Motion Pictures Movie of the Week: 'Hot Rod - Rebel of the Road'

Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post:

Movie of the Week: 'Hot Rod - Rebel of the Road'

Continue reading the Original Blog Post

 

For so long it was the mystery movie that couldn't be found. Once we had a copy that was filmed off the TV screen. Then at an early, when it was real, Hot Rod Reunion at Bakersfield we ran into a racer that had one of what he said was three Willys used in the movie. His had an area you could see was cut out for a camera shots through the windshield. Anyway he was selling VHS copies of the movie, $25.00 each. Snagged one and gave it to our accountant that is a 40 Willys freak, who else would buy a one of 8 1937 Willys Ute and is turning it into a gasser???

 

been looking for that movie for a long time. cant wait to go home and watch it now

 

I remember seeing this on t.v. back then and loving it.
Thanks for posting this link, I'll be fun to see it again after all these years.

 

Yea, one of my favorite movies. I caught it late at night on tv somewhat by accident in the mid-80’s and have wanted a Willys coupe gasser ever since. I finally got it on DVD at a swap meet a few years ago so can watch it any time I want.

 

I like to watch hokey shit but I had to skip to through some of this one. Fun to watch some of it though with the cars.

 

The full movie is also on Youtube.

 

Buy your own DVD HERE

HRP

 

Definitely one of my all time favorite movies. I can remember being excited to watch it when it was advertised in the TV guide.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I have always liked the movie. Have watched it more times then I care to admit. There was some good lines used in this one. And the willys is great. Come on paint job, get on it!

 

The fictitious "LYONS Dragstrip" racing scenes were all filmed at Fremont Dragstrip ... and I'm pretty sure the Willys was a Fremont based car ... I remember it (or one just like it) parked on a street near my house (without the engine):

​

NOTE: According to the 41 Willys from the movie "Hot Rod" thread, there were actually three (3) different Willys used to film the movie ... and Steve Castelli bought one of them for his (off-topic for the H.A.M.B.) yellow "HOT ROD WILLYS" A/Gas drag car:

image by Robert Briggs​

 

Rides on up, like a cutter through ice...

 

My favorite movie.
I got a VHS of it at Bakersfield 25 years ago in the Swap Meet, I'm sure I've watched it 100 times or more..... so I built a Willys so I could terrorize the streets with it, what a blast it was!

 

You've been able to buy the dvd on Amazon for several years now, I ended up with a couple copies of it.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LGUQX86/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_RB8DR9Z8AVZ4E40DQ3T1

I was really on the fence about selling my 41 Chevy truck and buying this car two years ago for 30k, stroked big block dodge, 5 speed



Man, I really loved that car, but I loved my truck just a little more, ironically a friend in Texas ended up with it after the buyer added a.c. and flipped it for a 20k profit.

 

I really enjoyed the Hemi removal from the AMC cop car. Still searching for one of those rare AMC's.....

 

I didn't know it was that hard to find. But then I never really looked for it. This guy I used to see at swap meets brought me a copy about ten years ago on DVD that was really good quality. He also brought me a bunch of other hot rod movies from the same era. Can't recall all the other titles I'll have to dig them out and look. I know one was a copy of Catch Me If You Can. I think that was also a made for tv movie from 1989.

 

Enjoyed it again - thanks for posting the linc - think I might have still had my 1965 Plymouth more door in 1979.....but know I still have it's rebuilt trannie on my trannie rack.....with about 2500 miles on it....blew the little 273.....or should just say I ran the oil out of it.....dang it....

 

Just watched it. Whats not to love. Goody 70’s story line, a 69 Olds, and Hemis!

 

The shed doors open.
There stands the Willys... staring out from its hiding place.
................ "It moved!"

 

One of those Willys chassis was purchased, by a HAMB Willys builder here.

Pretty sure it was a previous iteration of the racing Willys above. Ladder bars and all.

 

“What’s under the hood ?,
A black and decker aquarium pump !!”

what’s under the hood ?
A5 horse evinrude !!

“get on it squirrel !!!”


The movie that single handedly got my into hot ridding from streetrods and muscle cars !!

I owned a vhs copy when I was a teenager, good ol boot leg copy with a cheesy sticker on it that said hot rod.
Came home from school and got yelled at by mom ...... she thought it was a porno !!!
Had to show her , she laughed!!!!

 

LOL! Yep, back when I was into racing in places that might not have been legal, pretty sure I used that line more than once...

 

My friend's show registration last week lol

 

There use to be a guy on the HAMB that was all over that car.


My name is Dennis. I was the owner of one of the '41 Willys that was used in the movie "Hot Rod".

Mine was used in the race scenes, the one with the funny car motor. I loaned the car to the movie studio, they replaced my motor with the funny car motor, started it up and cracked the frame. They built a special frame for it.

What I thought would turn into a fun experience turned into a nightmare. They ruined my car. They stole parts off of it, it took over a year to get it back. They kept moving it to different locations, wouldn't returns calls.....

It was also used in "More American Grafitti" - that was a great experience and lead me to do the Hot Rod movie...

Any questions, feel free to ask......

DENNYDENNY, JUN 6, 2011!REPORT!
SHARE POST#34LIKE+ QUOTEREPLY

 

Found it on the Tube awhile back, a little harder to watch now then it was when I was a teenager, but still a great car flick.

 

I did a job for a younger fella the other day, and he brought up this movie, and how well he liked it. He also had some decals made some time back, and gave me a pair. I had never seen it, so I watched it. The best part, had to be the scenes that were shot at Baylands Raceway, Fremont, with real drag cars. I raced there a few times in the 80's, and still have a fondness for the place.

 

Great movie! I own 2 copies. Love the plain jane grey Willys.

 

Also known as "Hot Rod '79" if you want to find it.

 

Advertisment for "Hot Rod"

Sent from my Pixel 5 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

LOL.
I watched it on ABC when it came out. It was in the era when all of the 3 networks were taking "Stars" from their other weekly series and putting them all together for a TV movie.
A fun trip down memory lane.