"The 1933-34 Ford was a very important car both for Ford and for hot rodders. It helped pull Ford out of the Depression and served racers from Indy to El Mirage. It's an important milestone anniversary that the Parks Museums is excited to celebrate," said Tony Thacker, executive director of the museum. "This exhibit is for all the racers and rodders who embraced the Model 40."
The exhibit, presented by Steve's Auto Restorations, Inter City Lines and The Rodder's Journal, will feature a number of legendary 1933-34 Ford hot rods, including the Pierson Brothers' Coupe; the SO-CAL Coupe; the famed Mooneyham & Sharp 554 car (courtesy of Don Garlits' Museum of Drag Racing); and the Allison V-12-powered Big Al. Representing the hot rod community will be the California Kid, the Super Bell Coupe, Jake Jacobs' coupe and, the Billy F Gibbons' Eliminator made famous in rock band ZZ Top's award-winning music videos. Other cars will also be on display, including the new, all-steel '34 three-window coupe from Steve's Auto Restorations. The exhibit will also include photographs, memorabilia and artifacts that tell the story of the iconic 1933-34 Ford.
As part of the Museum's ongoing education program, there will be a Model 40 panel discussion on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2009 in conjunction with the Grand National Roadster Show. The panel discussion, which begins at 5 p.m., will include Pete Chapouris (of Pete and Jake's fame and the current owner of the SO-CAL Speed Shop), and Steve Frisbie of Steve's Auto Restorations. The moderator will be Larry Erickson, designer of CadZZilla and the Aluma Coupe and chairperson of automotive design at Detroit's Center for Creative Studies. The cost of the panel discussion will be $25 per person which includes museum entrance and light refreshments.