Most of the original indian is here in CA. It is true , he never broke the 200 mph mark. 178 or something like that, all this info is from a friend of mine that was around the salt back then. But the moive is the best I've seen in a long , long time.
Picked up a copy at BLOCKBUSTERS for $9.95, pre-viewed. I didn't care, it is the ONLY movie I've bought in my life for me. Bought my wife some of that Brad Pitt shit. What a great movie. Don't care if it's really factual or not. Gearhead meat. Hell, even my wife loved it. Caught her watching it the other night. It's a blast. If you haven't seen it , GET IT. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like I told the kid, "Your music not too loud, it just sucks!"
Folks: One of the pleasures of achieving "Geezer-class" status is that one can look back on interesting times. In 1964 Hurst - the shifter folks - decided that recording race events live and selling 33-1/3 rpm records of those was a good brand marketing idea. The recent post here about the 1963 Bakersfield March Meet records being sold was an example of the then-current method. Anyway ... the weekend before I recorded the 64 US Nationals album we went to Bonneville to record that event. My friend Burke LaSage - SCTA member and Bonneville regular - said that to truly capture the "salt" spirit we needed to interview Burt Munro. Which we did over dinner. Once he began to regale us with stories - of just his Bonneville adventures - the interview lasted 3 HOURS! Unfortunately non of those tapes ever made production. But that was - undoubtedly - the most fascinating interview EVER for me. Really enjoyed the movie too, Hopkins got the Munro character just right.
I knew I had this pic somewhere. Just found it looking for something else. This was 1971, Bert with his grand daughter.
If you liked the movie then get the book "One Good Run" by Tim Hanna. It's the life story of Burt Munro and it was a helluva life. The movie covers about 5% of his story. Kurt O.
I watched it on the movie channel last night. I had no idea it was coming on just caught it a few minutes in. Cant believe I hadn't seen it before. Factual or not great movie.
Anyone who likes this film should also rent "madison". http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0206113/ A story about a man's personal struggle to victory in the 1971 Madison, Indiana hydro-plane regatta. True Story.
RustyDuece is right, The effect this movie had on New Zealand is huge - Burt Munro and Bonneville are household names throughout the entire country now. I understand there are 6 Kiwi race cars and 5 bikes being shipped to the USA for Speedweek this August. We even had a profile on one of the teams (Bill Ward) on National TV last Friday night.... Noddy
Here are some pictures I took of the bike at a show last year, it is really pretty small in person. CBB
Imagine taking a crude little V-twin like that Indian, and converting it to over-head valves, handmade cams, your own larger jugs made from used pipe, hand-built rods, home-made pistons.......and make it a 150hp torque monster. Oh, and do it all in a little shed with almost zero budget. Simply amazing. He also drag raced that bike, I looked up his times, they were as good as my hopped up ZX9-R Ninja. Superman wears Burt Munro pajamas.
There is no explanation that could make anyone who has never been there even come close to understanding the experience of Speed Week. Remember in "Field of Dreams" when Kevin Costner was playing catch with his dad and asked "is this heaven?" Reminiscing about the years past that I spent with my departed father on the salt gives me that same feeling that any man with a heart got at that point in the movie...it's the only way I can explain it. If you have the chance...don't miss it. And be sure you get on the salt around 6 am to watch the sun rise....you'll be glad you did.
You must have some great stories... what other old time racers did you interview? Was this for an SCTA publication?
Like most modern day restorations, Burt's bike is way over restored. All the years I saw it on the salt there was never any paint on the frame, forks or engine. Everything that was metal was as Burt crafted it, completely bare. No chrome or polished aluminum. The only paint was on the body, and that looked 40 years old the first year he came to Bonneville. That was the character of it. Just like Burt, rough around the edges, and all heart inside. The "50 years syne" on the side in the pic I took refers to the 50 year anniversary of the 1920 indian.
Well said! I've been where you were, with my dad and brother. It will give you goose bumps for the rest of your life. Sunrise over the salt is better than church will ever be!
At the Beach Hop Festival in New Zealand last year we had the bike from the Movie on display in front of the screen at the local Movie theatre while the film was showing.... that was fairly special. Noddy
I saw it at a theatre in Seattle the day the movie came out, you could almost smell the salt and I got major goosebumps hearing that bastard roll thru the traps. You can bet if little Bobby was based on a real kid next door, he is a lover of all things with gas and oil, and still pisses on his lemon tree............ One of the great gearhead movies of all time, period.
WFI inspired me to go to Bonneville for the first time in 2007. Fantastic Movie. I watched it many times before I went in 08, and I will start watching it this month before I go in August. Very few movies will become a part of you. Roger Donaldson did a great service to us all by making the movie. Durning speed week 08 it was to windy to run,so they played the directors commentary of WFI on the Bonneville radio station until the wind died down. Very cool to listen to it in Wendover. Looking forward to being on the Salt Again. See all you HAMB'ers there.
Screw the F.B. I. I give a copy to everybody I like. It's just a damn good movie-over and over and over...
Great movie, I recorded it on my DVR last month. Even my 3year girl sat and watched it. Good family movie.
One of the very best gearhead movies of all time. I usually have to watch these types of movies alone, but when WFI is on the family will always sit and watch it with me.
I never got to meet Burt Munro. One of the very few regrets I have. But he definitely was one of the characters that makes the salt great. Buzznut mentioned "Field of Dreams". I know why I will sit and watch WFI any hour of the day or night but "Field of Dreams has the same effect and I can't explain it. A great movie extremely well done!
The Jalopy Journal
