The Hagerty Drivers Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving automotive culture, is set to showcase two legendary custom cars at its annual “Cars at the Capital” exhibition on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., from September 19-24, 2024. The event will celebrate the induction of the 35th and 36th vehicles into the prestigious National Historic Vehicle Register, marking their significance in American automotive history and culture.
Celebrating Automotive Icons: Beatnik Bandit and Dodge Deora
The 35th vehicle to join the National Historic Vehicle Register is the Beatnik Bandit, a groundbreaking creation by Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, released in 1961. Built on a shortened Oldsmobile chassis from the early 1950s, the Beatnik Bandit is renowned for its futuristic fiberglass bubble top and irreverent design. The car not only became a symbol of the 1960s custom car craze but also achieved legendary status as a best-selling model kit for Revell® and later as a micro-sized Hot Wheels™ car. The Beatnik Bandit is currently owned by the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada.
The 36th vehicle to be honored is the Dodge Deora, a heavily customized A100 pickup truck designed by Harry Bentley Bradley and crafted by Mike and Larry Alexander for the 1967 Detroit Autorama custom car show. The Deora, named through a competition hosted by model kit company AMT®, became an instant hit and was immortalized as one of Mattel’s™ first 16 Hot Wheels™ models in 1968. This unique vehicle, now part of the Tom Abrams Collection in Detroit, Michigan, helped inspire generations of car enthusiasts.
Both cars have been added to the National Historic Vehicle Register as part of the Hagerty Drivers Foundation’s collaboration with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), with documentation permanently archived in the Library of Congress.
Exhibition Details and Public Access
The Beatnik Bandit and Dodge Deora will be displayed in a brilliantly lit glass enclosure on the National Mall, situated between the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and the United States Department of Agriculture. The exhibit is free and open to the public, with the display schedule as follows:
- September 19-22: Beatnik Bandit on display
- September 22-24: Dodge Deora on display
- September 22: “Cars at the Capital Family Festival Day” – Both cars will be on display together
A Legacy of Car Culture
“These two custom cars captured the national imagination when they were first introduced, epitomizing a period of customization from the great independent car designers and craftsmen,” said McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty. “The cars memorialized by Mattel’s™ Hot Wheels™ models set the toy market on fire in 1968 and continue to capture the hearts of enthusiasts and help expand car culture.”
Casey Maxon, Senior Manager of Heritage at Hagerty Drivers Foundation, added, “Each generation has a touchpoint to car culture; toys and scale model cars have been a major gateway for so many into the world of automobiles. Celebrating two of the most iconic cars to be miniaturized and make their way to the toy boxes of children around the world is an exciting opportunity.”
The “Cars at the Capital” exhibition promises to be a unique opportunity for the public to witness these iconic vehicles up close and celebrate their lasting impact on automotive history and popular culture.
Source: Hagerty Drivers Foundation
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