Muscle Cars in the Movies

Movies and car chases have always had appeal, but the filmmakers knew they had hit the jackpot when muscle cars on sale to the public began to outrun police cars back in the 1960s! They thought – what would be the scenario if criminals were better equipped when cops were chasing them? Quite a few classic films began to address this issue, so here are some of the best action and chase movies:

1971 Mustang Mach 1

James Bond didn’t always drive an Aston Martin. In Diamonds Are Forever, Sean Connnery’s Bond changes rides in the desert – he jumps off a three wheeler into a plush 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1 fastback, in order to stay ahead of the Las Vegas police. Just when you think he has been cornered in a dead end, he shows off his daredevil driving skills. The hot Mustang grabs as much attention as 007!

Custom 1967 Mustang Fastback

The 2000 remake of Gone in 60 Seconds might have got scathing reviews from critics, but it garnered a lot of attention for the fabulous cars, particularly the Shelby GT500, which was a 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback. This car was customized big time to resemble a GT500 by Steve Standford. It had a 427 cubic inch Cobra Jet or 428 Cubic inch Ford Interceptor Engines. The last scene showed the most powerful Eleanor that was powered by Ford Motorsport 351.

1969 Dodge Charger

The Dodge Charger has been extensively used in movies due to its archetypal American intimidator look, which looked fascinating when Wesley Snipes used it in Blade, and equally good in a lighthearted film like Dukes of Hazzard. This movie essentially revisited the TV, and the highlight of the 2005 movie was the 1969 Charger. 1968 and 1970 models (converted to the 1969 version) were used in some scenes too.

1966 Ford GT40

The Fast & Furious series has always been known for its high speed chases and action. The 1966 GT40 featured in Fast Five, is the same model that won the 24 hours of Le Mans. In fact, few American cars come with much racing history as compared to the GT40. This car is also said to be one of the most luxurious looking models produced by Ford. It gave car lovers a jolt when Vin Diesel and his gang pull one out of a moving train!

1967 Pontiac GTO

Vin Diesel has made a career out of extreme stunts and driving outrageous cars on screen, so it is safe to say he wouldn’t restrict this aspect to just the Fast & Furious franchise. His recent outing as the titular character in XXX: The Return of Xander Cage drives a mean purple 1967 Pontiac GTO. The vehicle sharing organization Turo were even leasing the car with features like rocket launchers, flamethrowers and an electable hardtop that was used to parachute out of the vehicle in the movie. It is powered by a 335 strength, 400 cubic inch V8 motor, mated to a TH400 programmed with a B&M shifter.

1970 Dodge Challenger

In Vanishing Point, Barry Newman faces the ultimate challenge of driving a supercharged 1970 Dodge Challenger to San Francisco from Denver. While in transit, he bets the price of drugs he is purchasing in order to make the run in 15 hours, thus indicating his mileage has to be over 80 mph for the trip. Cops patrolling Nevada and Colorado are angered big time, but the blonde on a motorcycle is pleased!

1970 Pontiac GTO

In this cult favorite road film, a mechanic (Dennis Wilson) and a driver (James Taylor) live only to race and maintain their 1955 Chevy. Heading east from California with no particular agenda, they give a girl (Laurie Bird) a ride, and en route she incites jealousy between the men by sleeping with them both. Meanwhile, the trio encounters an overbearing Pontiac GTO driver (Warren Oates) who agrees to race them to New York, each side putting at stake their most prized possession: their car.

Why don’t you check out these films and see your favorite muscle cars in action? Get ready for an exciting movie marathon!

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