By Robert Emslie
Magnum had his 308 GTS, Rockford had his Firebird. Columbo, still being on the force, could only afford an old Peugeot 304 Grand Luxe, but at least it was a cabriolet. So many TV detectives, so many car chases, but which one was the best?
In real life a private investigator, as well as his car, needs to blend in, be innocuous. But that’s never the case on TV dramadies where Dan Tanna parked his ’57 T-Bird in his freakin’ living room.
Going way back, Mike Connors as Joe Mannix rolled in a George Barris-customized Olds Toronado. His later rides included some pretty hot Mopar iron. And who could forget either the Mod Squad’s Mercury Woody, or Ironside’s Gold Ford Econoline?
I’m sure there’s a lot that I am forgetting, as it seems a standard plot device of TV detective shows to match a car to the particular crime-solving style of the PI. Which of these, or of all the rest, do you think was the best – and the coolest – car of all the TV dicks?
Image sources: [whatsontv.co.uk, hollywooddiecast.com]
Jeff Glucker
While the actor is not necessarily my favorite his ride was…
[img]http://www.imcdb.org/images/002/878.jpg[/img]
Nash Bridges
other than the car itself… the best part of that show were the in-car conversations… and counting the number of upshifts as they cruised around… that thing must have had a HUGE transmission….
I think having Cheech as his side man doubles the score for him. Bitchin' ride for sure.
Just started watching The Avengers on Netflix instant. I'll go with Steed's 1926 Bentley. He was sort of a PI wasn't he? http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://c4.ac-…
While the Bentley is undeniably awesome, it's gotta be Emma Peel's Lotus Elan for me!
Going with late-model vehicles, I'd go with an Infiniti M45, or something similarly generic and quick (other good choices include the Pontiac G8 and Ford Taurus SHO).
But for fictional P.I.'s, I'm thinking the A-Team van.
<img src="http://www.toyzine.com/mall/goodmans/GetSmart.jpg…
Maxwell Smart's Sunbeam Tiger I know he had a Karmann Ghia for some episodes but the Sunbeam the one
I heard a story awhile back that the Tiger was actually Don Adam's personal car. Neighbors told some reporter that they would see him hauling his two garbage cans down to the curb, sticking up out of the car (he had a long driveway).
Thanks!
The show was in the early 90s named Due South the detective drove a Buick Rivierra Boattail.
How about Frank Cannon's 71-ish Lincoln Mark III?
Good call. I was going to suggest that one. It was also good enough for the smugglers in The French Connection. As an alternative, I'll throw in the 1968 Mercury Park Lane in Hawaii-Five-O.http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_174370-Mercury-Park-…
Just last week a couple friends and I were discussing '80s TV shows we used to watch, and while I certainly remembered the Coyote, for the life of me I couldn't remember the name of the show – it took a couple hours before my buddy came up with Hardcastle & McCormick!
hell yes!
Is that a vinyl roof I see on the Jaguar? Naughty, naughty. I'm not a big fan of the Mark II style (and I consider the car it inspired – the 1999+ S-type – to be the ugliest Jaguar ever), but it still somehow seems wrong.
Although he is a cop and not a PI, Columbo's decrepit Peugeot deserves a mention. As far as fictional PIs go, the oddest wheels I've seen were the Alfetta sedan with slushbox!! that Cordelia Gray drove in one episode of the TV version of "An Usuitable Job For A Woman".
Plus, Mannix had an awesome intro!
[youtube CF_49tWPNWAhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF_49tWPNWA youtube]
I can't believe nobody mentioned Jim Rockford and his TransAm. He was always wrecking it and complaining about the repair bills, and while it was in the shop he'd have to borrow his dad's Chevy truck, a 4WD shortbed. I liked that show, he was always in trouble or getting his ass kicked.
Wasn't it a Camaro?
It was neither a Trans Am nor a Camaro. It was a Firebird Esprit. The Esprit package was sort of a luxury option package on the Firebird that added a few comfort items, but no performance parts. The Trans Am package was focused on performance and appearance items like the flares, scoops, spoiler and usually alloy wheels. I think the Trans Am may have been available with the Rally II wheels that were on Rockford’s car as a base option, but am not 100% sure of it with regards to the years of Firebird usd on the show ( 75 or 76 to 79. Each year was a new car in the same color scheme).
Very cool. You obviously know your Firebirds. I remembered Rockford's car as a Trans-Am, but now I know. I remember as a kid cringing as he plowed it into various objects while chasing bad guys. The Rockford Files was my favorite detective show.
Creedence tapes are actually required, man.
I think I prefer John Thaw in The Sweeney http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OEapAYjsMg&fe…
If I were a P.I., I would have a G8 GXP, and be making payments for the next 6 years.
How about we go with the ultimate P.I. for fiction. Sherlock Holmes would totally rock a horse and buggy. I couldn't find a decent enough picture to illustrate my point. But yeah, no hooning the horse and buggy.
I'm going with a black Mercury Marauder, or a black '94-'96 Impala SS.
I'm going to just put it out there…Sonny Crockett's (Corvette) Daytona.
I know, It's phony, but as a kid I found it plenty lust-worthy.
Peter Gunn's '57 DeSoto Hardtop from the first season (1958). A short search revealed no pictures, unfortunately.
EDIT: Discovered it was a DeSoto, not a Chrysler. So sue me.
Columbo’s Peugeot 403 convertible:
http://www.columbo-site.freeuk.com/car.htm
(though Columbo was a policeman not a P.I.)
Just to be different, I'll go with Remington Steele's Auburn Boattail Speedster.
Awesome, I was hoping someone would bring up Mannix… a bad ass with bad ass cars
In Spencer for Hire, Robert Urich drove what was basically a ripoff of Bullit's Mustang
http://img407.imageshack.us/i/spenserwhensilence1…
His sometimes sidekick, Hawk, had a BMW or a Lincoln, I can't remember which.
Hawk drove a white 635CSi
I get excited whenever that car appears on the show.
I love the big 4x4s that used to be in the old 80s TV shows! Simon&Simon, and The Fall Guy had two of the coolest trucks of the time period!
FYI, I just saw the trailer for the new A-Team movie…I hope it is a good one, as opposed to another disappointing remake.
Loved that show. I gotta remember to buy that on disc sometime
Twelve discs in six boxed sets gets you all 28 or so episodes plus a behind-the-scenes feature or two. Good stuff that takes me back to my childhood. These days I get a kick out of watching puppets smoking cigarettes…!
Would these meddling kids count as private investigators?
[img]http://www.roadtransport.com/blogs/big-lorry-blog/Mystery%20Machine3.jpg[/img]
White Camry LE V6 with SE suspension, steering, etc.
Nothing would blend in better, but the SE chassis bits would make sure you could keep up with baddies in the twisties.
Wouldn't the perfect P.I. car be a Magnum?
🙂
I've seen them without, including Dad's friend's show car, back in the day. They are even prettier plain. I shall have one someday, oh yes I shall. The only question is which LS variant will power it.
We have one without the vinyl, and we're actually looking into an LS motor (particularly the E-Rod LS3, since it's a '77 and we're in California). However, because the steering rack is behind the front axle centerline, routing the exhaust is a matter of threading the needle, and you can't screw with the manifolds and pipes leading to the cats too much (if at all) if you wanna pass smog.
Quite the conundrum.
Frank Cannon in his Lincoln Mark III – A big big man with a big big ride.
My wife (who was a PI) currently drives a silver CR-V. There are millions of them, making it the perfect car for tailing someone. It is completely invisible. Also very, very dull.
On TV, I'd vote for Banacek's 1941 Packard Darrin. In Andrew Vachss' series of Burke novels, he drives a 4-door Plymouth Q ship modified with a 440 and IRS that's very cool. And then there's Travis McGee, who drives a Rolls that's been El Camino'd.
Is that second photo a model?
Yes it is. I was too lazy to hunt down a better image.
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Who was the one armed English PI who drove a Porsche 356 Convertible?
Who was the English female PI who drove a Peugeot 304 Cabriolet?