Rock Auto trivia question: How many Monaco & Gran Fury's were destroyed during filming The Blues Brothers in 1979?

[MoPar~Man]

Rock Auto's January newsletter trivia question:

About how many full-size Dodge/Plymouth police cars (Monaco, Royal Monaco, Gran Fury...) were destroyed during filming of "The Blues Brothers" chase scenes in 1979?

A) 60
B) 90
C) 120

 

[mobileparts]

With as many W R O N G listings they have in their electronic catalog, what makes you think that any number they say has any value for correctness ??? ( L O L )

 

[CBODY67]

In general, about 1/2 to 3/4 of those populations in the Chicago area? In that giant crash scene, it became obvious that not all of them were dual exhaust cars.

 

[71Polara383]

B. 90 cars.

 

[MoPar~Man]

The answer, which agrees with Rock Auto answer, can also be found here:

"Blues Brothers" movie, 60 cruisers for $400 each....

'The Blues Brothers' at 40: A look back at the action-comedy's epic (and highly destructive) climactic car chase he Blues Brothers' at 40: A look back at the action-comedy's epic (and highly destructive) climactic car chase Kevin Polowy June 19, 2020, 4:25 PM CDT Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi...

www.forcbodiesonly.com

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As director John Landis has explained over the years, the car chases were captured in fully practical fashion, with some 60 police cars destroyed and 40 stunt drivers employed for the downtown chase alone. “That was all real,” the filmmaker has said.

The production crew bought those 60 cruisers for $400 each, according to reports at the time. They also used 13 different Bluesmobiles purchased from the California Highway Patrol. Most of them were destroyed by the end of filming, even though the production kept a 24-hour body shop open for repairs. In total 103 cars were, well, totaled — which, according to IMDb, set an all-time record for the number of cars crashed. That record would later be passed by the 1982 actioner Junkman, its own 1998 sequel Blues Brothers 2000 (in which John Goodman stepped in for the late Belushi), and 2003’s The Matrix Reloaded.
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[71Polara383]

60 makes sense. If you are paying attention they show the same collisions from different angles in several scenes.

 

[Isaiah Estrada]

What a trip, I just saw this movie for the first time earlier today and wondered the same thing

 

[Stern70]

A few cars were 74-75 chevy belairs. I don't remember seeing and furys but I really don't want to know the answer, love the movie i just wish they used R bodys.

 

[CBODY67]

A few cars were 74-75 chevy belairs. I don't remember seeing and furys but I really don't want to know the answer, love the movie i just wish they used R bodys.

R-bodies did not have the "Cop 440",which meant they were not the baddest cop cars around. Plus, total production of any R-body was miniscule compared to the Formals, especially the St Regis V-8s. Not all of the Formals in the wreck scenes were factory dual exhaust cars.

 

[CBODY67]

It is EASY to put a 440 or 400 in a R-car. Just need the Gen I Cordoba front k-frame stuff. Plus ONE hose to the a/c compressor. But a stroker LA can get the same power if not more.