Metallica Frontman James Hetfield Steals the Show with Stunning Custom Black Pearl One-Off

Nov. 20, 2014 8:00 AM ET by Adam Lynton / 70 Comments

If this doesn't get your juices flowing, nothing will.

Completely scratch-built, without a make or model, boasting a handmade body inspired by the tear drop contours of 1930's European and American classics, the latest custom creation of Metallica frontman James Hetfield is called the Black Pearl, and it is a masterpiece. After deservedly scooping the Goodguys' 2014 Mother's Custom of the Year award earlier this year, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer's spectacular creation, which was designed with Rick Dore, has come to the LA Auto Show.

The Black Pearl was put together with the help of Southern California's Marcel and Luc De Lay. These are two of the world's top coachbuilders, who took an 8x10 drawing and some steel sheets and ended up forming and building one of the most beautiful car bodies we've ever seen. Coated in a deep PPG black contrasted with brushed brass trim, with a Ron Mangus interior sporting Art Deco style dash gauges, the Black Pearl rests on a custom chassis using the outer frame rails of a 1948 Jaguar Mk 4 sedan with power coming from a 375-hp 302 cu.in. (5.0 liter) Ford V8 mated to a Ford C4 automatic box.

Metallica Frontman James Hetfield Steals the Show with Stunning Custom Black Pearl One-Off

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