another american grafitti question.

Although big blocks were used in the movie, in the summer of 1962 Chevy was still sorting out the problems of 409s and the 348 was so heavy (started life as a truck engine) that in real life the 55 would have probably had a small block, thus the high reving 327 SFX during the street race scene and over-rev SFX when it flipped. Just never sounded like a big block to me. The 327 was an instant screaming success. I was a senior in 1962 and we used to sneak a race in occasionally @ lunch time. One day a guy from another school visited us in a silver 57 with a 327 FI & posi. He left so hard it made our heads spin! Never saw or heard anything like that in my life! No one would race him.

 

I always got the impression Lori grabbed the steering wheel and yanked it to the right, sort of a tragedy saves the relationship, which it did, causing Steve to stay in Modesto. The cues are, when Milner is questioning her about riding with Falfa, the camera pans out with her glancing at the steering wheel, and after the wreck, the way they are fighting, and have to be seperated.

 

Milner had him all the way. As far as Milner claiming "lieing" he was behind was part of the plot.
As king of the valley, he knew he was doomed. So he wanted, in a sense to be de-throwned. But when it came down to the race he was ahead the whole time.

 

Here's a interesting site with info on the Graffiti cars. click on link below
http://americangraffiti.net/movie_cars.html

 

No way. 0:55-0:58 shows the 55 running him down - then backing off

Interest theory Studebaker Eric: women, especially teens, do the damndest things..

 

the 55 in the rollover wreck had a 400 auto trans and dual glasspacks.

 

'Cause it's a "field car"

 

the old NHRA rules for gassers or modified production classes would divide car weight by cubic inches. Guessing the coupe weighed around 2300 lbs and the 55 about 3600 lbs, The coupe should kick the 55's ass. Coupe, 7 lbs per cu inch and the 55, 8 or 9 lbs per cu inch. That's if everything tuned and geared right in both cars.

 

It didn't matter who won or lost anymore. It was the end of an era. End of street racing. Cruising was almost over. Beach Boys were popular. R&B was almost dead. Everybody in Milner's life were going on to better things and he was being left behind. You had to live it to understand. '59 to '64 not only the car culture but the U.S. lifestyle completely changed.

 

Sorry to end this thread on a downer. Just keep on about what might have been.

 

I read somewhere that they actually had to "pedal" (sandbag) the 55 in the drag race scene to make it look like a somewhat close race. Aluminum head L88 against a hopped up 327, I will take the L88 every time. Listen to that 55 when he runs the red light. No chance for the duece!!

 

You can't stay 17 forever

 

Haha..i was looking at the crash scene and it certainly appeard to me the "crash" car and the "Burn" car are the same with polished aluminum 400 turbo tranny pan and a Pontiac/Olds rear axle with silver painted 50s-60s buick wheels on the rear. The radiused wheel wells appear to be done with an axe too but the relly interesting thing is 1.45 minutes into the scene where the 55 is upside down and begining to burn. Look at the front of the driveshaft. It's WIRED or roped in place, next to the tranny. It must have come outta the tranny during the roll over and they just tied it up for the scene.
I always thought the roll over car was single exhaust but there are 2 nasty old, uneven shorty pipes with rusty glasspacs and no tailpipes under the car.

 

Yeah this is exactly what I took from the film.
I felt Milners character wanted something better but in the end realized this is what he was, what he did best. He wasnt opposed to the idea of losing, or afraid of defeat but he wasnt about to sell himself short. The race was going to decide his future direction. Falfa's 55 was characterized as formidable but Falfa himself was the weak link. The race itself proved that it takes more than just a car to win. Milner holeshotted him and the coupe hooked up and launched with no wheel spin. Falfa was able to catch him but if you'll notice in the shot where the cars speed past the camera, the 32 is ahead and pulling from him and then the 55 just ditches. Since its never revealed why, im led to believe Falfa did it purposely, to escape straight up defeat. Before the race, Milner looks confident and Falfa looks nervious. Falfa also chose to race with Laurie in the car, which was a stupid move. The way they are fighting when they emerge also makes it seem she's accusing him of wreacking purposely. Also the argument surrounding the cars would clearly give the advantage to the coupe. The 32 would have either been a 283 or 327 with some decent performace mods. The 55 would have been at best a 327 with possibly more horsepower but as we all know, that doesnt guanantee a win.
In reality of course, the 55 was clearly the baddest of the two.

 

It was reported over at TRI5 that the Graffiti car was sold earlier this year and is now in Texas...
http://www.trifive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76976

That one car made me wanna be a hot rodder

 

Bob Falfa was Harrison Ford and the'55 was the one James Taylor drove in Two Lane Blacktop

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Does it really matter??

It's a damn movie for cryin out loud.

Get out of the chair and go make some black marks on the road yourself, dude!

 

I listened to a gaggle of women discuss the twilight saga with an intensity to rivals this thread.
I just chalk that up to it estrogen fest.


What do we call this ?

 

Its all fun and games on a cold night !

Thats about it.....

I love that 55

 

If the 58 impala could have a "327 with six deuces" Then Milners coupe could have had a 327 with a CT Stroker crank...Milner did go on to run a dragster, Falfa went on to be an professor/archologist.........

 

I thought he went on to be a smuggler

 

He was a motorcycle cop in AG II.

 

Bob Falfa, later a SFPD motorcycle patrolman.

 

post #29...tire shake...loose lug nut...popped a rim by overpowering bias-plys..."When I get this crate rollin', you'll be hanging on for dear life" I believe was Falfa's forewarning quote.

 

Contrary to what has been said Big blocks were around in 62. In about 63,I put a 348 in my 57 chevy. In fact it was a late 348,just before 409 came out (409 was a beefed up 348. Mine had hi-lift cam and trips). So big blocks did exist in late 50's ,early 60's.just not 427,454,496.

 

I always thought Falfa wrecked because Cindy reached over and grabbed his dick.........guess I was wrong...

 

Prove it...

 

Didn't they build some 427s based on the W motor? I thought I remembered reading someplace that some were built for racing....but never offered for production cars.

 

The wife calls it testosterone dribble, seems like a form of bench racing to me lol

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