[oddrods]

I just finished watching "Greased Lightning" starring Richard Pryor (1977). Talk about some cool cars! I especially liked when he gets his last race car featured in the movie, a 1969/70 Torino. They drag a beat up car home to make race ready. Not a race car mind you, but an actual worn out street car that they had to strip! Those were the days. If they went back to "stock" cars I might actually watch NASCAR again.

 

[old blue]

In that movie they show the old school trick of putting a spark plug in the tailpipe to burn off the excess fuel vapors from running a rich mixture in the carb. I imagine there is a name for it that I don't know. I just think it is cool to see the flames come from the tailpipes. My Dad told me about it in the 50's when he was a kid and I explained it to my kids watching that movie recently.

Old Blue

 

[Gear Head]

One of my favorite movies. Funny how most people don't even know about it. All those cars have been etched in my mind since '77. I could always relate to his heart, determination, and low budget approach to racing in my motor-sports endeavors. Now I'm going to have to watch it tonight again.

 

[ParkRNDL]

Haven't seen it since I was a kid, but I remember that I liked it. One scene that sticks in my mind is a really cheesy special effects shot of a loose wheel wobbling at speed (didn't he leave the pits at some point during the Big Race before all the lug nuts were tightened or something?). Now I gotta look it up and watch it again...

--rick

 

[alpink]

" you picked a fine time to leave me Loose Wheel ..."

 

[Shadowracer]

I too loved that movie, although its been a long time since I saw it. For those not familiar, its the story of Wendell Scott and his battles as a black man in a southern whitebread sport in the early 60s.

I remember sitting with my mom and dad watching it, and apparently with a lot of the early scenes....old coupes getting pulled to little dirt tracks with a tow bar etc, they got a lot more right than wrong.

Good movie, and not a bad dramatic role for a comedian. Love to see it again.

 

[bobhch]

Wow I have not thought about this movie for a while now.

Yeah he was running Lightning "still booze" in his Taxi and went to jail.

The Police made a deal with him to race a car to get out of jail but, he had to finish the race to get out. He did :wave:

Bob...I think this is the movie??...zilla

 

[Shadowracer]

That would be the one. :thumbsup:

 

[videojimmy]

I saw that movie a few months back too.. Always a fav.
If you want to see even older stock car footage...
check out Fireball 500 and Thunder Alley

Both are Super Cheesy movies... but fun nonetheless

And who can forget Speedway?