Landmaster Returns from Post-Apocalyptic Disrepair

Mike Bumbeck — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 18:48:10 EST

The reason Damnation Alley didn't make a whole lot of sense back when we saw it in the theatre was that the projectionist ran the reels of this 1977 cinema gem 1-3-4-2. We're still confused. What we do remember is George Peppard driving all over a mixed up apparition of a post-nuclear southern California in the Dean Jeffries Landmaster. Jeffries took the then and still crazy sum of 400 large and brought forth the mighty Landmaster specifically for the film. The Landmaster was indeed tough, and has survived despite the apocalypse that was Damnation Alley's box office take. Look for the unveiling of the restored Landmaster and Dean Jeffries himself at the upcoming San Francisco Rod, Custom & Motorcycle Show. – Mike Bumbeck

San Francisco Rod, Custom & Motorcycle Show [External]

When TV was King of Kustoms

Mike Bumbeck — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 12:45:04 EST

Television was largely a scripted thing before a million channels and equal number of chopper building shows plunged TV into its current fetid stew of reality programming. The cop drama was king. Network produced cop shows ruled the airwaves for years at a time. Stretching the cop drama slightly thin was Banacek, played by a turtleneck wearing George Peppard. Banacek was an insurance investigator of Polish-American heritage who always managed to solve the crime or mystery at hand. More unusual than any of this was that though Banacek himself lived in Boston, action on the show always managed to take place in Los Angeles or Las Vegas. From this regal age of the television network rule also came kustom kars built by the likes of George Barris.

This kustom 1969 AMC AMX was featured in the second regular season episode of Bancek as a stolen "experimental racecar". In the episode entitled Project Phoenix, the car was worth five million dollars. Banacek was called in to find it, and the trailer it was stolen in. Stylish turtlenecks, cigar smoking, Polish proverbs, and chatting up the ladies ensued. The AMC was spied at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum this last summer after having spent 33 years on the show car circuit following its TV debut in 1972. – Mike Bumbeck

[A-Team Photo Gallery]; [Walter P. Chrysler Museum] [External]

Jalopnik: banacek

Landmaster Returns from Post-Apocalyptic Disrepair

When TV was King of Kustoms