The stereotype movie a-hole cars.

[SteveSS]

It seems like if the movie wants to show an a-hole character in the movies they put them in a 3rd or 4th Gen Camaro. sometimes Hummers. I also notice a lot of 2nd gen Chargers. The Chargers are not so much anymore but they used to be the a-hole car. I was watching an old Mel Gibson movie from 1991 called Forever Young and the a-hole older brother character was driving a beat-up -69 Charger.

 

[BeepBeepRR]

If you go back an watch lots of movies from the 70's and 80's Mopars were destroyed more often then the other brands. I think Hollywood hates Mopar.

 

[Runcharger]

If you watch old episodes of Highway Patrol it's a hoot. All the cops are running mid to late 50's Buicks and all the bad guys drive late 50's Mopars. Needless to say the crooks are stylin and the cops aren't.

 

[Kariverson]

Pontiac firebirds, Vettes for sure.

 

[Cojohnso1]

Having a beer at the pub with my son. I started whining about how no Plymouths are ever the car of movie choice? He looked at me and said. "Christine dad! It's probably the most infamous car of all time?"

I took a another swallow and said. Ok. You won that round."

 

[Dave6T4]

If you watch old episodes of Highway Patrol it's a hoot. All the cops are running mid to late 50's Buicks and all the bad guys drive late 50's Mopars. Needless to say the crooks are stylin and the cops ren't.

General Motors built a run of "special" Buick's ( but not Buick Special's) for California Highway Patrol. These were Buick Century 2-door sedans, and were not available to the regular public. Buick put the larger 322 c.i. Century motor in the lighter Special 2-door sedan body, instead of the standard 264. These cars usually had the 3-speed manual transmission instead of the sluggish Dynaflow. Sort of like an early C.O.P.O. musclecar.

 

[440 PHIXX]

If you go back an watch lots of movies from the 70's and 80's Mopars were destroyed more often then the other brands. I think Hollywood hates Mopar.

I think they took more abuse before they broke!

 

[DeltaV]

Pontiac firebirds, Vettes for sure.

A reflection of the real world

_________
I don't know why people dislike Corvette owners. It has been this way since at least the 1960s.

 

[Slap Stick]

If you watch old episodes of Highway Patrol it's a hoot. All the cops are running mid to late 50's Buicks and all the bad guys drive late 50's Mopars. Needless to say the crooks are stylin and the cops aren't.

They finally graduated to Dodges.
They eventually had to film scenes with Crawford driving early in the day because by noon he was usually tanked.

 

[Cojohnso1]

They finally graduated to Dodges.
They eventually had to film scenes with Crawford driving early in the day because by noon he was usually tanked.

You're right. Mopars are the car of choice for bad guys. Even in the movie Vanishing Point? He was the hero villain?

 

[33 IMP]

General Motors built a run of "special" Buick's ( but not Buick Special's) for California Highway Patrol. These were Buick Century 2-door sedans, and were not available to the regular public. Buick put the larger 322 c.i. Century motor in the lighter Special 2-door sedan body, instead of the standard 264. These cars usually had the 3-speed manual transmission instead of the sluggish Dynaflow. Sort of like an early C.O.P.O. musclecar.

Some say the 1938 Buick century was the first muscle car. The biggest engine (an overhead valve straight eight) with multiple carbs, in the lightest body. (Sound familiar gto fans?). Heck, the Rambler Rebel had the same philosophy as the gto, in 1957. Top of the line 327 in the lightest body they made. Faster than a blown Ford or fuelie chevy.

 

[Cojohnso1]

Some say the 1938 Buick century was the first muscle car. The biggest engine (an overhead valve straight eight) with multiple carbs, in the lightest body. (Sound familiar gto fans?). Heck, the Rambler Rebel had the same philosophy as the gto, in 1957. Top of the line 327 in the lightest body they made. Faster than a blown Ford or fuelie chevy.

First Muscle car is a debate that has more opinions than a gaggle of grandpa's? But my vote? The 1964 Pontiac GTO. The reason? It was purposefully built as a working man's performance car? The cars earlier had lower performance. Multi door model options. Not GTO. Couldn't get one with a straight 6. Or in 4 door. It was Muscle or bust. JMO.

 

[Slap Stick]

You're right. Mopars are the car of choice for bad guys. Even in the movie Vanishing Point? He was the hero villain?

No, I meant the HP graduated to Dodges in later episodes. IIRC they started in Fords or Mercs.

 

[Dave6T4]

First Muscle car is a debate that has more opinions than a gaggle of grandpa's? But my vote? The 1964 Pontiac GTO. The reason? It was purposefully built as a working man's performance car? The cars earlier had lower performance. Multi door model options. Not GTO. Couldn't get one with a straight 6. Or in 4 door. It was Muscle or bust. JMO.

The 1964 GTO was a very savvy advertising campaign by Pontiac. It came with specific emblems and performance options, but was still an option of the Lemans series. That is how Pontiac Division got it past the corporate bean counters. What differentiated the GTO was the aggressive marketing of the performance theme. There were lots of better performing cars out there, but they simply were not promoted in the same way. The GTO woke up the marketing people in other companies, and similar performance marques soon followed. The GTO can rightly be considered the first musclecar of the classic '60'-'70's era, the big V-8 in a medium size body, for not only its performance, but also for its smart promotion. A 1964 Plymouth Sport Fury would be more than its equal with a 426 street wedge, and about its equal with a 383 Commando. Same deal; big engine in a mid size body. The 426 cars all came with upgraded brakes and suspension like the GTO. The difference was that Plymouth did not see the need to market it as a game-changing musclecar. Chrysler and Ford were about 3 years late to the Musclecar Party with specific packages and catchy names.
Bear in mind that other automotive eras had their own musclecars that were heads and shoulders above their stablemates in flash and performance. Early 30's had the fabled Auburn Boattail Speedsters and Straight 8 Hudson Terraplanes. 1936 saw the debut of the Buick Century, so named for its ability to hit 100 m.p.h. 1937 saw the introduction of the Cadillac V-8 powered LaSalle. Both followed the formula of a big motor in a smaller, lighter body. The 1940's brought us the twin Cadillac V-8 powered Sherman tank (just seeing if you are paying attention). The early '50's introduced us to the Olds 88, the big series V-8 in the lighter 6-cylinder series body. It competed with the big 308 Twin H Hudson for performance notice. 1955 introduced the first Chyrsler 300, a special sport coupe with a souped-up Hemi and high performance brakes and suspension. DeSoto soon followed with its Adventurer series. Ford and Chev and even Rambler followed suit with optional power packages. However, none of these early performance cars had the targeted marketing that the GTO enjoyed.

 

[440 PHIXX]

First Muscle car is a debate that has more opinions than a gaggle of grandpa's? But my vote? The 1964 Pontiac GTO. The reason? It was purposefully built as a working man's performance car? The cars earlier had lower performance. Multi door model options. Not GTO. Couldn't get one with a straight 6. Or in 4 door. It was Muscle or bust. JMO.

I agree. Jim Wangers brilliant idea. Factory built hot rods were nothing new. But give it a name... soon to be a different “model”. It was just a Tempest with bolt on goodies. Just like a GTX is a Belvedere with bolt on goodies.

 

[eldubb440]

there is a drag racing episode in "CHIPS" where the bad guys own a 2 seat AMX......

 

[chargervert]

All us A holes drive second gen Chargers.

 

[Cojohnso1]

I agree. Jim Wangers brilliant idea. Factory built hot rods were nothing new. But give it a name... soon to be a different “model”. It was just a Tempest with bolt on goodies. Just like a GTX is a Belvedere with bolt on goodies.

I've used my GTX as an example. But it can be a tough sell at times. Try looking an owner of a '63 Max Wedge Savoy in the eye and him him it's actually not a muscle car? (I actually don't. Just too in awe of that car) But Savoy's did come with 6 cyl too. Hell, I think they made a station wagon? Not true with GTX. One couldn't even get a small block?

It's true all Muscle cars come from lower performance model types. It's the minimum options that made them special. This of course is just my opinion. I'm by no means an automotive scholar? (But I would take that night class if available?)

 

[biomedtechguy]

They eventually had to film scenes with Crawford driving early in the day because by noon he was usually tanked.

"Some of the scenes in which he's apparently just standing, leaning against a wall, are actually shot while he's lying on the floor, which they had to redesign to make look like an upright wall and then shoot from above."

 

[biomedtechguy]

Jim Wangers brilliant idea.

I read a book about Royal Pontiac, which Milt Schornack was a mechanic and dedicated drag racer for, and Wangers, and all the stories about the GTO.
Jim passed away just a few short years ago, but he made the rounds at Pontiac car shows, and is a true icon of the era.
My wife's 65 real GTO "Royal Bobcat" tribute car with a 421 Tripower led me to want to learn about the story.