Petersen Automotive Museum

A few weeks back all the museums in Miracle Mile were free one day. So Jeremy and I went over to see the Peterson Automotive Museum. It was pretty amazing. I know nothing about cars and I think I had a better time than he did. I might even try to make it back for the fashion and automobiles exhibit coming up later this month! The exhibits are constantly changing and feature tons of cars. This post is really long and doesn't even come close to doing the museum justice.

Fantasies in Fiberglass Exhibit
The Dale

Billed as a space age economy car capable of 70 miles per gallon, The Dale was used by con artist Liz Carmichael to raise approximately $2 million from would-be buyers and investors. Although The Dale attracted a great deal of publicity because of its high advertised fuel economy and innovative design, it was revealed to be a scam and Liz Carmichael, a transvestite whose real name was Jerry Dean Michael, was convicted of grand theft. Although ordered to appear in court for sentencing in 1980, Carmichael fled. He was discovered 9 years later in Texas after the story aired on the Unsolved Mysteries television series and returned to California to serve 2 to 20 years in state prison. Just 3 Dales are believed to have been built: a running prototype, a non-running prototype, and a stylish mock-up. This car, the non-running prototype, was displayed in Carmichael's Encino office.

Notice it only has 1 back wheel!

1953 Bosley

The guy who built this car (Richard Bosley) had no experience but just loved cars. Using fiberglass and piece from other cars, he built this at 21. It makes me feel pretty unaccomplished! Once I built some flower boxes. I was so proud of them, but that's nothing compared to a sports car.

Motorcycles and Scooters Exhibit
John Holt's Bone Bike aka "Iron Death"


What Were They Thinking: Misfits of Motordom Exhibit
1908 Scripps-Booth Bi-Autogo

Apparently this has been voted one of the 50 worst cars of all time!

The Hollywood Exhibit
General Lee

1967 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow Coupe from the original Thomas Crown Affair

Modified Jaguar XKR - The villain's car in Die Another Day.

In my attempts to find out what this car was and what movie it was from, I googled "James Bond villains car," and I found an entire page devoted to the vehicles that villains used in those movies! I thought that was kind of cool. Some people really know their James Bond.

The Bat Bike - from the original 1960's TV series.

I'm a huge Batman fan, as you're about to see!

Batmobile from the 1989 movie with Michael Keaton.

It's hard to see, but it has these really cute baby windshield wipers!

When they were putting this car together, the designers were grabbing parts from wherever they could. The nose piece in the front was taken from a Harrier Jet. The whole car, when put together, ended up being 20 feet long.


On the 3rd floor they have a family center. There's not much to do there, but I think it's worth it to visit just for the photo op!