Internet Movie Car Database

[al mcguire]

http://imcdb.org/

great way to lose an hour wondering how many cars were in Bullit

[Rich Van Dyke]

I'm not afraid to admit it, I'm a car nerd, I love cars and have since I was a young boy. Growing up in Los Angeles it's hard not to be affected by the auto-culture, the need to own a car to get around gets some into the culture.

The Porsche 911S that Steve McQueen, or should I say Michael Delaney, drives through the countryside and eventually onto the "track" at LeMans, just sold at auction for $1.375 Million. If the price is correct, this is the highest price ever paid for a 911 of this vintage. This was a 911 purchased by McQueen's Solar Productions to be used by McQueen during filming and also as a "picture car." Personally, I hope that Jerry Seinfeld bought it, as he owns the Porsche 917 that McQueen owned and drove in the movie #20 in Gulf-Western livery.

The "Bullitt" car, a 1968 Ford Mustang, special ordered with a 429 cubic inch engine, posi-traction rear end and 4:11 gear ratios. This I know because after the movie, the car apparently sat in the transportation department and an editor, who lived down the block from me, bought it from Warner Brothers. It was the coolest car, but back in the day, Mustangs were everywhere and people didn't notice that it was THE car. Bob, I'll leave his last name out, got a call from McQueen one day trying to track the car down. By that time Bob had moved on to a Porsche 911, and had sold the car to someone on the East Coast. McQueen wrote a famous letter asking if he could purchase the car from the then current owner, only to be rebuffed by his offer. As far as I've heard or read about it, that car is still owned by the gentleman that Bob sold it to.

Incredible price for McQueen's 911, considering that it has been resprayed in McQueen's favorite color of slate grey, he also owned a 1969 911S in the exact same color combination. It's believed that the reason that McQueen let the car be sold is because he had just had a state of the art stereo installed in the 1969 car. The 1969 911S was willed to McQueen's daughter Terry, who passed away too soon and left the car to her brother Chad, who also owns McQueen's 1958 Porsche Speedster.

Personally, I think McQueen was a better motorcycle rider than a car driver, he competed in the highest level of the sport the International Six Days Trials in 1964, where you not only have to compete day in and day out for the six days of the event, but you also must carry with you all tools and supplies to repair and fix anything that might happen to your machine during the course of the event. McQueen and the American team, also his good friend and stunt man Bud Ekins was on the team, almost won the event, but McQueen crashed and hurt himself, face planted into a rock and both knees scraped, and was not able to contest a the high level required. However, Dave Ekins and Cliff Coleman (an assistant director friend of McQueen's) both won Gold Medals.

Finally, I could go on and on, everyone has probably seen the tee-shirts with the name "Von Dutch." Von Dutch was the alter ego of one Kenny Howard, who was one of the best "pin stripers" born out of the hot rod culture in Los Angeles, along with his good friend Dean Jefferies who you all know from the design of the Monkee mobile, turning a 1967 Pontiac GTO convertible into a cultural landmark. So Von Dutch pinstriped many of McQueen's cars including his most famous race car his Porsche 908, in which he and Peter Revson may or may not have won the overall race at Sebring in 1970, they won their class and there's speculation that they may have won outright, an article in the current issue of "Excellence" a magazine for Porsches, culls from interviews that McQueen and Revson may have beaten Mario Andretti in his Ferrari 512. However, history says that Mario won and that's that.

Okay, that's enough for now.....

cheers,

RVD

[Philip Perkins]

VON DUTCH!!! RULES!!!

[David Waelder]

also his good friend and stunt man Bud Ekins was on the team, almost won the event,

Bud Ekins used to have a shop in North Hollywood on Lankershim at Chandler or just a block south. He had an incredible collection of bikes in that shop including more than a dozen from before WW1. Does anyone (Rich?) know what happened to that collection?

David

[Rich Van Dyke]

Okay, you got me thinking and I just can't stop thinking about cars and "Bullitt." Two more stories, the Dodge Charger was driven by a veteran film stunt man, Bill Hickman who also played the driver in the film. During the filming of the chase, there's a shot where Hickman's car goes wide on a turn and comes right at the camera and looks like it hits the parked car. It did, took out the camera but the magazine wasn't opened and that shot is in the movie, and you can see the damaged car is the one that gets run into the gas station.

For being one of the most revered car chases in movie history, it's actually a very short chase, cleverly photographed with multiple cameras, the observant viewer can see the cuts are just different angles of the same shot they just saw. The audiences weren't that sophisticated back then.

The guy who lays down the Triumph motorcycle, forcing Frank Bullitt to "ditch" his car is none other than McQueen's good buddy Bud Ekins. Ekins also plays the cop who pulls the information from the much dated facsimillie machine, I love this scene because there's no dialogue and you can almost feel Ekins unease at waiting for the machine to spit out the paper.

More Later,

RVD

[RPSharman]

There is a fabulous coffee table book about the cars and motorcycles of SM.

I believe there is a story about him tracking down his very first car (a Camaro, I seem to remember) in order to buy it back from the current owner, who I believe had no idea it was ever owned by Steve McQueen.

Robert

[Rich Van Dyke]

Hi David,

The shop that you're thinking of, I believe, on Lankershim was the original office of Solar Productions. The building is still there, just South of the Honda dealership.

The shop that I remember of Ekins was on Ventura Boulevard right next to the Union 76 gas station, and that old building is still there just another business now, this address was also used for Solar Productions and is on the original entry papers of the Porsche 911S that just sold for $1.375 M.

I used to ride my bicycle up to Ekins Triumph and just ogle the motorcycles. I raced motocross bikes when I was thirteen years old, and we used to see McQueen at Indian Dunes Motorcycle Park in Santa Clarita, he'd sit in his pickup truck drinking beer and challenging young riders to a one lap race for $50, I never saw any takers.

Bud Ekins died on my birthday in 2007, a sad day for all. Ekins did add the Honda motorcycle line to his businesses, and he says it was the one thing in his professional life he wouldn't do again.

As far as motorcycle collections go, McQueen owned the collection and some were stored at Ekins stores and most out in a warehouse in Thousand Oaks, McQueen collected and restored hundreds of cars, motorcycles and metal toys. In the movie, "The Hunter," you can see just some of McQueen's cars and toys on display in the home of the character he plays, Ralph Thorson.

Finally, lets not forget one of Bud's biggest thrills and spills, Bud did the famous jump in "The Great Escape" the film company wouldn't let McQueen do the jump for insurance purposes. McQueen did get to chase himself in the film though, he would alternately put on a German uniform and be filmed chasing Hilts, then dressed as Hilts he would be filmed escaping from himself.

Really finally, Francis Ford Coppola wanted and wrote the part of Willard for Steve McQueen, but for whatever reasons McQueen backed out, then cast Harvey Keitel shot for two weeks and then fired Keitel and hired Martin Sheen and the rest is Winning!! Duh!!!

Cheers,

RVD

[Rich Van Dyke]

Okay, so I might not do anything else today except think about cars!!!!

For Phillip, the Von Dutch lover, the car in the movie "The Reivers" was supposed to be a Winton Flyer, Winton never made a "Flyer" model. This car was a creation of "Von Dutch" after the movie the script over the radiator on the front of the car was changed to read Von Dutch.

Also, for the television series "Wanted: Dead or Alive," Steve McQueen wanted a special gun, he didn't want to just use a pistol and he didn't want to have just a rifle. So Von Dutch created the "sawed down" Winchester repeater, he shortened the barrel and the stock, so McQueen could wear the rifle as a sidearm.

When I was around 8 years old, my Mother took me to learn how to "quick draw" my beloved six shooters, she had ulterior motives, there apparently was a chance at a commercial. I went to Alphonse's Gun Shop on Lankershim Boulevard, across the street from Nudie's, and after four weeks of training I could spin two six-guns from horizontal to back in their holsters. The point of that story was that Aphonse was the trainer for McQueen during "The Magnificent Seven."

David, I think you might be thinking of Bill Robertson's Honda dealership, that is still there at Lankershim, Burbank and Tujunga Avenue intersections.

Okay, I'll take a rest now.......maybe.

RVD

[Jeff Wexler]

Well, I guess I have to add some things of my own here, really enjoying this topic (since I am a total car nut from way back). My father was pretty good friends with Steve McQueen and James Coburn lived right down the street from our house in the Hollywood Hills. Two of my all time heroes, having seen "Magnificent Seven" and "The Great Escape" a total of 13 times (in the theater --- no video back then!). Several times after Steve had gotten a new car (he and my father also worked together importing a couple of Ferraris) he would pick me up at home and drive up to Mullholland to see how the car performed. Total thrill for me and of course Steve was in heaven --- nothing he loved better. I got to spend a lot of time at Dean Jeffries' place also (Dean was the other big movie car builder along with Barris) and watched him build quite a few of the famous movie and TV cars. I'm not quite as good with the history as RVD so I won't try and remember which cars Dean built. Also, Dean built a specialty car for my father, based on a Jaguar E-type chassis but with a Chevy engine and a whole host of custom work. The car was nicknamed the "DTM" which stood for "Don't Tell Marian" (Marian was my father's wife at the time, my stepmother, and she was not so pleased that Pop spent so much time and money on his passion for race cars and so forth).

(pictured below is me sitting in the DTM parked outside our house)

[Rich Van Dyke]

Jeff, I have always been in awe of your career and your personal achievements, but to now hear that Steve McQueen would take you for a "run" on Mulholland Drive, I'm beside myself with jealousy.

Steve McQueen and James Coburn both trained with a then unknown Chinese Kung Fu teacher, Bruce Lee. McQueen became the only black belt awarded by Lee, and Coburn can be seen in many of Bruce's home movies where he's showing training techniques.

I've only heard few second hand stories about your "Pop's" obsession with fast cars, the most from grips telling stories of Haskell screaming into parking lots in a V-8 engined Porsche, I think it was a 914 that he put the V-8 in.

Here's a picture of one of Haskell's Ferraris being raced by Davey Jordan at the old Riverside Raceway, this is in turn seven which is an off camber left turn that goes downhill. In the picture Jordan has over corrected and is in the middle of a complete spin. The story I read said that Jordan retired after an off track excursion on turn 4, so the car was a handful for Jordan all day apparently.

When I last saw a picture of this car, a Ferrari 275 LM (LeMans), it was for sale for over $1M (USD).

You look perfectly suited to the period sitting in that DTM, Jeff. The late sixties and early seventies were and are considered by many to have been the pinnacle of excellence in sports car racing.

Finally, since Jeff won't tell you, his Pop's also had a car of his used in the making of "Viva Las Vegas" starring a guy named Elvis Presley. The car had a name too, "Old Yeller!"

Cheers,

RVD

[Jeff Wexler]

So, here's a few more photos: some shots of the filming of Viva Las Vegas, a shot of Pop in Old Yeller, another one of the Lola T-70 and the DTM on the street. Still looking for the only photo I have of the best of the Ferraris he owned --- a Ferrari red 275 LM. I got to drive that one, once, quite a thrill to be going well over 120 mph in 2nd gear!

(not Pop's Ferrari in this photo, not the 275 LM)

[Jeff Wexler]

more photos

(V8 Porsche 911)

[Rich Van Dyke]

A Ferrari 275 LM parked outside a sound stage on the lot at Warner Brothers Studios, #6233 bought by Haskell Wexler from comedian Mort Sahl in 1965, undisclosed amount. Listed for sale by Haskell in Road & Track magazine in January of 1966 for $17,500.00 (USD), as I said the last time I saw #6233 for sale it was listed for $1M (USD), this was around two to three years ago.

As recorded Haskell sold the car to Frederico de la Chica in Mexico, last known whereabouts are in a huge collector's collection on the East Coast.

Do I love cars or what!!!

RVD

BTW- this photo was taken on the lot at WB, this stage is where Haskell shot "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" Photo is dated as 1966.

[Rich Van Dyke]

Jeff, you may have to start a discussion group about the need for speed!!! What an amazing collection of cars your Father had and exposed you to.

So I stand corrected that the V-8 was in a 901 bodied Porsche. Extensive bodywork, those are headlights from a Porsche 928 installed in a slant nose fender kit, and the hood with it's very modified bonnet, obviously to allow air flow for a front mounted radiator. The car has the "basic" look of a Porsche 935, one of their most famous race cars of all time, but that motor must have been a beast in that lightweight of a car, I'm also imagining those fenders, and the "whale tail" are probably glassfibre issue from Mitcom.

I'm worn out from all this car talk, it makes me long for my Porsche, stolen in 2007 never to be seen again.

Good times,

RVD

[Jeff Wexler]

What can I say, Rich, you have made my day, my week, possibly the rest of my life... my love of cars is surpassed only by my love of music (and of course, let's not forget FAMILY... remember them?). Finding the picture of the 275 LM blows me away. You and I should write a book (well maybe not the words, but oh what a coffee table page turner we could make).

[old school]

Really a great thread RVD n Jeff. I'm not near the car nerd you guys are, but I was around the So Cal Hot Rod scene from age 15 to 21 as the assistant starter n scoreboard operator at Orange County International Raceway, ( OCIR ) which my Uncle Mike Jones built and designed. It was the most modern Drag Strip in the nation for many years. Great job for a kid in the late 60's. I saw so many major events there. Sadly it is gone. Only good memories remain. I'm surprised I can still hear.

CrewC

[Jeff Wexler]

yes, going to "the drags" (drag racing) at Pomona, and OCIR, sports car racing AND Rock and Roll, it is a wonder that any of us have had a career in sound (that is, listening to it and recording it, not just making it).

[Rich Van Dyke]

Crew, I must have forgotten that part of your history, the drag part that is.

BE THERE, BE THERE, BE THERE!!!!!! I can still hear the radio commercials in my head. I was taken to OCIR by my high school friend Mike Brendell, he was a world record holder for speed in drag boats that his Father designed, Hondo Boats

I have never felt sound pressure levels like the kind that are found at a drag race, as they pour bleach over the rear tires and spin them to make them "stick."

To Robert, I doubt your story of the Camaro, based soley on the timeline of events. The Chevrolet Camaro was first built in 1967, Steve McQueen was born in 1930, which would have made him of legal driving age in 1946. What I've heard is that after he had worked in the merchant marine business he went to New York to study acting, and rode around town on a Triumph T-100 until he bought his first sports car a 1954 MGTD. Upon getting the part in "Wanted: Dead or Alive," he purchased a beautiful XKSS Jaguar Le Mans racecar, that was street legal at the time, this was a beautiful car that McQueen kept until he died and was finally sold at auction by his son and his last wife Barbara Minty-McQueen.

So while I doubt your story, I do have a copy of "McQueen's Machines" and it is an interesting log of "some" of McQueen's cars and who currently owns them.

Jeff, I'm ready when you are....

I would love to hear some stories from Haskell about the filming of "The Thomas Crown Affair," the two of them must have had some fun shooting the dune buggy scenes in that film. BTW, the seats in the dune buggy were Solar Racing Buckets, which McQueen owned the patent for, and any respectable desert racer used for seating.

The exhaust on your Pop's Ferrari 275 LM, I love the way collector's just refer to the serial numbers #6233, it looks aftermarket as Ferrari had a contract with Ansa to make their exhausts, but I'll just bet it sounded like it looks, intimidating.

Whew,

RVD

[bilagaana]

Some irregularities in the site but is a great effort.

Everybody needs a hobby.

[chriskellett]

A great read, thanks for the background on some of the cars. I am also a life long car nut, raised by one as well. That 275 LM makes me weak at the knees. RVD might be on to something here, sound mixers and there cars.

[old school]

A great read, thanks for the background on some of the cars. I am also a life long car nut, raised by one as well. That 275 LM makes me weak at the knees. RVD might be on to something here, sound mixers and there cars.

They also seem to like drums/drumming. May be related.

CrewC

[Rich Van Dyke]

There's a rhythm to everything in life, a rhythm to driving fast, a rhythm to working with others, and most naturally a rhythm inside our bodies.

A little detective work here, in the photo I posted of Davey Jordan, where he's examining the rear of the Ferrari 275 LM. I'll bet that damage is what created the need for Haskell to replace the rear of the exhaust. Those chrome tips show the "hot rod" look of the tapered tip, which was a hot rod technique. There were no noise restrictions on automobiles, at the time 1960's, so that Ferrari had to sound epic. After all it was a race car that Haskell drove on the street!

Happy Motoring,

Rich Van Dyke

[Rich Van Dyke]

Not sure if this should be in the "six degrees from a rock star" catagory?

Haskell's Ford powered Mk I Lola, pictured above, was purchased and is being restored by Brian Johnson, lead singer for AC/DC.

[Rich Van Dyke]

I must say, I got a little infatuated in researching the Ferrari 275 LM. This was really a big step in production for Ferrari, their first mid-engined car. The one thing I personally always have loved about Ferraris is their sound, twelve cylinders put out through dual exhaust. I found this little film about the 40 year anniversary of Ferrari.

An interesting fact about the 275 LM, Ferrari made 32 examples of this car, however today there exists 38 cars. Apparently, many of the damaged cars were rebuilt to make 2 cars, from the one damaged vehicle.

Trivia contest: What car, manufactured by Ferrari, doesn't carry the name Ferrari, or it's signature prancing horse anywhere on it's flanks?

Okay enough about cars, lets go over to craft service and unwrap some goodies.

Rich Van Dyke

[David Waelder]

Trivia contest: What car, manufactured by Ferrari, doesn't carry the name Ferrari

Dino, named for Enzo Ferrari's son.

David