Thread: American Graffiti Coupe, My Version

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Don't even get me started on Flux Capacitors! LOL

I think that this guy's research was about the most thorough that anyone has done - New Page 1

If you take time to find it he says that the paint on the coupe was DuPont #5248A, which is a 1972 Corvette Canary yellow, Centari enamel. That goes against several American Graffiti blogs out there that say "Canary Yellow Lacquer" sprayed by the Orlandi's Body Shop in San Rafael, CA. Now I cannot say what paint your Timeless shop used, but that's the one that's said to be the true color.

San Rafael is on my way to work if they are open, I could swing by and check? Address: 25 Verdi St, San Rafael, CA 94901
Phone415) 456-3110

Originally Posted by rspears

If you take time to find it he says that the paint on the coupe was DuPont #5248A, which is a 1972 Corvette Canary yellow, Centari enamel..

I don't see how it was possible to have a 1972 color in 1962?? We are getting back to the issue of the flux capacitor it looks like!

(Sorry I couldn't resist)

Originally Posted by rspears

I think that this guy's research was about the most thorough that anyone has done - New Page 1

If you take time to find it he says that the paint on the coupe was DuPont #5248A, which is a 1972 Corvette Canary yellow, Centari enamel. That goes against several American Graffiti blogs out there that say "Canary Yellow Lacquer" sprayed by the Orlandi's Body Shop in San Rafael, CA. Now I cannot say what paint your Timeless shop used, but that's the one that's said to be the true color.

This PPG code is from Rick Blevins from THX138. The PPG paint code is 83849. He said he had is paint guy cross it from the Dupont code.

American Graffiti (1973) - IMDb
American Graffiti (1973) - IMDb
Internet Movie Database
Rating: 7.5/10 - ‎61,045 votes
A couple of high school grads spend one final night cruising the strip with their buddies before they go off to college. ... George Lucas. ... Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat.

Sorry I said '61 it was suppose to have taken place in '62, should have known how many times I have seen it!
"On the last day of summer vacation in 1962, friends Curt (Richard Dreyfuss), Steve (Ronny Howard), Terry (Charles Martin Smith) and John (Paul Le Mat) cruise the streets of small-town California while a mysterious disc jockey (Wolfman Jack) spins classic rock'n'roll tunes"

It was a movie.. not a documentary. And the story was through the eyes/memories of Lucas... I'd bet he'd call it "artistic license".

Originally Posted by 34_40

It was a movie.. not a documentary. And the story was through the eyes/memories of Lucas... I'd bet he'd call it "artistic license".

Filmed in '73, a '72 Corvette color makes perfect sense to me. That said, I could really care less....

Can any of you post some pictures of body dollies you have built? I'm getting ready to take my body to the paint shop and need to make a dolly. I only need to use it once so I don't want to build some fancy metal one. Any ideas would be appreciated.

BodyPaint.jpgThe paint shop probably has a dolly so all you have to do is get the body to the shop, on a flatbed if necessary. If you are painting it yourself in your garage you can probably make a dolly from a 4' x 8' plywood sheet on a wooden rectangle built from 2" x 4". Maybe Tractor Supply has such casters? Wood is cheaper for one-time use but the whole thing might come out over$200.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Building A Body Cart - Street Rodder Magazine

Edit; the above link's design has no diagonal braces and should be modified to prevent collapse.

Originally Posted by 36 sedan

Building A Body Cart - Street Rodder Magazine

Don't build this without modification! Against my better judgement as a carpenter I built this thing exactly as listed to find there is absolutely nothing diagonal to keep it from collapsing and with only one bolt per crossmember it is going to collapse, which it did with a body on it! Luckily I wasn't under it, just near it!!

Originally Posted by Matthyj

Don't build this without modification! Against my better judgement as a carpenter I built this thing exactly as listed to find there is absolutely nothing diagonal to keep it from collapsing and with only one bolt per crossmember it is going to collapse, which it did with a body on it! Luckily I wasn't under it, just near it!!

Exactly! Under load, that cart can collapse side-to-side or front-to-rear, given enough weight - or, if a wheel hits something and binds while you're pushing it. The one in my photo will not collapse side-to-side because of the width of the main rails and the uprights. It won't collapse front-to-back because of the triangular gussets.

IMG_0071.JPG

Originally Posted by 36 sedan

Building A Body Cart - Street Rodder Magazine

Edit; the above link's design has no diagonal braces and should be modified to prevent collapse.

AGREE!! Needs lots more support. I have built many for all the bodies I have painted through the years. 4 heavy duty casters mounted on bottom of 3/4 inch plywood sheet cut to size needed then I add 2 x 12 lumber up on top of plywood on all 4 sides all bolted together with long lag bolts. gets body up just high enough to paint very easily and super strong.