So, taking my morning walk on the back lot of Universal Studios I noticed a familiar vehicle being used in the Hollywood Horror Nights. I was surprised to see a '70 442 being beat on as one of their props. I couldn't see the vin number but it was badged in 442 trim. Seems like a shame to beat on a valuable car.

Craig

 

Some peoples kids huh?

 

That car was in a movie but I can't remember the name of it. I know for sure because of the mismatched trim on the front.

 

Beat on as in driving it around hard, or beat on with a sledge hammer? Sort of looks like the sledge hammer has already visited the side.

 

Shame. Perfect candidate for a resto. Looks (salt belt) rust free too. You non salt belt guys dont understand this. That car is worth 2-3X more in the salt belt. Hopefully they just beat it and dont flip or burn it. Then put it up for adoption to a loving Oldsmobile home.

 

Apparently it is supposed to be a scene out of "The Purge" I never saw the movie. I guess there is also a 70 442 in "The Hitcher 2" that looks just like it. I have heard the show creatures jump on the hood during the show.

 

Maybe you could go find some non-descript car and offer to swap them. I mean, if all they want is something to destroy. Probably if this car was in a movie before, it was just sitting around and someone said, why can't we use that blue car?

 

ChECK in with me at the Piston-Power Autorama this weekend. I'm in the concourse display on the lower level.

 

Looks like it was on display there in 2007:

https://goo.gl/images/6htSNb

Per IMCDB (movie car database site), they used five cars in The Hitcher. Three were Cutlass S models, one "star" car was a 442 owned by a guy in Austin, TX and one other one was also a 442 and was sold. This is likely one of the 3 Cutlass S cars.

https://www.imcdb.org/v080346.html

It was probably picked out of the Universal fleet lot. I always see the same cars and trucks over and over in CHiPs episodes, or the same rigs turning up on The Rockford Files and Cannon, etc. They just become props, unfortunately.

Terry

 

The show The Americans which finished production last year was set in the Reagan Years and always had a 70 442 convertible as a background car, but never a good shot of it.

https://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_101337...-442-1970.html

 

Hey guys, I purchased the car last year July 2020.
I found it on offer up for sale in Sunvalley CA, and went to take a look at it and got it towed home.

It's a bit rough from the outside but interior is solid

 

Wow ,that is cool! Looks like a good one.

 

Thanks Greg! It's pretty crazy! when I took a kook at what had been posted by 442craig and the pictures that looked like the car I bought I couldn't believe it. I purchased it from Universal Studios, it had been sitting for about 11 to 12 years the guy told me. I didn't think anything of it and well I bought it and towed it home. I love the car, it's not a real 442 but it looks like one and well that doesn't really matter to me.

 

Great story and good deal the car looks decent.

 

Thanks!

 

Do you have plans for it?

 

Yes, I put in a fresh Holley Carb, brand new exhaust from headers all the way to the back with 40 series flow master.. I also just rebuilt the 400 transmition last month.. purchased the 442 mirrors and need to put them on. Working on it slowly! Sits in the garage mostly and I take it out every now and then.

At first, I was looking to sell it but then kept it.

 

In the first pics, the seat belt retractor on the driver side belongs on the passenger side. Makes it easier to buckle up. Is it still that way?

 

Really? Thanks for letting me know. Yeah, car still has the retractor that way. That's funny!

 

That's why they pay us the big bucks.