A Living Tribute to SoCal’s Car Culture

In Carson, California, nestled in a city steeped in automotive history, the Lions Automobilia Foundation and Museum stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Southern California’s car culture. With a collection that spans more than 150 vehicles, this museum is a must-visit for anyone with an appreciation for classic cars, Hollywood set-designed diners, and the rich history of the region’s racing scene.

The Lions Automobilia Foundation boasts an eclectic mix of rare cars. This iconic marque holds a special place in Southern California’s car culture, and the museum’s extensive showcase of Willys vehicles – from the sleek Willys Coupes to the vintage trucks – pays homage to a brand that has influenced countless hot rodders and racers over the years.

The museum’s owner, a longtime car enthusiast and former hot rodder, immersed his youth in the Southern California racing scene. Rick Lorenzen, who purchased his first hot rod, a Willys Coupe, for just $65, quickly transformed it into one of the fastest-moving vehicles in his hometown of Wilmington, California. A regular at the region’s drag strips, Lorenzen met many of his heroes, and it was those experiences that sparked the idea to create a museum that would serve as a living tribute to the passion and creativity of SoCal’s car culture.

“I just had to recreate it somewhere,” Lorenzen said, reflecting on his early years. “And that somewhere became the Lions Automobilia Foundation and Museum.”

Though Lorenzen himself never raced, he grew up surrounded by a racing environment like no other. At its peak, Southern California was home to as many as 60 drag strips, some of which lasted only a few weeks, while others operated for decades. The museum captures that unique energy, offering visitors a glimpse into the golden age of racing and the cars that defined it.

Among the collection’s many highlights are replicas and vehicles featured in Hollywood films. The museum proudly displays a replica of the DeLorean time machine from Back to the Future, a bright, luscious red 1958 Plymouth Fury “Christine” replica, and even a Batmobile, all accompanied with movie-themed backdrops that are fine with detail. These iconic cars allow visitors to relive cinema’s most memorable moments and link historic Southern California culture and Hollywood’s love affair with cars.

In addition to the cinematic cars, the museum also features a range of personally owned vehicles from legendary actor and car enthusiast Clint Eastwood, further cementing the museum’s status as a shrine to celebrity-driven car culture.

One of the museum’s most intricate exhibits is a meticulously designed replica of the Long Beach Grand Prix racetrack and the historic Lions Drag Strip. The replica racetrack is a beautiful nod to the area’s motorsport heritage, with detailed miniature cars zooming around the track, capturing the speed and excitement that once filled Southern California’s streets and drag strips.

For many, the Lions Automobilia Foundation and Museum is more than just a place to admire vintage cars; it’s a vibrant celebration of a culture that defined an era. The museum serves as a living history of the people, places, and vehicles that helped shape the automotive landscape in California and worldwide.

With its extensive collection, the Lions Automobilia Foundation Museum is a rare gem in the automotive world. Whether you’re a die-hard car enthusiast or simply someone looking to appreciate the rich history of American car culture, the museum is a destination worth experiencing.

Don Prieto is a racer (owner and driver), a journalist, a historian, and owns one of the most notorious drag racing cars in the 100,000-square-foot exhibit. Tommy Ivo’s 1957 Buick is a 364-inch nail head punched out to 425 inches. The Fuller chassis-equipped dragster was a Drag News Standard 1320 B/Gas Dragster Record Holder with a 9.16 E.T. at 154.37 mph.

Prieto says, “He won the big trophy, which was called Top Eliminator in every racetrack in Southern California.” He continues to reflect on its notoriety by explaining, “It was a very famous car; it was in the magazines.”

 Questions arose from Prieto showcasing this car in Rodder’s Journal; one in particular would be, “Why did you choose the Buick?” This is where Prieto would explain, “When Tommy was 16, he was a movie actor and did 100 movies and 200 television programs. And used the money that he made to buy his first car, a Buick, because he liked how it looked.”

Prieto says, “Ivo became connected with Buick because he was a 16-year-old kid with a brand-new car, and then someone talked him into going to the drag races. And when he went, he wasn’t too impressed.”

However, when Ivo “Finally got a Buick Century, which was a couple of years later, they took him to the drag races, and he participated and got a trophy that hooked him,” says Prieto.

Tommy Ivo started to take the sport of drag racing seriously after this period. He started building cars with four Buick engines to race in exhibitions because many engines were outlawed in racing.

Ivo also crafted a dual-engine car that won many races and was the first car he went on tour with. He would call the racetracks and say he would be in their area, negotiating deals to showcase his drag racing car and abilities. Don Prieto says, “He got enough money to keep on going, and it grew.”

It is so much so that Prieto says that Ivo, at the time, “was the highest paid tour in drag racing, and a guy from Florida named Don Garlits was destroying the East Coast with fabulous times and running good and beating everybody.”

“Ivo got a hold of him, and they started racing one another at the different tracks. And they would split the money, and it brought drag racing into the real world.”

Tommy Ivo’s story, from his early days as a movie actor to becoming a drag racing icon, exemplifies the spirit of Southern California’s racing culture. His journey is more than just about the cars or the races; it’s about how personal passion, perseverance, and Hollywood flair could elevate the sport into something legendary. Don Prieto’s reflection on Ivo’s career – his rise to fame as a high-paid tour racer alongside the legendary Don Garlits – captures how competition, innovation, and showmanship merged to shape drag racing’s golden era.

Just as Ivo’s career intersected with the burgeoning drag racing scene in Southern California, the Lions Automobilia Foundation and Museum in Carson, California, offers a physical space where the stories of racers like Ivo and Garlits live on. Visitors to the museum witness an impressive collection of rare cars and immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of Southern California’s automotive history. From the iconic Willys vehicles representing the hot rod culture to the meticulously crafted replica of the Lions Drag Strip, the museum is a living tribute to the men and women who made this world-class racing scene possible. For more information and to plan your visit, check out lionsautomobilia.org.