Petersen Museum’s silver screen stars head to Monterey

| 30 Jul 2019
Classic & Sports Car – Film-star cars to star at Monterey Car Week

As if Monterey Car Week wasn’t already chock-full of glittering automobiles, the Petersen Automotive Museum is adding to the star-studded show.

In the year that the Los Angeles museum celebrates its 25th anniversary, six Hollywood cars from its collection are set to be displayed at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering on 16 August. 

And as an extra treat, one of the Petersen’s most historic custom hot rods will be at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance two days later, forming part of the event’s Historic Hot Rod ‘Cover Cars’ class.  

The oldest of the seven cars is pictured above. You’ll probably know it as ‘Greased Lightning’ – aka the 1946 Ford customised by George Barris for the 1975 film Grease.

Classic & Sports Car – Film-star cars to star at Monterey Car Week
Classic & Sports Car – Film-star cars to star at Monterey Car Week

(l-r) Herbie the Love Bug; the unmistakeable DeLorean

The pair above need little introduction, either.

They are, of course, the race-prepared 1961 Volkswagen Beetle ‘Herbie the Love Bug’ driven by Lindsay Lohan in 2005’s Herbie: Fully Loaded and the car that promised time travel, a DeLorean DMC-12 from Back to the Future.

Several of the exhibits are of a more recent vintage: the Batmobile driven by Michael Keaton in 1989’s Tim Burton-directed Batman and Austin Powers’ 1998 ‘Shagmobile’ Beetle from Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.

The Mach 5 Prototype race car is another relatively young car, having been built in 1999, but looks classic because it was inspired by the 1966 animated series Speed Racer.

Classic & Sports Car – Film-star cars to star at Monterey Car Week

Classic & Sports Car – Film-star cars to star at Monterey Car Week
Classic & Sports Car – Film-star cars to star at Monterey Car Week

Clockwise from top: ’60s inspired racer; Austin Powers Beetle; Batmobile

Then on 18 August at the world-famous Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance the fibreglass-bodied 1959 ‘Outlaw’ will surely attract cameraphones.

It’s the work of legendary custom-car builder Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, its wild, bespoke body kick-starting a new era in hot-rodding when it made its debut.

At the heart of the Petersen Automotive Museum is a desire to share, record and celebrate the cars of California – and arguably there are few better places to show off these Californian-built vehicles than at two of Monterey Car Week’s biggest events.

Classic & Sports Car – Film-star cars to star at Monterey Car Week

Hot rod ‘Outlaw’

“Our selection of display vehicles for 2019 is set to be one of the most exciting groups we’ve ever sent to Monterey,” said Petersen Automotive Museum Executive Director Terry L Karges.

“Monterey Car Week is one of the centerpieces of the automotive world, and its luxurious events are a perfect opportunity to share this group of Hollywood hero cars and timeless customs with the public outside of the museum.”


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