Top: Speeding hover car in Futurama episode.
Bottom: My 1
953 Chevy Belair Custom Hot Rod
Anything look familiar???
July, 2011
YES, it is true. The proof is in the photos! There is only ONE 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air in the WORLD with my custom-made shark fins, and it’s sitting in my garage. Now, another appears to exist 1000 years in the future.
Imagine my surprise while watching the new episode of Futurama last week, a show I’ve watched and dug since it first aired in 2000, when the “Tron” motorcycle cop/car chase scene so obviously used my own, custom designed hot rod as the car being chased! My jaw dropped, as you might have guessed. Good think I had it on TiVo so I could rewind it and watch over again to make sure I wasn’t nuts.
The front-side view of the Futurama Car, and my 1953 Chevy. Tell me they didn't copy mine! I dare ya.
Futurama's car, and my 1953 Chevy, from the back. The fins are exactly the same. And I designed them. It’s not just the fins…the overall look of the car is absolutely an early 1950’s GM vehicle, which is common in the show (Futurama was the name of the GM auto shows in the 50s, and also their shows at the World’s Fairs). Specifically it has the same rounded look as the 1954-54 Chevy, and even has a similar grill and side molding. But none of those cars had fins. In fact, all the GM cars of the 50s had fins that mimicked jet planes and rockets, never sharks, like these.
Now, of course the cartoon car is highly stylized…for the cartoon. Plus it’s in “TRON” mode. But the similarities are unmistakable. I really can’t imagine anyone else in the world pairing these exact style sharkfins with what is absolutely an early 1950’s stylized Chevy. Sure, there’s is a 2-door, and, well, it’s a hovercar. But…
I’m actually very honored that they used my personal custom design in an episode. That puts my lil’ old 53 Chevy Star Dust right up there with The Warecar (The CAR), Christine, the Original Warecar (the original Batmobile) and the 59 Caddy hovercars that appear often in the show.
My '53 Chevy Hot Rod
If anyone from Hollywood sees this, please tell Mat Groenig thanks, and I’d really like a signed cell or photo of the cast as a thank you.
Here's the clip:
There's lots of great pix of my 1953 Chevy Belair already, and some groovy stories about my 19 year adventure with this hunk of iron from the day I saw her for sale until the present where she resides in sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida!
Visit Star Dust Mysteries! Pix of the car plus info on the famous Star Dust Productions Theater Company, "Murder Behind the Closet Door" Mystery/Ghost novel & more! Just Klickit Here Kids!
Thanks For Visiting Chris Pinto's
Smokin’ ’53 Chevy Bel Air Hot Rod Website!
Chris Pinto's 1953 Chevrolet Belair Wild Custom Hotrod
