Robert E. Petersen

[Ryan]

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When I'm asked the age old question about people I would like to have dinner with, Mr. Petersen has always been on my short list. He accomplished more than I have...

To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.

[Retrorod]

I'd venture to say that Mr. Petersen could have related more stories of "hot rod days gone by" than anyone would imagine. He was one of those people you could just sit and listen to for hours I'm sure. He was also on my short list.

[Thirdyfivepickup]

I was looking foward to meeting him at the Hot Rod and Restoration Trade Show earlier this month. He didn't attend due to the illness.

[Ryan]

I got really close to meeting him a couple of times... The first time, I was standing with a group of folks that included him. I was just too shy to introduce myself. I was afraid I couldn't stop myself from asking all of the questions that I wanted answers to...

Kicking myself now.

[The37Kid]

Robert E Petersen had a positive effect on more people than he will ever know. He was focused on his magazine business and producing the best product out there. Does anyone know when in life he had his first Hot Rod? I was told that it wasn't untill late in life that he started collecting.

[porknbeaner]

Originally Posted by Ryan

I got really close to meeting him a couple of times... The first time, I was standing with a group of folks that included him. I was just too shy to introduce myself. I was afraid I couldn't stop myself from asking all of the questions that I wanted answers to...

Kicking myself now.

I met him when I was in high school in Portland. I didn't ask all the questions that you wanted to ask too busy being myself I guess, well that and it wasn't like we spent the evening together. He treated me like a real person, I can't say that for a lot of the important folks I've come across.

[seadog]

One of the things that will stick in my mind when the name Robt. E. Petersen is brought up is how his publications, in the early days at least, were always well written and the articles were always grammatically correct. As a young teen in the 50's I struggled with English composition and all of the punctuation rules that one was forced to learn back then. As I read Hot Rod I began to notice and pay attention to things like sentence structure and composition as well as how the articles were punctuated. As a result I began to pay more attention to what my 8th grade English teacher was trying to impart and my grades improved. Today I still notice how the written word appears on the page and how folks use (and abuse) the English language. Oh yeah, the technical articles were good too. Much more in depth and detailed that today. This was back in the day before mass media and the birth of the short attention span, "entertain me NOW," way of thinking that has emerged over the last three decades.

Thank you Mr. Petersen, not only for great publications, but for helping instill a love of language and literature in this olde fart.

[DocWatson]

Originally Posted by Ryan

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When I'm asked the age old question about people I would like to have dinner with, Mr. Petersen has always been on my short list. He accomplished more than I have...
To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.

I have to agree, but If I were to eat dinner with every person that accomplished more in his life than me, It would take a long time to dine with everyone on the planet!
RIP Mr Peterson, its sad to see so many of the greats peeling out for the last time.
Doc.

[Thirdyfivepickup]

Originally Posted by Ryan

I got really close to meeting him a couple of times... The first time, I was standing with a group of folks that included him. I was just too shy to introduce myself. I was afraid I couldn't stop myself from asking all of the questions that I wanted answers to...

Kicking myself now.

Cut from the same cloth... you and me both. I would have been the same way... I'd probably just stare like a drooling idiot. Damn those missed opportunities.

(like normal, some would say... )

[NTAPHSE]

Originally Posted by seadog

One of the things that will stick in my mind when the name Robt. E. Petersen is brought up is how his publications, in the early days at least, were always well written and the articles were always grammatically correct. As a young teen in the 50's I struggled with English composition and all of the punctuation rules that one was forced to learn back then. As I read Hot Rod I began to notice and pay attention to things like sentence structure and composition as well as how the articles were punctuated. As a result I began to pay more attention to what my 8th grade English teacher was trying to impart and my grades improved. Today I still notice how the written word appears on the page and how folks use (and abuse) the English language. Oh yeah, the technical articles were good too. Much more in depth and detailed that today. This was back in the day before mass media and the birth of the short attention span, "entertain me NOW," way of thinking that has emerged over the last three decades.

Thank you Mr. Petersen, not only for great publications, but for helping instill a love of language and literature in this olde fart.

I'm with you seadog. I've always appreciated the quality of journalism that comes with a Petersen mag. Some of those 'other' mags just make me cringe. Every time I pick up a Hot Rod or Motor Trend Classic, I am pleased by the fact that the articles are so well written, grammatically and content-wise. RIP and much respect to Mr. Petersen.

Edit: That was a good 100th post to have.

[denis4x4]

I started writing for R&C in 1959 when Petersen titles all had copy editors on the staff. Learned a lot from marked up copy. There were no computors and copy/photos were sent via the US Mail. I've run into PriMedia writers who don't even know what carbon paper is!

Pete was a gentleman and surrounded himself with good people.

Quick story: Fred Offenhauser was the person who got the California personalized plate HOT ROD. He ran it on a VW powered Berry Mint T just to piss off Dick Day. When he sold the T, he transfered the HOT ROD plate to Pete and he ran it on his RR for years.

[ZZ-IRON]

Robert E. Petersen's * Venture in Roddin turned into a Raging Inferno !

We are the better for his, Dedication ! From the Birth of the magazine. Selling them in the stands at the drags.

For all the Publication's and his Dream " THE PETERSEN "