Here’s the latest from our resident photorealist Bob Petillo (I bet you don’t have your own photorealist). In his 3rd installment of the aptly named Ornamentations series, Bob continues to explore the long-retired automotive design practice (well, Rolls Royce still does it but hey, they’re Rolls Royce) of using elaborate hood ornaments to make bold statements about the spirit or character of the car it adorned. Pictured here, Chief Pontiac mounted to the hood of a ’33 Pontiac.

“Over the decades there were many versions of the Chief Pontiac hood ornament. Hood Ornaments where often changed, redesigned or streamlined along with year and model. It was the 1933 Pontiac that had this very realistic rendering. It also had a winged V8 medallion on the front of the hood. It seems that the overall theme was one of feathers and flight. How cool!”

Very cool indeed. Thanks Bob!

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Not sure if this baby is real or not, but she sure is pretty. The RS, a rare, lightweight version of the Carrera, upped the ante on performance by going on a serious diet. That means pound-packing amenities like headlight washers and sound deadening material were removed from the list of vehicle options. A slightly more intense, track-car variant of the RS, known as the RSR, added a welded roll cage to the equation. Technically, this car was never approved for sale in the U.S. So, unless this is a true grey market vehicle, you’re probably looking at a Carrera that has been modified to look like an RSR. Either way, it looks dope.

Thanks Justin!

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How can something this rough and unfinished be so utterly cool at the same time? Well, that’s the essence of a rat rod. The rougher the better. It’s precisely this “work in progress” look that defines the breed. This one appears to have started life as a late 40s early 1950s Chevy pick up whose owner placed more importance on putting it to work [function] than he did making it look “pretty” [form]. Slam the body, chop the roof and you have yourself one pretty bad ass rat rod.

There’s a reason why matte paint finishes are so hot right now people.

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It was a gloomy morning in Massachusetts. The ground was wet, the rain was intermittent, and it was uncomfortably humid outside. I was heading back to New York after a fun filled Labor Day weekend in the Berkshires. Despite the weather, I opted for the the backroad way home. You know, the route jam packed with those great winding country roads. While passing through the town of Canaan, this fluorescent orange four wheeler stood out amongst its moody backdrop. The color was certainly distinctive enough. So were the massive off road rubber, custom suspension and absurdly elevated ground clearance.

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Acrylic on canvas - 20”X 16”

Jaguar has their leaping cat, Rolls Royce their Spirit of Ecstasy and BMW their iconic blue and white roundel. In the mid 30”s, Ford favored the use of a chrome Greyhound bursting into action on their V8 Deluxe sedan and roadster. An upscale option on the car, the chrome clad doggy added new dimensions to the word style. Backing it up was a massive hunk of Detroit iron putting out 85HP (respectable for the day) and an imposing silhouette that was all business. Bank robber Clyde Barrow actually drove one of these ’34 Fords, and died in one in one too, so you know it was at least partially successful in eluding authorities via speedy getaways. Photorealist Bob Petillo says, “I was at the Lead East 50’s extravaganza last year in Parsippany, NJ last year when the chrome on the front grill and everywhere else caught my eye”

As always, amazing work Bob.

Reproductions of these and the “Ornamentations” series are also available on www.bobpetillo.com

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These armored vehicle sightings are too much fun. And not just because of how unbelievably ridiculous they look parked among Toyota Corollas and other plebeian methods of civilian transport. This particular rig, which appears to be right off the set of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, seems to be loosely based off of a late model Ford Excursion or heavy duty Ford pickup. As if the Excursion didn’t already carry a large footprint at ~ 19 feet, the owner made sure there was plenty of extra room for his entourage of bodyguards by adding an additional set of doors. I have no idea what the well-to-do owner does for a living to warrant such extreme protection measures, but apparently threat levels were low enough for a quick stop at the strip mall in Hollywood. I guess Target and WalMart are neutral ground for people with dubious intentions.

Thanks for the snaps Steve!

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I looked out from the window of my cab as it strolled west on 54th street. The sun was shining and people  seemed to be enjoying the Summer slumber. Out of no where, the stretch of pavement between 6th Avenue & Broadway is flanked by acres of classic sheet metal. There were Studebaker pick up trucks, Checker taxi cabs and countless other charming American oldies lining the largely commercial section of the street. The whole thing was kind of trippy, as if I had stumbled into a city block frozen in time. Of course, any New Yorker worth his salt will instantly recognize the scene as being part of a TV or Movie shoot. This time around, the throwback rides were being used in filming a new ABC show called Pan Am.

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