Say it with me "ThunderCougarFalconBird." Now say it again 10 times fast. Addicting huh? Well I have to say it's a memorable piece of Futurama fiction. Apparently the future's version of manliness is a mash of classic car names and parts rolled up in a big fancy hover car. Episode S2E10 entitled "Put Your Head On My Shoulder" introduces us to the car. In the beginning of this episode Amy decides she needs to go car shopping. They go to see Malfunctioning Eddie and his Rocket Car Emporium. Where Fry is nearly swayed by the salesperson to buy the car.
Nothing makes you feel more like a man than a Thunder Cougar Falcon Bird
Nice pitch isn't it? The car reminds me much of Simpson's: The Homer in it's terms of oddness. It does pay great tribute to the old big fin cars of the 1950's. You can see the artist had the 50's Ford Thunderbird in mind. The grill is kinda a mix of a Ford Cougar and Ford Falcon. Hints the name ThunderCougarFalconBird. Check out that super-charged V8 poking up from the hood. Rarrr! I like the rest of Fry and Salesperson's conversation.
Fry: "Sorry, I'm not here to buy."
Sales Person: "I understand and it's wonderful that you don't care whether anyone questions your sexual orientation."
Fry: "I care! I care plenty! I just dunno how to make them stop!"
Sales Person: "One word: Thundercougarfalconbird."
I think this car would have an interesting emblem to it as well. Take a 80's Mercury Cougar emblem (I still think it reminds me of a ThunderCats logo). Throw some wings on the cougar, thunderbolts and there ya go an emblem for the ThunderCougarFalconbird! Last but not least check out this Flickr post on a LEGO version of the ThunderCougarFalconBird. Nice job LEGO Ambassador Matt De Lanoy! aka Pepa Quin on Flickr. Well that's all I have for now on the topic of the ThunderCougarFalconBird. Let's hear what you have to say! Post in the comments. See ya next time!
Having trouble finding a movie to watch? How about a classic car movie? How about a classic car movie you can watch for free? Well that's the idea behind OnScreenCars.com's Free Ticket category. A group of posts about legal public domain classic car movies found on the net. Thanks to several online providers we can enjoy many classic car films for free. We're gonna start off this new segment with a classic car film called The Choppers.
"...it's the Choppers alright...they're getting as regular as a tv show..."
The Choppers released in 1961 tells the story of a teenage gang terrorizing a small town with rash car jacking. The crew lead by a guy name Cruiser, whom steals and strips down any car they can get their hands on. A crooked local junkyard owner is always standing by to buy whatever the boys dish up. However local authorities looking out for the gang as they plot to trap them. Watch as it all unfolds in this high action B movie thriller of it's day. The movie is roughly an hour long in black and white and features many cool cars of the day. Not to mention. . .
One car that really stands out is a modified Ford Model T, also commonly known as a "T-Bucket." This T-Bucket is powered by a Buick Nailhead 322 V8 bored to a 402 with long tube headers going to side pipes. The whole unit is topped off an array of 6 Stromberg 97s carburetors. What makes this car even more special is the car in real life it belong to Tommy Ivo aka TV Tommy.
Tommy was a known as an actor and professional NHRA driver in the 50s and 60s. Whom in my opinion was obsessed with Buick Nailhead V8s. He built several dragsters that featured the motor. Some even had multiple motors. His first dual Nailhead dragster broke the 9 second barrier in the late 50s, not to mention setting records in the 170 - 180 mph hour in the quarter mile. No surprise his prized hot rod had a Nailhead huh?
Now on to the show...
Take time to enjoy this movie. It might be a little cheezy, but I think it's worth a watch. My brother and I found this movie a few years ago with a bulk pack of classic car films called Born to be Wild - Four High Octane Movies. I would high recommend this pack of movies even though the movies are public domain. Below is embeded from Youtube. Special thanks to AMPOP Films and Isotope Guerrilla Cult Theatre for posting many public domain films on the net!
A new Fast Five trailer is out featuring another round of cars and sex appeal. The latest and possibly the last trailer release is a little more than a teaser. Checkout the clip above for another glimpse of the Dodge Chargers, Ford GTs and Lexus LFA. Not to mention that sweet custom 1966 Corvette Grand Sport. Looks like we'll have plenty to look at this spring. The release is scheduled for April 29, 2011.
You couldn't watch MTV during the 80's without seeing ZZ Top's Gimme All Your Lovin' video. It just didn't happen. ZZ Top had a ton of hits. Not mention a sweet 1933 Ford Coupe nicknamed 'The Eliminator'. Inspired by the Ford Coupe in the hit movie, The California Kid, Billy Gibbons contacted the owner Pete Chapouris. They began a long process that would lead up to the finished product.
They turned to Don Thelen, a car builder for Buffalo Motor Cars in Paramount California. The base car was acquired from a lady in Tucson Arizona, she had been the car's only owner. The car was in perfect condition. The crew focused on style and dependability. The roof was chopped three inches and a the car sits on a Pete and Jake's aftermarket chassis. 39' Ford taillights in the back and 34' headlights in the front. The car was outfitted with a mild Small Block Chevy 350 backed up by a Turbo 350 Transmission. The graphics were created by legendary car artist Kenny Youngblood.
As with most ZZ Top videos there is no short supply of girls. It seems like they followed a simple formula for musics videos. Show a hotrod, show some girls and play some music. I think it worked out pretty good. Most of the videos feature some guy getting hit on by a group of girls. Saved by the band as they hand him the keys to the ride.
Our star car was featured in 3 (Gimme All Your Lovin', Sharp Dressed Man and Legs) music videos before it was retired. However it's still rock'n at the Cleveland Rock'n Roll Hall of Fame. Don't let it fool ya. It got plenty of show time. So much show time that they had to build two of these cars to meet demands. The car also had many mini-clones too. Monogram Model Car company produced a 1/24 scale kit of the car complete with details and graphics. Hot Wheels also followed suite. Till next time give us all your lov'ns and tell your friends about OnScreenCars.com!
Every family is a little different. But to say the TV family The Munsters were 'different' would be an understatement. The '60s show portrayed the life and times of a family who were some what monster like. Herman Munster a Frankenstein Husband. Lily a dark mistress wife. Eddie a boy Frankenstein. Grandpa Munster an older Dracula like fellow. Last but not least, attractive niece Marilyn (deemed abnormal by the others). Yes they were an odd bunch. But for every unique family a usual mode of transportation is in order. For the Munsters it was a legendary George Barris creation, The Munster Koach.
This car/piece of art was built of out three Ford Model T's. George Barris and his team custom built this ride in only 21 days. The frame is 11 feet long and completely hand fabricated. The over-all length is 18 feed long with the rumble seat on the back. A 289 cu Ford Cobra V8 engine bored to 425 cu with 10 Weber carbs provides a mean power-plant. Backed up by a four speed transmission pushing the power to a beefy rear-end. A whole lotta car being pushed but a ton of muscle. But how did the family get this kinda machine?
Well it all started in Episode 4 of Season 1 (Rock-A-Bye Munster). Lily (Herman's Wife) wanted to surprise him with a new car. Unfortunately Herman and Grandpa had been eavesdropping in on pieces of a conversation about the car. They thought maybe Lily was having another child. She managed to sneak around enough to get Herman's car ordered. But not just any car would do. During a trip to the car lot she found a custom T-Bucket Hotrod and a old hearse she liked. She asked the salesman to contact the body shop and see if they could put the two together. Resulting in the Munster Koach. What a sweet present!
"....don't forget about the seat covers...oh she is talking about a child..."
The Munster Koach was used throughout the series short two seasons. Another interesting episode entitled "Hotrod Herman" puts him in the racers seat at a local dragstrip. However after placing a stupid bet Herman looses his car. Out of desperation Grandpa puts together a plan to build a new race car to win the car back. The team puts their effort together and build the Dragula. A drag car built out of a real coffin. Reports say George Barris was behind this creation as well. But we'll leave that for another post.
There ya have it. The car built for a Munster, The Munster Koach. I can remember watching reruns of the show as a kid on Nike-at-Nite. Looking back I can say I've probability seen every episode of the show. But from the first time I saw the Munster Koach I don't think I could get it out of my head. Just an interesting car. Some families drive mini-vans and station wagons. But not this one. If you haven't seen this show. Have no fear Netflix has both seasons. Use the link below to watch them. If you missed out last post. Check it out. We have some great info about Netflix and the great car movies available online there. Till next time. Keep your monster car clean.
. I would high recommend this pack of movies even though the movies are public domain. Below is embeded from Youtube. Special thanks to 
). Lily (Herman's Wife) wanted to surprise him with a new car. Unfortunately Herman and Grandpa had been eavesdropping in on pieces of a conversation about the car. They thought maybe Lily was having another child. She managed to sneak around enough to get Herman's car ordered. But not just any car would do. During a trip to the car lot she found a custom T-Bucket Hotrod and a old hearse she liked. She asked the salesman to contact the body shop and see if they could put the two together. Resulting in the Munster Koach. What a sweet present!
