Ron Howard "Steve's" original screen-used custom 1958 Chevrolet Impala from American Graffiti. ...

Description

Ron Howard "Steve's" original screen-used custom 1958 Chevrolet Impala from American Graffiti. (Universal, 1973) Considered to be one of the most famous cars in American cinema history, this is the one and only Chevrolet 1958 Impala Sport Coupe custom fabricated for the 1973 multi-Academy Award-nominated classic, American Graffiti. George Lucas' masterful sophomore effort American Graffiti resonated with audiences and critics alike. Innovative in structure and at times both funny and poignant, this coming of age story remains a classic today. Named by the American Film Institute as one of the top 100 films of all time, American Graffiti featured a cast of then up-and-coming actors most notably Ron Howard (as Steve Bolander), Richard Dreyfus, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith and Harrison Ford, offering a nostalgic look at California's youth car culture during the early 1960s. The film featured everything to do with classic (vintage) car culture, from drive-ins to drag races, making the cars' performances as memorable as the actors'. The famous Impala (the only one built for and used in the movie) with the custom tuck-and-roll interior, was owned by character Steve Bolander (played by a young 19-year old Ron Howard) but seen throughout the movie being driven by "The Toad" (Charles Martin Smith). Terry "The Toad" was a Vespa kind of guy until his friend Steve Bolander hands over the keys to his '58 Impala, embarking Toad on an evening of personal amusement joined by Debbie Dunham (played by the film's Academy Award-nominated Candy Clark) fulfilling all of his dreams resulting in some of most noteworthy moments in the film. The Impala exemplified new possibilities. The car has been preserved and remained in the hands of its current private owner since 1973, purchased through an ad posted in The San Francisco Chronicle by George Lucas' Transportation Captain Henry Travers. The car features the original studio white paint with red trim, as well as the original studio-customized red and white tuck and roll upholstery from the film and original wheels. The car is powered by a 348 cubic inch high-performance Chevrolet Tri-Power V-8 mated to a Turbo 400 automatic transmission (the original Saginaw 3-speed manual transmission used in the film comes with the car). Car remains in vintage screen used condition. Comes with the original California DMV validated registration card issued to Lucas Film LTD in Mill Valley, CA. This is the first time in 42 years the car is available for sale to the public.

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