By Jim Brennan
It is not very often one gets the chance to own something that was used as a movie prop, and this isn’t one either, but it’s close. Show of hands… How many of you remember the 1971 made for television movie “Duel”? This was a story about a traveling salesman, played by Dennis Weaver, who is chased across the desert southwest by a maniacal Peterbilt Tanker Truck. I remember it well because I was just becoming aware of vehicles (this was my freshman year of High School) and this movie was directed by a guy who has directed some of the biggest grossing movies ever, Steven Spielberg.
As you can see, the truck that is for sale looks close enough to the truck used in the movie, it’s rather uncanny. According to the listing for the truck that’s for sale:
1950’s Peterbilt Model 351
Butterfly Hood
Cummins Power
2 stick transmission …. 5 and a 4
steel framewould make a great rat rod or ambitious restoration
There is no asking price for this truck, and the phone number has a Vermont area code, so it’s up to you to find out how much the seller wants. While you’re getting this truck, make sure you have enough cheddar to purchase a matching Plymouth Valiant… See the listing here.
Oh, and here is a little trivia. The 1978 episode of the Incredible Hulk titled “Never Give a Trucker an Even Break” incorporated quite a few scenes from the Movie “Duel”. The episode storyline was laughable at best, and it was very clear that most of the shots involving the truck and the Plymouth were lifted directly from the movie.
Jeff Glucker
He should include a red four door Valiant with the purchase of the truck. I saw it many years after it came out…but I think it's one of my favorite movies ever…lots of super cool scenes….when Dennis Weaver was going to get his butt kicked by the truckers in the diner…when the truck smashes up the insect exhibit, and the lady is trying to pick them up…and of course all the scenes where the little red valiant is trying to out run the truck….I would be interested to see what people think the driver of the truck would have looked like. In my mind he probably looked a little like tom wopat from the dukes of hazard, except with real long hair, and face with a scowl that would scare the hardiest inmate at san quentin.
I have a lot of respect for people who restore trucks and busses – even though there is no talk of restoration here. Personally, I just can't see myself spending time, effort and money on something like that. On the other hand, who here was watching "Downton Abbey"? It includes a very nicely restored 100 year old bus that is always a delight to see:
<img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ENkF7ixP2Ps/T1YDe4h_R3I/AAAAAAAAW9E/B5bHJaZ_iSA/s400/transport+bus.JPG" width="600">
I wounder if the cab is sitting on a newer chassis. If not somone went through a bit of hassle to change the two piece wheels to a standard wheel. I dont know if two piece are even road legal anymore but I do know that nobody around here will change tires on them.
Split-rims have tried to kill me many times.
Er, I should say one particular split-rim. Over and over…
…out for blood, this little demonic contraption is…
<img src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/599650_4414691969994_259308723_n.jpg" width="600">
Duel was a Tv movie,I watched it on youtube last winter,it holds up well.
It was on ABC's Movie Of The Week. I was a faithful watcher of that series, movies like Crowhaven Farm, Isn't It Shocking? (Alan Alda is a small-town cop trying to figure out who's shocking people to death), Dr. Cook's Garden (Bing Crosby as a kindly old country doctor that's euthanizing people with poisons grown in his garden), Brian's Song (the true story about Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers), and lots of other good stuff.
Remember It? I watched it the first time it aired. Pretty intense movie for an eleven-year-old.
Yeah, me too. Except, I was 6. I'm still get uncomfortable every time I have a truck on my 6.
Oh, I actually recognize that truck from my frequent travels as a kid around Rutland. Small world I guess.
i like duel, there used to be a version of it on youtube i watched just last month, but i look on hemmings blog where i saw the link, and the movie has been taken down. le sigh.
That lifting of pieces of it for the Hulk episode explains why this alternate ending exists, in which the trucker gets Dennis Weaver angry, and you won't like him when he's angry:
[youtube fjhtr0vTtcw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjhtr0vTtcw youtube]
That was something…
Hmmm. The possibilities. . . . There's some guys up Oregon way that do some interesting stuff with old Petes.
<img src="http://www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/images/sneakypete_lg_lg.jpg" width=350>
<img src="http://www.coolthings.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/pissdoffpete3.jpg" width=350>
Holy crap! They sure look like movie props to me.
No way hombre. They're the real thing, spawn of the Blastolene Brothers, the dudes responsible for the Blastolene Special tank engine car, the B702, the Decoliner, and a bunch of other insanity.
The Blastolene Special:
<img src="http://car-historys.com/Images/Logos/jay%20leno-tankcar.jpg" width=350>
The 1000 hp Frogman trike:
<img src="http://www.tuningspain.es/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Blastolene-Frogman-Rocket-II-480×274.jpg" width=400>
Wish I lived next door to these cats.