[Music] hey folks and welcome to car stars's 10 wild facts about Gator's 71 Ford Custom 500 in the 1973 Bert Reynolds film White Lightning fact number one although exact numbers are not available it's estimated that the production sourced between 3 and 4 1971 Ford Custom 500 sedans for use in the film to portray Gator's ride most s you'll read only state two cars were used but they often forget one of the stunk cars that was destroyed offc screen the Ford Custom 500 sedans were chosen as they could be a believable portrayal of modest everyday vehicles
yet with hidden performance potential to blend in with the rural Southern landscape fitting the gritty tone of the film given the film's demanding stunt sequences including intense car chases rough terrain and jumps the production team planned ahead by acquiring multiple cars to ensure filming could continue uninterrupted even if a car was damaged or destroyed and some were indeed total which we'll get into the details of a bit later on these cars were said to have been acquired locally from Regional dealerships and secondhand sources a practical solution for filmmakers convenience also by sourcing Vehicles directly from
the region where they were filming that being in Arkansas in this case the crew maintained consistency with the movie's Southern setting and captured a true- to lifee backdrop for BT reynolds's Moonshiner character fact number two despite the in film claims of the sedans having a powerful built dual carb 429 police interceptor V8 engine in reality most strongly suspect the actual cars used for filming had more common factory 351 or 390 V8s rather than the high performance 429 described in the script especially considering they didn't actually show us the real engine in the cars even for
the one and only scene that they showed us an engine shot instead they actually use this inserted close-up engine shot that clearly shows us a Mustang single carb 3 51 Cleveland Engine with Shelby branded aluminum valve covers along with the tattletail in-engine compartment shock Towers features not found on Ford's large sedans this inconsistency hints that production relied on separate footage from a completely different car model to visually represent Gator's supposed 429 powered sedan therefore despite the film's Bold engine claims the car is actually driven by Bert reyolds and the stunt drivers likely featured standard Factory
engines sufficient for the chase scenes yet falling short of The Cinematic depiction this discrepancy highlighted by the Mustang engine standin shots has since become a notable point of discussion among car guys who recognize the filmmaker tricks to enhance the story's excitement to Casual onlookers but not so much for us car enthusiasts fact number three the Ford Custom 500 introduced in 1964 as a successor of sorts to the Ford Custom was designed as a no frills full-size sedan built for practical purposes rather than luxury or performance it quickly became a favorite among Fleet operators taxi companies
and police departments due to its reliability affordability and straightforward utilitarian design throughout the late 1960s and early' 7s the Custom 500 was popular with law enforcement agencies with the higher trim more powerful V8 engine options including the renowned 429 police interceptor it offered an ideal combination of durability power and handling making it well suited for high-speed Pursuits and rigorous daily use while never as as flashy as Ford similar Galaxy or LTD counterparts the Custom 500 stood out precisely because of its understated nature buyers appreciate its practical non-nonsense interior straightforward styling and solid reliability it was
precisely this unassuming yet capable character that made the Custom 500 appealing not only to Fleet buyers but also ironically to those who wish to blend seamlessly into traffic as a moonshine runner like gator would certainly need fact number four beyond the aforementioned engine inconsistencies portrayed in the film were even more misleading discrepancies to bother us car enthusiasts with although Gator's car is explicitly stated as having a four-speed manual gearbox most scenes clearly show Bert Reynolds driving a car equipped with a column shifted automatic transmission this continuity issue suggests the filmmaker's prioritize drama over mechanical accuracy
switching Transmissions between scenes without explanation the close-up shots of Gator shifting gears reveal a Hearst T handle shifter L associated with sporty muscle cars but eagle-eyed fans quickly noted these scenes weren't filmed inside the full-size sedan at all instead they used interior footage from a smaller vehicle most likely a 1971 to 1973 Mustang to depict the aggressive manual shifting action this further trickery highlights Hollywood's willingness to compromise authenticity for cinematic effect the car's soundtrack further compounds these divergences the car's onscreen mismatched audio also doesn't sound like what you'd expect from a custom 500 sedan in
fact some have noted similarities between the exhaust note among other sounds in the film and a 440 powered 68 Dodge Charger quite possibly even some direct audio clips borrowed from the 68 Charger famously featured in the 1968 film bullet which actually wasn't an uncommon practice in car flicks at the time unfortunately as it further skews the realism of the film fact number five the famous barge jump scene involved careful planning however when Stunt Driver Hal Needum made the first jump attempt which we didn't get to see in the film a critical miscommunication incident occurred the
barge operator mistakenly accelerated faster than intended widening the jump distance significantly which complicated the timing and nearly caused a disaster Needum realizing the barge was pulling away quicker than it should be and since he was already at speed instinctively accelerated harder pushing the car up to around 80 M hour which was faster than originally planned attempted to clear the now roughly 63t Gap despite his best efforts the car struck the lower edge of the barge hard and fell into the water ultimately totaling the first jump stunt car the force of the hit reportedly knocked needam
unconscious and Reynolds jumped into the water to help get him out after NM returned from the hospital from being checked out and miraculously had no major injuries he chose to try the stunt again and successfully perform the jump in a backup Custom 500 the second attempt went more smoothly despite not making it quite as far onto the barge as they intended and this take is the one we actually see in the film nevertheless the way the car landed essentially wrapping the chassis against the top edge of the barge this car was also total but at
least it actually stayed on the barge so they could finish out the scene fact number six to prepare the Custom 500 sedans for the demanding Chase scenes the production crew made a few modifications aimed at enhancing durability and protecting the cars during high impact stunts most notably the primary stunk car which featured the distinctive reinforced metal push bar bolted on up front serving as both a visual statement and practical protection during collisions and rough driving beyond the noticeable front bumper reinforcement the stunk car received chassis reinforcements skid plates to protect vulnerable parts and suspension upgrades
to help withstand the rigorous filming these undercarriage enhancements help to ensure the car remained drivable and stable throughout minor jumps rough terrain aggressive slides and Mild impacts additionally the sedans were visually modified to reflect Gator's Persona as a moonshine runner details such as black steel wheels with raised white letter Cooper wide Runner polyglass tires were intentionally added to convey both toughness and an authentic performance-oriented appeal these subtle yet purposeful customizations allowed filmmakers to create a believable image of a hardened and very capable Moonshiner car fact number seven what is a moonshine runner car exactly some
may ask and why would a Ford Custom 500 make a good one while a Moonshine Whiskey Runner car or moonshine runner was a a vehicle specifically chosen or modified to transport illegally distilled whiskey through rural Backroads and efforts to evade law enforcement Moonshine Whiskey was illegal as it was produced and sold without government regulation or taxation making it profitable yet risky the ideal moonshine car needed to be discreet in appearance with plenty of space on board for product but also fast and agile often equipped with powerful engines and heavy duty suspensions allowing Bootleggers to quickly
Escape authorities and then blend back into normal traffic the 71 Ford Custom 500 was an excellent candidate for a moonshine runner precisely because it embodied the necessary qualities plain looks a spacious trunk and interior and generally inconspicuous styling paired with reliable performance its common appearance allowed Moonshiners to avoid drawing suspicion while the cars availability with high performance engines such as Ford's 429 police interceptor V8 ensured it had the necessary horsepower to evade Pursuit when necessary fact number eight aside from the two stunt Vehicles destroyed for the big barge jump scenes that were certainly scrapped after
production the fate of any additional Ford Custom 500 sedans used in White Lightning remains largely undocumented given the nature of film making at the time stunk cars were typically scrapped and hero cars with little damage were often returned to dealerships repaired and or auctioned off or sold to local residents after production wrapped remaining Custom 500 sedans were likely standard production vehicles with minimal modifications making them easier to resell or repurpose however considering the abusive use of the cars on screen they were most likely structurally damaged enough to make them unroadworthy and were probably parted out
Andor scrapped unfortunately as per my research anyway no verified records or documented survivors from these additional screened cars have surfaced publicly as of yet leaving their exact post- production fate unclear without clear documentation of surviving examples the story of these modest everyday sedans once briefly elevated to movie stardom is still largely unknown today fact number nine interestingly some enthusiasts have embraced Gator's moonshine runner ride enough that several dedicated fans have created replica cars inspired by the 71 Custom 500 from the film these tribute cars typically aim to closely match the movie's claim specifications often even
featuring authentic Ford 429 police interceptor engines period correct performance parts and manual transmissions despite the movie car itself having inconsistencies on these points some fan-made replicas have gained attention at car shows and other Automotive events meticulously replicating the movie Vehicles distinct appearance down to details such as the brown exterior with blue interior reinforced front bumpers and of course Cooper wide Runner tires on black wheels these replicas provide tangible experiences for film and Automotive History fans alike highlighting the enduring popularity and influence of both the car and the film itself interestingly Builders of these replicas frequently
debate among themselves about authenticity especially around engine choices many choose period correct 429 police interceptors staying true to the movie's context of the legendary engine specification although the actual film cars likely did not have these engines others choose more easily obtainable 351 390 or 400 powered custom 500s or even Galaxy models fact number 10 taking a look into the scale model World prospects appear Bleak as after spending a fair amount of time searching I wasn't able to find any direct scale replicas of 1970s Ford Custom 500 models oddly as I mostly just came across the
early 1960s Custom 500 and Galaxy models instead the closest thing I could find at all that comes near to a 71 Custom 500 sedan model is this 143rd scale 1974 Galaxy sedan from a brand name called goldvarg although not technically the exact model or year this is a quite nicely detailed sedan for its size however these are no longer on the current retail market and are typically around the $200 mark on eBay there doesn't even seem to have been any model kits made of early' 7s Custom 500 models that I can find either so it
seems we are really quite limited on this one folks if anyone knows of any decent early '70s Custom 500 or Galaxy models I may have missed that you know of let us know in the comments section below by the way folks I recently started a new and also film related in similar format YouTube channel called Mind litter if anyone is interested in hearing more about our favorite movies and TV shows Beyond just the cars such as other behind the scenes info filming locations and actor related tidbits and such I will put a link in the
description below for those interested in checking it out well there you have it folks thanks for watching and make sure to hit that subscribe button if you like what you saw here you guys are all great see you next time
