THE CARS: THE PHARAOH'S '51 MERC

American Graffiti’s Transportation Supervisor, Henry Travers first saw the ‘51 Mercury coupe; in its original form, in the spectator's lot at a stock car track near Sonoma. It had the same wheel-covers and tires that appeared in the film.  However, after it was purchased it was taken to Close and Orlandi's where it was prepared for the movie in a slap-dash manner.



The car was made to look good on film only with no regard for practicality or function. For example, rather than cut the rear window to fit the new 4" chop job, the stock piece of glass was just slid down into the body panel and covered up with Bondo body filler and paint. The side-rear quarter glass and wing windows were simply removed and the door windows were left rolled down during filming. The headlights were Frenched by simply Bondoing the headlight trim rings to the fenders.

The Merc as it appeared while on display at Universal Studios.

The original grill opening was rounded and a spare bumper lying around the shop provided a makeshift grill bar. Many of the weld seams from the chop job were left exposed in the interior and can be spotted in the film.

Finally, after the hood, trunk and doors were shaved, the car was painted Cimarron red. All the modifications were done within the span of about 2 weeks. The stock 255.5, V-8 flathead engine topped with a Ford-Holley two barrel carburetor was left untouched.

Rick Dreyfuss peers out the back where the side-rear quarter glass had been removed.

After the filming of Graffiti, Director, George Lucas put Travers in charge of selling the ‘51 Mercury as he had with several of the other movie cars. When nobody purchased the car it was transported down to Universal Studios along with the yellow coupe.

This snapshot of the interior, with a torn seat, was taken in the '70s while being stored at Universal Studios lot.

The Pharaoh's car remained on display at Universal Studios Tours for several years after the film’s release before it was parked and stored in a shed on the lot.  

The '51 as it looked in the 1980s when it was owned by Stray Cat, Brian Setzer.

At some point, custom car desingner/builder & artist, Ed "Big Daddy" Roth acquired the car and then sold it to former Stray Cats guitarist, Brian Setzer. Apparently, Setzer bought it sight unseen, without knowing it was the Graffiti car. Unfortunately, the car didn't run when he bought it. 

When he sold the Merc to Setzer, Big Daddy Roth added a personal touch on the left rear quarter, which reads:  RUNAWAY BOYS.   A nice tribute to one of the Stray Cats' incredibly smokin' tunes.

In a 2001 interview Setzer said, "Graffiti or no Graffiti! [laughing] I had to get rid of it at a really embarrassing price, it was just a big pile of junk." Although the Merc was a "pile of junk," its appearance has spawned a lot of copycats that look and run much better than the submarine-like original ever has.

Parked in the suburbs of New York, after Setzer had sold the car.

Henry Travers circa 1972

So where is this classic Merc today? Rumors, stories, and hints exist as to its exact whereabouts but, I'll share with you 2 pieces of information that I have: First, a guy who lives near Portland, OR. claims he has restored and modified the car and currently displays it at car shows and other events. Along with this car, a poster board is usually displayed with photos of some of the Graffiti cast posing with it as if to document its authenticity as the American Graffiti Merc. So, is it the real thing? The answer is an emphatic, NO!

There are important details, such as forged documents which we won't go into here, that prove that the owner has been touring with a fake. Questions of ethics, morality and legalities are raised whenever anyone makes false claims and purposely gives inaccurate information about a car in order to gain fame and profit, as is the case in this situation. This pseudo American Graffiti Merc has been seen listed for sale on the internet with the asking price of $95,000, BUYER BEWARE!

The original Merc rusted & busted in New York.

The second piece of information I have as to the whereabouts of the REAL car is much more plausible. Several years ago a Graffiti enthusiast spotted the car on the East Coast. He found the Merc rusting in the back lot of a repair shop on the New York, New Jersey border. Since then others have reportedly confirmed this finding and several pictures of the car have been taken, (like the one above). Most recently, (April 2013), I was contacted by the said car owner, Steve via e-mail and since then we've spoken over the phone a couple of times. According to the New York car owner, his brother bought the Merc from Brian Setzer sometime in the 1980s and he has the license plates and pink-slip/paperwork to prove it. When asked why it's just been sitting in his yard for so long he claims that time and money have prevented him from fixing it up.

Is this the fate of the star car???

As a mechanic, Steve has bought many cars, fixed them up, and resold them in a relatively quick manner, however, he's always been aware that repairing The Pharaohs' car was going to be a major commitment. The good news is he is now committed to working on restoring it back to it's Graffiti condition. He says it is now parked inside his shop and he has recently got the engine working. Next he will concentrate on doing some body work to the Merc as time and money permits. Currently, his major priority is fixing the leaky roof and the damage it caused on his house as well as remodeling the kitchen for his wife. Ahhh, priorities. I am in continual contact with Steve and will keep you updated as I learn more.  Oh, and in case you were wondering; Steve is not selling the car.

TRIBUTE TEAM GRAFFITI replica cars along with the original '58 Impala featured in the film.

There are some personal wild rumors circulating as to why the car had remained outdoors in a state of disrepair for so long. Far be it from yours truly to continue the story if there's a chance it may not be true. One thing’s for sure, all the false claims, uncertainty and lack of knowledge add to the mystery and legend of the original '51 Mercury that was featured in American Graffiti. 

Damn, those Pharaoh gang members are nothing without their car.

The late-great, Glen Shimmin, from Washington state, built a '51 Merc replica that duplicates every detail of the original movie car including all of its flaws. In order to get the details exact Glen consulted with Don Orlandi who customized the cars for the 1973 film. Only a true fan of American Graffiti would go to such lengths. A coupla’ years back I used my camcorder to video tape Glen as he explained how he constructed the car. It was (and still is) a fascinating story. Check it out:

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NOTES:

• Ganahl, Pat. (May 1976). The American Graffiti cars. Street Rodder. vol 5. no. 5. USA. TRM Publications.
• Howard. (1976) [Photographer] Car Interior. The Universal Studio's Era-American Graffiti Film Cars. Jeff's All Graffiti All The Time Website. Retrieved 6/21/2012: http://jeffsallgraffitiallthetime.blogspot.com/2012/02/universal-studios-era-american-graffiti.html
• Shimmin, Glenn (Personal communication, May 2008).
• Stray Cats page. (1987-88). Street Machine. Retrieved 10/11/2010 http://www.rockabillyhall.com/StrayCats.html
• Setzer, Brian (May 7, 2001). [Quote re: Merc being a pile of junk] Retrieved 1/06/2011 http://briansetzer.com/home.



40th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION, PETALUMA, CA

Hey Folks,  I flew back home from Petaluma's Celebration of American Graffiti last Sunday, and boy, my arms are still tired!  But, all seriousness aside...  I had an incredible time and I'll be happy to share with you photos from the event as well as some other cool stuff.  However, for now, I have to return to a different world and concentrate on my occupation as a School Psychologist which provides monetary compensation that goes to paying rent, food, and my student loans.  I think you know what I'm talkin' about.  But, stay tuned for some great articles, posts, & pix.  In the meantime, here's a video about the Petaluma event from the local Bay-Area news.  See ya soon!

THE UNIVERSAL YEARS: FOLLOWING THE PROGRESSION OF A MOTOR

The coupe parked in the Universal Studio's shed circa 1975

Hey, how’s it hangin'? If you're like me than the answer is, "A little to the left." Any whooo, before I head off up to Petaluma, CA this Thursday, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the release of American Graffiti, I thought I'd post a special article featuring cool pictures of the yellow coupe (now known as Milner's Coupe). In a previous post sub-titled "The Fastest Thing in the Valley" I described the controversy over the size of the '32 Ford Coupe's engine and the rumors that exist as to the motor being swapped sometime after it was first featured in the film. Is it true? Is it not? Do we care? Is the new Pope Catholic? So, in an attempt to clear up the confusion (or add to it) the coupes’ current and longtime owner, Rick Figari sent me some scraps from his scrap book to share with my readers. That would be you. It’s the least we could do for those of you who aren’t able to attend the celebration. The pics featured here are from a short period in the car’s history and are exclusively of the coupe’s engine as it appeared directly after it was featured in the 1973 film up until it was restored in 1982 by the individual who purchased it from Universal Studios after the sequel, More American Graffiti, Steve Fitch.   After looking closely at these pics of the motor over the years, and some logical deduction, I'm pretty convinced that since it was first featured in the 1973 film, the coupe has had the same engine - just worse for wear each year.  Enjoy, and I'll see ya at the finish line.

________________________________________________________________________

 

The engine as appeared around the time it was featured in the film, The California Kid (1974)

A rear shot of the coupe parked at Universal Studios circa 1975.  After filming Graffiti in 1972, Transportation Supervisor, Henry Travers had prepared the car for street use prior to its planned sale.  To make it street legal he added a license plate light (in a lower position) and added a side view mirror.

The engine circa 1976.  Notice the chorme beginning to rust and the carbs and manifold covered in grime and bird droppings from the shed it was housed in.

This pic was taken circa 1979 right before it was put back on display on the Universal Studios Tour. Notice the oil filler cap is missing. It still has the original spark plug wires.

1979 Passenger side view of the engine with a dirty manifold and super cruddy carbs.  Notice the original wires are held together with electrical tape.

This 1980 pic shows how the engine appeared as the coupe was displayed on the Universal Studios Tour. Apparently many folks wanted a little bit of movie history and felt obliged to steal parts from it.  Notice the missing 2 scoops, wingnuts, oil dipstick, & radiator cap.

 

This pic shows how the engine looked in 1981 after Steve Fitch purchased the car from Universal Studios in a private auction.

A driver's side view of the engine as it looked in 1981 before owner Steve Fitch rebuilt the engine. The pic was taken after pressure washing the engine to remove some of the crud. The original valve covers are gone but it still has the same carbs, wires, plugs, etc. Notice the carbs are stuck in the "open" position. Henry Travers reportedly could never get those two carbs to perform properly when he attempted to prepare the engine for the movie's sequel

This 1982 pic shows how beautiful the engine looked after Fitch rebuilt the engine. Engine has new carbs, plug wires, oil filler, & radiator cap.  Rick Figari purchased the coupe from Fitch in 1986 and has since replaced the air filters with original movie-period scoops on the carbs.

 

~ FIN ~

MELS DRIVE-IN: A MODEL OF THE PAST

There are many famous landmarks all over the world such as the Eiffel Tower and the Egyptian Pyramids. Some of these landmarks even exist right here in the United States of America including the Statue of Liberty, the Golden Gate Bridge and of course, the original structure of the very first Mels Drive-in in San Francisco made famous in George Lucas' 2nd feature film, American Graffiti.  

 Although demolished years ago, the first Mels drive-in, formerly at 140 South Van Ness, with its classic circular structure and glowing neon has remained a shining icon in the hearts and minds of American Graffiti fans long after the final music-filled scenes first ended. Collecting models of many of the popular cars featured in the film has been a popular hobby of many Graffiti fans so it seems it was only a matter of time (say, forty years), before someone produced a model kit of the drive-in eatery so that the hobbyist had a place to park their Graffiti model cars.  That job went to Moebius Models. 

The folks at Moebius have developed a highly detailed plastic molded, HO scale model, of the original restaurant in light grey.  The features include signs, booth, diner counter and rooftop signs along with plastic for the windows.  The model drive-in consists of 64 plastic parts and numerous 4-color plastic pieces.  Color printed paper is used for all of the interior. It is scaled in 1/87 so it will also fit into any HO scale railroad setting and retails for about $44.95

Graffiti fan, and guest contributor, Charlie Lecach has already purchased two models and has almost completed painting and detailing one of them, which he calls his "test model." He was nice enough to honor us with a couple pix of his handiwork and give us an idea of just how amazing one can make this model appear.

The Vespa, trash can, serving window, the door inside giving access to the kitchen, the parking sign, the orange "closet", the orange base of the small MELS neon, the green plant and concrete around as well as the parking signs and neons are NOT part of the original Moebius model.  Charlie added all these parts himself to make the model closer resemble the drive-in eatery featured in the film.

For More Info:

Web Site: http://www.moebiusmodels.com/
Phone: 386-734-3599  

Postal Address:
Amoebas
PO BOX 229372
GLENWOOD, FL 32722

THE ONES THAT GOT AWAY or, NAME THAT TUNE!

Wolfman holds up some popular vinyl. Circa 1973

American Graffiti is saturated with wall-to-wall oldies from the 1950s & early '60s and most fans of the film can instantly identify the songs heard while watching the film. However, most fans aren't aware of the names of the songs that were written into the script but never made it into the film. Here I've compiled a list of 8 songs that were written into scenes in the second draft of the script dated May 10, 1972 but for various reasons didn't make the final soundtrack. I've included the dialogue as it was written in the original script, some of which may not have been in the film. For more on these subjects please see my article, THE AMERICAN GRAFFITI SOUNDTRACK dated Dec. 9, 2010 and the Nov. 8, 2010 post, WRITING GRAFFITI. Some of the original songs that humorously underscore the subject of each scene may have worked better than the ones that replaced it but I'll let you decide. All songs mentioned can be heard on You Tube or purchased through any music service. Enjoy.

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Scene: 12; TRAVELING – MAIN STREET – JOHN – COUPE

 John pulls alongside the Studebaker and the girl in the front seat rolls down her window.

  JOHN

You wanna ride around with me for awhile?

  GIRL # 1

I’m sorry, I can’t I’m going steady, I just can’t.

Song in Script: “FEVER” by Little Willie John (1956), Peggy Lee (1958)

Actual Song Used in Movie: “WHY DO FOOL FALL IN LOVE” Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers.

 ____________________________________ 

Scene: 27; TRAVELING – TERRY & DEBBIE - MERCURY

Terry is out again in the stream of taillights, flashing through the small town. He passes some kids on the street and waves - - they stop, seeing it’s Terry.  They shake their heads in amazement.

 A car pulls alongside and the driver yells over - -

DRIVER

Toad - -?  Is that you in that beautiful car?

Jeeze, what a waste of machinery…

 The car takes off - -

 TERRY

(Shouting)

Ah, suck gas bozo --

Song in Script: HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY by The Tune Weavers (1957), Elvis Presley (1958).

Actual Song Used in Movie: “RUNAWAY” by Del Shannon.

 __________________________________________

Scene: 30; AUTO WRECKING YARD – JOHN & CAROL

 John’s coupe crunches to a gravelly stop in front of an auto wrecking yard.

 CAROL

Why are we stopping here?

 

JOHN

I wanta look at the cars.  It relaxes me.

Song in Script: “IT’S JUST A MATTER OF TIME” by Brook Benton (1959)

Song in Movie: NONE.  (There is no music during this scene.)

 __________________________________________

Scene: 37; TRAVELING – CURT & HOODS - PONTIAC 

The radio blares and we see all the hoods sitting super low in the car, their eyes just visible over the windows.  The Wolfman is giving the phone operator a bad time as she tries to get him to accept a collect call.  All the Pharaohs are amused. 

 BEAN

You tell her, Wolfman!  He’s my man.  When I graduate I’m going to be a Wolfman.  You know he broadcasts out of Mexico someplace…

 JOE

No he don’t. I seen his station.  It’s just outside town.  XERB right on the building.

Song in Script: “WESTERN MOVIES” by The Olympics (1958).

Actual Song Used in Movie: “JOHNNY B. GOODE” by Chuck Berry

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 Scene: 42; BURGERS DRIVE IN – JOHN & CAROL COUPE

 John cruises around the lot until he finds a space among the rows of dazzling cars.

 JOHN

(into intercom)

One ten cent Coke…Is ice extra?  All right, ice…..

 CAROL

Thanks for nothing.

Song in Script: “IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT” by The Five Satins (1956).

Actual Song Used in Movie: “WHO WROTE THE BOOK OF LOVE” by The Monotones. 

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 Scene: 44; EXT. SCENIC LIQUOR STORE – 

TERRY & DEBBIE - MERCURY 

Terry pulls into the parking lot and stops.  He looks up at the flashing liquor sign and considers his battle plan.
 

 DEBBIE

Do you have ID?

TERRY

No… hey, but no sweat.  What’ll it be?

Beer, little wine?

DEBBIE

If you could get some Old Harper, I’d give you a French kiss.

TERRY

Old Harper, rrright!

Song in Script: “TEENAGER IN LOVE” by Dion & The Belmonts (1959).

Actual Song Used in Movie: “MAYBE BABY” by Buddy Holly.

 _______________________________________________

Scene: 55; MAIN STREET – TERRY, DEBBIE & STEVE

 The trio is standing on a busy street corner.

 

STEVE

I’m going over to Burger City

TERRY

You think Laurie’s there?

STEVE

I’m not looking for Laurie!  I don’t care where she is…you wanta come?

DEBBIE

Yeah

TERRY

No.

STEVE

Well, make up your minds

TERRY

No thanks, we gotta - - report the car missing.

 

Song in Script: “DONNA” by Ritchie Valens (1958).

Actual Song Used in Movie: “PARTY DOLL” by Buddy Knox

 ________________________________________________

Scene: 65; THE “COME ON IN” BAR – 

TERRY & DEBBIE - MERCURY

 A half a dozon people are standing around in the parking lot behind bar.  Debbie is sitting on the hood of  a  car, swinging her legs and chewing gum.  The people all seem to be watching something on the ground behind the car.  Coughing is heard, then gagging, and the unmistakable sound of someone being sick.

 OLD MAN

You cold, Lottie?  We’ll go in a minute.

OLD WOMAN

Maybe we should move him.  Staying on his hands and knees like that…

(she grins)

He looks like a dog, doesn’t he?  Looks like old Ginger.

 OLD MAN

Sicker than a dog, that’s for sure.

Song in Script: “POISON IVY” by The Coasters (1959).

Actual Song Used in Movie: NONE.

 __________________________________________

Scene: 70; INT. RADIO STATION – 

CURT & STATION MANAGER

 Through the maze of glass, shifting like prisms, he sees the station manager sitting by the mike - - howling!  Then he laughs and howls again, starting to sing an insane song called “Bluebirds on My Dingaling” pounding out the rhythm on the console. 

 CURT

Wolfman….

He backs away, leaving the Wolfman who’s on his feet now screaming out the end of the song, dancing by himself in the little glass room from which his voice radiates out through the night and around the world.

Song in Script: ‘BLUEBIRDS ON MY DINGALING” by Unknown. (May be a fictitious song.)

Actual Song Used in Movie: “HEART & SOUL” by The Cleftones.

~ FIN ~


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- THE PLANE TRUTH -

I was surfing the Internet, specifically the incredible, Goleta Air and Space Museum a while ago and I came across some pix of a familiar looking plane.  It was a white DC-7C proplane with orange and white stripes.  As it turns out the said plane was the same one that was used for the final scenes in the 1973 classic, American Graffiti.   How did I know it was the same one seen in the film even though it didn't have Magic Carpet Airlines painted on the side?  Well, as I learned, apparently planes are assigned a license or serial number that is displayed prominently on the side of the aircraft and remains with it for its entire life regardless of how it is used or how many times it changes hands. The number makes it easier to track its history compared to automobiles.  Movie car fans know what I’m talking about. The serial number of the DC-7C featured in Graffiti was N5903.  Because this particular aircraft, built in 1956, was somewhat rare, aircraft enthusiasts and aficionados would occasionally snap a pic of the airplane when it was spotted in a particular airport.  Thus, we are blessed with some really cool photos of the 4-engine plane. And, so, your buddy, Kip is here to provide you with an incredible pictorial history of this beautiful aircraft. Dig it baby!  Please note all of the pix on this particular post are published with the permission of the photo owners.  So don’t be a "Dick" and steal these. If you want to borrow or use a particular photo, please write and ask for permission. Thank you for not smoking and have a nice day.

________________________________________________________________________

Wolfman chats on the XERB request line with a caller from Whittier, CA & spins WHISKEY & WIMMEN' by John Lee Hooker & Canned Heat.

NOT JUST ANY PLANE WILL DO

Although there were hundreds of classic cars featured in George Lucas’ masterpiece, American Graffiti, there was only one plane in the film. It is featured at the end of the story and it is the transportation that lifts Curt, (Richard Dreyfuss) out of the restricting and limiting confines of his small hometown and into the great wide-open future. The company which loaned the prop plane was named, Magic Carpet Air Travel Club.  Lucas once told writer, Larry Sturhahn that for the filming of this pivotal closing scene, they had specifically sought out a prop plane but they weren't easy to find.  Eventually the crew found a few airlines who would lease the plane if their name was prominently displayed on the side of the aircraft in the film. The choices included Air West, Air California, and Magic Carpet.  

"I decided to use Magic Carpet, but it wasn't written in the script," Lucas recalled.  He kept to the agreement but couldn’t pass up the opportunity to slightly alter the name to make it more fitting to the story and so the Magic Carpet Air Travel Club became Magic Carpet Airlines for the movie. "I thought it was appropriate, and that's one of those things that when fate gives it to you, you make the decision," said Lucas. The amended name was painted on the left side of the DC-7C. The aircraft was parked at Buchanan Field Airport in Concord California (Contra Costa County) where the final scenes of the movie were first filmed on August 3, 1972. Legend has it that on the first attempt to film the prop plane taking off, it got a flat tire on the runway and filming had to stop and a second-unit returned the following day to film the take-off, once the tire had been repaired.

THE LIFE & DEATH OF A PROP PLANE

Our future movie plane began it's history as a commercial passanger plane in 1956 for Braniff International Airways. The once popular airlines was in operation from 1930 until 1982. 

In November 1969 the future movie plane was bought by Club America, Inc.  This picture was taken in 1970 at the William P. Hobby Airport in Houston, Texas.

WE'RE AN AMERICAN BAND 

Stepping out in style. Members of the incredible power trio, Grand Funk Railroad exit the DC-7C which they leased from Club America. Inc. in the Spring of 1971. At the time of this pic, these guys were one of the hottest touring hard rock bands on the globe. Although "We're an American Band" remains their most iconic tune, one of my favorites is "Nothing is the Same," from the band's 3rd album, "Closer to Home," released in 1970.  

This pic taken at the Chicago Midway Airport in late-1971 shows the future movie prop plane with Grand Funk Railroad's name painted on the side.  Soon after this pic was taken, the 4-engine plane was bought by Magic Carpet Air Travel Club.

Bill Larkins took this beautiful photo at the Buchanan Field Airport in Concord, CA the day after filming American Graffiti had completed in August 1972. Bill told me that they repainted the left side only with the new film name, "Magic Carpet Airlines."  The actual name of the plane was on the right side, "Magic Carpet Travel Air Club," which was a company with an address in Sacramento, Calfiornia.

The aircraft was sold to T & G Aviation, Inc in 1976 and by 1980, when this picture was taken, the plane was being used as a bomber to help drop chemicals on forest fires in the Los Angeles and southern California area.



This photo taken at Chandler Memorial Airport in Arizona on 10/11/1984 is the last known photo of the proud old aircraft before its demise.  Two years later on 10/09/1986 the plane flew it's last flight at the Dakar-Yoff airport in Senegal (the north-western coastal portion of Africa.) The DC-7C was taking off and once the gears had retracted the #4 engine stopped and the propeller feathered, the plane lost altitude and ditched off Dakar.  The three crew members died and the only passenger on the plane survived injuries.

From commercial passenger plane to movie star, to firefighter, the classic 4-engine, DC-7C (N5903) had a good 30-year run and will forever remain an important part of film history. Trivia Fact: The steps that led to the plane in Graffiti were mounted on a post-1962, late-model truck. To avoid conflicting with the early-sixties time line a white van was parked in front of the truck to hide it from the cameras.  

   ~ FIN ~

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NOTES:

• Aircraft Accident Douglas DC-7C. Aviation Safety Network. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19861009-1

• Airliners.Net. http://www.airliers.net/search/photo.search?regsearch=N5903

• Douglass DC-6 & DC-7C Tankers. Air & Space Museum. http://air-and-space.com

• Sturhahn Larry. (1999) The filming of american graffiti. In Kline, S. (Ed.), George Lucas interviews (conversations with filmakers series). University Press of Mississippi.