{"id":72017,"date":"2019-03-22T08:03:35","date_gmt":"2019-03-22T12:03:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/?p=72017"},"modified":"2019-03-22T08:03:39","modified_gmt":"2019-03-22T12:03:39","slug":"car-collector-corner-topper-movie-and-car-generates-interest-update-design-includes-hemi-engine-rear-tail-fins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2019\/03\/22\/car-collector-corner-topper-movie-and-car-generates-interest-update-design-includes-hemi-engine-rear-tail-fins\/","title":{"rendered":"Car Collector Corner – \u2018Topper\u2019 movie and car generates interest; update design includes Hemi engine, rear tail fins"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Q: Hello Greg, I enjoy your columns very much and right now my wife and I are watching the Topper movie on Turner Movie Channel (TMC). Was the Topper car originally a Cord as it had those special side exhaust pipes? It also featured a custom windshield and the front end looked like a Graham. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My question is what kind of car was the Topper ghost car actually assembled on? Any information is appreciated and we enjoy your nostalgic features. Jim Shanley, Park Ridge, New Jersey.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A: Jim thank you for your recent inquiry about the Topper movie car as I had 11 separate emails come in about the movie the day it aired recently on TMC and three phone calls, including yours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Car
Here\u2019s the Topper movie car after undergoing several transformations as it appeared at the Pete Petersen Auto Museum in Los Angeles back in 2010. By this time, it had rear tail fins similar to the 1948 Cadillac. (Courtesy Pete Petersen)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s start with the movie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I sure do remember the Topper movie, which starred Cary Grant (George Kerby), Constance Bennett (Marion Kerby) and Roland Young (Cosmo Topper). Hal Roach, best known for his Laurel and Hardy, Our Gang and Little Rascals movies and shorts, produced it in 1937. (All personal favorites.)   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To answer your question, the Topper car was at the time the most famous movie car ever to hit the screen. It was initially designed on a 1936 Buick Series 60 chassis and then later underwent a Chrysler chassis and drivetrain update along with exterior styling changes. Topper\u2019s roadster movie car was a combo of several cars built by Pasadena Coachbuilders Bohman and Schwartz to be featured specifically in the Topper movie. Anthony Gerrity, then a well-known designer who worked for Bohman and Schwartz, designed the car.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Car
The rear of the Topper movie car after a style and chassis update in 1954 shows a distinct resemblance to the 1948 Cadillac rear fin treatment. Cadillac designer Harley J. Earl receives credit for the invention of the rear tail fin. (Former Movie World photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Not surprisingly, the Topper car was just as popular as the \u201calways out for a good time\u201d movie star ghosts. The roadster did include as you note styling cues from Cord (exhausts) and also from the Graham (shark-like front end). Notable is that the car featured a second hidden steering wheel which allowed stuntmen to drive the car using a wheel hidden from sight. It worked for producer Roach as many times scenes featured the Topper car \u201cwith no visible driver.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sharing stardom with Grant, Bennett and Young, Mobil Gas purchased the roadster and had Bohman and Schwartz do some needed updates. Originally built on the aforementioned \u201836 Buick \u201cStraight-8\u201d powered Century \/ Roadmaster chassis, the car received Chrysler underpinnings in 1954, including re-fitting the body and interior on a new Chrysler Imperial chassis powered by a 235-horse Chrysler Hemi V8. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a few more updates, including rear tail fins and a new front end design, the car was purchased by Jim Brucker as part of his \u201cMovie World: Cars of the Stars\u201d collection in Buena Park, Ca. The car was then auctioned off in 2006 by RM Auctions\/Sotheby\u2019s when Movie World closed. It sold for $132,000 and ended up at the fabulous R.E. \u201cPete\u201d Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, he was the founder of Hot Rod Magazine back in 1948. I had the pleasure of interviewing Mr. Petersen prior to his passing in 2007 and he mentioned the Topper movie car to me several times during our talk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Car
Topper movie poster featured the Topper Roadster prominently. It was a hit movie for Hal Roach who was responsible for Laurel and Hardy and the Little Rascals. (Compliments Hal Roach Studios)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve attached photos of the car as it appeared in the movie, a movie poster and as the Movie World car as displayed at Pete Petersen\u2019s museum. Hope this all helps, as the \u201cTopper car\u201d was such a huge part of the 1937 movie it now gives good reason for all my readers to watch Topper when it appears again on TMC or on-demand anytime. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for you purists, Cosmo Topper played by Young (and still human in the movie) drove a 1936 Lincoln Model K and is not to be confused with the roadster \u201cTopper movie car.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks for your letter Jim and kind comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0(Greg Zyla is a syndicated auto columnist who welcomes reader questions on collector cars, auto nostalgia and motor racing at 303 Roosevelt St., Sayre, Pa. 18840 or email at\u00a0greg@gregzyla.com<\/a>).
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Q: Hello Greg, I enjoy your columns very much and right now my wife and I are watching the Topper movie on Turner Movie Channel…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":72019,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-72017","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorial"],"yoast_head":"\nCar Collector Corner - \u2018Topper\u2019 movie and car generates interest; update design includes Hemi engine, rear tail fins - Owego Pennysaver Press<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2019\/03\/22\/car-collector-corner-topper-movie-and-car-generates-interest-update-design-includes-hemi-engine-rear-tail-fins\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Car Collector Corner - \u2018Topper\u2019 movie and car generates interest; 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