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Gator McClusky car

Paul_G

Paul_G

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Who remembers the Gator McClusky car? Burt Rynolds was the Main character, Gator. The car was a 4 door 1971 Ford Custom 500. Not a Mopar but still a cool movie car. I would not mind owning one for a while.

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The story was, stuntman Hal Needham performed the jump where the Ford landed on the barge. Obviously the jump wasn't done right since the car landed halfway on the edge of the barge. Needham was injured in the landing.
They needed more speed from the car and more rise from the ramp to get the car to land entirely on the barge.
 
Car was a 4 speed too!
Unless when it was an auto on the column, in park, when driving, like most tv/movie cars.
 
Kern Dog said:
The story was, stuntman Hal Needham performed the jump where the Ford landed on the barge. Obviously the jump wasn't done right since the car landed halfway on the edge of the barge. Needham was injured in the landing.
They needed more speed from the car and more rise from the ramp to get the car to land entirely on the barge.
Click to expand...
That's all the Furd had.
 
The car sounded like any other V8 but without an air cleaner to silence the 4 barrel.

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matthon said:
Car was a 4 speed too!
Unless when it was an auto on the column, in park, when driving, like most tv/movie cars.
Click to expand...
thats because they inserted footage of a 4 speed mustang ( and its interior LOL ) at various points in the movie.
it was just a stock albeit tuned up,column shift ford 500 ltd.

kern is correct in that the barge jump was almost a total disaster,that particular car was all done,the stuntman was hurt.

the movie car turned out to be iconic tho,as various people have Built clones and made them 4 speeds too.
 
A 1971 Galaxy 4 door with 429 is as rare as Hemi 'Cuda. I went looking to see whats out there. Nada.
 
Paul_G said:
A 1971 Galaxy 4 door with 429 is as rare as Hemi 'Cuda. I went looking to see whats out there. Nada.
Click to expand...

Was it a 429 car?

Full sized Ford were all available with 429 360hp motor.
 
Last edited:
autoxcuda said:
Was it a 429 car?

Full sized Ford were all available with 429 360hp motor.
Click to expand...
Google AI says this;
"429 cubic inch police interceptor Cobra jet big block V8 engine with dual four-barrel carburetors, a close-ratio Hurst four-speed manual transmission, and reinforced suspension"

Also that the two movie cars were destroyed, one totalled on the barge scene, the other scrapped after filming was over.
 
Paul_G said:
Google AI says this;
"429 cubic inch police interceptor Cobra jet big block V8 engine with dual four-barrel carburetors, a close-ratio Hurst four-speed manual transmission, and reinforced suspension"

Also that the two movie cars were destroyed, one totalled on the barge scene, the other scrapped after filming was over.
Click to expand...

I couldn't find the 71 Ford police brochure. But I did find a 71 full size station wagon with a 429 auto with 370 hp cobra jet motor. Said 7 ordered that way. So there must be 4 door police cars too
 
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Burt was known to have & request souped up cars in his films
429 Super Cobrajet (tunnel port heads), T10 top-loader 4 speed, 9" Ford, big Holley 4bbl or 4bbl's
I don't think that was a std. engine in any 4 dr Galaxie
not even police cars (it was a dominant engine in drag racing too in the Mudstains)
the equivalent of a 426 Hemi, Hemi 18 spline 4 speed & Dana 60 track pak in that era
The film stunt coordinator (Infamous) Hal Needham liked it that way,
all his/their films he/they did that stuff
(same guy, former roommate of Burt, who did all Burt's flicks/stunts)
 
There was another flick they did White Lightning (after that in 1973 IIRC)
Gator McClusky (spell) character
another hoped up 71 Ford, Hal Needham did the stunt coord. stuff too
same style same character, just got out of prison, had a lil' like 10 y/o girl,
& his dad, on the bayou, had to spy on the La. mob
with a cool boat chase scene (I think it was that one)
& the ubiquities cars/souped up or chases too...

71 Ford 500 Custom ( looks like a Galaxie)

Burt Reynolds White Lightning 71 Ford Custom 500 429 Super cobrajet.jpg
 
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