105 replies to this topic

[sigmfsk]

Hi all:

I spent some time looking at movie stills to see what I could learn about "the" Bluesmobile (although I know several cars were used in the making of the movie).

I see that its outboard passenger headlight broke, then fixed itself. Here is the sequence, with the first two pics showing the headlight on, then the third pic one frame later showing that the passenger light has been extinguished, and the fourth pic showing it working again:



The inboard passenger headlight broke, then fixed itself (notice inboard driver headlight broken too):


The passenger taillight broke then fixed itself:


It sometimes had the police "F42" extra domelight, and sometimes didn't, and the rear-view mirror attachment moved around:

No dome light, and mirror attached to trim:

Dome light, and mirror attached to ceiling:

No dome light, and mirror attached to ceiling:


The fuel tank access door went from:

existing, with "DODGE"

to missing

to existing with "DO GE"

to the missing D returning


The driver side door panel changed pattern:

The passenger side door panel changed pattern (more often):


The front of the car never seems to have the DODGE lettering, even though the car in the promo pics had the lettering:

The driver front parking lens appears to be always broken in the same place:

The driver fender appears to always have the red primer spot, and I couldn't find anything definitive that showed that the red primer pattern changed.


The speedo is always the 140mph model.


The car has AC because the far right dash vent is real and not a blockoff plate (blockoff plate shown here from the non-A/C "king of the hill")


Oh, and the back window is shot out, then reappears, then disappears again:


So I'm thinking about what I want my future bluesmobile to look like, and I figure that since the car doesn't have a "definitive" form (as its the magical mystery car), I'll just make it as I remembered it for the past 20 years before I started researching more:

74' Monaco 4-door Sedan
Tan interior
Spotlight / Pushbar / Bluesmobile paint/insignia job
Automatic transmission
police 440 power

and a few other creature comfort requirements:
Air Conditioning
Power Steering
Power Brakes
and since I'm not into tuning old engines, I'll probably use a modern engine.

I didn't remember a red primer spot, so I won't spray it on. I could have a "DO GE" on the fuel tank access door, but being that the "D" reappeared later, and even that the entire fuel tank access door was missing in one scene, I'll skip that too. A morphing car makes any replica realistic!

Nice to join the group,
arthur

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[Steam McQueen]

Wow, Arthur! Welcome, and thanks for putting all those screen-caps together. Over the years we've touched on pretty well everything you've pointed out. Nice to have the comparison pics in one spot.

You don't remember the primer spot? :o The in-depth discussion we had about that was - is it reddish or goldish? haha. Regarding original Bluesmobiles, around here it's to each their own. The spirit of the Blues will guide you into your future Bluesmobile, Arthur. Hopefully you'll find it right here.

:D:BB:

[TK826]

I've often wondered about the rear-view mirror.

Was the alternate mirror used so that the actors faces were unobstructed, or was that a real option?

[Yooper]

the bluesmobile used to date "Christine" thats where it learned those skills. :D

[Mr Mercer]

TK826 said:

I've often wondered about the rear-view mirror.

Was the alternate mirror used so that the actors faces were unobstructed, or was that a real option?

A 74 had it mounted on the visor holder , where mine is a 75 and it's mounted to the glass . So maybe there using different years , plus interior shots are usually a cut up car on a trailer or being towed back then . When the troopers smash into the wall at the Jewell store in the mall and say " I'm going to get those suckers if it the .... " the interior shot is clearly a 74 , and they were supposed to be in a newer Royal Monaco .
So they probably just screwed one on .

[TK826]

I'm pretty sure 74's had them mounted to the glass as well.

... I know mine does.

[Ghostbluesman]

Welcome to the mix, Arthur....great screencaps post! http://www.bluesbrotherscentral.com/forum2/public/style_emoticons/default/icon_cool.gif
Rob

[sigmfsk]

Thanks all.
I saw this post
http://www.bluesbrotherscentral.com/forum/bluesmobiles/5387-original-bluesmobile-found-post56533.html?highlight=antenna#post56533
and attach some shots of the bluesmobile both with and without the driver quarter panel radio antenna hole. What a great treasure hunt!
/arthur

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[2FAB]

Don't forget the interior door panels. In the big group of pictures at the top of this thread, look at pic #16 through #23. The door panels alternate between the two styles!

[Mr Mercer]

sigmfsk said:

Thanks all.
I saw this post
http://www.bluesbrotherscentral.com/forum/bluesmobiles/5387-original-bluesmobile-found-post56533.html?highlight=antenna#post56533
and attach some shots of the bluesmobile both with and without the driver quarter panel radio antenna hole. What a great treasure hunt!
/arthur

Never noticed before but in your last photo where the Chicago cop starts the pileup , is that Jake or his stand in on the right street corner .

[sigmfsk]

TK826 said:

I've often wondered about the rear-view mirror.

Was the alternate mirror used so that the actors faces were unobstructed, or was that a real option?

I stumbled across this rear-view tidbit in this post
http://www.bluesbrotherscentral.com/forum/bluesmobiles/8170-quick-question.html#post94650

Mr Mercer says
Like on a 74 the rear view mirror is attached to the sun visor holder where the 75 is on the windshield .

and Huey adds
Rear view mirror was mounted to the windshield on 74's with the exception of special order cars that had the solid mounts. 99% of 74's had the windsheild mount. So that would be rare if you have the solid mount. It could also be installed by the dealer or police agency if it was needed. Of all the Police packages I have owned I have yet to have a solid mount mirror car.

Based on this, I guess that the following two pics show a rare but valid method of attaching the rear-view mirror to the sunvisor solid mount.

dome-0-29-55.jpg
nodome-ceiling-1-34-09.jpg

whereas the pic

nodome-trim-0-08-32.jpg

shows an incorrect rear-view mirror attachment (movie setup), because nothing above talks about the rear-view mirror being attached to the trim between the sunvisor mount and the windshield.
/arthur

[TI4438]

Love the screencaps.The Blumo does not appear to have used much gas on that 106 mile race to Chicago.

[sigmfsk]

sigmfsk said:

I stumbled across this rear-view tidbit in this post
http://www.bluesbrotherscentral.com/forum/bluesmobiles/8170-quick-question.html#post94650

Mr Mercer says
Like on a 74 the rear view mirror is attached to the sun visor holder where the 75 is on the windshield .

and Huey adds
Rear view mirror was mounted to the windshield on 74's with the exception of special order cars that had the solid mounts. 99% of 74's had the windsheild mount. So that would be rare if you have the solid mount. It could also be installed by the dealer or police agency if it was needed. Of all the Police packages I have owned I have yet to have a solid mount mirror car.

/arthur

For what its worth, I read the following info in the April 2010 Mopar Action, page 91:

Question: What was the first Mopar to use a glued-on inside rear view mirror?

Answer: That depends on your definition of "first". The 1964 Chrysler turbine car (see photo above) had the mirror retained by adhesive, but that car doesn't meet the usual definition of a production car. As far as assembly line, 1974 was the changeover year.

[sigmfsk]

I read
> In the drawbridge scene, you can see that the right rear door handle is missing (and white paint is showing)

in this post:
http://www.bluesbrotherscentral.com/forum/bluesmobiles/4312-reference-photo-never-existed.html#post77207

I can't tell if the handle is missing, but certainly the albedo of the handle area is different, which convinces me that there was some "bluesmobile morphing" going on.

Here's a shot of the missing handle, along with two reference pics.

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[Ghostbluesman]

sigmfsk said:

I can't tell if the handle is missing, but certainly the albedo of the handle area is different, which convinces me that there was some "bluesmobile morphing" going on.

I think the handle is there, it's just painted black in the bridge scene (flaking paint, with chrome showing-- the jump car), and it's not painted in the gas station scene (non-jump model)....
Rob

[TK826]

I'ts hard to tell, but my vote is also leaning toward the handle being there as well.

Also... it is mentioned up top that the fuel door is missing in the jump scene.
I just happened to watch that scene, frame be frame, and the door is there, but it slams open when the BluMo makes contact with the bridge, upon landing.

If you slow down the speed you can actually see it go from closed... to open.

Edited by TK826, 04 May 2010 - 07:35 AM.
"by" changed to "but"

[TI4438]

TK826 said:

I'ts hard to tell, by my vote is also leaning toward the handle being there as well.

Also... it is mentioned up top that the fuel door is missing in the jump scene.
I just happened to watch that scene, frame be frame, and the door is there, but it slams open when the BluMo makes contact with the bridge, upon landing.

If you slow down the speed you can actually see it go from closed... to open.

It took me a long time to notice that as well.Just like the TK whacking his mellon on the Death Star.Never noticed it.

[sigmfsk]

TK826 said:

I'ts hard to tell, but my vote is also leaning toward the handle being there as well.

Also... it is mentioned up top that the fuel door is missing in the jump scene.
I just happened to watch that scene, frame be frame, and the door is there, but it slams open when the BluMo makes contact with the bridge, upon landing.

If you slow down the speed you can actually see it go from closed... to open.

Good info! I watched again and agree wholeheartedly. Based on another TK post:
http://www.bluesbrotherscentral.com/forum/bluesmobiles/8791-diary-bluesmobile-6.html#post109681
I did some front antenna looking and post these Bluesmobile morphs.

Two pics showing the silver mounting bracket for the antenna. Then a few pics clearly showing no bracket (and therefore no antenna), and then some with the antenna in a variety of different lengths and poses.

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[Mr Mercer]

In this picture the front bumper looks like its from a 75 . 74 bumper grill is in 3 pieces , and this one looks like its a 1 piece like a 75 .

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[Steam McQueen]

Mr Mercer said:

In this picture the front bumper looks like its from a 75 . 74 bumper grill is in 3 pieces , and this one looks like its a 1 piece like a 75 .

Hmmmm ... maybe shadows playing tricks?




The Bluesmobile in that scene doesn't appear to have the extra honeycomb look in the bottom of the bumper. I'm not sure. Is there a passenger side lens cap in that scene?



As for the antenna, I love this shot ...