With warmer weather excitement is building for various hobbies. Gardeners are excited to start digging, fisher folks are wanting to get out and dunk a line and car enthusiasts can wait to get the antiques rolling again.
Before too long the weekend car shows will be happening, a chance to walk down memory lane as you admire all the shiny history on display.
If you can’t wait, I can speak from experience that the Steel Wheels museum in Bayer’s Lake is great. The boys were excited to see Herbie and now I want to get back to see Terry Fox’s van on display.
I am glad I grew up with TV shows and movies that always had notable vehicles. I remember that there was always a Jeep, didn’t matter what show it was. Even if it wasn’t the focal point like “Mork and Mindy”, a Jeep always made an appearance. Daisy Duke drove one, Marty even hitched a ride behind one on his skateboard in “Back to the Future.”
When I think of TV or movie cars I would love to drive there are three that top my list. The Bandit’s Trans Am, Knight Rider’s KITT and the General Lee. These are all listed in the top 10 of The 100 Greatest Movie and TV Cars of All Time
10. Batman 1955 Lincoln Futura Batmobile: George Barris’ crew reworked and restyled an old Ford concept car into the great Batmobile for the campy 1966-’68 TV series. Turbines to speed.
9. Mad Max 1973 Ford XB Falcon: Australia’s greatest export is George Miller’s 1979 vision of a dystopian future, which includes the last of the V8 interceptors. Everyone wants a blower that can be turned on and off.
8. Gone in Sixty Seconds 1967 Shelby GT500: Steve Stanford designed this exaggerated GT500 “Eleanor” and it’s been copied and copied ever since the 2000 movie hit.
7. Knight Rider 1982 Pontiac Trans Am: The Knight Industries Two Thousand (KITT) was a supercar that talked to David Hasselhoff for four seasons between 1982 and 1986. At least KITT didn’t have to listen.
6. Bullitt 1968 Ford Mustang GT 390: Even before the legendary chase begins, it was dented and tough-looking. This Mustang has defined cool for more than 40 years.
5. American Graffiti 1932 Ford Coupe: When this movie appeared in 1973, street-rodding was almost dead. John Milner’s yellow ’32 five-window made it relevant again.
4. Smokey and the Bandit 1977 Pontiac Trans Am: 1977’s second most popular film. But you couldn’t buy a Millennium Falcon, and Pontiac dealers had plenty of T/As. Speedy car.
3. The Spy Who Loved Me 1977 Lotus Esprit: In this 1977 film, it’s a Lotus that turns into a submarine. That’s enough to make it the third greatest movie/TV car of all time.
2. Goldfinger 1963 Aston Martin DB5: The greatest James Bond car is fitted by Q with “modifications” for this 1964 movie. The standard against which all spy, movie and TV cars are judged. Last year it sold at auction for $4.6 million.
1. The Dukes of Hazzard 1969 Dodge Charger: More than 300 Chargers portrayed the General Lee during the series 145 episodes (1979-’86). Today it’s the ultimate Hollywood star car. Yeeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaw.
Here is a video to take you back to the days of TV history vehicles. Enjoy.
