American Graffiti '32 Ford Coupé (Hot Wheels Retro Entertainment series)
George Lucas wanted a car that would evoke circa 1962 memories of the cruising he experienced growing up near Modesto. He and movie producer Gary Kurtz whittled a list of potential car candidates down to a red, full-fendered coupe, finally basing their selection on its chopped top.
Henry Travers, the film’s transportation manager, was given the enviable task of overseeing the coupe’s construction as a bona fide hot rod. Henry trailered the car to Bob Hamilton’s shop in Ignacio for the conversion. Lucas wanted a highboy with bobbed rear fenders to emphasize the fender laws that hot rodders continually confronted 45 years ago. Reconstruction included the addition of motorcycle front fenders, aluminum headlight stanchions, and chrome plating for the dropped I-beam solid axle. Also, the grill and shell were sectioned a few inches.
Next, it was trailered to Close Orlandi’s Body & Fender in San Rafael for its coat of Canary Yellow lacquer paint. The interior, which was red and white tuck and roll Naugahyde, was dyed black.
Johnny Franklin’s Mufflers in Santa Rosa added the Man-A-Fre intake manifold, a quartet of Rochester 2G two-barrel carbs, and no name valve covers to the 1966 327 Chevy motor with fuelie heads. Franklin’s also built and installed the Sprint racecar-style header-exhaust system based on dimensions provided by Mr. Lucas. The remainder of drive train included a Super T-10 four-speed and 4:11 gears in a ‘57 rear end.
You can still see the holes in the frame for the special removable platforms used by the camera crew for close-up filming of the street cruising scenes.
The prop department made the THX 138 license plate as a play on the THX 1138 science fiction film made by George Lucas while in film school at USC in Los Angeles. This letter-and-number combination was also used on a jeep in a scene (along with Mr. Lucas) in Francis Coppola’s 1979 movie Apocalypse Now. Prior to More American Graffiti (1979), the coupe went back to Orlandi’s shop for a new paint job; same color but acrylic enamel replaced the lacquer.
In 1983, after the More American Graffiti movie, Steve Fitch acquired the coupe in a sealed auction bid. He had previously acquired the movie’s black ‘55 Chevy. In 1985, Rick Figari purchased the coupe. Rick then entrusted the coupe to Roy Brizio’s shop in South San Francisco to make it road worthy again. Work included rewiring and rebuilding the T-10 four-speed, aluminizing the chrome headers, and making stronger front fender brackets. The 327 was also rebuilt. A funny note about the coupe: After the film was finished, they tried to sell it and couldn’t get the asking price of $1,500. Today, both the '32 Ford Coupe and a clone of the '55 Chevy are owned by San Francisco resident Rick Figari.
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The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car manufactured by the Chevrolet division of American automotive conglomerate General Motors (GM). The car has been produced through seven generations.[1][2] The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after the type of small, maneuverable warship called a corvette.[3] Originally built in Flint, Michigan and St. Louis, Missouri, the Corvette is currently manufactured in Bowling Green, Kentucky and is the official sports car of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
The C6 Corvette retained the front engine and rear transmission design of the C5, but was otherwise all-new, including new bodywork with exposed headlamps (for the first time since 1962), a larger passenger compartment, a new 6.0 liter engine and a reworked suspension geometry.[15] It had a longer wheelbase than the C5, but its overall vehicle length and width were less than the C5, allegedly to widen appeal to the European market.[citation needed] The 6.0L (364 cu in) LS2 V8 produced 400 bhp (300 kW) at 6000 rpm and 400 lb·ft (540 N·m) at 4400 rpm, giving the vehicle a 0–60 time of under 4.2 seconds.[58] Its top speed was 190 mph (310 km/h).
For 2008, the Corvette received a mild freshening: a new LS3 engine with displacement increased to 6.2 L (380 cu in), resulting in 430 bhp (321 kW) and 424 lb·ft (575 N·m) (436 bhp (325 kW) and 428 lb·ft (580 N·m) if ordered with the optional performance exhaust). The 6-speed manual transmission also has improved shift linkage and a 0–60 time of 4.0 seconds, while the automatic is set up for quicker shifts giving the C6 automatic a 0–60 time of 4.0 seconds, faster than any other production automatic Corvette. The interior was slightly updated and a new 4LT leather-wrap interior package was added. The wheels were also updated to a new five-spoke design.
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The first-generation Chevrolet Camaro appeared in dealerships on September 29, 1966,[5] for the 1967 model year on an all brand new rear-wheel drive GM F-body platform and would be available as a 2-door, 2+2 seat, coupe or convertible with a choice of six-cylinder and V8 powerplants.[6] The first-gen Camaro would last up through the 1969 model year.
The Camaro's standard drivetrain was a 230 cu in (3.8 L) straight-6 engine rated at 140 hp (104 kW) and backed by a Saginaw three-speed manual transmission. There were 8 (in 67), 10 (in 68), and 12 (in 69) different engines available in 67-69 Camaros. And there were several transmission options. A four-speed manual was optional, replacing the base three-speed. The two-speed "Powerglide" automatic transmission was a popular option in 1967 and 1968 until the three-speed "Turbo Hydra-Matic 350" automatic became available starting in 1969. The larger Turbo 400 three-speed automatic was an option on SS396 cars.
The 1969 Camaro carried over the previous year's drivetrain and major mechanical components, but all-new sheetmetal, except the hood and trunk lid, gave the car a substantially sportier look. The grille was redesigned with a heavy "V" cant and deeply inset headlights. New door skins, rear quarter panels, and rear valance panel also gave the car a much lower, wider, more aggressive look. This styling would serve for the 1969 model year only. Collectors often debate the merits of smooth, rounded lines of 1967 and 1968 model versus the heavily creased and sportier looks of the 1969.
To increase competitiveness in the SCCA Trans Am racing series, optional four wheel disc brakes with four-piston calipers were made available during the year, under RPO JL8, for US$500.30.[12] This system used components from the Corvette and made for a major improvement in the braking capability and was a key to winning the Trans Am championship. The option was expensive and only 206 units were produced.
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Dodge Demon a 2-door fastback hardtop variant of the original Dodge Dart.
Dart Is an automobile built by the Dodge division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1960 to 1976 in North America, with production extended to later years in various other markets. The Dart was resurrected as a nameplate for a completely unrelated car introduced in 2013.
The Dart name originally appeared on a 1957 show car featuring a body designed by the Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Ghia. The production Dart was introduced as a lower-priced, shorter wheelbase, full-size Dodge in 1960 and 1961, became a mid-size car for 1962, and finally was a compact from 1963 to 1976.
The 1970 Dart's dual taillamps were given over to the badge-engineered Plymouth Valiant Scamp, while the 1971 Dart received new smaller quad taillamps that would be used through 1973. The Custom 2-door hardtop coupe became the Swinger, and the standard Swinger became the Swinger Special. Dodge gained a version of Plymouth's popular Valiant-based fastback Duster and was to be named the Beaver,[26] but when Chrysler's marketing department learned that "beaver" was C.B. slang for vagina,[4] the vehicle was renamed the Dart Demon.
As was the case with previous Dodge rebadges of Plymouth Valiants, such as the 1961–1962 Lancer, sales of the Demon lagged behind those of the Duster. With optional hood scoops and blackout hood treatment, the car was advertised a performance car. The Demon's Dart-type front fender wheel lips and Duster-type rear wheel fender lips reveal the car was essentially a Duster with Dart front sheetmetal and other minor styling changes. A new audio option became available for 1971: Chrysler's Cassette-Recorder. Unlike the 8-Track tapes, the cassette player was relatively compact, and it was mounted on the console or on its own floor-mount casing. This unit offered an available microphone in which one could record their own dictation.
The Swinger 340, Dart's performance model, was replaced by the Demon 340 with optional hood scoops and blackout hood treatment. In 1971, Chrysler abandoned their longstanding corporate practice of installing left-hand-threaded wheel studs on the left side of the vehicle; all-wheel studs on the Dart thenceforth used conventional right-hand threads.
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The first-generation Chevrolet Camaro appeared in dealerships on September 29, 1966,[5] for the 1967 model year on an all brand new rear-wheel drive GM F-body platform and would be available as a 2-door, 2+2 seat, coupe or convertible with a choice of six-cylinder and V8 powerplants.[6] The first-gen Camaro would last up through the 1969 model year.
The Camaro's standard drivetrain was a 230 cu in (3.8 L) straight-6 engine rated at 140 hp (104 kW) and backed by a Saginaw three-speed manual transmission. There were 8 (in 67), 10 (in 68), and 12 (in 69) different engines available in 67-69 Camaros. And there were several transmission options. A four-speed manual was optional, replacing the base three-speed. The two-speed "Powerglide" automatic transmission was a popular option in 1967 and 1968 until the three-speed "Turbo Hydra-Matic 350" automatic became available starting in 1969. The larger Turbo 400 three-speed automatic was an option on SS396 cars.
The 1969 Camaro carried over the previous year's drivetrain and major mechanical components, but all-new sheetmetal, except the hood and trunk lid, gave the car a substantially sportier look. The grille was redesigned with a heavy "V" cant and deeply inset headlights. New door skins, rear quarter panels, and rear valance panel also gave the car a much lower, wider, more aggressive look. This styling would serve for the 1969 model year only. Collectors often debate the merits of smooth, rounded lines of 1967 and 1968 model versus the heavily creased and sportier looks of the 1969.
To increase competitiveness in the SCCA Trans Am racing series, optional four wheel disc brakes with four-piston calipers were made available during the year, under RPO JL8, for US$500.30.[12] This system used components from the Corvette and made for a major improvement in the braking capability and was a key to winning the Trans Am championship. The option was expensive and only 206 units were produced.
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Chevrolet El Camino was a coupé utility vehicle produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors between 1959–60 and 1964-87.
Introduced in the 1959–1960 model years in response to the success of the Ford Ranchero, its first run lasted only two years. Production resumed for the 1964–1977 model years based on the Chevelle platform, and continued for the 1978–1987 model years based on the GM G-body platform.
Although based on corresponding Chevrolet car lines, the vehicle is classified and titled in North America as a truck. GMC's badge engineered El Camino variant, the Sprint, was introduced for the 1971 model year. Renamed Caballero in 1978, it was also produced through the 1987 model year.
The 1971 El Camino got fresh front-end styling that included large Power-Beam single-unit headlights, a reworked grille and bumper, and integral park/signal/marker lights. For 1971, mandated lower-octane unleaded fuel necessitated a reduction in engine compression, and GM's A.I.R. system, a "smog pump", was added to control tailpipe emissions. Power and performance were reduced. Engine offerings for 1971 included the 250-6, small-block V8s of 307 and 350 cubic inches; and big block V8s of 402 and 454-cubic-inch displacements. Horsepower ratings of those engines for 1971 ranged from 145 for the six to 365 for the RPO LS5 454 – all in gross figures. The LS6 454 V8 was gone forever. A rebadged El Camino, the GMC Sprint debuted in 1971. It shared the same engine and transmission offerings as its Chevrolet counterpart.
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The fifth-generation Ford Mustang is a pony car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company from 2004 to 2014, at the Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Flat Rock, Michigan. The fifth generation began with the 2005 model year, and received a facelift for the 2010 model year. Originally designed by Sid Ramnarace through late 2001 and finalized in mid-2002, the fifth-generation Mustang's design was previewed by two preproduction concept cars that debuted at the 2003 North American International Auto Show. Development began on the S-197 program in 1999 under chief engineer Hau Thai-Tang, shortly after the 1998 launch of "New Edge" SN-95 facelift. From the second half of 1999, design work commenced under Ford design chief, J Mays, and concluded in July 2002 with the design freeze.There have been several variants of the fifth-generation Ford Mustang that include the Mustang GT/California Special, Shelby Mustang, Bullitt Mustang, and Boss 302 Mustang.
Standard equipment on the 2005 Mustang included power windows, dual power mirrors, power door locks with remote keyless entry, front air bags, AM/FM stereo with CD player, 16-inch painted aluminum wheels, and larger brake discs than the previous generation Mustang with twin-piston calipers in the front. Some of the options available included Ford's MyColor (a color-configurable instrument cluster available as part of the Interior Upgrade Package), brushed aluminum panels (also part of the Interior Upgrade Package), Ford's Shaker 500 (500 watt peak output) or Shaker 1000 (1000 watt peak output) premium audio system with a 6-disc MP3-compatible CD changer, leather seating surfaces, a six-way power adjustable driver seat, and a four-channel anti-lock brake system with traction control (standard on GT models).
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