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

Billy Taggarts Dad, Bill was the starter at Sears Point Raceway (Infineon now) in Sonoma, CA for many years.

Bill Taggart was also the track manager of Vacavalley Drag Strip in Vacaville Calif. He worked tech for the weekly bracket races at Sears Point for many years. He always made the annual John Chamberlan Christmas Party in Napa and told stories to anybody that would stand still. R.I.P. Bill.....

 

^^^ that's funny, "Cutli" LOL

 

HAMBer Coolstuff sells the DVD, PM him.

 

I am very pleased to have all the info you guys offered up. Thank you so much. If anybody is communicating with the Taggarts, perhaps some photos could be snapped. If they have any interest in selling one or both of the cars, let me know.

I am going to contact them myself in a few days, but will be patient in case somebody on here knows them personally.

Thanks for the compliment Racer67X. My Willys is HEMI powered!

 

Bob, Re-read Craig Owens post above. It sounds like the Oldsmobiles might belong to Ted Seipel now. Like I posted before, Im pretty sure the Seipels were from San Leandro CA. When I raced at Sears Point thru the 80's they were always there.
Billy Taggart still races, but Bill Sr. passed away a few years ago.

 

ahh the power of the HAMB,it would be so cool if you ended up with the car-good luck

 

Kyle Seipel owns Helmet city. He is a really good guy and would help you out if he knows anyting.
http://www.helmetcity.com/index-nd.php
Try contacting him there.

And I saw the Munns Rootbeer car sitting on a lot in Richmond, CA about 20 years ago. I think it was a lot for a repair shop or small car dealer lot or something like that.

 

I called Kyle Seipel today. He was very pleasant and helpful. He put me in contact with Jim McComb, the current track announcer at Infineon (since 1968). Jim and Bill Taggert owned Vaca Valley together. Jim was also in the movie shots with his green 64 Plymouth, but it didn't make the final cut. Now Jim works for the Seipel family at Infineon. Ted Seipel is still racing, and winning, in Super Gas at the age of 73. Jim said he is a picture of health. Jim put me in contact with Bill Taggert's son Billy.

Billy and his Father owned both of the Munn's Root Beer cars used in the movie. They were actually F85's. Billy's Mom provided the white Olds wagon that showed up in the movie. They had contacts with Hollywood after providing on of the F85's for American Graffiti II. They were both orange and black in "Taggert Trim", with one being a street car and the other a strip car. They were lettered up in race trim.

After the movie was filmed, they re-painted the cars back to their favorite orange and black colors. One of the cars was sold and apparently met its demise at some time. They maintained ownership of the other car for a very long time. They had repeated requests from a neighbor to purchase the car, but always denied. The neighbor was, and still is, the owner of the Willys used for the street scenes!

In 2000, the Taggert car was STOLEN! No recovery or information was available. Billy was at a car show in 2008 when a lady he knew came up and asked him if he was familiar with an orange Oldsmobile with "Taggert and Taggert" lettered on its side. Billy quickly went to the car and discovered it was only the body. It has been completely stripped. The current owner had purchased it for $600 and had not been aware it was stolen. After hearing the history on the car and Billy proving ownership, the car was GIVEN back to its rightful owner.

Billy has not done anything to it since. He had been seriously contemplating putting it back together as the Munn's car. His son Bobby and he had been running Jr. Dragsters and now a 67 Nova, so they had focused their time/resources there.

Billy said Bobby had been pestering him to get started on the Munn's restoration. He just needed the motivation. After I told him of the cult status of the movie, the following here on the HAMB and my efforts to discover or recreate the movie cars, he grew very excited. He stated "I am on the internet now and will look up Jalopy Journal. You have provided me the motivation to get going on the Munn's car."

I certainly enjoyed visiting with these men today. They all quickly opened up and shared information and experiences from the movie. I have no idea if they were busy at the time of my call, but it was obvious they relished the opportunity to talk about their time from 1979.

I have to give credit to the power of the HAMB. Without the contributions of the folks posting on this thread, I would have struggled to gain this information.

I plan to stay in touch with Billy. Let's hope he takes time to introduce himself and become a contributing member on here.

Thanks to all for your help. I promise to keep you up to date.

 

Bobwop,
Very cool to read about your converstions with those guys. This has been a great thread to follow! I am wondering, why not just make a clone of the olds? Or is this something you might consider now if the original ones will not be available? Just curious... p.s. I LOVE YOUR WILLYS!!

 

Another "Hot Rod" movie fan here... I rented the tape from Blockbuster video years ago and said I lost it~ I say it was well worth the $30 I had to pay because I watched it many, many times. Since buying a DVD recorder I made a few copies so I wouldn't wear out the VHS tape.

Always wanted to build a clone of the willys or of the Stude pick-up... one of these days~

 

thank you

 

hi every one my name is Billy Taggart (Sonny Munn) talked to bobwop today about the munns car i will post my story soon

 

very cool, my brother in law let the studio use his little cotage on diamond mountain just out of calistoga for the movie. and he (being a builder did some remodel for them at the glider field to make it the museum in the movie. love the show i have it on dvd amazon.com

 

Welcome to the HAMB Billy. It's pretty cool huh? Lippy

 

Welcome aboard Billy. Got any of that famous Munns Rootbeer yet? What about a decal? Can't wait to hear your stories and see the resto on the olds if you decide to do it.

 

Very cool that you (we) have not only found the car but got the owner motivated again.

Maybe build a clone of the Hemi powered AMC cop car?

 

wow bob that is awesome story!!!,i cant wait to see the final result,and some pics of your willys and the munns root beer olds side by side

 

welcome to the HAMB!

 

Welcome to the H.A.M.B. Billy Taggart, you will find lots of friends here. I raced with you for many years. I have many great memories of your Dad. Good luck with the "re-built" .

 

glad to see you on here, Billy! I look forward to the resurrection of your F85 and to meeting you some day soon. Let's stay in touch.

 

Wow, what a small world huh? Welcome aboard Billy. Bob, I am on the hunt for a Stude but have not found a worthy truck for you yet.

 

i have a buddy that looks just like cannoball

 

Welcome to the Hamb Billy I have the movie thanks to Bobwop who gave it to me as a gift. Love the cars. Welcome here to the Hamb. A very fun place to be.

 

hmm i thought Grant goodeve played sonny munn well anyway i think its very cool that "paintjob" is gonna be restored

i as most here absolutely love this movie

anyone happen to know anything about the white olds? wagon that brain raced after the black and decker aquarium pump bar sceen?

 

that white Oldsmobile wagon was owned by Billy Taggert's MOM! Billy told me they put a hopped up big block in it and he raced it for a few years. He said it would twist up and pull the left front three feet in the air. Eventually, the frame was twisted beyond repair, so they stripped it and had the car crushed.

 

What year was that stude truck? I myself would love to have the old wrecker from the place Brian stayed at, Lefty's dads truck. That would be cool....

 

aww man thats sad it got crushed

 

bobwop, that is great that you found out all that info. And welcome to the HAMB, Billy!