........Sorry for the foolish assumption on my part. Fixed it. I wish your Uncle a long and healthy life.
Mo, you've made my morning!! The story, the writing, the back story, were a 2 coffee treat. Thank you! Bill Rinaldi
I saw this movie in 1973 when it came out and I was 15 years old at the time. I read in an issue of Hot Rod magazine that this film was made and coming out soon, so it sparked my interest and I kept my eyes open for a release on the film. In 1983 I purchased the movie on Beta tape format and around 1998 purchased the movie on DVD format. Needless to say that it is still my favorite "car cult" film and have watched it more times than I know how to count. Loved this article and would like to thank all the folks that contributed to it. Cheers.
In the pic of the cars and actors, who is the girl and who did she play that is sitting right in front of Bo Hopkins??? Not the phillips chick
As a kid I was always looking for cars to purchase in the won't adds. This was before the E/N. It was also before the movie was at the theaters. I found a add in the SF Chronicle selling two of the three cars. The Mercury and the Deuce. The Fifty eight wasn't for sale at the time. I was interested in the Mercury. After finding out the Merc was badly done I loss all interested.
According to the latest information I have there were 3 cars used to film Two Lane Blacktop. The original car ended up with a collector in Canada. According to the Barrett Jackson Auction schedule the original 2 Lane car will be on the block next week. The other two 55s went on to star in American Graffiti. One was destroyed in the final scene. I saw the other 55 at Hot August Nights back in 94. As far as engine it’s my understanding the AG car were 454s. Not sure about 2 Lane.
The girl with Mr.Wolfe was not the same girl who played Peg. It was Kay Lenz who if l am not mistaken, was once married to David Cassidy. She has appeared in several movies and TV shows. Sent from my 9024W using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I remember the '62 Ford cop car that got the rear end yanked out from under it. '62 Fords would have been plentiful and cheap at the time the movie was made, probably a $500 car that was built and prepped to do that scene.
I grew up in the East Bay, spent a lot of time cruising our "strip". East 14th st. in San Leandro. Saw Hemi-Roid a few times cruising. Got a good look at it one time when it was parked and talked to the owner for a while. It was wild and very well built!
I worked at Universal Studios Transportation Department. Both the Deuce and The Pharaoh's Chopped top Merc stayed at Universal for many years. The Deuce saw duty in a couple of TV shows and being displayed at the tour before being sold. The Merc basically just sat at decayed for years. It was used in a junkyard set and the set designer had another car stacked on top of it. The last I heard of it was when it was purchased by Val Danisgold (SIC), a collector from Granada Hills, CA
Hope they put some form of support in that passenger compartment if something was stacked on it, as I understand that chop was a quickie and they just sunk the rear window into the trunk.......still a Bitchin car to have.... Didn’t Brian Setzer (Stray Kats) —side note any thing with Kustoms I spell with a K —have this original Kustom at some point in the 80’s?????
I'm friends with Paul Le Mat on Facebook he gives some great back stories on different parts of the film and has posted some cool "back stage" photos. You'd also be surprised how they regulated when they would and wouldn't let him drive, I believe he said that he didn't know how to drive stick before the movie. I also think he said that he ran over the guy's foot when he accidentally jumped the curb at the gas station, he also said in the opening scene where Toad crashes the scooter that none of that was planned but Lucas liked the genuine expression on his face afterwards that he decided to leave it in the film.
I was 13 when Graffiti was released and saw it several times in theaters. I got a copy of it on VHS and watched that many dozens of times. Not long ago I found 2 Lane Blacktop on DVD and have watched that and the DVD extras quite a few times. My cousin is 14 years older than I and is two years younger than Modesto native George Lucas. My cousin attended Turlock High and went up to Modesto to cruise. He said the following: The movie was made in 1973, depicting a single night in the summer of 1962 (Lucas was 18 in '62.) I remember thinking that that movie was SO perfect, SO right on. A true snapshot in time, with absolutely no elaboration... I know because I was there. Figuratively and literally. I was way more than disappointed when I learned that the movie wasn't filmed in Modesto. It looked so like the Modesto of my memory. The summer of 1962 was between my Freshman and Sophomore year. I had my drivers license. My buddies and I would hop into my dad's 1953 Studebaker and head to Modesto (13 miles away) to cruise the strip. I remember that we were wide-eyed and drop-jawed at the noise, the colors, the tension, and the MOOD of "the strip" at that age. Four large high schools contributed to the mix - Modesto High, Davis High, Downey High ("Dewey" in the movie), and Turlock High. The rock and roll radio effect was something akin to early stereo in downtown Modesto. Every car's radio was loudly tuned to K-5 (KFIV), and The Wolfman" was king. Up and down the street "The Wolfman" blasted from building to building and back into the street. To this day I can't accurately describe, and give justice, to the "experience" of those nights back in 1958-1966 in Modesto California. "American Graffiti" comes the closest.
The original Merc was recused from the Universal Studios lot in the 80's by Terry Coates in the San Fernando Valley. He would bring it to our cruise nights at Carney's Hot Dogs on Ventura Blvd. When he bought it the roof was caved in from having another car stacked on it's roof. Terry and his son restored the car, they built the grill from a 70 Camaro front bumper, he drove it for awhile and then I heard Brian Setzer purchased it, but I don't know if it was from Terry or someone Terry sold it too.
R&C RON When you saw the HEMI ROID in the late 60’s and early 70’s, would have been when my uncle built and raced/cruised with it. He sold it in ‘72 or there about during a divorce. Unfortunately, since then a few successive owners have laid claim to the build.
Pretty complete info on the Merc here. https://kipsamericangraffiti.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-cars-pharaohs-51-merc.html
The Jalopy Journal
