Autoblog

Click above image for photo gallery

OntarioStreetCar caught sight of a transporter loaded with Detroit Muscle being used in the filming of the fourth installment of The Fast and the Furious saga, innovatively titled, Fast and Furious. This is one truck we'd gladly hijack with a crew of accomplices driving tuned Civics, as it's hauling, at minimum, a pair of Chargers, a Chevelle SS, and the wicked Torino GT you see above. Not included in the attached gallery are studio shots of Vin Diesel with a Grand National and yet another Chevelle, both of which you can see at OntarioStreetCar. The F&F films may be light on plot, but they're long on car porn, and we can say without a hint of embarassment that we are totally going to see this movie. Thanks to Jesse for the tip!


[Source: OntarioStreetCar]

While he's shown a certain flair for historical pieces, we sincerely doubt that Clint Eastwood would forego his formidable film-crafting talent to make a documentary about a mid 1970's Ford that can be had for a dollar per pound. Details are scant, but Warner Brothers has targeted December 2008 as a release date for Gran Torino, which Eastwood both stars in and directs. Eastwood is no stranger to the big Ford - he drove a '72 in Magnum Force, the sequel to Dirty Harry, in which he wheeled a '68 Ford Custom. Despite the title we tend to doubt the movie will be terribly car-centric - who'd want to watch that?

[Source: Variety via Inside Line]

CNN Money has published a list of the "Top 10 Muscle Car Stars" as compiled by Kelley Blue Book. Some of the picks are obvious, such as the Hemi 'Cuda convertible, GTO Judge convertible, and the venerable Plymouth Superbird. More of a surprise is the presence of the Ford Torino Talladega, which is labeled as an up-and-comer in the muscle car marketplace. With values currently in the $30,000 range, the Torino is still attainable by those who don't have six-figure budgets to work with.

Also, despite lists like this one, it's always good to remember that one doesn't need a paddle at Barrett-Jackson to get into the game. Local newspapers and weeklies are always a great place to start. Sure, you may not find a concours-level, numbers-matching, rare-engined stunner, but you can find great bargains that are as much or more fun to work on and to drive.

All that said, here's the top 10 list as reported by CNN:

• 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda convertible - $2,000,000
• 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS-454/LS-6 convertible - $369,000
• 1969 Pontiac GTO "Judge" convertible - $205,200
• 1964 Shelby Cobra 289 Roadster - $329,100
• 1969 Dodge Charger R/T-440 hardtop - $170,000
• 1968 Shelby GT-500-KR convertible - $191,000
• 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z-28/SS coupe - $91,700
• 1970 Oldsmobile 442/W-30 hardtop -$85,960
• 1970 Plymouth Superbird-440 hardtop - $107,500
• 1969 Ford Torino-Talladega hardtop - $37,100

Read the whole story for photos and expanded descriptions of the cars listed.

Agree? Disagree? Let's hear what your favorites are in the comments section.

Photo: Alex Nunez

[Source: CNN Money]