Take a close look, now. Does it remind you of anything? Maybe a movie you saw once ... maybe in your youth ... back in the '80s? Maybe the first of a series of movies ... starring Chevy Chase?
Yes, it's the Family Truckster of National Lampoon's "Vacation." Or a very nice replica of it. Right down to the luggage and the ... er, family member ... on the roof (not a real family member, of course! or even a real person! and take heart -- there was no dog on the leash in the back!).
Designed by George Barris, the Wagon Queen Family Truckster was a fictional car created for the 1983 movie and based on a Ford LTD Country Squire station wagon. Schneider's is actually a 1986 model, which he says is the same body style as 1983. Don Schisler, former transportation director of "The Dukes of Hazzard" who just recently passed away, also served as the process car driver in "Vacation" and inspired Gary to build the car. Schisler provided him with a rarity -- the only known remaining crown emblem from the cars. You can see some construction photos of the Truckster at MyFamilyTruckster.com.
And just so ya know ... it might seem like it, but this is not the only Family Truckster out there. At least one more exists, Schneider says, in Missouri.
Besides the Truckster, there were plenty of other star cars inside the track for the event, such as Herbie, the "Smokey and the Bandit" Trans Am and, of course, lots'o Lees ...
Photos by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV
Copying with credit is OK; a link would be grand
No comments:
Post a Comment