The California Highway Patrol Chevrolet Camaro from “The Junkman”
The Junkman is an action film released in 1982 by HB Halicki, it was the second part of his trilogy which started with the original I’m going in 60 seconds and was then followed by Auto theft deadline.
During filming The Junkman over 150 cars, trucks, motorcycles and planes were destroyed, today the film still holds the Guinness World Record for the most vehicles destroyed in a single film.
Highlights – The Junkman’s Camaro
- This 1979 Chevrolet Camaro was one of more than 200 cars used during the filming of “The Junkman,” but most of the vehicles didn’t make it to the end of the film, with more than 150 cars destroyed in total.
- Most of the sheriff’s deputies and police officers who appeared in the film were not professional actors, they were real law enforcement personnel who had been hired, mostly from San Luis Obispo County, Paso Robles and Atascadero.
- After the film was released, this 1979 Chevrolet Camaro was acquired by the California Highway Patrol Museum where it would remain on display for decades, recently passing into private hands for the first time.
- This car features the 305 cubic inch V8 paired with a 3 speed automatic transmission, it has 15 inch wheels, bucket seats, sirens, headlamps, period style communication equipment and California livery Highway Patrol.
HB Halicki and “Gone In 60 Seconds”
Henry Blight “Toby” Halicki, better known as HB Halickiwas a Polish-American director, writer, stuntman, actor, and filmmaker who started out working on vehicles as a mechanic before starting his own car pound and towing business in California.
Video above: This is the original trailer for The Junkman, the full movie is also available on YouTube.
In 1974 Halicki wrote, directed, produced and starred in the film I’m going in 60 secondsit became a cult classic appreciated for its unusual style and numerous chase scenes.
During filming, he would end up with 10 compacted vertebrae after performing the film’s 128-foot-long (39-meter) jump finale, this left him limping for the rest of his life.
Halicki’s next film would be The Junkman in 1982, he wrote, directed, produced and acted in the film, it takes place in the same cinematic universe as I’m going in 60 secondsand the previous film was referenced in the plot.
A year later, in 1983, Halicki released the third film in the trilogy, Theft Autoin which he also acted, wrote, produced and directed.
Tragically, Halicki was killed in a stunt during filming Gone in 60 seconds 2 in 1989. He was preparing for the film’s main stunt sequence in which a 160-foot-tall (49-meter) water tower was about to collapse, but a stabilizer cable attached to the water tower broke from unexpectedly, ripping out a telephone pole which fell and killed Halicki instantly.
The remake of 2000’s “Gone In 60 Seconds”
Six years later, in 1995, Halicki’s widow, Denice Halicki, began working with Jerry Bruckheimer and the Touchstone Pictures team to produce a remake of I’m going in 60 seconds.
The film was released in 2000, it starred Nicolas Cage, Angelina Jolie, Giovanni Ribisi, Robert Duvall and Vinnie Jones – it would gross nearly a quarter of a billion dollars at the global box office.
Years after his death, Denice Halicki began dating Robert Kardashian, best known for portraying OJ Simpson and for being the father of Kourtney, Kim, Khloé and Rob Kardashian.
The Chevrolet Camaro CHP shown here
The 1979 Chevrolet Camaro was one of more than 200 cars used during filming The Junkmanthe vast majority would not survive, with over 150 destroyed before filming was completed.
Once the production of the film was completed, this car found its place in the California Highway Patrol Museum where it will remain on display for decades.
The car was modified for filming with a new white and rear paint scheme to replicate the CHP livery, “Highway Patrol” emblems were added to each door and it was also added in script form along the rear spoiler . Red and white A-pillar mounted spotlights were fitted, along with a front push bar and a large radio aerial.
Given this car’s history as a member of the I’m going in 60 seconds cinematic universe, it’s likely to get a lot of attention now that it’s up for sale on Bring A Trailer in Emeryville, CA.
If you want to know more or register to bid, you can click here to visit the list.
Images courtesy of Bring A Trailer.
Ben has had his work featured on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the Official Pinterest Blog, the Official eBay Motors Blog, BuzzFeed and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben in 2010, in the years since the site has become a global leader in the alternative and vintage automotive sector, with millions of readers around the world and several hundred thousand followers on social networks.
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