The Surprising Car Movie

[Humboldt Cat]

Just saw "The Wraith" (sci fi flick from the 80's), had awesome car chases in it, even an old souped up Dart, made me think of what non-car movies had cool cars in it.
The space-age car in this made me think of Knight Rider. Wonder if that's where they got the idea for the show.
Anyway, as for cool such movies, "Road Warrior/Mad Max" surprised me, hadn't heard it had those machines in it.
How about "Dazed and Confused"? What's on your list?

[Humboldt Cat]

What about "Losin' It", with the '57 Chevy and the Mexican rpu? Even the cop car.

[kustombuilder]

i fricken LOVE that move The Wraith. i have'nt seen it in years but i prolly watched in about 50 times. i had heard the car in the movie was a one off Chrysler concept car but shorlty after the movie the car disapeared and so did any and all documentation and drawings of it. i don't remember the details of the story aplus i was a teenager and pretty gulable at the time so it may have been BS, but that is what i heard.

one of my all time favorites is Hollywood Knights. i also loved the Mad Max movies when i was a teenager.


Mike

[Kojack]

It wasn't much of a classic car, but I did get a kick out of the B-Movie "The Car" from 1977. It's stupid as hell, but I dig the '71 lincoln George Barris built for the movie, as it runs around and kills people. Unfortunatly, the acting is so bad, you quickly finding yourself rooting for the car.

[LEEBO]

The car was hell kool in "The Car"

If wer'e talkin bad movies how about the Shoebox Chev in "Sometimes they come back" (flat black with scallops) or the way too commercial Merc in "Cobra"

[Reverendcolin]

It's certainly dated but Thunder Road will always be my favorite. Especialy the garage scene.

[Fat Hack]

"The Car" RULES!!! I have that one on video and watch it all the time! The acting fits the plot, and it's a way fun movie to watch...love it!

Check out "Last Man Standing" with Bruce Willis. Not only a good shoot-em-up flick, but lots of old iron in there. The story is set in Prohibition era in West Texas, and Bruce drives a Model A coupe. I still can't figure out what Doyle's 'limmo' is, but it looks cool, too! I also dig the old Sheriff car!

[RileyRacing]

I'd vote for Dazed and Confused too. Course, I am biased, I have a Duster like the one Ben Affleck drove! But gotta go with mullet type movies like Smokey and the Bandit (only the first the rest sucked), Stroker Ace (love those old stock cars) Cannonball Run (Dean and Sammy as priests, whodathunkit). And no, I ain't sweet on Burt Reynolds, it just so happens I watched alot of his movies as a kid http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Jay

[Fat Hack]

Hey! You forgot "White Lightnin'"!! The same old hillbilly dude in that movie was in "The Car"!

And...in another loose cross reference..."The Car" had Kim Richards in it, and she was also in a REALLY BAD 80s teen movie called "Tuff Turf"...a movie that featured a PRIMERED CAMARO before primer was cool! The Camaro even had the whole rear axle painted red and a nice rake goin' on...all way back in 85 or so!

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[McGrath]

I had always heard the Car in the Wraith was a Mopar Concept car too. Seems like they even thanked Mopar in the credits, but its been a long time since I've seen it. They called it "Turbo Interceptor"

[Fat Hack]

Yeah, a Chrysler concept car called the Turbo Interceptor or something like that.

To me, Skank and his Cuda will always be the star of that one! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[McGrath]

Apparently it was a joint venture with PPG. Everything I found on the Web calls it the Dodge/PPG Interceptor.Heres the only decent pic I could find of it.

So what came first for ol Charlie? Red Dawn, or Wraith? Not much acting in either one...

[hotrodladycrusr]

[ QUOTE ]

one of my all time favorites is Hollywood Knights.
Mike

[/ QUOTE ]

Watched Hollywood Knights for the first time this past Sat nite. I really enjoyed it. Car flicks are perfect to watch this time of year.

[poncho]

what about boulivard nights..lowrider flick!!!

[MrGasser]

Anyone see the new Levi's commercial with the wild, radically chopped, El Camino type thing with the canted fins on the bed and the custom front end and tail lights?

[Fat Hack]

Mr Gasser...I saw that commercial when I took my nephew to see "The Hulk" this past Summer at the Star theatre. I thought it was cool as hell! The vehicle looked like "The Car" with a pickup bed!!!

[truth]

Never saw that one, but I did see some PT cruiser or some other car commercial that had all kinds of von dutch style pinstriping stylized into the commercial. Not surprising nowadays...

[toledobill]

I remembered the Wraith car as one of a number of pace cars PPG had built back then. A pass through Google got me this description:
"Built by Specialized Vehicles Inc. in Troy Michigan as the last of a long string of Dodge PPG pace cars for the Indy Car world series, this car is the best known due to its wild looking 2.2 liter engine and the fact that it was the star of a low budget B-movie called The Wraith (Well Charlie Sheen was in the movie too but no one seems to remember him). The engine features a Ford-based Cosworth cylinder head adapted for use on a 2.2 block, twin Garrett turbo's and a wild looking header. Slated hp was targeted at 100 hp per liter. The car currently resides at the Walter P. Chrysler museum in Michigan."

[TINGLER]

"I'm a fuel injected suicide machine!"

I love the Mad Max trilogy! It was one of my big influences growing up.
I personally think those movies are in some way (subconciously) responsible for the DEATH ROD branch of the flat black fad.
Compare some of those death rods to...lets say...the cowhide roadster in "Thunderdome". I see a big similarity.

Wow, I just came up with a new concept! Somebody needs to make a lakes mod body out of 1/4" rod and wire and coat it with cowhide.....
HELL YEAH! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
We don't need no steeenking flat black! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

"Perhaps it was a result of anxiety"

Later,
JT.

[wingnutz]

The movie..., IQ...!

Garage scenes with customs and rods were cool but not long enough! Kind of reminded me of the Old Service station days...! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Mark

[41sled]

Best 80's car movie made... must of saw it my self over 50 times too.... I beleive it was a NSX to beging with right??? not sure but, its still one of the bests..

[TheRev]

one of my all time fav's,bad acting,great morals,beauty cars if'n you like lowriders."heartbreaker"not with an "s",dats porn http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif,not with"the"its just bad.and for ol'time drags"fast company"
the Reverand