Yet Another American graffiti question

Just when you thought all A/G guru's thought every bit of American graffiti trivia had been answerd heres another question. In the street race scene (when Falfa runs the red light) what are the sparks that come out from under the 55's tire caused from?

 

Probably from the brakes. He was on 'em hard when he mashed the throttle, breaking the wheels loose before he released the brakes.

 

Special effects. A car taking off is ordinary. Sparks shooting out is a Hollywood director's idea of cool. If the director had been English the film would have been sped up for better acceleration effects.

 

Who really knows? It's Hollywood.... and that "crash car" was not the same car, it was a throw away.... Clutch explosion...........

 

It wasn't a real "showy" amount of sparks. . .

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/JFgTMYEaWlc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Bad tire bearing.

 

Nehi bottle cap under the posi at launch.

 

Old steel belted radials?

Doc.

 

My guess is it's just bits of rubber heated enough by friction to momentarily glow like embers. If the light wasn't so low in the shot you'd never see it.

 

Probably a pebble stuck in the tire tread
not more complicated than that

 

I've always thought studded snow tires.

 

oooooh I'd bet it's magic !

 

my guess

 

...the "Force".

 

There were about four sparks that come from the tire. Is this really a thread?? This movie has been beaten to death on this site. Why not write to Harrison ford he might know

 

Put me down for another pebble vote.

 

I go with the studded snow tires. It worked when I was a kid!

 

Do a search.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=107919&highlight=graffiti

 

That was my thought too. worn out tires.

In California?

 

That was my second guess.

 

I'd say the pebble is the right answer but I prefer the idea of the "force", after all it's a George Lucas movie! Han Solo is driving the 55, it has to be the force!

 

Probably a nail in the tire. You know those hot rodders are an unsafe bunch of hoodlums!

 

Toad's retainer?

 

Seems the possibilities are at least 3: Previousley ran over an arrowhead which was still stuck in the tire, a nail, or studded tires.

 

Steve's class ring? ....Oh wait, she was in the second race.

 

Of course its a subliminal clue to falfa's future crash .
Lucas is clever like that you know.

 

Its just more proof of the power of a big block chevy....it can turn a tire so hard that creates enough heat to make sparks off a tire.........you can thank me later for my powerful insight.......

 

Studded snow tires

 

Thanks for that.

 

I think we have all seen the movie Multiple times.. I like the Movie ( yes the cars) I myself find it really like the reality of days gone by for myself.. always trying to be the cool one on the street.. always someone out there with a car that was faster.. looked cooler.. those days for most are gone.. Memories are not ..