Classic Stock Car Movie

[GregLaROCHE]

I just came across this and enjoyed it. Perhaps others will too. Lots of real footage from back then. Supposedly, Trarentino’s favorite race film.

https://youtu.be/gW5ZMdmdF7g

[beemer]

Look up Old Wilksboro Road Thunder the Carolina on youtube. This scene was filmed on old Highway 16 between Wilksboro and Taylorsville in NC just a couple miles from where I live. The shack in the scene with the old man was torn down just a few years ago. A new road was built in the mid 60's leaving just a few places where the old road had been.

This area was a hotbed of moonshining and a lot of the transporters were among the first stock car drivers, one being Jr. Johnson.

I knew a couple guys that watched several runs down that mountain while filming. Rumor has it that one of the stars wanted to do the actual driving but after seeing the road changed their mind. Someone went to the Wilksboro Speedway and recruited someone to do the run down the mountain. Funny thing was that that driver had probably hauled shine through there.

[farmbif]

what a classic movie. brings back memories of my old 66 lesabre that had a 445 wildcat engine. one of the best cars I ever had

[contender1]

Yep,, another WNC hillbilly here who knew some of the old timers who ran 'shine. And as noted above,, many of the old timers who ran shine became stock car racers. Banjo Matthews once told me it was a great way to "test" cars out before using them to run shine. That, and to practice their skills.

[metricmonkeywrench]

I was set with Stroker Ace :bigsmyl2:

[beemer]

My dad made shine with his Father before WW2. He quit running a still and got a job in a cotton mill in Troutman NC. in 1938. Traded a 27 H-D Flathead for a 36 Knucklehead and gave $350 to boot. He would buy a case of shine from is BIL in Taylorsville, NC, pack it in his saddlebags and peddle it out at a bar in Troutman. That's how he paid for the bike. That $350 was about half a years work.

[warren5421]

I always liked "THUNDER ROAD". I paid for a 1964 Corvair plus hopping the motor up running shine. Pick up in Huntington, WV or Ashland, KY take to Columbus, OH. Had a 300 gal. tank in the front, would do over 140mph. Had an Ohio State cop tell me that his Ford would only do 140 and I was pulling away. I was so far ahead of him that there was no lights in the rear view mirror, I was doing 45 when he pulled me over as my car looked like the one he was chasing. He didn't get the tag. He was in a Ford long stoke 427 cu auto black & white with a bubble gum machine on top.

[Beerd]

a Corvair at 140! don't you know those things were unsafe at any speed?
..

[gwpercle]

I always liked "THUNDER ROAD". I paid for a 1964 Corvair plus hopping the motor up running shine. Pick up in Huntington, WV or Ashland, KY take to Columbus, OH. Had a 300 gal. tank in the front, would do over 140mph. Had an Ohio State cop tell me that his Ford would only do 140 and I was pulling away. I was so far ahead of him that there was no lights in the rear view mirror, I was doing 45 when he pulled me over as my car looked like the one he was chasing. He didn't get the tag. He was in a Ford long stoke 427 cu auto black & white with a bubble gum machine on top.

Yeah ... Thunder Road with Robert Mitchum and his son !

Still my favorite Car Movie !

Gary
My daily driver untill 2 years ago was my 1968 Chelelle , 2 door sports coupe . 327 V-8 .
Stroked ,bored and running Cherry Bomb Glass Packs or straight pipes (cut out equipped exaust) Man ... I miss driving that car more than anything
Gary

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I just came across this and enjoyed it. Perhaps others will too. Lots of real footage from back then. Supposedly, Trarentino’s favorite race film.

https://youtu.be/gW5ZMdmdF7g

Thanks for posting, I had never heard of it before.
I watched it last night night...WHAT a great movie.

[GregLaROCHE]

Thunder Road has been my favorite for a long time too.