American Graffiti Coupe Pictures and Myths

[QUOTE[/QUOTE]

Is that piss yellow?

That's Tony Danza yellow!

 

Well guys, were having a snow/ice storm going on now,...But this was digging at me, so I risked life and limb, to go borrow the book,... Looks like the answer might be with Andy, He had a chance to photograph both cars in 1955.

But here's the possible fly in the ointment. It said one of the cars ran a Studebaker engine, later replaced with a Flatty,... The other coupe, it makes no mention of what engine or drivetrain it had,... And according to the book both were later painted blue,... Ans sold in the late 50's

But still,.. we might be on to something ,...?


Looks like it might just been painted in this picture, overspray on the running boards, and handles nor reinstalled yet.

 

Thanks Harms Way...
Very interesting. First thought for me was i wasn't sold the chop was the same...But, man it's so hard to tell from that pic, and also hard to tell in general with so many different ways to chop one of these things.
Great food for thought though.
And i have no idea why but i've always wanted to know what it was prior to AG.
That car may have been a polished pig in the movie for the "look", but it's the one and only reason i always wanted a 32 5 window..and have one now.
Cool.

And Jeff, as always, great site!!


Tony

 

I remember reading somewhere that the coupe had a red and white seat that was dyed black for the movie. Reupholstering would've taken too long.

 

That's exactly what I thought at first, But the pictures were taken at two different distances, and angles. So it makes the picture of the red coupe look more chopped (further away). The other thing to consider,.. there were two coupes that were nearly identical.

Maybe the answer is in Andy Southard's photo archives,....

 

Thanks for the link.

 

Here's the two pics Steve sent me back in the 80's, looks like they might have been pulled from the same batch of photos on the AG site. i think i still have the Hemmings ad from the 80's with the coupe for sale in it. i'll have to dig it out and see.

 

Is that piss yellow?

That's Tony Danza yellow![/QUOTE]
Actually i believe he says "Thats Tony Nancy Yellow" since i think it was Tony Nancy who made the comment in the scene.

 

i thought i read there were two to three 55`s. one ended up in two lane black top? has someone already posted this?

 

FYI You Guys ROCK!!! keep up the unreal work. We may figure this out after all. Then I can sleep nights.

 

FYI You Guys ROCK!!! keep up the unreal work. We may figure this out after all. Then I can sleep nights.
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im pretty sure i read there were three. two had roll cages and one didnt. the one that crashes was a stock deal with a roll cage. check out the upside down car at the end. the built one with the roll cage ended up in two lane black top. love the pics of the 32 up close. no wonder john didnt go through that light.... hahaha

 

Lucas used the Two-Lane Blacktop car. It ended up in Graffiti.

 

Lucas used the Two-Lane Blacktop car. It ended up in Graffiti.
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Last edited by mashed; Today at 08:05 PM. Reason: spelling

thats why i said "has anyone posted this" i wasnt sure. 71 two lane and 72 grafffiti right?
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yep Two lane Blacktop was first, then the car was converted for American Graffiti.

 

That's just a Bitchin' coupe !!!...

 

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rsZDEpC9LKo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

So what you are saying is, Milners Coupe is NOT the spaceship the aliens landed in at Roswell in the 50s?

Doc.

 

Back in 2004 at the Mother Road Festival in Springfield Il a guy from the east coast ( I dont remember exactly where) had a '55 there in 2 lane trim that was alledgedly one of the original 55's it had brackets for camara mounts all over the outside of the car. Is this one of the original movie cars? I took several pics but cant find them now. I remember him also saying the correct front suspension had been removed and he was in the process of gathering the correct parts to put it back.

 

doc wins!!!!!!

 

SHHHHH!!!!!!!

DOC!,... I told you never to repeat that !!!!!

 

Way cool thread ! Thanks !

 

when i was at the altor boys show in boston in september there was a 55 i thought was pretty close. no camera mounts or anything. it just had the look...

 

Glad to see the record put straight once and for all. I know Steve Fitch pretty well. I was around when he bought the 55 and then 32. Pretty heady stuff. He worked his ass off on both cars. It was amazing to see them come together.
I got to ride in the 55 a few times in Wichita after he finished it. Never rode in the 32 but some of the pics you published are ones I took in 1984. Also the ones of Steve with the 55 about the time he got the 55 .
You're right, Steve is one heck of a good guy. I guess us Graffitiaholics and hot rodders(the coupe got me hooked) owe him a nod and atta boy. Great post.
Mark Sisk

 

I'm thinkin' that coupe was pretty down to Earth...

 

I always like the sectioned grille. All my older Hot Rod friends hate it..."nobody ever sectioned their grilles shells back in the day" is what I get every time. Makes the car !
Great thread , by the way. Thanks !
For my next project.

 

Actually i believe he says "Thats Tony Nancy Yellow" since i think it was Tony Nancy who made the comment in the scene.[/QUOTE]


Now I have to go watch the movie and find that part. You may be right.

 

Good read, oh and BTW, what hasn't been talked about on this board? If there is something that doesn't interest me I don't click on it!

 

Dont one of the Shifters own a yellow coupe that was intended to be used for the movie but was pulled at the last minute cause of the 5 window???? Seems like there was a story or rumor severl years ago and if i remember it was a severly chopped/channled 33 or 34?

Great thread/blog by the way and thanks for sharing the pics...i'd love to find that Merc!!

 

How did the movie effect me? Well I was pretty young, about 12 or 14. I had built this model kit just like the box art. The first kit I masked off and two-toned. It was the first model I was truly proud of and I took great care of it. Then I saw the movie. I swoore one day I'd own one but, in the mean time, I could build it. I didn'y know a 30 from a 32 at the time, I just knew I liked the 5 window's chopped proportions...

This:



Became this (the chop dates back to about 1980 and it has never been finished but is close now. )

 

The Milner coupe is one of the reasons I am a car mental case to this day. And for that i will always be thankful