Aww, thanks Steam. There was some good reading there.
Firstly, there was the great analysis of how this car wasn't original to the movie. We love all bluesmobiles. But if someone says one is original, they better be prepared for a thorough analysis.
And I got a chance to catch up on Jim Post's story about his bluesmobile.
Here:
www.bluesbrotherscentral.com/forum/topic/4420-the-original-bluesmobile-found/page__view__findpost__p__64008El-Wood posted Jim's text:
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Ralf, Your story is mostly correct. Here's the real deal: Eighteen years ago I owned a 1974 Monaco that was purchased by the studio with all the others used in the movie.
The real cars were ex-Chicago PD units, most with 360 engines. The 440 engines were added to the stunt cars. The car I had
was painted the Bluesmobile scheme, but never used in the movie and then sold back to the car dealer.
It had full documentation from the used car lot that sold it and a
letter from Dan Aykroyd. I bought the car from a couple guys in Kansas City that did a Blues Brothers routine for parties and parades. It was pretty rough...floorboards rusted through, no brakes, speedometer stuck at 120MPH. I fixed it up and added the correct lettering on the front fenders and push bars.
A couple years later a friend directed me to an ad in Hemmings requesting 1974 Monacos. I was familiar with the advertiser, one Donna Motors in New Jersey. I knew they supplied police cars for movies and TV on the East coast. Dan Aykroyd was just starting to build his House of Blues restaurants and supposedly had contracted with Donna to build several Bluesmobiles. Supposedly they were going to put one in each restaurant as they were
opened. All of this made sense...I knew the company and I knew that Aykroyd lived in New Jersey back then. I contacted them and struck a deal on my car and also found them a couple more 1974's and a couple parts cars too. They sent a flatbed truck and picked up mine and the others and took them back to New Jersey.
That's where the story ends.
I don't know if the deal fell through or what, but the cars were never built. Most House Of Blues do have cars now, but they're bad copies, most not even 1974 models, and not all are Dodges.
I did have a Bluesmobile in my museum (1996-2002) but it was an excellent clone built by a fellow in Indiana. I sold it when we closed the museum and it went to a BB fan in Texas. I built one other Bluesmobile for some BB impersonators and it still sits outside their theatre in Branson, MO.
As far as the real Bluesmobiles they were all shipped to California after filming and crushed. I know Aykroyd did keep one and the letter I had confirmed that. Sadly, I suspect all the original Bluesmmobiles are long gone. On the bright side, however is all
the Fords used in BB2000 were sold to collectors and several survive today.
But, like most purists, I think the '74 Monaco will always be the REAL Bluesmobile!
I hope this helps, Jim Post
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and then something about the reference model. I'll post that in the airbrushed emblem thread.
thanks,
arthur
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