VANISHING POINT CHALLENGER: WHAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW

As the Ghouls set out to build a tribute Kowalski Challenger, we learn a few things about the original 1971 film and the cars. You might be surprised.

[tedshort]

I love watching the people with the talent build the old muscle cars. I was 11 when I saw Vanishing Point at the theater. As far as car movies go it was one of the best at the time.

[splender]

As a kid, my buddy and I went to see a double feature at a local theatre. The two movies were Dirty Mary Crazy Larry and Vanishing Point. This changed my life since then always been a Mopar fan.

[franksaxton]

I'm older than dirt and love my Challenger hemi. It's a smile every mile and I don't worry about gas mileage.

[beauxr.benoit]

I am not telling anyone what to do, but I prefer this. Most of the time I see someone who has taken a classic and put a Hellcat in it, I have to ask why. Why not get a replica and put it that instead. If the car had all of it's original equipment. Then bring it back to showroom like what is happening here. And put a Hellcat or a Heliphant in a replica or a Roller project car. This is just my opinion. I'll go away now.

[DanielShaw-ct]

Kawalski is #1 just like Evel Keneval groowing up heros in my book

[kevinfox]

Make the drive like Kowalski did, from CO to Dsn Francisco?

Did you even see the movie Mark? Because Kowalski never made it to San Francisco in the film. He barely made it into CA in the film, before they wrecked the "not Challenger R/T " into the D8 Cats.

And I still say it was the best use of a 67 Camaro, I have ever seen on film.

Have a friend who, between both of us, we have 71 and 97 covered. He has a 70 challenger R/T with the 440 and 4 speed, Dana 60 in Alpine White. My wife and I have a 70 Challenger R/T, 426, 4 speed, Dana 60, also in Alpine White. Neither one of us had seen Vanidhing point until after we bought them. Never knew about the movie until the premiere of the 2000 remake 9f Gone in 60 Seconds.

Had a 3 day event and car show, locally, when the film came out. Becauae we lived in H B "Toby" Hallicki's home town. Rolled in together, and got sent to the movie car row. That's when we found out.

And yes. We own copies of both movies. Still drive ours, wife more often than me, as I lost a leg, but I still drive it with my prosthetic.

[NONAME-ywkh]

The last 3 cars my father owned before he passed were 4x4/360 V-8 Dodge Ram step side pickup which he rebuilt the engine himself/ 1970 Dodge Coronet 440 with dark green metallic original paint, never was restored/ and his personal favorite, a 1972 360, 4brl Duster automatic in green metallic paint with white hang 10 interior, seat backs looked like surfboard's/ and the only car still left in the family/ 1968, 4speed, B-5 blue, 440 plymouth Roadrunner thats numbers matching, my brother and I want to restore this one, been in my family 50 plus years and I would like to restore to factory new condition if possible, my father owned his own repair shop in Florida and if you don't know the old saying about a mechanic's car, "it's always in worse shape than his customer car's" maybe one day??

[wightangel]

I remember watching this film at the cinema and I thought the whole concept of the film from Barry Newman's character to the Blind DJ and of course that amazing Dodge Challenger was unforgettable.

[crankychris]

Don't crush 'em, restore them!
These guys really do...

[robinsattahip]

One cool thing about those is they're too old to require smog tests in craphole states like California.

[paulkilpatrick]

My 58 Plymouth savoy has to check him out

[rignmortis]

Mark can't add. 8:00 Allysa was 6 when he got that car. She's 25 now, so he's had it for 19 yrs not 18.

[FloridaAlan]

in 1970 Dodge challenger had some beautiful colors, they had of course plum crazy, they had 3 awesome shades of blue, they had 4 shades of green, mango, yellow, gold, silver, red, black. Why the heck did thy choose white for the Vanishing point car's color ? Whites ok for a Florida sedan.. Not a muscle car really..

[rickr]

While the VP Challenger is cool, it’s been done. How about a MANNIX Dart or ‘Cuda clone? Ol’ Joe didn’t have great luck in car chases, he coulda used the boost!

[justinmcclanahan]

This episode was a rip off because they didn't say anything about the Challenger ☹️

[brucewayne]

So your show starts out with, No Car has gone past no return or repaire. Hummmm. Well if that's the case Mark, then you should change that statement because you bought 2 1969 Dodge Chargers you stupidity bought that both were covered in green looking moss and then you said they were gone way past to be brought back to life.

[novadiecastman]

Just seen the movie car in Chicago at MCACN today

[Lu-KN]

Check out Nick's Garage, he has one Kowalski too.

[JaxtynandGrayson]

Original movie the car was a 440 not a hemi

[interestedparty]

I didn’t think you ever worked, Mark.