Television and film have left deep impressions on the automotive community. They’ve helped transform simple machines into icons now loved and coveted around the world, but many of the vehicles we’ve fallen in love with are the result of movie magic.
Dominic Toretto’s 1970 Dodge Charger, from the first film of the Fast and Furious franchising is just one example. His unforgettable compressor is actually fake. Craig Lieberman, technical advisor on the first two Fast and Furious films, revealed in a new video on his YouTube channel that the massive, eye-catching fan was a replica and wasn’t even attached to the engine.
The big engine filmed in the Charger in Dom’s garage, a 445 cubic inch beast, was a replacement that wasn’t intended to power the muscle car, and it returned to the engine shop after filming. Attentive moviegoers would have noticed that the charger at the end of the film had a fan belt cover to hide the fact that there was no belt, but that wasn’t the only sleight of hand. cinematic pass used in the film. movie.
The film used five Chargers, converting the 1969 models to the 1970 R/Ts. Two of the five were stunt cars featuring sturdy dual roll bars that are easily visible once you know where to look. The hero car easily stands out with its replica roof rack and simple bars.
Many movie cars that we have seen on the big screen have disappeared over time. They are recycled, sold or discarded before the film even has a chance to make a cultural impact, and the first Fast and Furious the cars went on wild journeys around the world before finding a permanent home.
