Found article about GT350H Garner drove while filming Grand Prix

[HistoryBuff]

6S611, i think that's the chassis number of the '66 Shelby GT350H in a 2015 article by Matt Stone in Motor Trend about James Garner driving it round in Europe during the filming of a racing movie Grand Prix. I don't think it got in the movie but Bondurant wanted each of the drivers who would be "racing" on camera to learn race driving driving that car.

https://www.motortrend.com/features/1507-james-garners-1966-shelby-gt350h-from-grand-prix-movie/

[rhjanes]

the car has a brief cameo in the movie.  I've not watched it in a bit but I believe Garner drives up and gets out of it.  Perhaps there is a scene with Jessica Walter in it, but I'm real unsure about that. 

Garner was one of several Hollywood types that raced and were pretty good.  He ran Oldsmobiles in some off-road stuff. 

[6s1640]

Here are some images from movie.

Enjoy

Cory

[FL SAAC]

Very kool,  thanks again

[rhjanes]

My memory seems better than I give it credit for......

Garner and McQueen were friends and lived a block or two apart.  Funny stories about them.  Garner like to work in his yard/garden and kept it immaculate.  Some up-the-hill neighbor (McQueen) would clandestinely drive by and toss empty beer cans on Garner's yard in the middle of the night. 
There was a falling out over Gran Prix.  McQueen felt people involved in it "Stole his thunder" about his Le Man project.  But then you read about all the issues with LeMan's......

[honker]

I have this image of 6S611 in my files. Who was Buzz Buzaglo (spelling ?) he is sitting in the car, Swiss alps, 1966, maybe I need to pull out

my book on the making off Le Mans, might find the answer there ?

[csxsfm]

When McQueen was tuning himself up for Lemans by racing a Porsche in SoCal SCCA races, Garner was usually in attendance and a pit pal.

[s2ms]

Here are some images from movie.

Enjoy

Cory

Thanks for the photos Cory. Looks to have the red painted rear view mirror....

[6s1640]

Hi Dave, is there something else about red mirrors that I not remembering. That red could be an artifact of the photograph, a reflection off of something red in the interior or the vehicle filming shot. What am I missing?

Cory

[s2ms]

Hi Cory,

Definitely not an artifact. A few Hertz cars have original mirrors with the back of the mirror painted red. Has been discussed in a few threads but don't think anyone really knows why, possibly an ID marker of some kind?

Here's a couple threads about this, probably a few more, there was a good one on forum 1.0 that is now dust in the wind...

Dave

https://www.saacforum.com/index.php?topic=2373

https://www.saacforum.com/index.php?topic=10344