Vanishing Point 68 Charger

[CornDogsCharger]

I just happen to catch the 1997 version of Vanishing Point.  I have the dvd but never watched it until now when I just happened to catch it on tv.  Pretty good so far... better than the original by far   Anyways, I was wondering... does anyone happen to know what ever happened to the Charger(s) that were used?  I know that Stephens Performance supplied all of the Challengers for the movie... and still has them.  Did Stephens supply the other mopars in the movie?  I'd love to see some pictures of what was left of the Charger.

Justin
"CornDog"

[1969chargerrtse]

I saw the original movie back in 68 and I find it hard to believe any movie made after it would be better.  That was raw Mopar back then.  I can still remember the first time that black 68 charger came around the corner.  That was as cool as cool can be. 

[69bronzeT5]

I saw the original movie back in 68 and I find it hard to believe any movie made after it would be better.  That was raw Mopar back then.  I can still remember the first time that black 68 charger came around the corner.  That was as cool as cool can be. 

The original movie came out in 1971 if I'm correct. Kind of hard to make a movie with '70 Challengers in '68...they didn't exist!



PS: I love Iron Maiden. I just had to say since this is my 8,666th post

[C_stripes]

Cody is correct. The orig VP was made in 1970 and came out in 1971. If you look closely, several of the police cars have manufacturer plates on them. They were all leased to the production company as Chrysler WAS going to sponsor the production, but after they seen it. They pulled out as there was drug use and nudity. Chrysler was a "family" company and wouldn't promote that. Even though the Dodge Swinger was met to appeal to lesbians back in the day. Kind of ironic. Also, a side note. None of the orig VP cars are known to exist. They are thought to have been destroyed by Chrysler Corp. after they were done filming.

[CornDogsCharger]

I saw the original movie back in 68 and I find it hard to believe any movie made after it would be better.  That was raw Mopar back then.  I can still remember the first time that black 68 charger came around the corner.  That was as cool as cool can be. 

I think you're thinking of Bullitt.  I'm talking about the 1997 version of the movie Vanishing Point.

Justin
"CornDog"

[hemi-hampton]

Everybody I know thinks the newer Version sucked compared to the original, Just like gone in 60 seconds redo sucked compared to original.  LEON.

P.S. I remember seeing this movie at Drive in way back in 71 or so

[jasonfromIKILLYA]

I saw the original movie back in 68 and I find it hard to believe any movie made after it would be better.  That was raw Mopar back then.  I can still remember the first time that black 68 charger came around the corner.  That was as cool as cool can be. 

I think you're thinking of Bullitt.  I'm talking about the 1997 version of the movie Vanishing Point.

Justin
"CornDog"

He may be, but the 97 version of VP is a Challenger as well.

[ozziemoparnut]

You cannot beat the original films but the 97 VP and cage/jolie Gone in 60 seem to appeal to a bigger audience than the originals do now days 

one thing that I didn't like about the 97 VP was Jason Priestley playing the voice 

[mikesbbody]

You cannot beat the original films but the 97 VP and cage/jolie Gone in 60 seem to appeal to a bigger audience than the originals do now days 

one thing that I didn't like about the 97 VP was Jason Priestley playing the voice 

I agree! that was pretty lame

[Brock Samson]

Cody is correct. The orig VP was made in 1970 and came out in 1971. If you look closely, several of the police cars have manufacturer plates on them. They were all leased to the production company as Chrysler WAS going to sponsor the production, but after they seen it. They pulled out as there was drug use and nudity. Chrysler was a "family" company and wouldn't promote that. Even though the Dodge Swinger was met to appeal to lesbians back in the day. Kind of ironic. Also, a side note. None of the orig VP cars are known to exist. They are thought to have been destroyed by Chrysler Corp. after they were done filming.

WHAT!?   

[Ghoste]

That's what I was thinking too Brock.  Where did you get that tidbit from Jeremy?

Oh and as for the new VP versus the old one, the new one has too many bloopers in addition to a serious lack of nudity and drugs.

[Brock Samson]

  Ya' cause I'm a lesbian and it don't appeal to me none...  I'm more of a Demon Lover myself..

[C_stripes]

If you can find it, the 1969 Dart Swinger concept car ad has two girls gazing into eachothers eyes and says something like "Dart Swings". I will see if I can dig up a pic.

[1969chargerrtse]

I saw the original movie back in 68 and I find it hard to believe any movie made after it would be better.  That was raw Mopar back then.  I can still remember the first time that black 68 charger came around the corner.  That was as cool as cool can be. 

The original movie came out in 1971 if I'm correct. Kind of hard to make a movie with '70 Challengers in '68...they didn't exist!



PS: I love Iron Maiden. I just had to say since this is my 8,666th post

Hey that was a long time ago. I'm off a couple years. 

[1969chargerrtse]

If you can find it, the 1969 Dart Swinger concept car ad has two girls gazing into eachothers eyes and says something like "Dart Swings". I will see if I can dig up a pic.

You gotta be kidding?

[dodgecharger-fan]

this guy look like a lesbian?

Brock, that's not you, is it?

[tan top]

If you can find it, the 1969 Dart Swinger concept car ad has two girls gazing into eachothers eyes and says something like "Dart Swings". I will see if I can dig up a pic.

dang !!! 

[CornDogsCharger]

So....... does anyone know??  I don't know how it got way off topic.  Just to clear things up... no, I'm not talking about the 1971 version of Vanishing Point... I'm asking about the Black 1968 CHARGER that was used in the 1997 Version of Vanishing Point.  I know Stephens Performance supplied the Challengers for the movie, but does anyone know if Stephens supplied the Charger too?  I'm also asking if the flipped Charger or the nicer car are still around.

Justin
"CornDog"

[Mike DC]

  
As for the 1997 VP remake's charger  -

If I recall correctly, they used two 1968 Chargers for that deal.  They obviously rolled one of them to death.  The other one (most of the screen time) was more raggedy than it looked on film but it survived in one piece.  The owner (Stephens I guess) gave it a bunch of resto work afterwards.  I can't remember for sure but I think it might have been an original R/T.  


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IMHO we haven't seen a perfect version of "Vanishing Point" yet.  

The original one is kind of dated.  It left the concept a bit too uncompromised for anyone to sit through the movie without being as high as Kowalski was.  I thought the 1997 remake overcorrected on that problem and I didn't like enough of the changes.

[Ghoste]

If you can find it, the 1969 Dart Swinger concept car ad has two girls gazing into eachothers eyes and says something like "Dart Swings". I will see if I can dig up a pic.

Sorry man, I have an awful tough time making the leap that an ad with two chicks looking at each other means the car was being targeted to lesbians.   "Swinger" had a somewhat different connotation in 1969 than it does today.

As for the Charger in VP Revisited, yes it's still out there but I can't recall where.  There was an article about it someplace.  Have you tried e-mailing Stephens?

[THE CHARGER PUNK]

This might perk your guys interest -Matt

http://www.440magnum.com/mopars/2000/september/1968_dodge_charger.shtml

[C_stripes]

If you can find it, the 1969 Dart Swinger concept car ad has two girls gazing into eachothers eyes and says something like "Dart Swings". I will see if I can dig up a pic.

You gotta be kidding?

Hey, I read it in MCG a few years ago. lol

[Ghoste]

It's my favorite Mopar mag but at least half of every episode (sic) is just stuff they make up.  They are like the National Enquirer of car mags.

[C_stripes]

It's true. They seem to change allot of things. I thought it was pretty funny though. It may have a little truth to it though. What does Swinger mean? 

[Brock Samson]

 the common definition now is people who swap sex partners or have "open" relationships...
but back in the mid-sixties it was a youthful person who wasn't quite a hippy but like to dance at discos which were quite new then, i know cause i was there... 

swing·er (swngr)
n.
1. One that swings: a good swinger of baseball bats.
2. Slang
a. A person who actively seeks excitement and moves with the latest trends.
b. A person who engages freely in promiscuous sex.
c. A member of a couple, especially a married couple, who exchanges sexual partners.

I suspect "A" was the prefered def.


interesting the VP '68 RT Charger was the rare blue,...

   440Magnum Rules !  This '68 Charger was purchased at a swap meet in Glendale, AZ.  I fiddled with it for about a year before it ran good. After about five years of fun I decided to put it up for sale, and build something else.  While advertising the car for sale, I got a phone call from "Vanishing Point Productions".  The movie company showed up the next day, and this car became Charger One in the FOX Television movie which aired in 1997.  It was not crashed for the movie.  I was fortunate enough to visit the filming set in Tucson, to watch them beat my old car. 
Jeff Dines

[69bronzeT5]

I just watched the 1997 remake again and I'm still wondering where the rolled '68 ended up....

[Road Dog]

Here is the chase scene. Takes a Mopar to catch a Mopar!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKBEliM7be4

[Daytona R/T SE]

Anybody else notice the through the windsheid shots of the cops are not taken in a Charger?

That is, except for the roll-over scene-that's a Charger

[MoparManJim]

Anybody else notice the through the windsheid shots of the cops are not taken in a Charger?

That is, except for the roll-over scene-that's a Charger

Yea, O notice that right off the bat. There in the Challenger.

[THE CHARGER PUNK]

 *BUMP* One of them is in Ontario. (Full Story in Link Below)





LINK--->https://www.thestar.com/autos/2016/12/12/eye-candy-1968-dodge-charger-the-utah-beast.html

[Ghoste]

Sure like it better as the unrolled version.

[FastbackJon]

I'm trying to imagine the conversations that would happen when people ask about your Charger and you nonchalantly tell them "my Charger is the one from the movie Vanishing Point".

Response... "No, can't be true, they used a Challenger in Vanishing Point, not a Charger."

Response... "Want to put $100 on it?"

[VP FAN]

Hey Jon funny you should mention different responses. I have had people say to me "I thought they used a Challenger in VP". Love driving this car and the fact it was in the movie. I've even spoken to the owner(Jeff Dines) who's from Glendale. He sold the car to Vanishing Point productions. He was kind enough to send me photos of the day he sold it and when he was on location during filming
 

[tcs69rt]

In August of 1996 the VP Challenger and Charger cars were on display at the 1st Mopar Nationals in Las Vegas. I have old 8mm tape of the event. Besides those cars they gave away a orange 68 or 69 383 Road Runner. I have video of vehicles for sale in the car corral that will make us all  A brown 69 Charger RT Hemi for 25 grand, 70 green Superbird that was 29 but marked down the last day to 27, not sure if it sold? Convertible Challengers that were under 10 grand, ugh!

[426HemiChick]

It's my favorite Mopar mag but at least half of every episode (sic) is just stuff they make up.  They are like the National Enquirer of car mags.

Hi Folks,                11 April 2022

Just happened to be poking around threads when we came upon this one. You are exactly correct about MCG making stuff up. Most of those on this site know the story of the 69 426 Hemi Daytona Bob Jennings ("taxspeaker") bought in October 2020. The story that ran in MCG was mostly BS by some clown who thinks he's a writer. All the facts and the story are right here on this site. Guess it would have been be too easy to read the facts before writing an article filled with his fantasies.

Best Always

426 Hemi Chicks