A ride like that would sure start you down the right path, alright. Cool story. Did that have anything to do with the door lettering in your avatar pic?
I`ll agree about the Halibrands, I have a pic of it with them and the wide tires and they set the look for me.
Anyone know what they did to set up the '57 Plymouth for the filming (engine or suspension mods, etc.)? Did they use more than one?
SBF 260 C.I.D Bought from Shelby in 1964,---Hell everybody was hung up on SBC, I wanted to be different! Not a belly ****on power. 300,000 miles later, I'm still smiling chasing those lines!!
Pete was a Ford guy born and bred. It is powered by Ford, when it went though a revamp in the '90s the compression got lowered a little bit to survive better on pump gas. Here is a tid bit: the Flames don't match from one side to the other and were an after though quicky paint job for the movie.
You should read the article I posted by Manuel about painting the flames on the car. Pete approached Manuel about flaming it before the car was even done being built.
I never realized that the very first black, flamed, chopped '34 Ford 3 window ever built in the history of the world came out of Miami! Who'd a thunk it? And I am sure that if we asked Pete where the inspiration for his car came from, he would readily volunteer, "That Wild Something-or-other down there in Miami."
I must admit that I have always believe Ol Henry began designing better curves and overal looks when he made the '33/'34 Fords whether it was Coupe, Tudor or even the Sedan. And the car certainly can look awesome with or without the dressing of fenders and running boards. I thought the side pipes fitted to the car when used in the movie was to give the engine a deeper roar noise from the sound people but somebody said they weren't hooked up.
Just FYI, sound effects from objects in movies rarely come from the object in the shot, car or otherwise. The pipes were not hooked up.
the 37 Kid is correct. the coupe was sold to the late Chris Carrier of West Hartford, Connecticut. I had the pleasure and good time riding down the Berlin Turnpike with Chris in the coupe. Chris installed N.O.S. running boards as well as having some other work done before he sold it back to Pete Chapouris, who then sold it to Jerry slover.
Yes. Yes it is. After "American Graffiti" ruined me for life, I sought out any and all info on "old cars". My interest was slowly waning, until one night, my dad told my brother and I, a car movie was coming on TV. When that '34 roared over that bridge, my interest and addiction was rekindled. As cool as 32's are, 34's are a better styled car.
And this one is good enough for me today. And how the hell did a thread about a '34 coupe turn into a discussion on which engine is more traditional??
Now you've done it. Just sat here and watched the entire movie. Lots of nice rides in it. Don't know if the engine sounds were of the coupe or not, but what ever it was had a healthy cam in it and sounded great!
A bit of trivia here: The driver of that ugly Ford Shoebox is Martin Sheens real life brother, Joe Estevez.
it always made me wonder what navy those guys were in that they could have long hair like that. i was in the army in the late '60s and the rule was "sidewalls" around the ears and anything under the hat was yours. anyone notice the angle-iron rear bumper on "the kid" so sheriff morrow could bump it from behind?
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but read Carroll Shelby's bio. He first approached GM with the AC Bristol, wanting to use Chevy drivetrain. GM said, "Sorry, Mr. Shelby. We already have a sports car, the Corvette." Then Carroll Shelby went to Ford. History. Read it.
That icon ran at Fremont countless times in the late '70s...old pal Gerry Steiner got it 'out of shape' at 100+ MPH, just powered-and-clutched it and straightened it right out! Large audible gasp from spectators...
Mike, I think you have your date off a few years, the "554" ran from '85 through the track closing in '88 at Fremont. We were pitted close to them in '85. Gerry was the best show at those events !
The Jalopy Journal
