[Guest]

There is a car show coming up locally and they are advertising that one of the Eleanor's used in the movie will be on display. My only question is, how do I know if it is really one of the Eleanor's or just one of those new replicas that have been circulating with someone trying to pass it off as Eleanor? I know they got the rights to the Eleanor stuff and all, but I don't care to go see a replica, I want to see the real thing.

I don't remember the name of the company that's making these replicas but I'm sure you all know who I'm talking about, and they were the ones who built an Eleanor for the guys at Orange County Choppers when they built the Shelby bike.

 

[Veronica]

Hello.One of them that was in the movie is sitting in a little museum in Gatlinburg,TN,which is about 5 miles from Pigeon Forge,TN,which is where Badlandsghost (a user here)lives.Maybe he would be willing to send you a few pictures.Hope that helps.

 

[BadlandsGhost]

"huh, what?" *blinking against daylight, drawn from his cave*
Someone spoke my name?

Veronica: Do you know which museum (I can think of like 3 off the top of my head in PF and Sevierville, and honestly, I didnt know they had any in Gatlenburg. But I havent been up there since we moved up here)
Something like that would probibly land at the musclecar museum in Sevierville. Last time I was there they had the Challenger Viggo drove in the Vanishing Point remake (10/03).

As to making sure its the "original" filming car, I don't know how I could verify it. From what I read previously, there were only 2 of them left after filming, and one went to the director, and the other to Nick Cage. And I thought both were "clones" anyway.
But let me know what your looking for, I wouldnt mind an excuse to go check out some cool cars, wink, wink, nudge, nudge. :nogrinner

J

 

[wrenchman]

I can't tell you the name of the place, but I saw what was claimed to be an orignal movie Eleanor in downtown Gatlinburg. We were there last November on the way back from Darlington and did a bit of site-seeing/shopping up and down the "main drag". The Eleanor was in a little museum/attraction that had a number of "movie cars".

Just thought I'd mention it...

 

[Veronica]

Hi again.I don't recall the name of the place either,but if your coming into Gatlinburg from Pigeon Forge you come to a place where 73 peels off to the left towards Cosby and Greenbriar and such and 441 goes right towards the park.You go right there and go until you get to the space needle and its like half a block past there.Just ask this guy.He knows where it is.They have the Clampett's truck,Andy Griffith's sheriff's car(I seem to recall it being a 64 Galaxie.),lots of stuff like that.Pretty cool.You ought to check it out.It isn't very big,but they do have some pretty neat stuff.

 

[BadlandsGhost]

I'll have to check some of my "resources" that actually know where things are up here . (sad isnt it, I've been here 9 mos, and all I know is how to get to work I need a life, LOL)

J

 

[Veronica]

Hi again.Yeah,sounds like you need to get out a little more often.It would actually be very difficult to miss it.If you get on the parkway and head towards Gatlinburg as soon as you leave Pigeon Forge you'll be like out in the woods on a very pretty stretch of road.That will take you into Gatlinburg.It's about 5 miles.When you get to Gatlinburg you go for a little way and the road will split off left and right.Go right.You will almost immediately come to a traffic light where River Road goes off to the left and the Parkway continues straight.Stay on the Parkway.When you get to the space needle(it's like 3 miles tall)keep going straight through the light and look left and you will see the big T-Rex growling out the tourists.The museum is next door to the T-Rex.You really ought to try to get to the park occassionally.That is far and away the most beautiful place on the planet in my opinion.Here are some of the pictures that we took the last time we were there.

 

[dodgestang]

Uhhh....they are all imperfect clones....even the one that was actually in the movie

 

[Veronica]

Hi again.Yup.They have a long list of stuff that is just plain wrong for a 67 Shelby.Except for that beat up old rust bucket that they dragged in at the end of the movie.That was a real one. I will spare you guys my eleanor rant about how destructive this thing has been,but as far as the actual cars that were used in the movie I would look at them the same way I would James Bond's Aston Martin or Jed Clampett's truck,which started out as a '23 Oldsmobile car and was turned into a truck by the dreaded Previous Owner.The difference being that Aston Martin owners aren't going to start hacking up their very expensive cars to be like Bond,nor would it ever occur to the owner of a 23 Olds roadster to convert it into a truck so that Granny could get her rocking chair mounted in it.Those particular vehicles have become icons,but nobody is running around buying up every similar vehicle and turning it into one.I would say to anyone that asks (and many that didn't)DON'T DO IT!! Hmmm.Disregard that thing about my sparing you guys my eleanor rant. I seem to have gotton on a roll here.Oh well.I much prefer seeing an as original car over some freakish monstrosity from the movies.

 

[BadlandsGhost]

I'm a big resto-mod guy, and I really liked Eleanor, but I do agree that there are just too many clones floating around now, and it sucks that its screwing anyone else price-wise that wants a early fb.
Its actually a funny contradiction. Eleanor (in the remake) was a highly customized, individualized car, and now everyone wants their car to look JUST like her. :grinroll:
Anyway, I'll see if I can get the g/f interested in a little trip one of these coming sundays.
BTW, Veronica: Think ya got close enough to the bear, LOL. Makes me think of the native floridians creed:
What never gets eaten by Gator? A native.
"Hey look an alligator!"
Native: "OK, I'll be over there."
:nogrinner
It is beautiful up here, when we first moved up here, we spent a weekend in a cabin out on Caney creek. Beautiful country, but the accent is something to get used to :shrug

Anyway, I'll post pics once we can get up there,

J

 

[Veronica]

Hi again.The bear kind of snuck up on us.We were looking at what I'm assuming was his mother at the rainbow falls parking lot.She was looking a little agitated.Now I know why.We turned around and there he was.I could have reached out and smacked him if I wanted to.Can't imagine why I would want to,but I could have.

 

[fastbck65]

Eleanor was a Chip Foose design. There were 7 different cars with 7 different setups. Not one car is the same. The company you are talking about is making them using the setup the Foose design team used for the car used in the overflow/levee scene where they needed a flat speed running car. There are two different variations, the "king cobra" and the milder mannered car. The "king cobra" had a Ford 428 crate motor pushing 700+bhp at the wheels. There is really no way to tell the difference because Eleanor wasn't a Shelby, it was a Shelby resto-mod.

 

[Mustangmaker67]

"That a boy", Fastback, It's always nice to actually hear from someone who knows his stuff. Fact #1. Only 1 movie car survived. The producer got it after the shooting was over. He owned it for a year or so and sold it. Whereabouts now are unknown. Some say it was sent back to Cinema Vehicle Services where they restored it again. Then resold it before the Eleanor craze took off. Fact #2 None of the "Eleanor" cars are orginal Shelbys. Although, Most top SHelbys original performace stats in both power & handling. Fact #3 The Company that is making the Eleanor is called "Unique Motors" All of the GT 500 Eleanor cars are restored cars. All with Carol Shelby's Blessings. All are recorded in the Shelby registery. Pretty simple, They're all Mustangs. Only thing now is if you want one You'll have to pay what we all knew they were worth. Coupe, Fastback, or a Vert. They're all nicer then a vette, or Camaro, a Cuda or a Javelin. What's the problem? HA Ha Ha :wavey