Metallica front-man's prized possession to turn heads at the LA Auto Show later this month.
The award-winning Black Pearl is coming to the Los Angeles Auto Show this November. Built from the ground up and designed by Metallica's James Hetfield and world renowned custom car builder Rick Dore, the Black Pearl has been turning heads at shows all around the United States for the past year, and is coming home to California to appear at this year's Los Angeles Auto Show November 18th through 30th.
"It is a real honor to have the Black Pearl included in this year's Los Angeles Auto Show," enthuses Dore in anticipation of the show. "The Black Pearl is one of those things that - we initially had been taking other vehicles and cutting and pasting, making you own prototype in a way," explains Hetfield. "This one we actually started from scratch. We started with a '48 Jag and basically tried to work it, work it down to frame and build it up from scratch from a drawing. It took it to a whole new level of car building: from a drawing." 
With its fastback roof and sleek lines, the Black Pearl was inspired by some of the early concept cars of the 1930's, while the chassis is based off of a 1948 Jaguar. The body was completely hand built and shaped by Marcel and Luc De Lay under the direction of Rick Dore, who's Rick Dore Kustoms built the rest of the project before the lustrous black finish was applied by Daryl Hollenbeck. In the past year the 'Pearl has made award winning appearances at The Grand National Roadster Show, winning the 2014 Al Slonaker, Blackie Gejelan and George Barris Kustom awards and The Goodguys, winning Mother's Custom of the Year and Best In Show, and was shown at The Quail and A Motor Sports Gathering, amongst others.
The Los Angeles Auto Show is open to the public November 21st through November 30th. For admission info and tickets, visit www.laautoshow.com.
