You Can't Make This Stuff Up!

[Lee Stewart]

[Lee Stewart]

[Lee Stewart]

Richard Ruth of Competition Engineering in Sunland, California built the 1955 Chevrolet 150 sedans used in the 1971 movie: TWO LANE BLACKTOP. When the cars were delivered to the studio, they were painted powder blue, but the studio had them finished with a gray primer appearance to fit the persona of the drag racers played by James Taylor and Dennis Wilson.

[Lee Stewart]

This rare car is one of only seven 401 Nail Head Gran Sports to be built by Buick in 1966. The gorgeous car is red in color with the original black interior, black top, and factory black pinstripes. It has a factory correct M-21 4-speed transmission, 3:55 Positraction rear end, bucket seats, a power convertible top, dual quad carburetors, and factory Chrome Mag Wheels with Redline Tires.

https://www.barrett-jackson.com/Even...VERTIBLE-45283

[Lee Stewart]

[Lee Stewart]

I can neither confirm nor deny this story, but I supposedly met the designer of the billboard stripe at the Barrett-Jackson auction in 1995. His name is Tom Hale (not to be confused with former head-of-design and fellow AAR owner Tom Gale), and he has created the event poster for the BJ auction for many years. He told me that in 1970 he was working in the Chrysler graphic arts department. He had created the AAR stripe and some other stripes, but was bored with stripes and wanted to design cars. While he was waiting for a departmental transfer his boss came to him and told him his next assignment was to design the stripe for the 71 Cuda. Tom was pissed and in a fit of rage he drew a stripe that covered the entire back half of the side of the car. He submitted the artwork and thought, "if you want a stripe I'll give you a f@#$%&g stripe!" To his astonishment management took the stripe seriously and it was approved.

[Lee Stewart]

[Lee Stewart]

[Lee Stewart]

This hemi is well known nationally as "the bank robber car" because of its fascinating history. It was originally owned by Chicago police officer, Clem Messino of Harvey, IL. In an effort to subsidize his income, Mr. Messino was using this hemi car to escape the authorities in several successful bank robberies in both Illinois and Indiana . Eventually the police were on the lookout for this elusive and swift white belvedere so Mr. Messino painted his car black. Though a clever idea, Mr. Messino was eventually apprehended and is currently incarcerated for his crimes.

https://www.barrett-jackson.com/Even...-HARDTOP-20912

[Lee Stewart]