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Robert E. Petersen

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Ryan, Mar 27, 2007.

  1. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,632

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 1, 2014
  2. Retrorod
    Joined: Jan 25, 2006
    Posts: 2,034

    Retrorod
    Member

    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.
     
  3. Thirdyfivepickup
    Joined: Nov 5, 2002
    Posts: 6,093

    Thirdyfivepickup
    Member

    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. :(
     
  4. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,632

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    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.
     

  5. The37Kid
    Joined: Apr 30, 2004
    Posts: 30,627

    The37Kid
    Member

    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.
     
  6. 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.
     
  7. 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.
     
  8. DocWatson
    Joined: Mar 24, 2006
    Posts: 10,273

    DocWatson
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    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.
     
  9. Thirdyfivepickup
    Joined: Nov 5, 2002
    Posts: 6,093

    Thirdyfivepickup
    Member

    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... )
     
  10. NTAPHSE
    Joined: Feb 5, 2006
    Posts: 1,028

    NTAPHSE
    Member

    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. :)
     
  11. denis4x4
    Joined: Apr 23, 2005
    Posts: 4,198

    denis4x4
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Colorado

    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.
     
  12. ZZ-IRON
    Joined: Feb 28, 2007
    Posts: 1,964

    ZZ-IRON
    Member
    from Minnesota

    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 "
     

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