I helped Richard Ruth do the restoration work on that car in 2014. We replaced the firewall, front frame rails and repaired the front axle. We also installed a new rollbar and cross member. Nice to see it will be finished. Thanks for the video.
Bill Hoskinson aka The Old Man from Old Man’s Garage on TH-cam needs to see this video! He’s currently restoring his parents 55 and it just had flawless black paint layed down right before Christmas. This 55 had a huge impact on Bills life and the reason for him being involved in the automotive scene like he is from everything I’ve gathered from him talking about it in a few videos. Bill is an excellent source on original 55 history and how things were originally and if he doesn’t know, he has the contacts that do. His family has built an incredible little empire with this movie and car being responsible and I’d love to see him get the opportunity to see this car in person one day, that would be something worth seeing for sure! Good luck on the restoration guys! This is a huge chunk of automotive history we need to protect at all costs!!
So glad to see this brought back to Graffiti spec but with some of it’s Two Lane specs! Thank you for bringing this hero car back to its original glory!
Wow. Just wow. My favorite car of all time. The history, the time, the actors that went on to big things. Can't wait to watch the restoration. Thank you for making my day.
I love the car. The Two Lane Blacktop and American Graffiti '55 Chevy's inspired me to build my own big block '55 several years ago. Mine was a Bel Air hardtop, was painted turquoise and white and was lowered. It ran 11.40's on street tires at the drag strip. Wish I still owned it.
Brilliant idea fellas. My dad took me to the drive in to watch that movie in his mates 48 coupe. There was some deal organised by the owners and the Hot Rod clubs, that all Rods got in for free that night. I'll never forget it, I was only about ten years old and that movie has been etched into my memory. Congratulations, and good luck with the project, Cheers from Australia.
If you watch two lane blacktop where the car swerves hard to avoid the crash and pause it step by step, you can see the 55 hits a dirt hump on the left really hard after it went off road. I believe that's what bent the drivers side frame rail and sent the coil over bracket into the header tube. It's rather amazing none of that damage was ever repaired when the car was converted into a hideous show car as i believe i once saw photos of the car frame off with a painted frame, polished Muncie trans etc. It's a shame it was ruined so badly into a gaudy 90's show car but with men like Richard Ruth and you guys on the job, It's finally getting the respect it deserves!
Falfa's 55. Great to see it in the hands of someone who cares about it's history. I've seen so many clones at car shows and cruise-ins that aren't "The One" it's amazing. It is also a good thing that the original builder can be part of the process. One thing that IMHO would detract from a return to original would be the paint. I would go for keeping it as is (survivor mode) or strip off what is there to start with a good base then replicate what the car went through from "2 Lane" into "Graffiti". Gray primer-block it-blow on gloss enamel or lacquer, whatever the studio used in 1972-3 and leave it alone. Remember, a black car in night scenes can hide a lot of sins.
Thank God and thank you for getting your hands on this prime sacrute car a.g. has always been my favorite movie please do it the justice it deserves. I would keep the inner deck for extra strength and support .thanks very much to any and all for your hard work and decation for this project. 😅😊
I have video footage of that car in pieces being restored in 88-89 in Stewartstown Pa. Talked to the guy that was working on it. Two of my buddies were there too,we rode there from MD in my own 150 55 Chevy to see it.
Thanks for sharing. American Graffiti is my favorite movie. My dad graduated high school in 1962 and drove a 1957 chevy. I would put a good paint job on it and paint the frame. I would put everything back together as it was.
I’m old enough to have seen both those movies in the theatre, this is an iconic car for sure and the people associated with it, James Taylor, Dennis Wilson and Harrison Ford will always be associated with this car.
I've been an American Graffiti fan since it came out. I have a 1976 Street Rodder magazine that had pictures and articles on all the cars. I have built models of all of them. I love that 55 chevy
My favorite 55. Wheel Vintique will have the right wheels. Unfortunately Stockton Wheel is gone. Also note that the windshield has been replaced. It was not tinted across the top in the movie. Looking forward to following the progress.
As a lover of the car , the movie and a near retirement car painter, I took interest in the fact that you will improve the car by longblocking it to make it very straight,but leave oversprayed fuzzy jambs that nobody would see nearly as often ! Please give that one a little more thought . I am confident your team will get it done nicely, just passionate about this car, many of us are 🙂
Thank God you’re saving this car. I saw it in Maryland on display with Walt Bailey’s car and the person that changed all that stuff with the chrome firewall the valve covers and everything is a moron.
WOW.. This REALLY makes me happy.. Been a fan of this car since 1971.. I also think it's great that this car is going to stay in it's American Graffiti State.. Since the camera car has been restored to 2 Lane black top... So So Glad this car is being looked after a made Right .. Really looking forward to seeing it done.... OH ( one lil foot note ).. I hope that Harrison Ford can see this car when it's done.. Would love to hear his take on what it was like for him..
My dad had a 55 Chevy Belaire 2 door hardtop in black lacquer with red roll and pleat interior. I want to say he had it restored in the late 70’s and had it into the 90’s. He had a bunch of cars and that 55 was his favorite.
Love what you guys are doing with the car I can't believe you would block it though I mean I think the waves the roughness the minor dents and stuff are part of the history
Yes besides the hat I don't know what they have still kept with the car just on the down low hush, hush, but don't forget about the skull hanging from the rear view mirror,also the small piston head shifter end . Thank you gentlemen for showing this beloved car from I know one of my and many more peoples favorite movies in history. Brings back so many memories.😊
@@colingan9412Guess I'll HAVE to check that one OUT....As I have NO idea WHAT that is that you were referring to BUT, yeah ..VERY familiar with the Falfa 55 and the rearview mirror 💀 it had 😏....As I TOO, have one hangin' from the inside mirror of my black 55 as well! 🤠🤘🔥🤘
Originally it would have had a dual groove alternator pulley and used two belts as seen in the TLB movie. Looks like its all still there minus the dual groove alt pulley.
Heard one of the owners that bought the car put on baby moons and when he showed it, never advertised it as the Graffiti Chevy. “There’s that badass Chevy again. Milner ain’t gonna beat that,his time has come!”
I like the history of all three cars but the most iconic one to me is the number one car. All business! Love that it still has the original to the movie drive line. Especially that l88! Iconic engine by itself!
loved this. 2LBT is one of my fav movies ever, and not just cause of the cars. just blows my mind that someone would modify one of the most iconic movie cars ever. why even buy it in the first place? lol, Jeff looks like one of The Ramones with a haircut.
The 32 Ford and this 55 have to be the most recognizable cars on the planet maybe with the addition of the 67 Mustang from Bullet! So cool to see you restore this car back to its original movie condition is so awesome! After you are done you need to reach out to the owner of the 32 Ford for a photo video shoot!
So awesome!! Gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. Would be super cool after it’s done to get Harrison Ford to drive it…either his hat…singing “some enchanted evening “😎💪❤️
I was the only person that George literally hired from across the street just minutes before filming started. Very cool chain of events. I was intimately involved every night all summer long. We should talk...
Fantastic car! Here's some information. None of the cars were Richard Ruth's personal cars. He knew the owner of one of the cars, purchasing it. Prior to obtaining the movie contract, Ruth initially gave the producers a test ride in one of Richard's buddy's car, a 427 equipped 1956 Chevy. After being awarded the movie contract, Richard then acquired 2 1955 Chevy's, to be identically built.
I may be wrong but i thought the camera car had a crate LS5 engine and not a LS6. It would make sense as that car wouldn't need to be hardcore fast like the number 1 car. Also after some flming they were forced to remove the tunnel ram off the camera car as it was too jerky for filming and also installed some rinky dink add on A/C system to keep the actors cool. Ruth was a smart race car builder and the L88 makes perfect sense as it can turn higher RPM's to match the 4.88 rear gears. That engine would need to turn in excess of 7000 rpm to make it thru the 1/4 mile but for the camera car none of that mattered.
You’re right. However, the contract was for 2 identical cars. Chevy decided to give Ruth 2 crate engines for free, and If it wasn’t for the local Chevy dealer having a left over L88 in stock, both cars would have had LS5’s.
In 1975, I got to ride in this "hero" car, owned by an uncle of a friend of mine in No. Calif. I took several photos then, and I just emailed them to "Gary" at Level One (one with the original movie art dept painted lic. plate). I remember that it sounded super nasty, looked in the hood scoop, no air cleaner, and saw a snapped tonneau cover for no back seat. I wonder if it had scissor bars, as per the stoplight launch scene in the movie.
@@conductorjohnmthtrains2239 - why are you here complaining then? 🤷♂️ this video was quite explicitly marketed as being a 2LB car then used in American Graffiti. It’s not like a clickbait thumbnail/ title
Denny Moran of Baltimore owned an American Graffiti 55 and from what i remember a fellow named Wayne Newsom had something to do with the car also. The car they had was still in its original American Graffiti condition, the engine had never been apart and still sported the tunnel ram setup. I tried buying the car in 1987 if i remember correctly but it wasn't for sale. I don't know if Denny is still around or not or if he sold the car. It's been a lot of years but this is what i remember to the best of my memory.
thx for the rundown of the 3 cars at the end...confirmed mostly what I thought, but interesting to know that #2 was not in AG. also, #3 was in the rollover scene but not sure if was actually rolled...the AG production team said in an interview they couldn't get it to roll...I recall they said the upside car on fire was actually a 6 cylinder hardtop...it has the stock suspension and brakes and can kinda see fake door posts when it explodes, but you can also see a turbo 400...so who knows?
I talked with Richard Ruth in 2015 at Barrett-Jackson when the camera car was auctioned and he has the best story about the rollover car. He said it had individual handbrakes to each rear wheel installed to get it to slew sideways and they decided to test it out in the parking lot. They came swinging around a corner between two shops and got it completely sideways 90 degrees and stuck without hitting either buiding and had to get a floor jack to get it out of there. Ha ha! Also as far as the whereabouts of the rollover car, i believe he got the remains back and since it had a killer roll cage it intrigued a local circle track racer who bought it and raced it into oblivion.
Steve Fitch would have a lot of info on the 55 since he bought it and re painted it after buying it from Sam Crawford. Sam bought it from the movie people. Theres a pic of the 55 in Popular Hot Rodding with the front plate saying " "Sams 55". I also talked to a guy around 1996 at a model car show in San Mateo who said he sold the steel doors to Henry Travers when they were prepping the 55 for AG. The guy was from Petaluma ,Ca. He was 20+ years older than me at the time so he's probably not around now. 😎🏁
I have a weiand dual 4 intake with 2 660cfm holley carbs matching the original and a water pump spacer sitting in my shop. So sure real knowing at that time what they had for racing
If you have a correct TLB style tunnel ram it will be the early weiand 3 piece unit with removeable upper lid. I have the correct one and they are hard to find!
So glad you brought it to MCACN, really enjoyed seeing it. Looking forward to this journey ...and wouldn't it be cool if George Lucas and Harrison Ford could be photographed together with the car once again, someday. The book "Bumpy Road" is a great book about TLB and its film history, with interviews with all the living players. The cars were not actually primered in Two Lane Blacktop, it was paint that was made to look like distressed primer. Real grey primer would not last an entire movie shoot and would have deteriorated and dis-colored from week to week, so a grey paint was chosen and then hand streaked. Richard Ruth hated the look they chose for TLB. He wanted a slick paint job because paint was important to real car guys. Best of luck with this and thanks for sharing the ride, I will be following along.
Ruth wanted the cars to be whatever color but with all the fiberglass bits looking natural finish. Remember that fiberglass panels on the street was a pretty new thing in the early 70's so it was the ultimate in street cred and intimidation to show off what you were packing.
Wow talk about memory lane. I had a 55 Chevy Business Coup. Got tired of blowing up small blocks and went with a 396 out of a Chevelle. Threw tons of money into it and had a car I never lost a street race. But I did lose my driver's license. I'm in my seventies and still dream about that car.
Nice. My first car as a 17 year old in the mid '70s was a very sweet '69 SS 396 Camaro with a full cam L78 under the hood. What a beast. I have an original 1969 Camaro sales brochure and it shows the 325 hp version as being the only 396 available as a regular production option in the Camaro. However, GM records show that just over 4,800 '69 Camaros left the factory with an L78, so there was obviously a way it could be ordered through a dealer who knew how to get it done. I don't know if mine was born with its L78 or if someone had done a motor swap in the six years since it left the factory, but if so, they did a good job. Back in those days in the four years I owned it I just assumed it came that way and never investigated it further. One thing I do know - a rat motor with a lumpy-assed cam is music to my ears.
I like a lot of different cars , but that famous car in its American Graffiti black , is possibly ( to me ) the coolest looking car ever. Something about Two lane Blacktop that made me wonder , was the scene near the start of the film , where Dennis Wilson was swapping the rear wheels, supposedly I thought, from slicks to street tires , but what he fitted for the street, also appeared to be slicks .??
Don't make it to perfect Body wise. Don't forget it's a" race car" . I love the accuracy you are trying to achieve. This is my favorite car of all time
@UberLummox that little bit of rough around the edges is part of the meanness and makes it feel like a car for the people. Not a perfect show piece on a pedestal
Wheelsmith still makes the era correct chrome reverse wheels , with many offsets available . You might try to contact the Wheatley brothers , Jay and Buck . They were the car wranglers for the movie TLB , as not only were they JR Stock class champions , but they owned a car carrier that could haul at least four cars at a time .
Why take the trunk braces out and why not leave the hinges and let it be a functional trunk lid? People admiring the car will not care they just want to see the vehicle and know the movie it was in. I would have left the fabulous flip front end, that had to be expensive..
You don’t have to have wheels made, they sell chrome reverse wheels off the shelf with both Chevy and Olds/pontiac bolt pattern. Wheel Vintiques is one company that’s sells them. As an avid AG fan, I’d say 15x8 on the rear and 15x6 on the front.
Yeah but wheel vintiques uses a junk wheel center thats nowhere close to stock appearing. When you tighten the lugs there is no inner downward flange in the center bore and the wheel center flexes so badly it actually starts to bend the lug studs inward. I have griped for years about how unsafe their wheel design is. It's gotta get some 70's tech home grown reversed wheels back on it.
I helped Richard Ruth do the restoration work on that car in 2014. We replaced the firewall, front frame rails and repaired the front axle. We also installed a new rollbar and cross member. Nice to see it will be finished. Thanks for the video.
This correct restoration of a very, very famous car is very exciting. A reunion of all the cars from the movie would be a dream come true.
That is our hope as well!!
I’m so happy to see this car live again! Thank you!
Bill Hoskinson aka The Old Man from Old Man’s Garage on TH-cam needs to see this video! He’s currently restoring his parents 55 and it just had flawless black paint layed down right before Christmas. This 55 had a huge impact on Bills life and the reason for him being involved in the automotive scene like he is from everything I’ve gathered from him talking about it in a few videos. Bill is an excellent source on original 55 history and how things were originally and if he doesn’t know, he has the contacts that do. His family has built an incredible little empire with this movie and car being responsible and I’d love to see him get the opportunity to see this car in person one day, that would be something worth seeing for sure!
Good luck on the restoration guys! This is a huge chunk of automotive history we need to protect at all costs!!
So glad to see this brought back to Graffiti spec but with some of it’s Two Lane specs! Thank you for bringing this hero car back to its original glory!
Both movies are among my favorites.
I was just talking to a buddy last week about this car. I am glad to see it is still around.
Wow. Just wow. My favorite car of all time. The history, the time, the actors that went on to big things. Can't wait to watch the restoration. Thank you for making my day.
Put the correct Chrome reverse wheels on it, first thing I noticed was the ugly incorrect dual lug pattern chrome smoothie wheels
I’m sure as hell it wouldn’t have had a big block in it back in the 50s either but there you go.💩
@@1957kwickit had a big block in the movie which was set sometime after 1970 when the gto that was in it was built
@@1957kwickit's meant to be a 50s car. It's from a 70s film car
I love the car. The Two Lane Blacktop and American Graffiti '55 Chevy's inspired me to build my own big block '55 several years ago. Mine was a Bel Air hardtop, was painted turquoise and white and was lowered. It ran 11.40's on street tires at the drag strip. Wish I still owned it.
Brilliant idea fellas. My dad took me to the drive in to watch that movie in his mates 48 coupe. There was some deal organised by the owners and the Hot Rod clubs, that all Rods got in for free that night. I'll never forget it, I was only about ten years old and that movie has been etched into my memory. Congratulations, and good luck with the project, Cheers from Australia.
I can’t think of anyone better to restore this car. You guys truly get it. Thank you!!
If you watch two lane blacktop where the car swerves hard to avoid the crash and pause it step by step, you can see the 55 hits a dirt hump on the left really hard after it went off road. I believe that's what bent the drivers side frame rail and sent the coil over bracket into the header tube. It's rather amazing none of that damage was ever repaired when the car was converted into a hideous show car as i believe i once saw photos of the car frame off with a painted frame, polished Muncie trans etc. It's a shame it was ruined so badly into a gaudy 90's show car but with men like Richard Ruth and you guys on the job, It's finally getting the respect it deserves!
two lane was the raw version of every guy's fantasy, still is!
Falfa's 55. Great to see it in the hands of someone who cares about it's history. I've seen so many clones at car shows and cruise-ins that aren't "The One" it's amazing. It is also a good thing that the original builder can be part of the process. One thing that IMHO would detract from a return to original would be the paint. I would go for keeping it as is (survivor mode) or strip off what is there to start with a good base then replicate what the car went through from "2 Lane" into "Graffiti". Gray primer-block it-blow on gloss enamel or lacquer, whatever the studio used in 1972-3 and leave it alone. Remember, a black car in night scenes can hide a lot of sins.
Gentlemen,
I can't wait to see this car back to it's original glory.
Good luck and watch your pinkies during the process.
Go-Dad-Go
Thank God and thank you for getting your hands on this prime sacrute car a.g. has always been my favorite movie please do it the justice it deserves. I would keep the inner deck for extra strength and support
.thanks very much to any and all for your hard work and decation for this project. 😅😊
Man, that's cool. Glad to hear it's getting a sympathetic restoration.
I have video footage of that car in pieces being restored in 88-89 in Stewartstown Pa. Talked to the guy that was working on it. Two of my buddies were there too,we rode there from MD in my own 150 55 Chevy to see it.
I know one of the two guys that owned it in Maryland back in the day. It actually sat in a garage in my neighborhood in the 80's.
My uncle Barry lives in Stewartstown and rode in this car once..
GREAT TO SEE YOU SAVING THIS!
Absolutely iconic hot rod .
These are the right guys for the job.
Thanks for sharing. American Graffiti is my favorite movie. My dad graduated high school in 1962 and drove a 1957 chevy. I would put a good paint job on it and paint the frame. I would put everything back together as it was.
I loved every minute of this video. A wonderful deep dive into a piece of movie history. I know you guys will do it right.
I’m old enough to have seen both those movies in the theatre, this is an iconic car for sure and the people associated with it, James Taylor, Dennis Wilson and Harrison Ford will always be associated with this car.
A project worth watching!
I've been an American Graffiti fan since it came out. I have a 1976 Street Rodder magazine that had pictures and articles on all the cars. I have built models of all of them. I love that 55 chevy
There needs to be a reunion with the 55 and the 32, along with Harrison Ford and Paul Le Mat. Time is running out!!!!
I learned something. I did not know that the fuel filler in the trunk was a prop. That's very interesting.
Just a fantastic video BTW.
You guys are Level One for sure. Great car. Happy New Year
very cool, and I like the 442 poster on the wall behind the car. Subscribed.
When you get the cars together for the reunion, I would strongly suggest getting as many of the original cast, as well. Many of them are still around
My favorite 55. Wheel Vintique will have the right wheels. Unfortunately Stockton Wheel is gone. Also note that the windshield has been replaced. It was not tinted across the top in the movie.
Looking forward to following the progress.
Yeah Brothers, I can't wait til you get on this - can't wait til your next vid on Falfa's ride, God Bless you guys!
Definitely subscribing to, and following this one. Holy Cow, at first I thought that was Dulcich back there!
As a lover of the car , the movie and a near retirement car painter, I took interest in the fact that you will improve the car by longblocking it to make it very straight,but leave oversprayed fuzzy jambs that nobody would see nearly as often ! Please give that one a little more thought . I am confident your team will get it done nicely, just passionate about this car, many of us are 🙂
Thank you for saving it, it deserves it.
The doors off one of the 2 lane cars were floating around up here in Ontario, Canada still with the sliding plexiglass windows
They are back on the twolane blacktop car walt bailey restored.
cant wait to see the final product will be watching
Thank God you’re saving this car. I saw it in Maryland on display with Walt Bailey’s car and the person that changed all that stuff with the chrome firewall the valve covers and everything is a moron.
Wow so cool watched both of those movies when I was a kid. Hopefully you guys get to build it right.
WOW.. This REALLY makes me happy.. Been a fan of this car since 1971.. I also think it's great that this car is going to stay in it's American Graffiti State.. Since the camera car has been restored to 2 Lane black top... So So Glad this car is being looked after a made Right .. Really looking forward to seeing it done.... OH ( one lil foot note ).. I hope that Harrison Ford can see this car when it's done.. Would love to hear his take on what it was like for him..
and maybe sign the car someplace, Maybe get James Taylor to autograth the driveshaft patch.
You might wanna watch season of the Finch. When steve finch restored, both the american graffiti cars
But that might debunk their whole story though....
This is so cool!!!!😊
My dad had a 55 Chevy Belaire 2 door hardtop in black lacquer with red roll and pleat interior. I want to say he had it restored in the late 70’s and had it into the 90’s. He had a bunch of cars and that 55 was his favorite.
Was the base 210 just 57 or was it sold all three iconic years?
Wow, the car was even quicker than I thought it was!
Interior rough 😂. Cool classic and love the way it was designed body wise. It fits the narrative of 50s badass
Kick ass car and Movie.
Love what you guys are doing with the car I can't believe you would block it though I mean I think the waves the roughness the minor dents and stuff are part of the history
YOUSE GUYS ARE SUPER I ADORE OLD CARS THANSK FOR FILLING THAT NICHE KEEP US ALL POSTED 🎉❤
Yes besides the hat I don't know what they have still kept with the car just on the down low hush, hush, but don't forget about the skull hanging from the rear view mirror,also the small piston head shifter end . Thank you gentlemen for showing this beloved car from I know one of my and many more peoples favorite movies in history.
Brings back so many memories.😊
@@PhilipStephan the skull hanging from the mirror is the old Ivan skull from Adventure land from Disneyland, minus the hair from what I was told.
The piston head shifter "knob" actually WAS IN the 32 coupe...NOT the Falfa 55 ....🤠🤘🔥🤘
@@colingan9412Guess I'll HAVE to check that one OUT....As I have NO idea WHAT that is that you were referring to BUT, yeah ..VERY familiar with the Falfa 55 and the rearview mirror 💀 it had 😏....As I TOO, have one hangin' from the inside mirror of my black 55 as well! 🤠🤘🔥🤘
when i was young the 55 chevy made the best looking hotrod. i had a 54 and a 56 straight up.
Originally it would have had a dual groove alternator pulley and used two belts as seen in the TLB movie. Looks like its all still there minus the dual groove alt pulley.
Heard one of the owners that bought the car put on baby moons and when he showed it, never advertised it as the Graffiti Chevy. “There’s that badass Chevy again. Milner ain’t gonna beat that,his time has come!”
Sounds like one of the guys responsible for messing it up.
@@UberLummox it was
Milner might have a monster all aluminum sprint car small block in that 1800 pound coupe that will destroy the 55.
@@genemanno1533 🫢.... LOL 😆
I like the history of all three cars but the most iconic one to me is the number one car. All business! Love that it still has the original to the movie drive line. Especially that l88! Iconic engine by itself!
"Your Cars Ulgy'er Than I Am"
loved this. 2LBT is one of my fav movies ever, and not just cause of the cars. just blows my mind that someone would modify one of the most iconic movie cars ever. why even buy it in the first place? lol, Jeff looks like one of The Ramones with a haircut.
55 CHEVY HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY FAVORITE!
First thing that has to go, are those cheeseball Taiwan chrome uni-lug steelies & radial tires
Heck with original, put on some NASCAR 15"x10" Aero racing wheels, upgrade to 5/8" studs.
The 32 Ford and this 55 have to be the most recognizable cars on the planet maybe with the addition of the 67 Mustang from Bullet! So cool to see you restore this car back to its original movie condition is so awesome! After you are done you need to reach out to the owner of the 32 Ford for a photo video shoot!
The actual Mustang from the Bullitt movie WAS ACTUALLY a 1968 GT model with a 390 cid V8 with a 4speed transmission.
Cant wait to see how it turns out.Thank You for saving it.
26:45 Hehheh! JT dropped the clutch! Love me some James Taylor btw. Quite the musician
American graffiti, two lane black super good movies
❤MORE VIDEO'S of this Great
CAR PLEASE ❤
So awesome!! Gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. Would be super cool after it’s done to get Harrison Ford to drive it…either his hat…singing “some enchanted evening “😎💪❤️
Street Rodder magazine did an in-depth article on all the cars in 1976 I think? If I remember, it showed the engine and the interior for the 55
This is my absolute dream car!!!....... my goodness i love this car.
I was the only person that George literally hired from across the street just minutes before filming started. Very cool chain of events. I was intimately involved every night all summer long.
We should talk...
What was your role during filming? 🤷♂️
Fantastic car! Here's some information. None of the cars were Richard Ruth's personal cars. He knew the owner of one of the cars, purchasing it. Prior to obtaining the movie contract, Ruth initially gave the producers a test ride in one of Richard's buddy's car, a 427 equipped 1956 Chevy. After being awarded the movie contract, Richard then acquired 2 1955 Chevy's, to be identically built.
I may be wrong but i thought the camera car had a crate LS5 engine and not a LS6. It would make sense as that car wouldn't need to be hardcore fast like the number 1 car. Also after some flming they were forced to remove the tunnel ram off the camera car as it was too jerky for filming and also installed some rinky dink add on A/C system to keep the actors cool. Ruth was a smart race car builder and the L88 makes perfect sense as it can turn higher RPM's to match the 4.88 rear gears. That engine would need to turn in excess of 7000 rpm to make it thru the 1/4 mile but for the camera car none of that mattered.
You’re right. However, the contract was for 2 identical cars. Chevy decided to give Ruth 2 crate engines for free, and If it wasn’t for the local Chevy dealer having a left over L88 in stock, both cars would have had LS5’s.
It would be cool if Harrison Ford visited the restoration and got some before and after pics. JMO. 😎
In 1975, I got to ride in this "hero" car, owned by an uncle of a friend of mine in No. Calif. I took several photos then, and I just emailed them to "Gary" at Level One (one with the original movie art dept painted lic. plate). I remember that it sounded super nasty, looked in the hood scoop, no air cleaner, and saw a snapped tonneau cover for no back seat. I wonder if it had scissor bars, as per the stoplight launch scene in the movie.
Cool, i must watch what happens.
You guys definitely have a face for radio.....
Enough about 2lane jesus. American Graffiti is what made this 55 famous.
Yes but it was built for TLB then converted. It’s like showing pictures of your grandma but never talking about her children…
@ who cares, it's just a car
@@conductorjohnmthtrains2239 - why are you here complaining then? 🤷♂️ this video was quite explicitly marketed as being a 2LB car then used in American Graffiti. It’s not like a clickbait thumbnail/ title
This is sick.
I wonder how open both James Taylor and Harrison Ford would be into a visit. Before restoration.
James Taylor has never watched the movie. He has sat in the restored 2LB camera car. And remarked that the rest of the cast has passed away
Gotta find the skull hanging from the rearview mirror!
Awesome!
Denny Moran of Baltimore owned an American Graffiti 55 and from what i remember a fellow named Wayne Newsom had something to do with the car also. The car they had was still in its original American Graffiti condition, the engine had never been apart and still sported the tunnel ram setup. I tried buying the car in 1987 if i remember correctly but it wasn't for sale. I don't know if Denny is still around or not or if he sold the car. It's been a lot of years but this is what i remember to the best of my memory.
Subbed for the '55
thx for the rundown of the 3 cars at the end...confirmed mostly what I thought, but interesting to know that #2 was not in AG. also, #3 was in the rollover scene but not sure if was actually rolled...the AG production team said in an interview they couldn't get it to roll...I recall they said the upside car on fire was actually a 6 cylinder hardtop...it has the stock suspension and brakes and can kinda see fake door posts when it explodes, but you can also see a turbo 400...so who knows?
I talked with Richard Ruth in 2015 at Barrett-Jackson when the camera car was auctioned and he has the best story about the rollover car. He said it had individual handbrakes to each rear wheel installed to get it to slew sideways and they decided to test it out in the parking lot. They came swinging around a corner between two shops and got it completely sideways 90 degrees and stuck without hitting either buiding and had to get a floor jack to get it out of there. Ha ha! Also as far as the whereabouts of the rollover car, i believe he got the remains back and since it had a killer roll cage it intrigued a local circle track racer who bought it and raced it into oblivion.
Steve Fitch would have a lot of info on the 55 since he bought it and re painted it after buying it from Sam Crawford. Sam bought it from the movie people. Theres a pic of the 55 in Popular Hot Rodding with the front plate saying " "Sams 55". I also talked to a guy around 1996 at a model car show in San Mateo who said he sold the steel doors to Henry Travers when they were prepping the 55 for AG. The guy was from Petaluma ,Ca. He was 20+ years older than me at the time so he's probably not around now. 😎🏁
Somewhere out there are 2 more unaccounted for fiberglass doors to be found!
I have a weiand dual 4 intake with 2 660cfm holley carbs matching the original and a water pump spacer sitting in my shop. So sure real knowing at that time what they had for racing
If you have a correct TLB style tunnel ram it will be the early weiand 3 piece unit with removeable upper lid. I have the correct one and they are hard to find!
So glad you brought it to MCACN, really enjoyed seeing it. Looking forward to this journey ...and wouldn't it be cool if George Lucas and Harrison Ford could be photographed together with the car once again, someday. The book "Bumpy Road" is a great book about TLB and its film history, with interviews with all the living players. The cars were not actually primered in Two Lane Blacktop, it was paint that was made to look like distressed primer. Real grey primer would not last an entire movie shoot and would have deteriorated and dis-colored from week to week, so a grey paint was chosen and then hand streaked. Richard Ruth hated the look they chose for TLB. He wanted a slick paint job because paint was important to real car guys. Best of luck with this and thanks for sharing the ride, I will be following along.
I agree with Richard Ruth , as much as I love Two Lane Blacktop, that gray primer looked pretty bad. But painted black it looks amazing.
Makes sense that paint would be more consistant than primer for filming. Honestly i liked the look from two lane blacktop.
@@jongifford492 Yes , I actually wouldn't want to change anything about Two lane blacktop .👍
Ruth wanted the cars to be whatever color but with all the fiberglass bits looking natural finish. Remember that fiberglass panels on the street was a pretty new thing in the early 70's so it was the ultimate in street cred and intimidation to show off what you were packing.
@@jongifford492 I believe it was indeed primered but they sprayed lacquer thinner on it to simulate the weathered look of a hardcore street racer.
Movie is iconic... Paul Le Mat aka John Milner I saw at Carlisle PA at one of the swap meets. He was autographing cars.
Wow talk about memory lane. I had a 55 Chevy Business Coup. Got tired of blowing up small blocks and went with a 396 out of a Chevelle. Threw tons of money into it and had a car I never lost a street race. But I did lose my driver's license. I'm in my seventies and still dream about that car.
Nice. My first car as a 17 year old in the mid '70s was a very sweet '69 SS 396 Camaro with a full cam L78 under the hood. What a beast. I have an original 1969 Camaro sales brochure and it shows the 325 hp version as being the only 396 available as a regular production option in the Camaro. However, GM records show that just over 4,800 '69 Camaros left the factory with an L78, so there was obviously a way it could be ordered through a dealer who knew how to get it done. I don't know if mine was born with its L78 or if someone had done a motor swap in the six years since it left the factory, but if so, they did a good job. Back in those days in the four years I owned it I just assumed it came that way and never investigated it further.
One thing I do know - a rat motor with a lumpy-assed cam is music to my ears.
I remember seeing one of the 55 Chevys for sale in Hot rod magazine back in the 70's
I like a lot of different cars , but that famous car in its American Graffiti black , is possibly ( to me ) the coolest looking car ever. Something about Two lane Blacktop that made me wonder , was the scene near the start of the film , where Dennis Wilson was swapping the rear wheels, supposedly I thought, from slicks to street tires , but what he fitted for the street, also appeared to be slicks .??
Don't make it to perfect Body wise. Don't forget it's a" race car" . I love the accuracy you are trying to achieve. This is my favorite car of all time
Damn right! It would look weird.
@UberLummox that little bit of rough around the edges is part of the meanness and makes it feel like a car for the people. Not a perfect show piece on a pedestal
@@adamhoffman3687 Right! Makes it look REAL.
Looks perfect to me right now, but maybe they gotta paint it for other reasons. (?)
@@UberLummox I understand if it's not accurate or for the preservation. I think it boils down to the moron that ruined it in the 90s.
@@adamhoffman3687 And that guy will pay great karmic debt! Most 'car guys' don't know or give a faak about auto history.
Ray Evernham did a nice job with the 58.
Have fun!
Wheelsmith still makes the era correct chrome reverse wheels , with many offsets available . You might try to contact the Wheatley brothers , Jay and Buck . They were the car wranglers for the movie TLB , as not only were they JR Stock class champions , but they owned a car carrier that could haul at least four cars at a time .
Why take the trunk braces out and why not leave the hinges and let it be a functional trunk lid? People admiring the car will not care they just want to see the vehicle and know the movie it was in. I would have left the fabulous flip front end, that had to be expensive..
Hope you answer this. The rivets for the flip nose front-end? Were those always there or did they smooth them put?
The rivets were recently added, they will go away.
What rear gear ratio does it have in it?
That is super.😊
when we lived in Kansas back in the 70's when I was very young at the time. Years later my Dad told me he went and looked at it when it was for sale.
You don’t have to have wheels made, they sell chrome reverse wheels off the shelf with both Chevy and Olds/pontiac bolt pattern. Wheel Vintiques is one company that’s sells them. As an avid AG fan, I’d say 15x8 on the rear and 15x6 on the front.
Yeah but wheel vintiques uses a junk wheel center thats nowhere close to stock appearing. When you tighten the lugs there is no inner downward flange in the center bore and the wheel center flexes so badly it actually starts to bend the lug studs inward. I have griped for years about how unsafe their wheel design is. It's gotta get some 70's tech home grown reversed wheels back on it.
Do what you want. I’d be more impressed/interested in seeing it as the two lane blacktop car
The camera car is restored back to authentic 2 lane black top (obviously minus the camera bars)
Paradise Road . The car I fell in love with was Ron Howards Biscayne in American Graffiti
That was an Impala
The American Graffiti skull head on the rear view mirror is missing.
That's like the coupe had an alternator on it and I think those didn't come out till '63 ...