There was a “dedication” ceremony for the Hot Rods stamps on August 27th at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. Mark Saunders of the U.S. Postal Service took these photos and provided them to The Virtual Stamp Club. His press release follows. Our information on the issue, including FDC servicing information and technical specifications, can be found here. And our report and photo essay from the first-day ceremony in June is here.

The two cars shown on the stamps are position before the start of the ceremony.

Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe, the cars’ owners and other dignitaries unveil the stamps, which initially went on sale June 6th.

PMG Donoahoe and others listen to the speeches.

Afterward, the PMG and other dignitaries signed the event program. Several members of the Claude C. Ries (Southern California) Chapter of the American First Day Cover Society can be seen on the line.

Unlike some of his predecessors, PMG Donahoe not only sticks around for these autograph sessions, but chats with the collectors and others.

Two more photographs are at the end of the USPS press release describing this event:

California Hot Rods Get Postal Service Stamp of Approval
Postmaster General, Car Owners, Provide BackstoriesLOS ANGELES — The two iconic hot rods that modeled for the Postal Service’s recently issued Limited Edition Hot Rods Forever stamps took center stage today at the Petersen Automotive Museum. There, the car owners and one of the car builders joined the Postmaster General in revealing the backstories on these cruisers and how the stamps came to be.

“These Hot Rods stamps personify the beginning of America’s fascination with customizing fast cars,” said Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe in presenting the stamps. “And they’re just as popular today as they were decades ago. Just like the cars they celebrate, these stamps are timeless in that they’re good for mailing First-Class letters anytime in the future.”

Joining Donahoe in dedicating the stamps were Bruce Meyer, owner of the red ’32 Highboy McGee Roadster featured on the stamps and co-chair of the Museum where the car is displayed; and Mark Graham and Vern Tardel, owner and builder respectively of the black ’32 Frank Rodgers Deuce Roadster featured on the stamps; and Barry Meguiar, Host of “Car Crazy”.

The Stamps Backstory
“We chose these hot rods after stamp artist John Mattos conducted extensive research,” explained Donahoe. “He found the McGee roadster that was featured on a 1948 cover of Hot Rod Magazine which is often referred to as the ‘Holy Grail of Hot Rods.’ In his research, John also received recommendations to feature any car built by Vern Tardel.”

Donahoe noted that Graham, of Sioux Falls, SD, purchased Tardel’s roadster second-hand on eBay.

“With an estimated 12 million hot rodders in America today, I applaud the Postal Service for recognizing that Hot Rods will forever be a symbol of our American Culture,” said Meguiar, who emceed the event.

The Frank Rodgers Roadster
Graham said he has been enamored with Tardel’s work for many years and always wanted to own a Tardel, 32 Ford Highboy Roadster. About four years ago he found the Frank Rodgers Roadster on eBay. Graham bought it sight unseen with just 600 miles listed on it and had it shipped to Tardell’s Santa Rosa, CA, garage to be fine-tuned and shipped to South Dakota.

“It’s been my dream to own this car since the 1960s,” said Graham, “And now, to have this iconic car on a stamp is truly a hot rodders dream.”

“I’ve been building hot rods since the sixties,” said Tardel. “I am truly honored to see the USPS issue a stamp with one of my cars, celebrating this great American tradition.”

The McGee Roadster
Meyer, an avid car collector, considers himself the custodian of the McGee he purchased in 1993. A purist, he had the car restored to its original 1947 condition by the So-Cal Speed Shop.

“The Postal Service honoring Hot Rods and Hot Rodding is a giant step in the long over-due recognition and appreciation of this pure American art form,” said Meyer. “Hot Rods are like jazz and baseball when it comes to American achievements, and the McGee Roadster is the Holy Grail of early hot rodding. Kudos to the Postal Service!”

Available in booklets of 20 stamps, customers may purchase the stamps at usps.com/stamps, at 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724) or at Post Offices nationwide and on eBay at ebay.com/stamps.

Designed by Derry Noyes of Washington, DC, the two stamps were digitally created by artist John Mattos of San Francisco.