It seems that my fascination with every AG link on the net has led me to waste yet another evening watching AG related films. This one is much more fun for the car nuts among us, even if they don't TALK about the cars much. Enjoy:
Aside from the drag racing part and the war part, More American Graffiti sucked. Not long after I saw the movie in the theaters, I was at Kmart, and they had the model kit of John Milners dragster, which I bought and built.
Very nice 55, you did a great job building it ! While others watched the movie to find all the flaws you watched the movie for inspiration to build a car, a much better use of time.
LOL The first time I watched it I was on acid. I didn't recognize it as Modesto or '62. The second time I watched it was because someone told me that it was about Modesto in 1962 so went back sober. I was equally entertained both times. I am in love with the five five that @DW55 built. That is saying a ton, I generally don't care much for tri 5s. Clone or no clone it is a beautiful car.
Neat '55! Saw AG at the drive-in when it came out. Watched it from the tailgate of my avatar. My dad owned it then and I was about 13. That '55 was the Baddest!
I was 17 years old when it came out and man, did it influence me(see my avatar)! I've must of seen it at least a hundred times as well as all the YouTube videos about the making of it. Most of it, as you all know, was filmed in Petaluma. Below are a couple of my photos of "Paradise Road" which is actually Frates Road in Petaluma. Of course, I had to stop and walk out in the field where Falfa's car rolled over. It was quite a moving experience and with "Green Onions" going through my head, to think back on 1973 and everything that has happened since then and a movie that was about 1962 and how much had changed between then and 1973 when the movie came out. I was surprised that there wasn't any kind of sign or anything indicating the site. Maybe the current owner of the field doesn't want people stopping there (There is a "No Trespassing" sign which I ignored). If I ever won the lottery, I'd find out who owns it and buy it from them. Then I'd find a black 55 and set it upside down in the field and get mannequins dressed up like Falfa, Lauri, Steve, Milner and Toad and set them all around the car! Nice job on the clone car, BTW.
NOPE! The third car, used for the explosion after the drag race rollover, was a non-running salvage yard ’55 Bel Air 2-door hardtop with a wood post installed in the "B" post area by Henry Travers. The 427 Z11 that was based on the 409 came out a an RPO in 63 Impala's to homolgate it for NASCAR and NHRA Stock. Very rare, and Not what we call a Big Block Chevy today Well, here's a few examples Steve: We're finally getting out of this turkey town, and now you wanna crawl back into your cell, right? You wanna end up like John? You just can't stay seventeen forever. Terry Fields: Yeah, I'll die soon, then it'll all be over, John. Curt Henderson: OK, John... So long... So long! Terry Fields: You mean John Milner? Yep, straight axle car built by Richard Ruth of Competition Engineering, in North Hollywood at that time.
I watched the movie when it first came out and I was 13. My dad had a 55 at the time and I wanted it bad but he ended up trading it for a truck and I allways said I would have one like it one day. I have owned a few over the years and knew it was time to start on it. I sold one that I owned for 33 years to build this one. the wife did not like it because I sold it but now she likes this one better than the one I sold.i watch the movie acouple of times a year and more when I was building it . this is the car I sold 2 years ago to build my dream. I know the movie car had a drop axle but that was one thing I left out because I am not that crazy about how they handle and drive with one. i had a 56 with a straight axle and hated the way it handled.
You might be getting AG mixed up with Vanishing Point because they replaced the Challenger with a first gen Camaro in the scene at the end when it crashed into the bulldozers. RIP my Polish brother Kowalski....
My limited understanding of the original 427 was that is was basically a W motor with wedge heads. Like Don said, rare motor, very rare indeed. I have not actually watched the movie in a long time but as I recall there was no mention of Falfa's car having a big motor, just that that the car was fast and hopefully faster than Milner's car. if someone were to build a clone of the movie car it would not necessarily be period correct, it would be built with the parts that were used in the movie car or what we think we know to be the parts used in the movie car.
Personally, I think all this yakkety - yak about the movie is taking away from the build thread and the nice car DW55 built. Start your own damn thread about the movie and where you were when you saw it. Leave this one for comments about DW55's car and his efforts.
I think that the movie would not have come up if the car was not a "clone" hence my statement in post #53.
Well for the record, DW55 built himself a real fine '55 in the spirit of the AG car. Helluva good job DW. As for all the discussion on the BBC being non correct, moot point. The '55 was just depicted as a worthy rival to Milner's coupe, nothing more. Who GAF if it was nuclear powered, IT WAS A MOVIE, and it worked.
Thank you for making the very point that I have made on posts regarding 55 Chevy's being considered a "hot rod". Back to our praise of the OP's 55.
this is a friend of mine , he likes the two lane car better but we both have a good time when we hit the cruse in 's together. Randy placed in the top 25 at the tri 5 nationals this year. He happens to know Richard Ruth and had him build the ladder bars for his car. it has the 454 with tunnel ram on it. We are going to a show this month that they are working on getting the 32 ford from AG and a 57 clone from Holleywood Knights. they want to park us all together . I was told the original 55 and 58 from AG are being restored.
That "behind the scenes" video was cool, lot's of great info, but there seems to be somethiung very wrong with Paul LeMat in that video. But in this one he is much better. Whatever was up with him in the first one doesn't show up here. Lot's of great insight into the character:
A bit of trivia here: I was 11 years old when A.G. was released so I didn't see the first time around, but it rereleased in 1977 or 78, with the missing 5 minutes that was cut from the first showing, and that's when I saw A.G. on the big screen (date night)
maybe someone should tell the website that's pointing out mistakes, that he didn't go to "collage" he went to "college" Mr. Gordon saw and talked with Curt and knew he hadn't left for collage. Nevertheless, he proceeded to ask Curt if he left yet. 1:04:25 (DVD)
[QUOTE=" The car looks great! Now you'll have to invite Harrison Ford over to take it for a spin. (If he promises not to roll it.) [/QUOTE] I wouldn't take any promises from him to not roll it. He has crashed an airplane and almost another !
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