Friday, 4/18/97 Kings of the road The Peterson Automotive Museum
is showing off the most popular and exotic American muscle cars of
the ’50s and ’60s.
By Ismael Osuna Daily Bruin Contributor They are sleek, fast and
strong. They have attitude and flaunt awesome muscular bodies. They
are muscle cars, on display now through Aug. 31 at the Peterson
Automotive Museum. The "American Muscle Cars" exhibit displays 20
of the most spectacular and rare automobiles manufactured during
the ’60s and ’70s. All of the classic favorites, from Ford Mustangs
to Pontiac GTOs, are here for car lovers to enjoy. The exhibit
represents a distinctive era in automotive manufacturing when the
industry broke new ground and introduced the muscle car to the mass
market. The automotive industry was slowly realizing that an
individual’s car expressed their persona, and it understood the
appeal a car with an attitude would have. Beginning in 1955 and
continuing throughout the ’60s, auto makers built a vast array of
cars which appealed to many areas of the car-purchasing market. The
exhibit runs the gamut – from luxury cars to racing cars – of
vehicles made during this time of automotive fancy. The cars which
appealed most to people in search of a fast car were probably those
with fast, complex engines and a great-looking exterior. Those
shown at the exhibit range among the best ever made. The 1969
Chevrolet Corvette L-88 has a sports-competition engine, giving it
a top speed of 115 mph. And it had such sensitive mechanical
workings that it could only use gasoline with a minimum octane
rating of 103. Only 119 were built, and only on special order. Also
on display is the 1968 Shelby Mustang GT-500 KR 428 Cobra Jet. The
GT-500 appealed to the younger crowds of car buyers who wanted a
cool car as well as a fast one. Boasting 360 horsepower and a 428
cubic inch engine, this muscle car was King of the Road (which is
what the "KR" in the name stood for). Not to be outdone, the
engineers at Buick were also in the game of making muscle cars, but
with more aesthetic, stylish appeal. The 1970 Buick Grand Sport GSX
on display is a cherry. Buicks at the time were second only to the
likes of Cadillacs and other top-of-the-line cars. But when muscle
cars were the rage, Buick makers didn’t want to be overlooked or
undersold. The high-level finish and refinement of the GSX made it
the James Bond of muscle cars. Yet, settling for a luxury or
regular production car during the muscle car era didn’t mean that
one had to settle for a wimpy little engine. The museum shows cars
like the 1966 Plymouth Belvedere II Hemi Convertible. For a limited
time during the muscle car era, Plymouth incorporated racing
engines into their regular production cars, such as the one in the
Belvedere II, essentially transforming them into muscle cars as
well. The Peterson Automotive Museum provides an insightful
historical background of muscle cars along with interesting facts
and detailed descriptions about them. The display further draws the
spectator into the atmosphere of the muscle car era by
incorporating into its exhibit a recreation of contemporary and
antique automotive shops. The SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market
Association) Speed Shop is set up so that visitors can walk through
it and window shop for all of their favorite automotive equipment.
The exhibit is exquisitely composed and provides a thorough
comprehension of muscle cars and the muscle car era for even the
most amateur car enthusiast. "American Muscle Cars" is on display
at the Peterson Automotive Museum through Aug. 31. The museum is
located at 6060 Wilshire Blvd. and is open Tuesday through Sunday
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students and
seniors. For more information, call (213) 930- 2277. GENEVIEVE
LIANG/Daily Bruin American muscle cars, like those on display at
the Petersen Automotive Museum, helped define the popular culture
of the 1950s and 60s. GENEVIEVE LIANG/Daily Bruin 1957 Chevy
Corvette on display at Petersen Automotive Museum. A 450-
horsepower engine from a 1969 Chevrolet. Photos by GENEVIEVE
LIANG/Daily Bruin (l.) 1957 Chevy Corvette. (inset) On display at
the Peterson Automotive Museum are American muscle cars. Muscle Car
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