• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Gator McClusky car

There was another flick they did White Lightning (after that in 1973 IIRC)
Gator McClusky (spell) character
1755633285092.png
 
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.
thats Google Ai,not hal needhams memory.
none of those cars were 4 speeds,or dual carbs,and they were Deffo reinforced suspension.
you can literally See the column shifter handle in the clip provided by 64abel.
then they Switch to a mustang interior and him shifting the 4 speed.
 
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.

The movie cars are believed to be 351 and 390 powered.



Damn, BeatersRus beat me by a minute…
 
A friend of mine, way back when, had a 71 Torino wagon, green of course, with a (non cj) 429 in it. Definitely a rare beast. If my memory is right, it had a Qjet on it!?!
He bought it cheap, sold it expensive.
I bought two cars from him. A Q-code CJ Ranchero that was a dog, and my A12, which I still have.
I believe the 429 was an option in any full size 71 Ford. I don't know if a CJ version was available.
 
According to Hal Needham, the actual stunt coordinator
who ordered the build, for several films, & a couple of "hero cars"
it wasn't what it came with either,
doesn't even matter which year the car was, it's not stock
there was a bunch of them too, like 3-4 in each film,
some cheesy/cheap POS's, base crap 351m or even 2v
that are wreck eventually, just base motors/auto etc.
doing the stunts
(look in the credits cars (& parts ?) were from Ford Motor Co. for advert. considerations in filming)

The "actual cars", being driven varied, from POS's for stunts,
w/cages & some with different suspension & a few "hero cars" (like the BB cars)
over the 3 film series
Hal Needham he was the one who said;
it was a 429 SCJ with the tunnel-port heads,
2x4bbl & BW T-10, 9" rear

Just like the stuff Burt said when they filmed the documentary special/s,
Lure of speed (Burt & Hal the Mach 1 racing story)
Behind the Scenes (Hal Needham journey from stunt man to director),
The Bandit sneak (CMT documentary with Hal & Burt),
**I think that was close to the names anyway
there were a couple more I don't exactly remember the names
it was all after
they made Smokey & the Bandit, talked about it, & touched on several films
getting into racing too
watch their several documentaries, they're pretty good,
I haven't watched them in quite a while, could be mixing quotes/the facts up :icon_fU:
don't quote me, it's just a damn car forum, post
there was another on Dina Shore's TV show, (who was Burt's former old GF/squeeze)

I rarely believe them click bait videos ever or at all, like the one posted
or what was shown on some screen shot on camera, some dude pushing paper remembered
(just like that BS story "about an alleged 4 dr 'cuda" from some random unknown no name 'dude'
said; he "allegedly" saw, allegedly was some employee from the Chrysler/Plymouth mail room BS :jackoff:
)
it's the movies
that usually just speculation BS, on film or bad continuity, most people don't notice
just some shot of bling for the cameras & is rarely correct info/facts...
 
Last edited:
well,the funny part about Time is this.
hal himself has several Diff stories about the cars used,depending on when he was interviewed.
but the cars came from local stealerships,and were junked/scrapped after the movie.

so you can take one story,about a dual carbed 429 motor,and then another story about the stock motors,and figure out which one Really happened.
personally,from the stories ive heard,this was a low budget flick,and they most certainly didnt have the budget for a completely hopped up car,aka dual carbs 429 interceptor.
this is also Why you see a Mustang engine bay at one point and Mustang interior in the big motor and trans shifting clips.
logic will then follow,that if they Had installed a big honking motor in that ford 500 custom car,they would have shown That instead of the mustang.....

the most they did was tune up the cars,and reinforce the suspensions.
but,you decide.


and yes,its reminescent of the Fbi 4 door hemis,and the 4 door barracuda.
to this day,i see people arguing and insisting that the Fbi ordered hemi 4 doors.....all because of a Made Up placard back in the 90`s.....
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top