It took 29 mid-1960s Chrysler Imperials to create enough "Black Beauties" for the Green Hornet, which opened as the nation's No. 1 movie this weekend. And after all that carnage that goes with making a big-budget Hollywood action movie, how many are left? Just three, according to the film's car coordinator.
Almost all of the stunning black cars were dropped, crashed, blown up and otherwise destroyed during the filming, says Dennis McCarthy, the picture-car coordinator for the Green Hornet . One other appears to have survived, the one pictured at right that was given away in a fast-food promotion. Of those that remain, one was on display last week at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, a lightweight version (it has no engine or transmission) is hanging off the side of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles and the third is running around Southern California. Jay Leno, among others, just got hold of it. At least there will be one more: The actor who plays the Green Hornet's sidekick Kato in the movie, Jay Chou, wants one. So McCarthy said he picked through the wrecks to get enough parts to make one that can be shipped to the actor in Taiwan.
Making 29 Black Beauties was no easy task:
McCarthy said he had the scour the country -- even eastern Canada -- looking for 1964-1966 Imperials, a luxury car that never found much love. With most of the cars in rust-bucket condition, finding parts was just as much of a challenge. McCarthy said bumpers, chrome trim and windows were in the greatest demand. Does McCarthy regret having to grind up so much vintage Detroit automotive history. Not really. The old Imperials were "not a collectors' car." But he could wind up with a new challenge. He said he just read yesterday that a sequel could be in the works. The search for old Imperials could start all over again.
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