Petersen Automotive Museum’s Next Exhibits to Feature Japanese Classics

VIPs can see ‘The Roots of Monozukuri’ on May 24, two days before it opens to the public.

byTalon Homer|
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On Thursday, May 24, two new exhibits are set to open at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. These two exhibits are to be named "The Roots of Monozukuri: Creative Spirit in Japanese Automaking," and "Fine Tuning: Customs." As a sneak peek, the Petersen has supplied photos of a few of the cars that will be soon be displayed.

Mazda Cosmo, The Petersen

Monozukuri, translated from Japanese, means a combination of "production" and "craftsmanship." For this collection, the Petersen has chosen a variety of vehicles that embody Monozukuri, combining artistic craftsmanship with production methods that were revolutionary in their time. This exhibit will contain iconic cars like the Prince Skyline, Toyota 2000GT, Honda N600, and the rotary-powered Mazda Cosmo.

Prince Skyline, The Petersen

According to the Petersen's official page, "This exhibition seeks to be a comprehensive representation of the products of the Japanese automotive industry before 1970...By seeking to include vehicles that have never been shown in America before and therefore have not yet shaped contemporary American perceptions of Japanese automaking, we will explore how and why Japan’s automotive industry has come to dominate the road."

Toyota 2000GT, The Petersen

Opposed to the first exhibit's factory flawless examples, the "Fine Tuning" display will show off Japanese that have been chopped and hammered on for the purpose of racing. To name a few of these customs, there will be a tubbed and caged Honda Civic drag racer, a wide-body Mazda RX-3, and a rear wheel drive Scion TC that used to run in Formula D.

Mazda RX-3, The Petersen

"Japanese custom cars can be categorized into several styles, from the classic tuner style to wild and elaborate customs," the Petersen said in a release. "Many of these vehicles have never been examined in a museum setting, making their inclusion an opportunity to augment visitors’ perceptions of Japanese cars"

Both of these exhibits will be part of a special event for Petersen VIPs on May 24. The next day, regular members will be able to take a look at them. On the 26th, general admission tickets will be made available. If old Japanese steel isn't your sort of thing, there are a plenty of other displays that the museum has to offer.

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