Hot Rods Munn's Root Beer Cutlassfrom the movie Hot Rod

I admit, I am a Hot Rod junkie. I own a car that had a very small part in the movie and created a tribute Willys to mimic the star car.

I would like to find out more info on the Munn's Root Beer Cutlass from the movie. I have heard that there were two or three used and at least one still exists.

Does anybody know more?

Also, anybody have an old Stude shortbox truck for sale? I suppose a black Hemi-powered Dodge is in order too!

 

The black Dodge was a 65 Plymouth Satellite with the quarter trim and fender emblems removed.But I'm sure you already knew that.

 

Before you get to far make sure you get your MUNNS decal!From what I hear you have to run it.LOL Sorry couldnt help it I wish I had a real answer but I dont But I really like that damn movie too!

 

wasnt it powered by a black and decker aquarium pump.......oh wait that was the willys!

 

didn't take you long to point that out! But then, you are the master!

I am enjoying all the quotes from the movie, but am also awaiting the answer to the question regarding the Cutlass. Thanks for the help

 

I believe it was a stock Evinrude.

 

Here is a trivia question for you all, What was the original name of the movie "Hot Rod" ???

 

Rebel of the Road

 

I have found several Studebaker pickups but they are all basket cases. Can't find a nice one for sale.

 

It'd be bitchen to see a few clones created based on cars from Hot Rod.

 

I had always heard that the Olds that became the Munns car for the movie was owned/raced by Billy Taggart. Billy Taggarts Dad, Bill was the starter at Sears Point Raceway (Infineon now) in Sonoma, CA for many years.

 

I love that movie. I love that Willys!!

 

C'mon paint job.........GET ON IT!!!

 

Which willys?,,i liked them all in the movie,but the one with the tilt column was my fav,,,

 

the Olds is the real movie star, the Willys is a tribute.

 

I dig your Willys. Glad to see you have that olds too. Most of the cars from that movie are iconic.

 

I should have know you would get it bob !!!!
I should have banned you !!!!

How about this line, "What's black & white and got a Hemi in it ?"

Ummm ... well the only thing I can think of was the old "COP OUT" funny car ??!!??

 

This is black and white and has a hemi. Sorry i couldn't resist.

 

There was an orange Olds just like that one pictured above running around the San Fernando Valley in '78-79...

 

very likely the same car. This car was built by Al Kvarme in the early 70's and it was featured in the 1/75 issue of Streetrodder Magazine. If I recall, Al lived in Fremont. That may be incorrect. I will refer to the mag. for accuracy.

Al built a couple dozen 50 Olds customs. They usually had his signature custom trick, which was to use three dash-mounted clock pods to house the typical gauges.

Al is now in Oregon and is winding down. He has his last completed car, a radical ProMod race car, listed for sale on Carsonline.com . We still communicate via email.

This particular car is painted with "Porsche Blood Orange"

I would also like to find a Matador squad car with a Hemi!

 

I dont know if it has been mentioned before, but one of the Willys coupes used in the movie was bought by Steve Castelli before the movie was released and became the yellow Hot Rod Willys that he ran on the nostalgia circuit.

 

I just talked to Steve Castelli today. He does still have the Willys. and he still runs it. He just ran down at Famoso (Bakersfield) last weekend where he was disqualified for running too fast under the index. I think the class was limited to no faster than 7.60, and he ran under that. Not bad for a naturally aspirated engine with no nitrous, and running in a field of much slicker and lighter Camaros and such cars.

He said his Willys was the one in the movie that was seen in a garage as a primered hulk. The movie company just propped the wheels and tires up with dirt so it'd look like a roller, but in reality, the car had no axles under it. The movie company also cut the back out of the Willys and set a camera inside so they could film as though looking out the back of the car. Luckily, he got the cut-out piece of sheet metal when he bought the car, and he had it skillfully TIG welded back into place and metal finished. You can still see the weld inside the car where this was done, but it's so well done, it's hard to spot.

I asked him about the Oldsmobiles, and he said both cars were and still are owned by a guy by the name of Seipel. The Seipel family was very active in drag racing at Sears Point (now Infineon) Raceway. The guy lives somewhere in the Bay Area, but Steve wasn't sure which city. He said the cars have been sitting outside forever, and were not too pretty last time he saw 'em. Another tidbit he added: both of the Olds were built up cars...that is, they were built from junkers even though when the movie was filmed in 1977, they weren't even 10 years old. Steve gave me a VHS copy of the movie about a year ago, when a friend and I wired another 41 Willys for him...this one a fiberglass bodied clone of his real steel Hot Rod Willys. Much of the movie was filmed in Napa County...Highway 29, Silverado Trail, and the towns of Calistoga and St. Helena. The drag strip scenes were shot at Fremont drag strip. Steve said the movie company loved the yellow Camaro lettered "Strip Tease" in the strip scenes. The owner said he made a bunch of money at the time, because the movie folks paid him $100 every time they had him launch and pull a wheelie...which I guess, they asked him to do several times. At the time the movie was made, Steve owned and operated Castelli's Auto Salvage in Windsor. He said he was too busy at the salvage yard to take much time off to watch the filming. He still lives near Santa Rosa, and still owns the property where his old salvage yard was, but it's now the site of the local "Pick 'N Pull" wrecking yard.

Hope this fills in some holes for you...
Craig

 

I was remembering the car as being a 4-4-2 rather than a Cutlass - a 1969. But the only time I ever saw the movie was when it was first shown. Having had a few beers and slept since then, I could well be mistaken. But as an Oldsmobile guy, I would be very interested in seeing the movie again. Last I looked into it, it was not available on VHS or DVD. Anybody know where I can pick up a copy?

 

The Seipels would be Ted Seipel, his wife Georgia and son, Kyle. They ran Super Gas and Super Pro for years at the point in Austin Healeys. I read somewhere that Ted switched to a 1971 Daytona Ferrari and is still racing into his 70's. Georgia was/is the track manager and was the voice on the other end of the phone when you called Sears Point to see if they were racing on any particular Wednesday night!
I think they were from San Leandro, CA.

 

any chance someone has a pic or could get a shot of the Cutlass's as they are now?

I'm kind of into the "abandoned" car thing..lol

one of my favorite old movies from that era..and Bobwop I remember following your build of the Willie's you have..nice job!

 

bob,is your willys powered by a black & decker j2 aquirum pump ?? or stock evinrude

 

I bought it online a couple years ago from a site that had a ton of hot rod films. www.hotrodmemories.com. They had it in VHS only back then.

 

I tried to buy this just now. They have it listed but when you try to add it to Cart you get an account has been cancelled error. I sent an email.

Bill

 

That's correct. I used to see them everyday in Taggart's parking lot. That was until about the mid to late 90s though.

 

I have to see if I can find this movie. Sounds good.