The Car Stars of Summer
What would summer be without its blockbuster movies? And what would some of these movies be without
car chases, family road trips and lots of classic or soon-to-be classic movie cars? Put your knowledge
of great summer films and their cars to the test by naming these movies and their notable four-wheeled
stars.
1) MOVIE SUMMARY (1973):Set during the last day of summer in 1962 in a small California town,
this film chronicled teenage cruising like no other. It introduced future star Richard Dreyfuss and
was directed by Star Wars creator George Lucas.
Famous Line: “Is that you in that beautiful car? Geez, what a waste of machinery!”
Name the Car: Dreyfuss catches a glimpse of a then unknown Suzanne Somers in this classic
white Ford coupe.
For extra points, name the losing driver in the film’s drag racing climax.
(Hint: He and Lucas eventually worked together on six more films.)
2) MOVIE SUMMARY (1977): Remember when Burt Reynolds was young, cool and popular? Well,
at one time, he was, and he headed up this corn pone comedy about two good old boys and a
runaway bride speeding across state lines to win a bet. Along the way, they paid tribute
to trucker culture and gave fits to local law enforcement.
Famous Line: “What we're dealing with here is a complete lack of respect for the law.”
Name the Car: The muscle car era had ended, but this famous slick black holdover carried on.
What other pre-General Lee car could leap dilapidated bridges, outrace anything on four wheels
and provide enough interior room for the driver to sport a cowboy hat?
3) MOVIE SUMMARY (1983): An ode to disastrous family road trips, this film captured every
conceivable (and unconceivable) awful moment Mom and Dad face when they decide to “get the whole
tribe together and take them cross country.” Breakdowns, losing their way in the desert,
getting ripped-off in St. Louis and a visit to Cousin Eddie’s farm are just a few of the
adventures this family experience along the way to the ultimate family destination: Wally World.
Famous Line: “I don’t know why they call this stuff hamburger helper. It does just fine on its own.”
Name the Car: No real vehicle name was actually tied to the disaster on wheels that
carried the Griswold family to California. It did, however, have a great movie name.
Name this tribute to the family station wagon—complete with awful metallic pea paint, faux wood trim,
an engine that kept running even after the car was shut off and air-bags constructed of trash bags.
4) MOVIE SUMMARY (1985): What teenager doesn’t dream of traveling back in time to meet
his parents when they were in high school? Of course, none of us do, which explains why Marty
McFly is willing to risk being fried by a bolt of lightening to escape 1955 America to return
to his own time.
Famous Line: “Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.”
Name the Car: Silver. Gull-wing doors. The car of the future. In the third film of
this trilogy, it was destroyed by a train. Hello, McFly! Answer this one correctly or
risk working for Biff’s mobile detailing service.
Answers:
1) Movie: American Graffiti. Car: Ford Thunderbird. Bonus Question: Harrison Ford
2) Movie: Smokey and the Bandit. Car: Pontiac Trans-Am.
3) Movie: National Lampoons Vacation. Car: The Family Truckster.
4) Movie: Back to the Future. Car: The Delorean.
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