Jim Suva and The Suva Files Blog

Steve McQueen's, "The Hunter", Trans Am

Steve McQueen’s, “The Hunter”, Trans Am Found

Written by Jim Suva

   

It is not very often you find a car that is in the original screen-used condition, taken directly from the set of a movie. The car in this story also has a direct connection to Steve McQueen.

In October 1979, Steve McQueen was in Chicago and the greater Kankakee, Illinois area filming what turned out to be his last movie, “The Hunter”. The movie was based on the life of bounty hunter Ralph “Papa” Thorson. In real life, Papa Thorson captured over 5,000 criminals and bail jumpers.

In the part of the movie filmed in Manteno, Illinois, Steve McQueen’s character drives a rented 1979 Black Pontiac Trans Am, with tan interior. In the pursuit of the Branch brothers, the brothers take Thorson’s TA and a chase through the corn fields begins. Thorson uses their combine and chases them down to a climactic explosion, where the Trans Am is blown up.

Steve McQueen picking up the Trans am at the Kankakee Airport 1979

This is where our story begins. The stunt crew, the cast and the film crew were staying at the Holiday Inn in Bradley, Illinois. The citizens of the greater Kankakee area, including a local farmer, Harold McQueen, were following around the cast and crew to the different filming locations. Harold became friendly with the stunt and film cast and crew and he was invited to join them, for several meals as he really got to know them. Someone on the production crew asked if anyone had a truck and trailer, that could haul the Trans Am down to Kankakee. Harold stepped up and said he could do it.

Harold and his family had always loved Steve McQueen and his movies. In fact, they loved them so much that they jokingly started calling him Uncle Steve, even though they were not directly related. When Harold finally had the opportunity to meet Steve McQueen, Steve made the comment that all the McQueen’s are related because they all originally came from Scotland. Harold said, “I guess down the line we are all related.”

I asked Harold what Steve was like in person. Harold said, “He was an ordinary guy, just like we are. He puts his pants on one leg at time, like all of us.”

According to Harold, the production company had six Pontiacs for this movie. These vehicles were on loan to the production company from the Pontiac Division of General Motors. The vehicle identification number plates on the dashboards were removed from these cars so that the cars would have to be returned to General Motors. Harold stated that the production company blew up two Trans Ams. The #1 Trans Am did not explode as well as they wanted so, according to Harold, the production company went out and purchased a 7th car (referred here as #2 Trans Am) to be used to reshoot the explosion. Both Trans Am cars that were blown up were painted black and the frame rails were modified by the production company with slides, hooks and chains at the firewall. Then, a cable was attached from the frame rails to a tree. This was done so that when the Trans Am was going in reverse, the front end of the car would separate and would set off the explosives on the car.

The top picture shows how the cable was taped to the the front bumper of the TA
before the stunt, and the bottom picture shows the tape still on the front bumper in 2018.

After the first TA (#1) was blown up, Harold was asked if he would haul the TA down to Aroma Park, Illinois so that the crew could remove the roll cage from the 1^st car and install it on the 2^nd car. At that time, the stunt  crew showed him around their shop. They let him watch a few of their stunts including the explosion of a house they built on the Kankakee River for the movie. Harold was present as they filmed both car explosions. The end result of the second shot of the exploding TA (#2) was spectacular. In fact, after the #2 TA exploded, the stuntman’s girlfriend thought that her boyfriend was dead, because the car ended up upside down on the side of the road. Thankfully, the stuntman was fine.

 
Harold  transporting the #1 TA with the roll cage still attached October 1979.

The next scene shot was Harold’s truck towing his trailer with the #1 blown up Trans Am back to the Kankakee airport, with Steve and the two Branch brothers. Once the scene was shot the crew asked Harold to take both blown up TA’s away.

                 
Filming the return of the Trans Am to the Kankakee Airport 1979.          Staging the Trans Am and trailer in the same spot 2018.         
 

One of the production crew asked Harold what he was going to charge for hauling around the cars. He said, “You guys figure out what is it worth to you.” They decided to give him the #1 blown up Trans Am, as payment for the use of his truck and trailer. Harold received a letter from Paramount Pictures Corporation stating this, that is signed by William O. Sullivan, Production Manager and Harold. Harold also agreed to deliver the #2 blown up TA to Peter Levin Pontiac in Chicago Heights, Illinois.

    
Letter from Paramount Pictures to Harold McQueen.            Harold in 1979 with both #! and #2 Stunt Trans Am's.

When Harold brought the #2 blown up TA to Peter Levin Pontiac, they told him it was not the right TA and he should take it to a junkyard in Indiana to dispose of it, which he did. Pontiac wanted the #1 TA back because it was never supposed to be put back on the road. Harold told them he had a letter from Paramount giving him the car. Harold said, “Pontiac eventually gave up wanting the car back, figuring the TA was blown up so bad, it would never be put on the road again.”

I asked Harold what his wife and family thought about him bringing home a TA that had been blown up. He said, “It was no big deal, since he was always bringing home stuff.”

Harold’s plans originally were to buy a donor car and restore the #1 TA. He has friends in the area that do auto restorations. Unfortunately, in the last 39 years, he never found the time.

Brothers Stan and Randy Harvell grew up in Manteno, IL and through their friends, knew of Harold owning the Hunter Trans Am. In fact, Stan and Randy rode the school bus with Harold’s sister when they were younger.

Stan moved to Arizona in November, 1979 and became interested in collector cars soon after that. He always remembered this particular Trans Am. About a year ago, Stan called his brother Randy, who still lives in town, and asked him to get Harold’s cell phone number from a friend.

Stan called Harold, who was at his winter home in Florida. Stan asked about the Trans Am and Harold told him he was considering restoring the car, but told Stan to call him again in the spring when he returned to his farm in Manteno. Stan contacted Harold again in the Spring and Harold told him that he would consider selling the car.

Stan then went to see the car and talked with Harold in person. According to Harold, since the car was to be scrapped, the stunt crew and film crew took items off of the Trans Am as momentos, such as the hood, the rear spoiler, the side mirrors, badging etc. Stan took numerous pictures and videos of the Hunter Trans Am, which he shared with his good friend Calvin Riggs. Stan and Calvin had discussed this car for some time and Stan knew that Calvin would be the right partner for this car, because Calvin loves Pontiacs and Trans Ams. He is also the owner of Carlyle Motors in Houston, Texas which sells beautifully restored and original muscle cars. Here is a link to their website: www.carlylemotors.com  Carlyle Motors is now the owner of the Hunter Trans Am and Calvin and Stan are partners in regards to this car and its future.

     

Picture of the #1 Trans Am in Harold's Barn.

I had the opportunity to meet Calvin in Manteno on Friday October 12, 2018, the day they took delivery from Harold. There is no doubt in my mind that this is “The Hunter” Trans Am. Talking with Harold, looking over the 1979 Trans Am, seeing the damage and how the car is rigged up for the explosion, and the fact the car has only 1300 miles on the odometer just reaffirms that this is the car from the movie.

        

The 1st picture is the Trans Am being removed after 39 year in Harold's Barn.  The other 2 pictures show the TA and trailer reunited.

       
         
These pictures show the current condition of the #1 Trans Am the day Calvin picked it up October 2018.
Note the two pictures with red circles mark where the roll cage was mounted.

Calvin has an Affidavit of Facts signed by Harold McQueen as to the authenticity of the car, as well as a letter from Jim Mattison of the Pontiac Historic Services. Mattison states their records indicate this TA was part of the Pontiac Motor Division Show Car Fleet. The Pontiac Division and the paperwork which Calvin supplied, confirms this 1979 Trans Am was one of several released by Pontiac to Paramount Pictures for use by Steve McQueen in the movie “The Hunter” and the only one that still remains.

         

A copy of the Dealers Invoice.                                         Letter from Pontiac Historic Services.

Barbara McQueen wrote a very good book titled: "Steve McQueen, The Last Mile ...revisited".  It includes stories while Steve and she were filming "The Hunter."  It is a very good read and she has included some great pictures for Steve's career as well as photos she took of her husband.  Below is a picture of this Trans Am being prepared for the stunt where the Trans Am explodes. Steve is standing next to the stuntman on the left wearing the baseball cap.

This car has been untouched in the corner of Harold McQueen’s barn, just a couple of farms away from where it was blown up. This Trans Am is a great piece of Movie/Steve McQueen history. 

 
Autographed picture of Steve McQueen as The Hunter.         A very rare movie poster featuring the 1979 Trans Am.

We are interested in receiving any information from Cast, Crew, Stunt crew and people that were around the set during the filming of "The Hunter".  We would love to include pictures and stories from the set, as this will be a continuing story.  Calvin and Stan will decide to either restore or show their Trans Am as is in the near future.  If you have any information, please email me at jimsuva34@aol.com or Calvin Riggs at criggs@carlylemotors.com.

 

Here is a link to a youtube video of the Trans Am in the movie.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISgI7TKX7xA

 

Rockford Files, Printing Press

Jim Rockford's Printing Press

Written by Jim Suva

  

The printing press used on the Rockford Files was a Sigwalt #11 letterpress.  These press are still available from time to time on eBay which is where I purchased mine.  Below are pictures of my press which I added a wood base similar to the one used on the show.

 

        

This letterpress was kept in the back seat of the Firebird.  It was used a number of times, to print up fake business cards to gain information from different people.  At several car shows I was asked if I had a printing press in the back seat like Rockford's.  That is just one reason I decided to get one for my display.

  

Below is my finished Sigwalt #11 letterpress.

     

Rockford Files Dash Placards

The dash placards pictured below were used for parking and access to the Rockford Files set.  I know of three types of dash placards used on The Rockford Files. I have the first two and I am currently looking for the third. If anyone has one, please let me know.  jimsuva34@aol.com

 

 

 

 

 

The Suva Files, Knight Rider Legends, Chapter 3

   






 

Above is The Suva Files from the Pontiac-Oakland International Car Club    I wrote this for "Smoke Signals", the car clubs monthly magazine.  It is the July 2018 issue.   If you are a Pontiac-Oakland fan it is well worth the price of being a member, just to get this magazine.

If you like articles like this please check out the Pontiac-Oakland International Club website, to join or see if you can purchase this issue: http://www.poci.org/

I would like to thank my editors Tim Dye, Thom Sherwood and Nick Nugent for all the help making this series possible with their contributions.

The Suva Files, Knight Rider Legends, Chapter 2

Above is The Suva Files from the Pontiac-Oakland International Car Club    I wrote this for "Smoke Signals", the car clubs monthly magazine.  It is the May 2018 issue.   If you are a Pontiac-Oakland fan it is well worth the price of being a member, just to get this magazine.

If you like articles like this please check out the Pontiac-Oakland International Club website, to join or see if you can purchase this issue: http://www.poci.org/

I would like to thank my editors Tim Dye, Thom Sherwood and Nick Nugent for all the help making this series possible with their contributions.

 

 

Rockford Files, Roydon Clark

I am sad to report the passing of Roydon Clark. Roy passed away this mornin 5/24/18. I met him several years ago at several Rockford Files Reunion Parties. He was truly a wonderful man and could talk to fans of The Rockford Files for hours. He will be greatly missed. I am sure Roy is now hanging out with Jim Garner and having a great time. We will miss you Roy and will always remember you!

 

The Suva Files, Knight Rider Legends, Chapter 1

Here is The Suva Files from the Pontiac-Oakland International Car Club    I wrote this for "Smoke Signals", the car clubs monthly magazine.  It is the March 2018 issue.   If you are a Pontiac-Oakland fan it is well worth the price of being a member, just to get this magazine.

If you like articles like this please check out the Pontiac-Oakland International Club website, to join or see if you can purchase this issue: http://www.poci.org/

Special thanks to my editors Tim Dye, Thom Sherwood and Nick Nugent for all the help making this series possible with their contributions.

 
 
 

 

 

 

Knight Rider

Knight Rider

Written by Jim Suva

In 1982, Pontiac introduced their 3^rd generation Firebird and a new TV Series was about to go into production called Knight Rider. This is the story on how these two events came together.

Knight Rider first appeared on September 26, 1982 and ran for four seasons on NBC. A total of 90 episodes were filmed. The final broadcast aired on April 4, 1986.  The show was based on Wilton Knight’s quote, One Man Can Make A Difference.

Michael Long was a Police Officer working undercover. He was shot in the face and left for dead in the desert just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. Wilton Knight, owner and founder of Knight Industries, had been watching Michael as a possible candidate for his new idea for fighting crime. Wilton rescued Michael. Providing him with plastic surgery, and changing his identity to Michael Knight, as “a man who doesn’t exist”. Michael was given the latest tool for fighting crime, a computerized talking Trans Am, the Knight Industries Two Thousand (KITT). Wilton started the Foundation for Law and Government (F.L.A.G.) to support Michael and KITT who helped defeat the criminals that worked above the law.

KITT is not only a computer, he is indestructible. KITT had other capabilities such as turbo boost (the ability jump over objects), drive by itself and analyze objects. KITT had a scanner that could diagnose the physical conditions of people, detect where people were inside a building, and of course, the ability to hold conversations.

Now the new Trans Am was a perfect fit as KITT, but it almost didn’t happen. A couple years ago I had the opportunity to meet and have lunch with Chuck Koch.  Chuck worked for the Product Placement company, Vista Group with Eric Daulquist.  Chuck told myself and friends over lunch the following story.

Bill Hoglund, General Manager of Pontiac, wanted to get into more TV/movie projects to advertise their vehicles. Wade Harker approached Eric about a new pilot they were going to be shooting.  Wade explained that the car would be one of the lead characters and gave him an overview of what the capabilities of the car would do.  Glen Larson the creator and producer of the show had seen a picture of the new Trans Am and was interested in using it as KITT.

Eric Daulquist new that this would be the perfect product placement that Hoglund wanted. They even were going to have someone from Pontiac oversee the modifications to the Trans Am so that it would be recognizable to the public as a Trans Am.

Pontiac’s sales promotion manager was Jim Graham. TV/movie placement was his responsibilty. Graham was alread responsible for placing the Trans Am in all of the “Smokey and The Bandit” movies.  Eric sent a letter to Graham explaining the Knight Rider placement and how it fit Bill Hoglund’s idea to promote Pontiac.  Chuck and Eric thought this was a slam dunk.

A few weeks later Graham’s reply came in a letter.   He said it reminded him of the old TV show from the 1960’s.  “My Mother The Car”.  For those who do not remember “My Mother The Car”, it was a major flop starring Jerry Van Dyke.  Graham also wrote that this was not the image Pontiac wanted.  It was obvious Mr. Graham did not really understand what the K.I.T.T. placement was all about.   So the placement was dead.  Or was it?

Eric had already talked to several people at Pontiac about the project, including design chief John Schinella and Pontiac’s Los Angeles Zone Manager John Kitzmiller. They were all for the placement.  With that much support Vista Group decided to continue the placement.

Eric met with Hoglund and listened to the placement idea and liked it. Hoglund told Eric he could not go directly go against his boss Graham’s rejection.  He did say if Eric could somehow manage to organize the various people, who would be involved in this, plus figure out a way to get this done.  He would approve the necessary paperwork when it crossed his desk.

Eric then went the Design Staff, Engineering, Sale, even the Assembly Division except Graham. With the help of John Kitzmiller at Pontiac, he wrote a letter to Hoglund outling the program and it’s support among the different Pontiac Departments and dealers, recommending the placement.  Hoglund signed off on the paperwork when it crossed his desk as promised.

On a Friday morning April 4, 1982, came a phone call to Vista Group, which was in charge of the project for the Division. The unidentified person on the phone was looking for Eric. Just like an undercover operation, the individual said: ”Be at the PMT lot this afternoon at 4 p.m.  There will be three black Trans Ams there with the keys in them.  Take them they’re yours.”  Eric never knew who made that call.

At 4 p.m. Eric, Larson’s producer Harker Wade and Chuck showed up outside the GM plant as instructed. Shortly thereafter three new black Trans Ams were parked in the lot.  The PMT people got out of the cars and turned their backs to them.  Eric , Chuck and Harker got into the cars and drove away.  There was no paperwork,  No loan agreements.  That would follow several years later.  As Chuck said: “It was if the cars did not really exist.”

John Schinella met with Harker Wade and Chuck Koch at the Vista Groups office. Harker  explained the desired look Larson was looking for, which included the red scanning light in the nose.  This light original came from the TV show “Battlestar Galactica” series, which Larson also created.  The light in that series was used on the Cylon Warriors.  Schinella picked up a napkin off the coffee table a did a rough sketch.  Harker said that is what Larson was looking for.  Later more detail drawings from Schinella showed up.

As Chuck Koch continues telling the story, Jon Ward a well known Southern California car builder was in charge of the body work. It took 6 weeks to complete the body work per Schinella’s detailed drawings.  Of course there were multiple changes from Glen Larson

Schinella’s also provide the detailed interior dimensions to Michael Scheffe. Scheffe was hired by Glen Larson to create the computerized dash board and upper console at his studio.  He also created the stationary buck used for close up shots. 

 

Instead of doing a 2 hour pilot, Larson made 15 minute demo reel filmed and edited over one weekend. It started on Friday in Los Angeles using two film crews and was shown on Monday morning in New York.  NBC executives bought the 1^st season all 22 episodes based on this demo reel.

 

Once the Knight Rider went into production, the Trans Am’s were damaged by some of the stunt work. Unfortunately, Universal Studios were not able to get more Trans Am’s for the show.  As luck would have it there was a train derailment between the Van Nuys plant and the Arizona border.  Two train cars full of new Trans Am’s landed on their sides.  Since the cars were damaged they could not be sold as new.  Chuck Koch heard about the derailment and got permission from the Pontiac people to look over the damaged cars, when they were brought back to the Van Nuys plant.  Chuck and Harker Wade looked over the cars.  They selected a dozen Trans Am to be repaired and would be used on the 4 seasons of the TV series.

After the show became a big success, customer came into the Pontiac show rooms looking to order their own K.I.T.T. Trans Am. Of course that was not possible.  So starting on the second season Pontiac asked that K.I.T.T. be called a black T-top instead of Trans Am.  Of course Pontiac sold a lot of Firebird’s and Trans Am because of the series.

Knight Rider, Picture KITT Reunion

Knight Rider, Picture KITT Reunion

Written by Jim Suva

A new TV show aired in September 1982. It was called Knight Rider. We were introduced to a talking, computerized Pontiac Trans Am. Its name, the “Knight Industries Two Thousand”. K.I.T.T. for short. Everyone soon wanted their own KITT. Over the years many replicas were made and are still being made, using different parts, built by different companies. In fact there are KITT replicas, Knight Rider groups and conventions held in different parts of the world.

The true Holy Grail of Knight Rider is owning one of the actual Trans Ams from the TV series. The next best thing to owning one, is to attend an event with three screen used KITTs.

On Saturday, April 29, 2017, the first ever original screen-used KITT cars were brought together in Auburn, Indiana. The Knight Rider Historians, Joe Huth and AJ Palmgren, are the devoted fans that put this all together. The Kruse Auto Museum was the site of the event. The museum can boast that is has Car #1 Camera Car owned by Carl Casper on display.

Carl Casper is a car customizer and show producer, who worked out a deal with Universal Studios to save four of the remaining Knight Rider cars when the show ended in 1986. He purchased those four and toured them across the country for a number of years. He then sold off all but the one he still owns and displays. One of the four KITTs was the convertible version from the last season, which is on display in Florida at a car museum. Without Carl, these cars would have been destroyed like all the rest.

The other two cars are owned by the Knight Rider Historians. Car #2 is the insert/close up camera car and Car #3 is a stunt car.

At the April event, Joe and AJ arranged to have three guest speakers from the show. Michael Scheffe – Designer and Builder of the Original K.I.T.T., Ron Martinez – Unit Production Manager, Jim Morris – Universal Studios Transportation. They reminisced about their time working on the show, cars etc. Michael Scheffe gave a great presentation on building the original cars for Glen Larson, used to shoot the pilot for the series.

  

On display were different Cast and Crew jackets, original dash, and other items from Knight Rider. One special item is an original K.I.T.T. nose that was presented to David Hasslehoff with a working scanner. About 99% of the items on display are owned by the Knight Rider Historians. A few of the Cast and Crew jackets belong to one of the attendees.

     

In attendance were about 100 fans who traveled from as far away as New Zealand, Germany, and Holland to attend this event. Also, five replica cars from all over the United States, from North Carolina to Kansas attended. The event was a big success. We would like to thank Joe and AJ for keeping Knight Rider alive, and maintaining the screen used cars and props from the show. Without them a lot of these items would have been lost. Joe and AJ have a Blog, which contains a lot more information about the TV Series Knight Rider: http://knightriderhistorians.blogspot.com/

As for right now, this is the only reunion of the screen used K.I.T.T.s planned. But who knows for sure, maybe someday there will be another.

Rockford Files Business Cards

Rockford Files Business Cards

 

 

My wife Julie recreated Jim Rockford's Business cards, on the template below.  They are as close as she could get to the original font.  We made these for fans that would like to make their own cards for your own display or to pass out at car shows.

 

Save the template to your computer and then just print it out.  Then take the  template and print it out using a copier.  We used Avery 8371 heavyweight business cards.  You can purchase these at a local office supply company.  Hope you like them.  These cards represent the later seasons of the TV series.