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Motor Trend
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
1966 Shelby 427 Cobra vs. 1972 Ferrari Daytona Spyder: Gumball Rally Revisited
[This article originally appeared in the Summer 2006 issue of MotorTrend Classic] Given the giddy brew that comprises 1976's 'The Gumball Rally'—dream cars in an illegal race from New York to California (all for glory and a gumball machine), authentic high-speed zooming and vrooming, plenty of anti-establishment gags, plus a steady stream of spectacular stunts and pulchritudinous ladies in shrink-wrapped attire—it's a wonder the movie didn't sweep the Academy Awards. But Gumball took home not a single golden statuette. (In an obvious anti-auto conspiracy, also winning nothing was that year's other big car picture, 'Taxi Driver.') The New York Times, probably put off by Gumball's lack of subtitles, called it 'nothing but one long exhaust pipe.' 0:00 / 0:00 Hel-loooo? We've carefully watched all the big Oscar honorees for 1976—films like 'Network' and 'All the President's Men'—and haven't found a single scene involving a Ferrari Daytona Spyder or a Shelby 427 Cobra. And therein lies the guilty pleasure of 'The Gumball Rally.' For auto aficionados in the Seventies, watching Gumball was like spending 107 minutes inside Willy Wonka's Cheater Slick Factory. After all, owning a car in late-1970s America was a lot like being locked in your room by your parents—without the dirty magazines hidden under your bed. There seemed no end to the things we couldn't do. We couldn't drive over 55 mph—not without Fuzzbusters, anyway. We couldn't buy gas without a reservation. We couldn't own high-horsepower cars without feeling the static cling of Jimmy Carter's cardigan sweater. We couldn't even turn on the car radio, because the Bay City Rollers or Barry Manilow might be on it. Then the first reel rolled on 'The Gumball Rally,' and within 15 minutes the cast had raised a prerace toast that swept aside all societal fouled plugs: 'To internal combustion. And wind in the face.' Okay, 'Macbeth' it isn't. But Gumball fairly glistens with breath-snatching wheels: the sensuous Ferrari, the bulging Cobra, a black Porsche 911, a hopped-up Camaro, a vintage Mercedes 300SL roadster, a Rolls-Royce worth an astronomical '$40,000.' The dialog boasts a few 'Casablanca'-caliber gems, too, including perhaps the most immortal line in car-movie history—when Italian race champ Franco (the late Raul Julia) yanks the rearview mirror off the Ferrari as he declares to teammate Smitty (the late Tim McIntire): 'And now, my friend, the first rule of Italian driving: What's behind me is not important.' Above all, Gumball took our catalyst-choked, fuel-shortaged souls along on a vicarious thrill ride in which the only rule was 'there are no rules.' Who among us hasn't dreamt of doing naughty things with a Porsche right through midtown Manhattan? Who hasn't fantasized about outrunning a police helicopter in a Ferrari that 'must be doing 180 mph'? And who didn't go envy green over the classic, climactic duel between Franco's Daytona and the Cobra of Michael Bannon (Michael Sarrazin) down the semi-dry L.A. River to the finish line at the Queen Mary in Long Beach? Do the pictures on these pages look familiar? They should. That's the same L.A. River you see in Gumball, and those are the actual two cars that appeared in the movie (we look exactly like Sarrazin and Julia, too—at least if you're reading this while seated on a paint shaker). Drive the actual Gumball Rally cars? Who said youthful fantasies never come true? Enthusiasts will recall, of course, that the idea for an illegal cross-country race was hardly original. 'My agent sent me a clipping from the Los Angeles Times about this race from New York to L.A.,' says Chuck Bail, 70, Gumball's producer and director. 'And the more I thought about it, the more I thought, 'What a great idea for a comedy.'' Not finding the idea quite so amusing, though, was then-Car and Driver writer Brock Yates, whose notorious Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash was the illegal race in question and who had plans for his own movie version. 'I was furious about it. Really pissed off,' Yates said. Yet Gumball rolled on. 'I picked every car in the movie,' Bail says. 'The studio tried to force me to use star actors, but my feeling was, the cars are the stars.' Then Bail laughs. 'Also, I wanted to keep the budget down!' Bail remembers the first time he met his 'Franco Bertollini.' 'My agent said, 'You've got to meet this guy, Raul Julia.' And I said, 'I need an Italian!' But unbeknownst to me, Raul had already been prepped on the part. So he auditioned and he was just so Italian, so wonderful. But of course he was a New Yorker. He couldn't drive!' Bail had more difficulty finding his 'Michael Bannon.' 'Finally the studio president said, 'How about Michael Sarrazin?' And I said 'fine,' 'cause we started shooting in three days! But I gotta tell you, Michael was a wonderful choice. While we were filming, though, so many people thought he was Peter Fonda. Used to drive him nuts!' 'Michael was an even worse driver than Raul Julia!' laughs Linda Vaughn, the omnipresent motorsport beauty queen who appears in Gumball as the dishy 'Emergency Plan Alpha' to distract the amorous Franco from the finish line. 'Raul was such fun. I brought my Ferrari 246 to the set to show him how to shift gears, and I think it made Michael jealous—he wanted to go out with me. But the man could not even drive the Cobra! Raul got the hang of it. I was so impressed with how he handled himself. I still have the silk scarf he wears in the movie.' For his four-wheeled stars, Bail had backups. 'We had two of everything,' he says. 'You don't dare do a movie with just one of each car.' Bail's vehicular Noah's Ark included two authentic Cobras (plus one replica that appeared on screen briefly) and two authentic Daytona Spyders. The Cobra you see here, serial number CSX3255, is one of the two genuine cars; both were painted Guardsman Blue during the filming (CSX3255 has since been restored, repainted in red, and fitted with a new hood that lacks a scoop). While shooting, one of the two Cobras (it's unclear which) suffered nose damage during a crash into the L.A. River's concrete wall, forcing Bail to finish filming with the second car (look closely near the movie's end, and you can see the Cobra switch from damaged to undamaged and back again). Like the other film Cobra—CSX3243—the red car is now in private hands in California (see 'Ask the Man Who Owns One'). Gumball also used two genuine Ferrari Daytona Spyders. 'My stuntmen got to dicing with each other while we were filming the night race in Arizona between the Ferrari and the Cobra,' Bail says, 'and the Ferrari driver went off. Totaled the Daytona—and a Panavision camera. Somehow they found me another car in Scottsdale, and I wrote a check for $35,000 so I could finish shooting. At the end of the movie, the studio reimbursed my $35K. Can you believe it? I should've kept the damn car!' The Spyder you see here, serial number 14829, graciously loaned to us from its permanent home at L.A.'s Petersen Automotive Museum ( is likely the second car. According to the best available information, the wrecked Spyder, serial number 16467, was rebuilt, 'crashed' on screen by Kris Kristofferson in 1976's 'A Star Is Born,' and then converted into a 'NART Spyder' (however, one of 14829's earlier owners, former Ferrari racer and repair-shop owner Joseph Crevier, claims his was the Ferrari that appeared in both Gumball and 'A Star is Born'). Eventually, 14829 joined the collection of Noel and Mel (the voice of Bugs Bunny) Blanc before moving to the Petersen seven years ago. Since Gumball, 14829 has been restored and repainted, including new cockpit trim by famed interior specialist Tony Nancy. Both cars are gorgeous. Looking at the two of them side by side on the concrete of the L.A. River, just as they appeared in 'The Gumball Rally,' adolescent memories come flooding back. Why, we drooled over these very machines three decades ago. It's like climbing aboard a time machine and spending a day in 1976 with Farrah Fawcett and Lynda Carter—except the cars won't smack you if you put on a Barry White album. Unexpected for an exotic of its vintage, the Ferrari is a polished jewel (on reflection, perhaps that isn't surprising; this being the model that in the premiere issue of Motor Trend Classic our expert panelists ranked number two on the list of greatest-ever Ferraris). The engine starts easily, the five-speed slots gracefully through the pattern, and the steering quickly shrugs off an initial heaviness to become, as speed builds, quite light and fluid. The four-cam, 4.4-liter V-12 revs like a turbine, and the horses awaken smartly as the tach climbs. Beyond 5000 rpm or so, all 352 of them are racing hard for the 7500-rpm redline, emitting a howl that makes grown men weak in the knees and teenage boys stand in line to watch car movies. Franco and Smitty chose well—you can feel the Ferrari's long legs, its comfort with speed. For an illegal dash across the country, the Daytona would make a brilliant accomplice (and, in fact, in 1971 a Daytona coupe carried Brock Yates and racing legend Dan Gurney to a win in the Cannonball, averaging 80 mph over nearly 2900 miles and once reaching 176 mph). Gun this beauty through the gears, listen to it sing the high notes, and you can only smile and say, as Franco would, 'She is happy.' If the Ferrari is from Venus, the Shelby 427 Cobra is a beast from Mars. Climb aboard the Cobra, and you're tying yourself onto a rodeo bull—hell, this thing might even kick you if you try to climb back out. Twist the ignition, and the race-bred 7.0-liter big-block V-8 crackles and shudders, the flimsy aluminum body quivers like an overgrown Chihuahua, and soon your toes are slow-roasting against the firewall. You're still in neutral. The four-speed shifter juts out of the floor like a crooked cactus but finding the gear notches is effortless. Press in the clutch pedal (precursor to the Nautilus calf machine), tickle the throttle, and…sorry. We unintentionally clenched shut every bodily orifice just remembering how the Cobra charges off the line. All the acceleration clichés come to mind: aircraft-carrier catapults, NASA rockets, teenage girls catching sight of Leonardo DiCaprio. Driving this thing across the country would be pure masochism, but, man, even after four decades the Cobra has lost none of its famed bite. There's so much torque you can start off in fourth gear if you want. Put it in first, and it'd humiliate almost anything made today (it feels way quicker than the 5.3-second 0-to-60 time we recorded on skinnier tires—and with two aboard—in 1966). Legend has it that the Cobra could rocket from 0 to 100 and back to 0 in under 14 seconds—and from the way this one crushed our eyeballs, we believe it. Which car wins our Gumball Rally rematch? Without Emergency Plan Alpha on hand to bust loose a clear victor, we're happy to call it a draw, a question of taste—the Ferrari's Toscanini virtuosity versus the Cobra's shattering heavy metal. Besides, as Franco says in Gumball when yet another young lovely diverts his attention, 'Some things are more important than winning.' 1972 Ferrari 365GTS/4 Daytona Spyder Expect to Pay: Concours ready: $750,000 (perhaps $800,000 or more with Hollywood connection); solid driver: $600,000; tired runner: $500,000 Join The Club: Ferrari Club of America; Our Take Then: 'The Daytona Spyder will provide all the thrills a sane man could want and do it with full security at a level where lesser machinery might feel as though it were reaching escape velocity.'—Chuck Queener, Motor Trend, December 1971. Now: As scene-stealing as it ever was. And rare to boot: This car is one of only about 120 genuine Daytona Spyders built from 1969 through 1974 (thanks to abundant coupe-to-convertible conversions since then, of those original Spyders about 250 exist today). Still feels seriously fast, still feels robust. We'd gladly take one on a cross-country race tomorrow. Currently in the collection of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles ( 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra Ask The Man Who Owns One The Cobra's owner, a businessman and attorney in California's central valley who prefers not to be identified, says he didn't learn his car was used in 'The Gumball Rally' until after he bought it in 2002. 'It was a nice surprise,' he says, 'but really I'd always just wanted a Cobra. I used to own a replica, but when I had enough money I started looking for an original.' Why He Likes It: 'Running through the gears! I probably put 300 to 400 miles a year on the car driving it through the twisties. I've had it up to about 140 mph. But the handling is pure 1966. I can't imagine how anyone raced these cars on a road course.' Why It's Collectible: Shelby built only 348 427 Cobras (including 21 competition cars) from 1965 to 1967. Without question, the baddest automobile of the 1960s—it's a dream for many enthusiasts just to see one. Restoring/Maintaining: 'I have my Cobra maintained by a very talented guy named Brian Frick,' says the owner. 'When I bought the car it had already been restored, so I really haven't had to do anything major to it.' Expect To Pay: Concours ready: $700,000; solid driver: $550,000; tired runner: $400,000 Join The Club: Shelby American Automobile Club; Our Take Then: 'Although amazingly tractable and untemperamental for such a powerful machine, this is clearly not a car for everyone. If you want to pretend that every stop light is the grid at Nürburgring or every freeway the Mulsanne straight, forget it. You can't afford the tickets.'—Bob Schilling, MT, September 1966. Now: Still one of the most visceral and exciting rides ever put on four wheels. Fast, loud, unabashedly primal. Might want to go on a low-residue diet before you start it up.
The Herald Scotland
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Rediscover magic as Back Doune The Rabbit Hole returns with new owners
To mark its triumphant return to the festival circuit, the event has been dubbed Back Doune the Rabbit Hole, with the revival coming under a new and experienced management team appointed to oversee the organisation of the 2025 festival. The event is now being led by musician and festival organiser Brian Harkin, alongside Rock Artist Management's Colin Black and Paul Aspey. Managing bookings for over 70 bands, including Bay City Rollers, Bad Manners, and Big Country, Rock Artist Management is a company run by musicians, for musicians, and currently supplies acts for festivals and venues across the UK. Strengthening the expertise of the new management line up is a wider team of music industry leaders who have a combined experience of over 45 years in running festivals. The team has organised over 150 festivals in the last 10 years. The new team's goal is simple: take what people loved about Doune in the early days, and build something solid, imaginative and inclusive. "We're buzzing to bring Doune the Rabbit Hole back to life," said Brian Harkin. "The response and support so far have been incredible, and we're so grateful to everyone who's placed their trust in us to carry this festival forward. This event has always been about bringing people together through a love of music, and we've worked hard to put together a lineup that reflects that spirit. We can't wait to welcome festivalgoers back to Cardross Estate in August for a weekend that stays true to what has made the festival special, while bringing new energy to lead it into this new chapter." The festival, which ran successfully for 10 years before taking a two-year hiatus, has long been known for its diverse programming and laid-back atmosphere. The 2025 edition promises to build on this legacy while offering a revitalised and inclusive experience for festivalgoers of all ages. The connection between the festival and its community has always been a defining feature. Many attendees return year after year, not just for the music, but for the eclectic atmosphere that sets it apart. Families, long-time fans, first-timers, and artists alike have spoken about the unique sense of place that Doune offers. With the 2025 edition, organisers are hoping to rebuild that same sense of trust and belonging, while opening the gates to a new generation of attendees. Headlining the weekend are Marc Almond on Friday, The Fratellis on Saturday, and The Zutons on Sunday, delivering high-energy performances that will frame a weekend packed with diverse musical talent. The lineup reflects the festival's commitment to celebrating a wide range of genres, featuring chart-topping pop from Scouting for Girls, feel-good anthems from The Feeling, the soulful acoustics of Newton Faulkner, and the unique tribute act Elvana. Adding to the mix are acclaimed singer-songwriter Lucy Spraggan, folk-punk favourites Ferocious Dog, and the legendary Undertones, with more than 60 acts set to perform across five distinctive stages. Pictured: Sunday's headliner, The Zutons Each of the five stages brings something different to the table. The Garden is the main outdoor stage and the beating heart of the festival, perfect for those sunlit headline sets and crowd singalongs. The Big Top offers a covered space with big energy from morning to night. Mad Hatters, created in collaboration with Passenger, brings the best of Scotland's electronic and club scene into the wee hours. Burrowlands highlights alternative and emerging acts, giving new voices and experimental performances a platform. Jabbers, the newest addition, introduces comedy and spoken word, with sets hosted by Elaine Robertson and Lee Kyle and a lineup drawn from the spirit of the Edinburgh Fringe. For families, the festival continues to be one of the most welcoming around. Wacky Warren, run by the returning Kidding Around team, is the dedicated kids' area with programming from 10am to 10pm. Children can expect a mix of imaginative and active play, from giant sandpits and train sets to craft zones, a teen space, an on-site library, and more. It's designed not only for kids to get stuck in but for grown-ups to enjoy time and space to relax too. Food and drink have always played a big part in the festival experience, and Back Doune aims to get the balance just right. From locally sourced dishes and veggie-friendly options to late-night bites and proper coffee, there's something for every taste and budget. The bars will be stocked with a mix of craft favourites and familiar staples, all at fair prices. Meanwhile, the new wellness and healing area will offer a slower pace for those looking to reset between sets. Expect everything from yoga sessions to creative workshops, guided meditation, and more. Volunteer applications are open, offering a great opportunity for people to get involved behind the scenes. Volunteers contribute three shifts over the weekend and in return receive meals, access to crew camping, and all the perks of the full festival experience. This is a great chance for anyone interested in events or looking to experience the festival from a different angle while helping make it all happen. Many volunteers return year after year, and the team welcomes both new and familiar faces. The 2025 edition will include a range of changes designed to make the festival experience as smooth and welcoming as possible. From layout tweaks to on-site facilities, the team is working behind the scenes to create an environment that's inclusive for everyone. For those not bringing a car, travel partners Happy Bus are offering return coach services from key Scottish cities, including Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Stirling, as well as a shuttle from Stirling city centre. The festival's new management team have made it clear that this isn't just a return, it's a rebuild. The cancellation of the 2023 edition understandably shook the trust of many, but the new organisers of Back Doune the Rabbit Hole are committed to transparency and good communication. FAQ pages on the website aim to keep everyone informed about planning and improvements, and the team has already begun reaching out to the community, inviting feedback and ideas for the future. "This is about more than putting on a good weekend," commented Brian. "It's about rebuilding something meaningful that people feel proud to be part of. That means getting the details right, being honest about the past, and listening to what people actually want from a festival like this. We're not here to replicate what came before, we're here to honour what made it special and make it stronger for the future." The full line-up is now live, along with the day splits. Weekend and day tickets are available now at Back Doune the Rabbit Hole will run from Friday to Sunday, August 1st, 2nd and 3rd, 2025.
USA Today
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Patty Maloney, 'Little House on the Prairie' actress, dies at 89
Patty Maloney, 'Little House on the Prairie' actress, dies at 89 Former "Little House on the Prairie" star Patricia "Patty" Maloney has died. She was 89. A fixture on Variety shows like "Donny and Marie" and "Bay City Rollers" in the 1970s and '80s, Maloney died Monday, her rep Jeffrey Loseff confirmed in a statement Wednesday to USA TODAY. Her brother, Dave Myrabo, told The Hollywood Reporter that Maloney died in hospice care in Winter Park, Florida, after experiencing "several" strokes over the years. "Patty was the ultimate performer, a triple threat performing on Broadway" and with "her own one-woman show," Loseff said in the statement. 'Little House on the Prairie' star Melissa Gilbert slams Megyn Kelly's 'woke' criticism At 3 feet 11 inches, Maloney's size was at once signature to her performance art and a mere portion of a much bigger persona. Along with playing Alice Bates on "Little House," she was best known for her roles as Chewbacca's son Lumpy in 1978's "The Star Wars Holiday Special" and Honk in 1975 on the TV series "Far Out Space Nuts." With additional features in big-name productions like "Swing Shift," "Under the Rainbow" and "The Addams Family," Maloney proved herself humorous, dynamic and charming. Maloney also performed in Las Vegas with Totie Fields, the trailblazing female comic who died in 1978. That signature showmanship was minted early on in her career, with a stint as a circus performer through the famed Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey productions. "There wasn't a person she met or place she's worked where she was not loved by everyone," the statement read.
BBC News
15-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Bay City Rollers super fans unveil memorial benches in Edinburgh
Memorial benches honouring two former members of the Bay City Rollers have been unveiled in fan group Still Rollin raised more than £12,000 for the tributes in the city's Princes Street recognise founding member Alan Longmuir, who died in 2018, and former lead singer Les McKeown, who died in Scottish pop rock band became tartan-clad sensations in the UK and US in the 1970s and had hits with songs like Shang-a-lang and Bye Bye Baby. The community, which has more than 1,500 members around the world, raised the funds by auctioning off clothes that belonged to items were donated by his widow PekoKeiko band member Eric Faulkner also provided a tape containing some early demos and previously unheard Bay City Rollers' music to be sold for a limited funds will be donated to charity. Fellow band founder Derek Longmuir, brother of Alan, also attended the group got together in the early 70s and found their name by throwing a dart at a map which landed on Bay City, near first single was Keep On Dancing in 1971 and they had two number one hits in 1975 with Bye Bye Baby and Give A Little band enjoyed chart-topping album success with Rollin' (1974) and Once Upon A Star (1975) and went on to sell 120 million they finally imploded when McKeown left in 1978 and bitter battles over the money they should have been paid dragged on for benches are situated in Princes Street Gardens, close to the Ross Bandstand where Alan and founding member brother Derek performed in public for the first time as schoolboys.
