Motion Pictures The Worlds Fastest Indian

When I saw it on DVD, the DVD included a vintage documentary. I thought the documentary was even better than the feature film. Be sure to check that out as well.

Then, go see The Boys of Bonneville. Or see that first.

 

When the movie came out originally it was not shown in many theaters in the Pgh. Pa. area. I had to go out of my area to see it. Since then I have the DVD, one of the best movies along with American Graffiti. Any one I show the movie to just loves it. Is this Boys of Bonnieville a new movie?
Dave Mc, get the DVD and watch it.


Ago

 

Good advice AGO , will buy the DVD = something to look Fwd to

 

Strange this thread came back to the top,,we lost our cable after some construction work yesterday.

We drug the DVD out and watched it again last night,I real like this movie and they could not have found a better actor to play the part of Burt Munro than Anthony Hopkins. HRP

 

Great movie, I remember all the talk here on the HAMB about the attention to detail that went into making things look right. They couldn't have picked a better car to feature than "Redhead" one of trhe best looking LRS cars ever built IMO. Bob

 

Wow. I JUST finished watching this movie (again).

Weird.

 

I would like to find a larger copy of this picture for a friend of mine,.... The world's fastest Indian,... and behind Burt, Is the worlds fastest Motorcycle The Gyronaut X-1.

And how it is today, restored many decades after the wreck.


Taken 43 years apart Bob Leppan

 

Bob Leppan with Burt in 1965....


Through the years....


The wreck......October 21, 1970: The Gyronaut's final attempt to regain the record for Triumph. The bike fared surprisingly well, with just a broken tailfin, shattered canopy, and a chunk of fiberglass out of the front. All the pieces were gathered up and only the canopy was deemed unrepairable. As rider, Bob Leppan, would later recall: "When the tourniquet [on my arm] broke, I knew it was going to be a bad day"... Yep !.. That red stuff on the salt is exactly what it looks like it is.



For the first time in 43 years,... The Gyronaut will be back at the salt ! Check it out.

 

1965 in Wendover: Taking some time to slow down a bit, the world's fastest man, Craig Breedlove, along with the world's fastest on two wheels, Bob Leppan, and also Alex Tremulis, the designer who helped both achieve their goals...



Burt getting ready for a run 1965.

 

Thought you guys might get a kick out of this picture as well...

 

So that Tucker is the real deal ? I cant wait to see this.

 

We usually fire this up on the laptop about 2 hours out of Wendover while driving straight through to Bonneville from up here ... about 850 miles. Crank the sound through the car speakers, really pumps us up.

This year Im taking my nephews. I gave them the assignment of watching the movie before we hit the road. I think they have watched it a couple of times now with their parents...My sister in law said Burt was kinda of old to be sleeping around like that LOL.

 

The picture and audio quality on the Blu-Ray is fantastic.........blows the DVD out of the water.

 

Especially with the bad ticker, I thought.

 

Didn;t we hear Anthony Hopkins took the role for really short money because he liked the story/movie so much ?

 

Glad this was resurrected.

I first saw this movie when I was building my '67 Triumph bobber. Very inspiring for both me and the bike.

I thought the drag queen was a funny character. "Welcome to Hollyweird"

 

Yup. I think the words were "for a fraction of his normal fee because he liked the story and was sick of playing evil guys."

 

Since this is back just before Speed Week, wanted to mention another little tid bit. In the Rod Riders Racing Club is one member that is a pain, Jim Travis, but we love him. So you ask? Well he has been around for awhile and he helped bring a couple of vehicles to the movie, the Pumpkin Seed, Challenge I, and they used his yellow push truck,, and so what, so did some others. But how many can say, they they were the person that supplied the sack for the money collection for Burt, as it did really happen, and he is visable in the original photo in Hot Rod Magazine and is visable in the crowd shot in the movie.

 

Mike Bishop and I discussed that "error" and still laugh about it. Interior shots were done on a flatbed.
(Mike and Vern Tardel were the car wranglers for the film)

At the time they were lining up vehicles for the filming; they couldn't find an Econoline van like the one that Burt actually drove from LA to Bonneville in time; so substituted the Chev.

I almost wound up in the film with my '41 Ford Stake bed as a spectator on the side lines.
But I couldn't make it down in time.

 

Hi Gryonaught - Great photos! I am Burts grandson and haven't seen these onese - any chance you have some high resolution copies of these?

Cheers - Shaun Munro

 

- welcome , do you have any pictures or stories to share?

 

X2

 

Welcome Shaun.

 

Yeah, I know - its a dead thread.

In the early 70's I was in Monrovia CA buying Indian parts at Sammy Pierce's American Indian store, and there on the shop floor was Burt's bike (but I believe he had 2 streamliners - one in Monrovia, and one at home.)

And of course, I think World's Fastest Indian is a bitchin' movie.

 

Thanks for the reminder to watch one of my all
time favorites!

 

The real bike was in Ca. with the replacement engine. The real engine was down under and a repo bike was built there. The real bike is now in Texas, still with the replacement engine. Read the book by George Begg, Burt's best friend.

 

Doug What year was the bike at Hershey? Still have the T shirt they gave me for the use of my fire extinguisher on show day.

 

1987. I still have not worn mine, they were dated on the sleeve. I wore out the one for the cycle of death bike that was there too. Can't think of the owner's but I remember our conversation. He took my name and address for some reason. When he died his brother wound up with the bike. Brother Tom found my name in a notebook and called and asked if I wanted a new T shirt. I've worn that one a few times. Tom sold the bike to a guy from Texas and it was at Simeone a few years ago. I went to a special showing where they started the bike. I helped push it out in the parking lot.

 

"Sacrifices to the God of Speed".........

 

Wow, that was 38 years ago Doug, seams like yesterday.