On the road movies #1 - Solved by Ehhxekt, Otto Puzzell and ImpishGrin

[Allemano]

Would call myself quite a cineaste, but all those movies are very obscure I think, esp. for Europeans (except of American Graffiti of course)

[Ray B.]

Although they're a bit older than last year, I can assure you that at least half of them are quite well-known. And you should know many of them if you are interested in both cars and movies.

[Otto Puzzell]

Just a hunch - are Wheels I (the Opel), related to the "The Seven Ups", currently playing at the AutoPuzzles theater?

[Ray B.]

Not at all. But you could say there is a vety tenuous relation between Seven-Up and the title of the movie (by a famous director) that goes with that Opel. As tenuous probably as the one of your Mock puzzle.

[Otto Puzzell]

Speaking of the Mock puzzle, I thought you would be (will be?) the first make the connection. You have a solid grasp of cars in moving pictures.

[Otto Puzzell]

Wheels J = 1961 Plymouth Belvedere
Movie 6 = Hot Rods to Hell

[Ray B.]

Wheels J = 1961 Plymouth Belvedere
Movie 6 = Hot Rods to Hell

Bingo again! Poor Dana Andrews, already plagued by one of the ugliest cars ever, is chased by a bunch of evil teenagers!

[Ray B.]

There have laudable efforts in this group puzzle (O.Puzzell doing most of the work, though). It's time to reward them. So, clue time, anyone?

Movie 1 (Viva Las Vegas) and Wheels H (1959 Balchowsky Ol' Yaller MkII) - Otto Puzzell
Movie 2  (The Vanishing Point) and Wheels E (Jaguar XKE Roadster) - Ehhxekt
Movie 3  ((White Lightning) and Wheels K (1971 Mercury Monterey) - Ehhxekt
Movie 4 (Johnny Dark) and Wheels F (Grantham Stardust) Otto Puzzell
Movie 5 (American Graffiti) and Wheels L (1956 Thunderbird) Otto Puzzell
Movie 6 (Hot Rods to Hell) and Wheels J (1961 Plymouth Belvedere)Otto Puzzell
Movie 7 (Thunder Road) and Wheels C (1957 Ford Custom) - Ehhxekkt
Movie 8  (Two-Lane Blacktop) and Wheels B (1955 Chevrolet 150) - Ehhxekt
Movie 9 ( Sugarland Express) and Wheels I (Opel Kadett) - Ehhxekt
Movie 10  (A perfect World) and Wheels C (1959 Chevrolet Bel Air) Impishgrin
Movie 11  (Thunderbolt and Lightfoot) and Wheels G (1973 Plymouth Fury) Ehhxekt
Movie 12  (Dragstrip girl) and Wheels D (Ford A hot rod) Ehhxekt

[ImpishGrin]

C + 10
Ford Fairlane 500 + "A Perfect World"

[Ray B.]

 A Perfect World
Fairlane 500 

Right film wrong car. The C-car is a 57 Ford, but not a Fairlane 500 (as in the movie). Besides, if you remember the film, the clue points to another car.
This one is locked for you the next 48 hours.

[ImpishGrin]

Ok, then it has to be A - '59 Chevy Bel Air.

[Ray B.]

BUTCH
You ever ridden in a time machine before?

Phillip shakes his head.

BUTCH
Sure you have. Whattaya' think this is?
PHILLIP
A car.

BUTCH
Yer' lookin' at this thing bassackwards. This is a 20th Century time machine. I'm the captain and you're the navigator.

Butch points forward through the dash.

BUTCH
Out there... that's the future.

Butch taps on the rearview mirror.

BUTCH
Back there... that's the past. If life's moving too slow and you wanna' project yerself into the future you step here on the gas. See?

He does so and the Impala surges forward.

BUTCH
And if yer' enjoyin' the moment yer' in, well hell, just step on the brake here and you can slow it down.

[/i]Right. The 1959 Chevrolet is the Time Machine. It's an impala in the script but a Bel air in the film.
Below, Kevin Costner and Clint Eastwood in the movie.

[Ehhxekt]

Wheels B is a 1955 Chevrolet 150; a hopped-up example can be seen crossing the States – with some drag racing here and there – in Two-Lane Blacktop. The other car protagonist of the film is a yellow 1970 Pontiac GTO – just entering Arkansas in the pic taken from Movie 8.
Wheels E could be paired with Movie 2: a similar Jaguar XKE Roadster is dueling with Kowalski's Dodge Challenger in Vanishing Point (1971).

[Ray B.]

Congratulations, Ehhxekt. Here's a man who knows his cult road-movies, and knows them well!
The image from Two-Lane Blacktop was particularly tricky too (all the others I had would have been too revealing, including one of a girl riding a bike with not even a helmet on).

The pictures: the Chevy, with Beach Boy Dennis Wilson and James Taylor at the wheel.
Vanishing Point's legendary Dodge Challenger battling with the E-type, and Cleavon Little as the blind disc-jockey.

[Ray B.]

5 out of 12 left to guess now. There's no going back now.

[Ehhxekt]

There's no going back now.

OK, then it's time to take some risks. Four cars of the five I think I managed to identify. Below I pair them with titles of films I have never seen – my guesses are based purely on what I found googling for those cars' cinematic relations. Let's see how this method works:
Movie 3 (White Lightning) and Wheels K (1971 Mercury Monterey)
Movie 7 (Thunder Road) and Wheels C (1957 Ford Custom)
Movie 9 (The Sugarland Express) and Wheels I (1968 Opel Kadett Deluxe Wagon)
Movie 11 (Thunderbolt and Lightfoot) and Wheels G (1973 Plymouth Fury Gran Coupe)

[Ray B.]

OK, then it's time to take some risks. Four cars of the five I think I managed to identify. Below I pair them with titles of films I have never seen – my guesses are based purely on what I found googling for those cars' cinematic relations. Let's see how this method works:
Movie 3 (White Lightning) and Wheels K (1971 Mercury Monterey)
Movie 7 (Thunder Road) and Wheels C (1957 Ford Custom)
Movie 9 (The Sugarland Express) and Wheels I (1968 Opel Kadett Deluxe Wagon)
Movie 11 (Thunderbolt and Lightfoot) and Wheels G (1973 Plymouth Fury Gran Coupe)

Works perfectly: four trys, four hits!!!
I must say I am stunned.

So, Allemano, do you maintain that these are ALL "very obscure" films?

Well, the last one is. But see what's left: A girl, a hot rod... That shouldn't be too hard now.

[Allemano]

So, Allemano, do you maintain that these are ALL "very obscure" films?

You talkin' to me?

[Ray B.]

So, Allemano, do you maintain that these are ALL "very obscure" films?

You talkin' to me?

[Ray B.]

The last batch by Ehhxekt:
WHITE LIGHTNING: The first film where Burt Reynolds is Gator McKlusky. The South, booze, lots of Reynolds style driving.
THUNDER ROAD: Where Nascar was born. Cooler than Reynolds, Bob Mitchum (in a story by himself). The South, booze... I haven't seen this one, and I'd give a lot ot see it. If you say you like cars, please read this comment I just saw on imdb.com. Please. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052293/#comment
SUGARLAND EXPRESS: the mad shooters in the Opel, in Steven Spielberg first film (Duel was for TV)
THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOT: Clint Eastwood, Jeff Bridges, many cars and the mad driver of a Plymouth with a trunkload of white rabbits.

[Ray B.]

Only Car D and Film 12 left! Don't tell me you can't do it.
A clue for Christmas maybe?

The poster?

[Ehhxekt]

Now that you took the puzzler by the hand and put him on the right track:
Movie 12 (Dragstrip Girl, 1957) and Wheels D (Ford Model A Roadster hot rod)

[Ray B.]

Ehhxekt, I think I'll do another "On the road movies" just for you and Otto! And Impishgrin too, he only solved one but recognized "A perfect world" which I take for a great movie.
"Dragstrip girl" it is, and the car is a Ford. I was referring to the car in the picture below, and I thought it was what is called a "Ford T bucket". But i'm no good at telling one of those rods from another and I guess you're right.

[Ray B.]

The count reads:
Ehhxekt          7 points
Otto Puzzell   4 points
Impishgrin      1 point