James Hetfield’s Custom Ford F-100 Set to Go On Tour
Part of new ‘Reclaimed Rust’ exhibit, modded Ford truck is appearing in new coffee table book and hitting the road and after L.A. show ends.
L.A.’s Petersen Automotive Museum is giving a devil’s horns salute to the stellar custom cars of Metallica‘s frontman with a rockin’ new exhibit called Reclaimed Rust: The James Hetfield Collection. Running through October, the newly-opened showcase features 10 of the 56-year-old musician’s personal rides that he designed and built with some of the best customizers from across the country.
“Reclaimed Rust brings together two industries that go hand in hand with artist expression,” said Petersen Automotive Museum Executive Director Terry L. Karges, who interviewed Hetfield about cars and music before a sold-out crowd at the exhibit’s Jan. 30 ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The Metallica frontman’s collection includes some incredible vehicles, including a 1948 Jaguar, 1953 Buick Skylark, and a 1937 Lincoln Zephyr, which were created with famed builder Rick Dore. Reclaimed Rust also features guitars, photos and memorabilia from the rock superstar. However, the star attraction that immediately captured our attention was a bright purple 1956 Ford F-100 truck named “Str8 Edge.”
A 455-cubic inch Oldsmobile V8 engine gives “Str8 Edge” its juice. But this machine is just as impressive standing still. And because of that, it’s being featured prominently in a new hardcover photo book about the exhibit. Shot by photographer Scott Williamson, Reclaimed Rust: The Four Wheeled Creations of James Hetfield is due out in May.
“It’s this collection [at the Petersen],” said Hetfield about the book. “They were spectacularly shot by Scott, who is an amazing artist. There was no post production. This was all, ‘Hey, if the car doesn’t look good in my lens, then it’s not ready yet’ and then take two weeks to shoot one car.”
Going ‘Str8 Edge’
Hetfield had originally planned to use the Ford F-100 truck as a daily driver, with no specific plans for how he was going to revamp the classic ride. Because the pickup truck was already modified, Hetfield stripped it down to its original steel and worked with Blue Collar Customs’ Scott Mugford to create something new from scratch.
Hetfield and Mugford retained the lengthened cabin and fiberglass fenders that the previous owner added, and they further added winged taillights and “ventiports” from a ’53 Buick, and pearlized vinyl in the cabin.
As we learned at the Petersen opening, the vintage Ford F-100 truck is also going on tour as part of a planned Reclaimed Rust’s national tour that will follow its Petersen visit.
“When we close the exhibit after a year, we’re going to put it on tour to art museums all over the country so that people all over America can enjoy the collection,” revealed Karges during the preview night. “And then hopefully it will go on over to Europe.”
If you’re going to be in the L.A. area, you can check out Hetfield’s spectacular toys at the Petersen Automotive Museum through October.
Photos for F-150 Online by David Ciminelli
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