It’s hard to forget the iconic movie racing scene
from the 1970s featuring a car like “Hell’s Chariot.” And on August 20th, the Grease car is coming up for auction at the Mecum Auctions event in Monterey, California. Only this time, it’s signed by “Sandy,” the beloved Olivia Newton-John. Jerry
, the car ownership super app
, gives the latest scoop on one of the most celebrated cars in Hollywood movie history.The Grease car: An antagonists dream
One of the most memorable vehicles from the film, the black custom 1949 Mercury was raced by Leo “Crater-Face” Balmudo against Danny Zuko’s “Grease Lightening.”
The two rivals sped down the Los Angeles River culvert as Olivia Newton-John and their crowd of friends watched from up above.
The “Grease Lightening” car started out as a 1948 Ford De Luxe convertible. As the script would have it, after some sweat, singing, and elbow grease, the auto was transformed into a fire red dream machine featuring silver lightning bolts.
On the other hand, the film’s Hell’s Chariot entered the frame with guns blazing. Famed movie car designer, Eddie Paul, sliced off the top of a Mercury coupe to create the mean machine. The Mercury featured a 255 cubic-inch flathead V8 engine that sent 100 horses to the rear end.
Paul gave the Grease car classic flames and a set of menacing razor hubcaps that tore through Zuko’s Ford as they raced.
The Grease car: Life after the movie
The vehicle can also be spotted in the movies “Used Cars” and “Streets of Fire,” before dipping out of the limelight. Over ten years ago, the Grease car was rediscovered at a car shop in Huntington Beach.
Worn and weathered, current owner Dave DeSure had the auto authenticated by Paul himself and restored it to its original glory.
Since then, the camera-ready hot rod has been featured in various advertising campaigns and even made its way into the opening sequence of Fox’s “Grease Live!” in 2016.
And before that, the Grease car showcased Olivia Newton-John at a Las Vegas parade to celebrate her opening night residency at the Flamingo hotel.
To commemorate the high-grossing musical film, Olivia Newton-John signed the vehicle, along with director Randal Kleiser’s signature on the dash.
Months before Olivia Newton-John’s death on August 8th, the Grease car was consigned to the Mecum event. Its pre-auction estimate was between $600,000 to $750,000, but it’s very likely the piece of “Grease” memorabilia will sell for much more.
Insuring your classic car
Whether you’ve got your own Mercury from the ‘40s, or are fixing up a Chevy C10 Pickup for your end-of-summer adventure, make sure you’ve got excellent coverage on the open road.
Awesome car insurance doesn’t have to eat up your whole paycheck. Did you know most Americans overpay for their policy every month? Don’t let that be you.
Get your questions answered with the friendly folks over at Jerry. Simply download the Jerry app. The savings keep coming even after Jerry finds you great insurance at the lowest price.
Before every policy renewal period, you’ll be given new competitive quotes, which means you’ll always have the best coverage at the best price. If you want to switch policies, no worries! Jerry can even help cancel your old policy.
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