Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/12/17

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Subject: [Leica] vanishing point
From: shino at panix.com (Rei Shinozuka)
Date: Sat Dec 17 08:27:03 2005
References: <186F0BE020A14A4B85D1D95115976D3809BE40@exchbackend2.nsula.edu> <BFBE3E8C.32082%yup@pacbell.net>

sorry for such a late contribution, but i was knee-deep in
finals last week.

the bad guys' car was a Charger (haven't you guys ever watched
Dukes of Hazzard??? :-)

http://www.ponysite.de/bullitf.htm

interesting insights about the mustang platform's integrity:

   While the Dodge Charger remained in virtually stock condition, 
   the Mustangs, due to their marginal unibody underpinnings, 
   had to be structurally reinforced to survive the huge jumps 
   and other hard use during the chase scene.

   Most of the modifications to the Mustangs involved strengthening 
   the front end so the shock towers wouldn't fail when the car made 
   those hard downhill landings. Balchowski experimented with various 
   springs and shocks until he found a combination that would keep 
   the Mustang from bottoming out too much. He also fabricated a 
   shocktower brace that would reinforce the engine bay. 

   In one hard downhill landing, the Mustang's oil pan was torn 
   open and its contents spewed in a cloud of smoke (watch carefully 
   during the chase and you can see this happen). Balchowski knew how 
   tight the shooting schedule was, so he welded the pan while it was 
   still bolted to the engine.

and on dearborn vs mopar performance:

   Balchowski also had to do some tuning to the Mustang's 390ci High 
   Performance engine to help it keep up with the Dodge's 440ci Magnum. 
   Apparently, according to reliable sources, the stock Dodge would run 
   away and hide from the Mustang. Balchowski used a few tried and 
   proven racing tweaks on the carb and ignition, closing the 
   performance gap between the two cars involved in the chase. 

i am impartial since i hail to the siren call of the bowtie rat.

-rei


On Dec08 19:48, doug kim wrote:
> 
> yes they had a deal with chrysler though this meant that they only received
> three which they promptly destroyed. the only other great dodge challenger
> movie was bullit, the challenger losing to mcqueen's mustang.
> 
> it is a cult movie for 70s gearheads and though i love it, i think most
> others think it is wretched.
> 
> the dvd has a commentary by sarafian with all the details.
> 
> and the pic that started this thread was wonderful. such a sense of coming
> menace.
> 
> doug
> 
> On 12/8/05 4:52 PM, "Sonny Carter" <cartersn@nsula.edu> wrote:
> 
> > 
> > I think I read that Chrysler shopped the Producers to see who wanted to 
> > make a
> > movie about their new Dodge Challenger.   Richard Sarafian stepped up to 
> > the
> > plate and amde a counter-culture film with a massive infusion of product
> > placement.  I think they wrecked several Challengers in the process.
> > 
> > SonC
> > 
> > -
> > 
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > Leica Users Group.
> > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> 
> -- 
> doug kim
> http://www.ricecracker.net/
> http://www.bornyogis.com/
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information

-- 
Rei Shinozuka shino@panix.com
Ridgewood, New Jersey


In reply to: Message from cartersn at nsula.edu (Sonny Carter) ([Leica] vanishing point)
Message from yup at pacbell.net (doug kim) ([Leica] vanishing point)