From 1950 to 1955, Robert E. Petersen (founder of Hot Rod Magazine) hosted an annual car show in Los Angeles, CA. Sharing names with a GM series of shows, the "Motorama" featured hot rods, customs, race cars, motorcycles, and other automotive wonders... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
Thanks Ryan. Those sure show,the amazing parallel development,of the various motorsports,since their conception.
My uncle took me to the '53 Motorama. I had the program for years. Even as an 8 year old, the race cars made an impression on me.
Thanks for the heads up, way cool indeed! This reminds me of the picture in the last issue of Hot Rod magazine of the Motorama/Autorama (whatever you want to call it) in '48 (the show program that spawned Hot Rod magazine). Their mention of re-enacting sounds like a fabulous idea, one I'm sure the HAMB would be behind! The caption says to see their blog for more photos but I haven't found any yet
Ryan I can imagine your delight at finding that Mal Hooper pic in the 52 centre spread, it's curious the Mabee Spl with Ray's engine was quicker than the tank that year.
Great find!! Allot of good reading in those programs! The artwork on the cover is also really bitching!!
Quite by coincidence, I was cleaning my desk today & found the 1955 Motorama token that I got a long time ago. It was before my time, but I always thought those shows were pretty cool.
To all those who think fibreglass isn't traditional, Tell that to Bill Burke. This is his Ardun Powered (Back Yard made in San Gabriel) Cistalia copied from Robt E. Petersens original. Story goes that Bill borrowed Bob's car for a few hours and splashed mold. Thats how good he was. This car had Ford underpinnings and could run with best of em. I'd say that it's traditional. I'm sure that Bill woud too.
Thanks for the "motorama" post Ryan!!!----You mention Greg Sharp, I know him well, I guess he still is at NHRA Museum in Pomona. He is indeed, a walking encycopedia on hot rods, customs, & race cars. I started attending the Petersen "Motorama" in 1953, where GM had the first Corvette displayed on a 3/4 tilted angle with the hood open so all could see the 3 pot manifold & 6 cyl. engine. The color was white, with bright red upholstery!! This annual event was held at the Pan Pacfic Auditorium across from the old Gilmore Stadium of Midget car racing fame!!-------------Don
Ahhhhhhhh.....the 52 program....4th row of pics....3rd pic from the left....the very strange shoebox Ford at the top of the pic.....lives in my garage now...bought it out of TX years ago,and it's just as strange today as it was then....Survived fairly well,but needs restoring....it's on the list...Know it's not everybody's cup of tea,but what the OG builder did was damn cool...lots of little stuff all over the car....whenever I learn how to post pics,I'll let you guys take a shot at it...
THANK YOU Rikster...I know a lot of the history of the car,where it was,etc,and got a chance to talk to the original builder back in the 90s,Warren Dorrill...He wasn't the sharpest guy for memories at the time,but I tracked its location through the years starting with him...Rodders Digest did a "what the hell was he thinking?" kind of thing on it back in the 90s,and they got a few details wrong...nothing on the car is newer than 52..Mr. Dorrill told a cool story about driving the car to California,going to Motor Trend,and telling them they were going to put the car on the cover..This was before they'd even seen it..They were amused at his determination to see it on the cover,but after they went to the parking lot and saw it,that's exactly what they did..He told me that Barris tried to hire him when the car was shown,but he went back home to Oklahoma..The car is,even by the standards of the early 50s,pretty weird,but Warren knew how to work metal...Car was sandblasted and put in black primer when I got it,but the original purple and yellow is still under where the windows were taped off to blast it...that purple must have been one of those "25 coats of lacquer" paint jobs,what's still there is the thickest paint I've ever seen..THANK YOU,again,Rikster,I've got the original Motor Trends,and later issues that showed other things about the car,but I'd never seen the yellow/rusty pics you posted...
Just read the copy under Riksters pics...the Vertex and intake/carbs/heads are still with the car,but the original flathead isn't...don't think it survived sitting outside a few years with a louvered hood too well..Warren told me it was a badass car for its time...dunno about that,with so much lead in the car,it weighs a LOT...Dash switches allow you to turn off the taillights,and brakelights...According to Mr.Dorrill,that came in handy a few times..
I am John Dorrill, the nephew of Warren Dorrill who was the original builder of the Shark. It is thrilling to finally have knowledge of what happened to this wonderful icon from of the 50's. Dave McNurlen along with Rik Hoving had gotten me in touch with Williebill and man what conversations those turned out to be. Between Bill and Dave I learned a lot about the car I never knew. I must have talked to Bill for hours. This has been a very special treat to be able to get in touch with a very special part of my past through these guys. Here is a tidbit about Warren you may find interesting. Warren also rebuilt wrecked airplanes and he specialized in the old Beachcraft Bonanza models. The ones with the V tail. He traveled into Mexico to get wrecked planes and bring them back to rebuild them. He painted Ray Charles's Lear Jet, And one of Vic Morrow's Cadillacs. He also painted some of the planes in the movie Tora, Tora, Tora. To name just a few. Most of his plane work was done in Salinas California. A secret about Warren is that with the exceptions of the guns, on every vehicle he painted or built somewhere on it will be a strawberry. This strawberry will usually be in the rear of the vehicle There is a certain way he drew that strawberry as a signature for his work. The strawberry may be a full color strawberry, or it may almost match the color underneath it. But it will be discernible.
Hi Guys, I can't believe I missed this thread... Picture of My roadster in the 1953 Motorama program. Says Dick Mouron when it should have read Bert Mouron. Problem with the printer, I suppose. Anyway, did any of You Hambers attend this show or maybe have pics You can share ? I sure would appreciate any help... Thank You & thanks Ryan... Here is a link to the program; http://www.forgottenfiberglass.com/...oramas-1950-1955-1966/1953-petersen-motorama/
I attended every Petersen Motorama from '51 through '55, and kept all the programs. I sold my copies to Geoff Hacker, who is here on the HAMB.
I know this is an old thread, but here is a new link to the programs; http://www.forgottenfiberglass.com/...oramas-1950-1955-1966/1953-petersen-motorama/