted woodwork came from the company's Iron Mountain forest. Ford fitted the doors with "inconvenient" snap-on side curtains, and roll-up windows came later on these models.
AMC fans had a fun treat inside with the actual movie car from the 1974 "The Man With The Golden Gun" James Bond film. Roger Moore stole a 1974 Hornet X Hatchback, and on a high-speed chase the car performs a spectacular 360-degree jump over a river, landing on all four wheels on the other side -- all done on the first take!
A true sports machine, the "Vivant 77" built and designed by Pontiac engineer Herb Adams, it came in 1965 as an independent design project.
Using aluminum as a material for the hand-formed body, it was styled after the Bertone-built Alfa Romeo B.A.T. from the mid-1950s. Adams used a 370-cube Poncho V8.
Converted from a Cadillac-based 1959 Miller-Meteor Futura Duplex ambulance/hearse into the iconic "Ecto-1" for the Ghostbusters 1984 movie, this was how the four-man team of parapsychologists traveled in New York. Authentic all the way including equipped with those 8-lug wheels!
Another vehicle greeting visitors is this 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Sport Coupe, fully equipped including with optional fender skirts. Chevrolet introduced the Bel Air model, named after the opulent suburb of Los Angeles, in 1950, and by the mid-1950s the designation had grown to encompass multiple body styles beyond the 2-door hardtop. 166,426 versions of the 1957 Bel Air Sport Coupe were manufactured and they remain one of America's favorites from that era.
Developed by Robert P. McCulloch's Paxton Automotive in Los Angeles, the "Paxton Phoenix" from 1953 was an innovative rear-engine prototype meant to entice a discerning clientele. The body was designed by Brooks Stevens and with fiberglass materials.
A unique feature was the innovative retractable hardtop, an electric motor was used, controlled by a switch on the dashboard.
In 1963 Studebaker dreamed up the "Sceptre" prototype and the intention was to save the company. Modern styling was part of the presentation, done by Brooks Stevens, complete with a grille and headlight assembly that spanned the width of the car, same treatment on the tail lights on the rear.
The Sceptre was a "could' a been" for1965 had the automobile manufacturing company not been disbanded by the board of directors.
A beautiful 1957 Continental Mark II was featured in the parking area as entering the museum. Titled "A Hollywood Star" this particular example was special ordered back in the day by Mike Todd, who at the time was married to actress Elizabeth Taylor, who had two of her own. The Mark II was produced by Ford's Continental Division, distinct from the Lincoln Division at the time. 444 were produced during the 1957 model year.
Oh and who could forget the ill-fated"EV1" electric car from General Motors back in 1996. 1117 were first produced, all for selected dealers located in California, Arizona and Georgia. Available for lease only and not for purchase, they had a range of 100 miles, and electronically limited top speed of 80 mph.
At the end of the program, all but 40 cars were dismantled.
Lots of cool artwork is displayed on the walls and this was a design penned by Ned Nickles for General Motors Corporation way back in 1946!
A fully-stocked Gift Shop is at the start of the museum, and inside there's a huge variety of items to appeal to the various age groups that visit. T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, postcards, books, magazines, keychains, wall signs, glassware, mugs, diecast models, artwork, and just about everything one could imagine with an automotive theme!
Even the clocks on the wall have an automotive theme to them!
Being in the Miracle Mile area of Wilshire Boulevard and when getting a glimpse of the Petersen Automotive Museum, in an instant it's realized it is something very special!
