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Killdozer. Movie, 1974

83Jim

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The boxy platform at the back of the D9 in Killdozer was used to hide the actual operator in the scenes where it was operating by itself. Just things I've read on the net over the years.

Another of life's mysteries solved!

Thanks Alan
 
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Jim D

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"and one with Dennis Weaver driving a Vega, being attacked by a semi tractor."

We Mopar guys take offense at that statement.... Dennis was driving a 1970 4 door Plymouth Valiant! Like an unmodified Vega could outrun a Peterbilt....LOL
It turns out that one of the 3 trucks used in filming that movie is still in existence and displayed at truck shows. If you G00Gle the "Duel Truck" there is a lot of information on the trucks and the movie.

http://stlouisdumptrucks.com/Duel/Specs.html

http://www.google.com/webhp?sourcei...87,d.b2U&fp=efd2c8fa9c025d66&biw=1068&bih=458

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLy94PxIq6s
The boxy platform at the back of the D9 in Killdozer was used to hide the actual operator in the scenes where it was operating by itself. Just things I've read on the net over the years.

Alan, I remember well the Chevy Vega's 'Reynolds Aluminum destructo-engine' four cylinder. But the Valiant was a slant-six, no? With deference to Mopar honor, the Mopar power was not enough hp, or only enough more hp, to match the double-the-weight of the Valiant four door chassis body. No?

This is a hypothetical question, as there can't be a running Valiant or Vega still alive today, but which would win a drag race against each other? And I'm not sure that I'd think that a Valiant could have outrun a Peterbilt tractor...
 
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Jim D

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digger,

Compared to that promo photo, the movie is a lot worse! In the promo pic above, the car is better looking than it is in any shots of the car in the movie. The action shots are not as bad as japanese animation, but just barely not as bad as japanese 'Speed Racer' animation.
 

digger242j

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And I'm not sure that I'd think that a Valiant could have outrun a Peterbilt tractor...

That's why the Pete kept catching up to him. :)

But the Valiant was a slant-six, no?

Actually, if you read the "Trivia" section onthe IMDB page, it says there were three Valients used in the filming. One had a 318, and the other two were the slant six.

Also, the same as Killdozer, the entire movie Duel, can be found on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJHP7u5f7mY


Compared to that promo photo, the movie is a lot worse!

Then I'm glad I missed it!
 

Jim D

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That's why the Pete kept catching up to him. :)

That's totally obvious to me (now that you've said it! LOL) (Don't tell Alan that a Valiant can't outrun a Pete...)

There was a Rockford Files where they reprised the "Duel" movie, and a tractor 'tried' to kill Rockford. The McGuffin of the story is that Rockford's father, "Rocky" the truck driver, points out to Rockford that the tractor driver could have killed him if he had wanted to, 'the tractor has eighteen gears', so the tractor driver had only intended to scare Rockford away from the clue... leading Rockford to the clue...
 
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alan627b

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With the right engine I'm sure the Valiant could outrun the Pete.. and as to whether or not there are any still running around you might be surprised. One of the forums I frequent is dedicated to the Chrysler "A" platform cars, ForABodiesOnly.com. There are a lot of dedicated Valiant fans around the world. Mine is going to have a 340 4 speed combination, and I know for a fact there are many /6 cars that could probably give mine fits.. ain't technology wonderful?

As to the Vega/Valiant battle, I'd say it would depend on how each was equipped.. a guy in my neighborhood has 3 Vegas! 2 being drag cars and one is a rare Cosworth Vega.. and all three of them move as often as my Valiant does (which is to say, they don't!). Works in progress like mine is.
A V8 Vega is something I'd think twice about taking on. and I assume most of the surviving Vegas have wound up being hotrodded by now.. put a turbo Buick V6 in one and look out! I'm sure there is original performance data comparing the 2 cars out there on the web somewhere.. in stock form I think I'd still take even a /6 Valiant over a Vega in a drag race. Maybe I'm biased..

More information..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duel_(1971_film)
and
http://www.stlouisdumptrucks.com/Duel/Trucks.html
 

alan627b

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In the original story the driver of the car was a sort of a meek, mild mannered guy who never drove fast, and the car wasn't identified by brand but was a low option, low powered salesman's car. He just wasn't used to driving at high rates of speed and kept slowing down, They did a pretty good job of portraying this in the movie. Kinda hard to believe most of the movie was filmed under 40 miles per hour speeds!
An exerpt found online..
http://us.macmillan.com/BookCustomPage_New.aspx?isbn=9780312878269
Want to hear it?
Here you go..
http://www.sffaudio.com/?p=44353
 

Jim D

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alan,

I don't remember the movie well enough (I thought the Valiant was a Vega, for example, duh...), but I believe it if it was filmed at under 40 MPH speeds. I remember that in a lot of older and old movies and old TV shows, "Killdozer" for example, you could see that the camera speed was turned down a few frames per second when action scenes were filmed to make the action look faster.

As for Valiant vs Vega, I'd guess there are a lot more Valiants around today than there are Vegas. The sleeve-less aluminum block was too far ahead of materials and manufacturing of that time. I have a some bad memories of Vega engine replacements. Thanks for remembering the Cosworth Vega, I've read a few funny stories about how that ever happened. A V8 Vega would have to be tube-framed or front clipped to make that fit.

I think I can 'one up' you on the neighborhood guy with three Vegas. A few years ago I bought an old car from a guy, and had to go to his home to pick it up. I asked for directions to get to his house, and he told me the sort-of 'turn left where the old ice house used to be' kind of directions. He finished with "...You can't miss it, there is a Pacer parked in the driveway." He had three Pacers. He proudly pointed out that they were all LX's, that he didn't own any 4 door Pacers!

(everyone else, sorry for the thread-jack; Vegas and Pacers on the Dozer forum. Ugh!)
 
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Jim D

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I found an interesting equipment picture to get this thread back on-topic.

Vert_A_Pac_railcar.jpg


The looader looks like a Pettibone, maybe?

alan, the Vega collecter probably already knows the following things about the Vega (I didnt):

"The Vega was designed for vertical shipment, nose down. General Motors and Southern Pacific designed "Vert-A-Pac" railroad cars to hold 30 Vegas each, compared with normal tri-level autoracks which held 18. The Vega was fitted with four removable cast-steel sockets on the underside and had plastic spacers—removed at unloading—to protect engine and transmission mounts. The rail car ramp/doors were opened and closed via forklift.[43]
Vibration and low-speed crash tests ensured the cars would not shift or suffer damage in transit. The Vega was delivered topped with fluids, ready to drive to dealerships, so the engine was baffled to prevent oil entering the number one cylinder; the battery filler caps high on the rear edge of the casing prevented acid spills; a tube drained fuel from carburetor to vapor canister; and the windshield washer bottle stood at 45 degrees.[44]" -- quote from wikipedai
 

alan627b

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Now that sure isn an interesting post!

As to "having" to tube frame or front stub a Vega to V8 it.. that isn't true. If you are going to make one extremely fast maybe.. but it's not reguired. A pair of frame connectors should be.. but Don Hardy sold plenty of kits (and still does, by the way) that allowed a V8 to bolt into the Vega, I even knew guys who had them. And the Monza is basically a rebodied Vega and came with the 305 V8.. though I'm told they are a nightmare to work on, like changing plugs through the fenderwells with front wheels removed..

Anyway, to sort of get back on track, here's an interview with Steven Spielberg about making Duel.. it's interesting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwUAJKHbeOU
 

mitch504

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To be honest, I got sorta bored w/ all the car talk, but you sure brought my interest back w/ that railcar! Now I gotta go find a vega to look under the hood and see the stuff that kept the fluids from making a BIG mess. :D
 

alan627b

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Sorry 'bout that Mitch, just goes to show you never know where a tread might go on a forum like this!

"We now return you to the regularly scheduled program already in progress....."
 

Jim D

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To be honest, I got sorta bored w/ all the car talk, but you sure brought my interest back w/ that railcar! Now I gotta go find a vega to look under the hood and see the stuff that kept the fluids from making a BIG mess. :D

That the loader looks to be lifting three cars/doors and poking them shut makes me wonder if that car loading operation ever went sideways, and the cars crashed down to the ground.

Edit: The picture looks like opening and unloading the cars. But the picture still makes me wonder about the engineer(s) who came up with the rail car idea, who said 'It's a cinch... what could go wrong?'
 
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Axle

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No dedicated loading ramp(s) required.
No need for dedicated dead-ended spur line(s).
No shunting rail cars for typical loading.
More autos per car.

from the autorack wiki page;
The Chevrolet Vega was designed to be shipped vertically, nose down. Special rail cars known as "Vert-A-Pac" cars designed jointly between General Motors and the Southern Pacific Railroad and held 30 Vegas versus 18 in normal tri-level autoracks. Each Vega was fitted with four removable, cast-steel sockets inserted into the undercarriage.[1]

Chevrolet conducted vibration and low-speed crash tests to make sure nose-down Vegas wouldn't shift or be damaged in railcar collisions. Chevrolet's goal was to deliver Vegas topped with fluids and ready to drive to the dealership. To do this Vega engineers had to design a special engine oil baffle to prevent oil from entering the No. 1 cylinder, batteries had filler caps located high up on the rear edge of the case to prevent acid spilling, the carburetor float bowl had a special tube that drained gasoline into the vapor canister during shipment, and the windshield washer bottle stood at a 45 degree angle. Plastic spacers were wedged in beside the powertrain to prevent damage to engine and transmission mounts. The wedges were removed when cars were unloaded. The rail car doors were opened and closed by means of a forklift truck.[2]

A more informative link;
http://www.carlustblog.com/2012/10/...ll-cars-week-the-vert-a-pac-auto-carrier.html

Alex.
 
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