
Sometime in the late 80s, according to a guy named Jeff, he saw the John Cusack movie "Better Off Dead," nd he fell in love with Lane Meyers' restored '67 Camaro. Who didn't, right?
Jeff, however, took his crush a little further, perhaps to the extent some might call stalking. He set out to find that car, and, if possible, bring it home. You would think a car as famous as Lane Meyers' black Camaro would be easy to locate, probably in one of those star car museums sitting between a not-so-rare Batmobile and a General Lee replica. But, no. Jeff's search turned out to be more difficult than Charles DeMar's quest for illicit substances.
A random mailing of letters to several names in the movie's credits dug up the name of the movie's transportation captain (possibly Robert Elsey, but Jeff's site doesn't identify him) in L.A. The Camaro had been owned by his son, who sold it 1989, but made no mention of its movie-star past to the buyer. With no VIN or registration records from that owner, it seemed a dead end, except for the Camaro's old car tag. It was the very same one seen on the car in the film.
With that and the help of a team of private investigators, Jeff tracked down the current owner who said he was indeed willing to sell. So Jeff flew from Florida to L.A. to find the car in pretty rough shape and in need of major work, but bought it anyway.In April 2003, after a year of restoration work (done by Time Machines, Inc. not French exchange students, by the way), the Camaro was back in shape to take on drag-racing Japanese brothers.
Jeff's in Colorado now, but still shows the car and has amassed several interesting pieces of movie memorabilia, including the pig hat worn by Cusack.[Source: Better Off Dead Camaro via Hemmings Auto Blogs]











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mark @ Jul 15th 2007 3:34PM
Sorry I blew up your mom, ricky!! LOL
-cool car by the way..
TIMMAH! @ Jul 15th 2007 6:27PM
And now Jeff finally emerges from the depths of moppishness...
Gerard @ Jul 15th 2007 7:06PM
And then the final work will be auctioned for a ridiculous price to someone with more money than brains.
The Bigger Idiot Theory--it's how Barrett-Jackson continues to live on.
tr @ Jul 15th 2007 9:34PM
two dollars!!!
Don @ Jul 16th 2007 4:08PM
Lol!
"I want my two dollars!"
Joe @ Jul 16th 2007 7:22AM
Gerard - Jeff has had this car in his posession many years now. I spoke with him via email and on the phone quite a few years ago and he helped with the restoration of our own 67 Camaro. He has no plans to sell that car.
You seem a bit jealous that you don't have the dough to pop for a high priced muscle car yourself LOL ;)
Dave @ Jul 16th 2007 9:09AM
If I were gonna buy a muscle car from a movie, that would probably be it.
Even if it weren't in a movie, a '67 Camaro is gorgeous. And the movie is a riot.
I'd have to drive with dishwashing gloves for full effect.
I wonder where the Japanese brothers' car is.....
jperry1000 @ Jul 16th 2007 9:55AM
I WANT MY TWO DOLLARS!!!
Bret @ Jul 16th 2007 11:58AM
"Inspired words from a man who knows how to ski"
One of the greatest movies ever. Thanks for the article, AB.
glenda @ Jul 16th 2007 12:19PM
Cars are nice but you need to get away from advertising drinking with driving - why are the two always associated out there for advertising? I would not advertise drinking with any car!
Frank Filipponio @ Jul 16th 2007 1:33PM
Good! Now TURN!
Great movie. Thanks so much for posting this.