This past week, we had the incredible opportunity to not only showcase a lineup of exceptional vehicles from the Petersen Museum, but also invite some amazing custom builds and pieces of automotive history through our friends and partners! Our parade focused on America’s upcoming 250th birthday while celebrating 100 years of the iconic Route 66.

Talk about a photo moment. You don't see something like this everyday at the Petersen. Well.. our team does, but you know what I mean!

So, where did this parade take us? After a morning soaked in sun and fueled by bagels and coffee, we departed the Petersen and headed down Santa Monica Boulevard toward the world famous Santa Monica Pier—which, if you didn’t already know, marks the spiritual end of Route 66. What could have been a calm, normal drive turned into a once in a lifetime experience, surrounded by key vehicles that played a pivotal role in shaping the American automotive industry.

Personally, it was also my chance to drive an icon—and the oldest vehicle I’ve ever driven to date: a 1941 Willys Jeep. Other crowd favorites included a 1969 Dodge Daytona, a colorful duo of Meyers Manx's, and my personal favorite, a pair of vintage Automobile Club vehicles: a 1957 Chevrolet Cameo and a 1972 El Camino. They looked so snazzy—I loved the design of the decals and the vibrant colors!

For a vehicle used in the 1940's, I was genuinely surprised in how smooth it drove! The manual windshield wipers did make for a nice touch in dealing with the morning mist.

In short, it was a day to honor some of the true icons of the American automotive world and give them a chance to shine under the Los Angeles sun once more. We thank all of our partners and sponsors for helping us put this event together, and I’m definitely looking forward to the next opportunity to drive something unique!

Don't forget to visit our All American Cruise-in Celebrating 250 years on Sunday July 26th!

Get your tickets here to take a closer look at these quintessential American cars.