Her Name's Christine

[MattBiker]

Hey everyone,

Thought I would share my new build. I am building a bicycle version of Stephen King's 1958/57 Plymouth Christine.

I'm starting out with this bicycle I found online a couple of years ago. It was for another project that ran out of steam.

I removed the decals and replaced the cables with red ones. I no longer have the white seat so I may use this flamed one, or may need to find a "tuck and roll" patterned one.

Decals I designed and had cut for the sides of the tank.

 

[MattBiker]

She now has headlights.

 

[RustyGold]

Christine is a '58, the '57s had a parking lights in the inboard quad light set up (they didn't have time to get the quad lights 48-state approved...so the quad lights came out in '58).

I've never been able to read the book, as Christine is a four-door...I just can't wrap my mind around that choice .

Jason

 

[MattBiker]

Jason,

I didn't know that about the book. I think I read somewhere the studio had to convert some 57's into 58's because they didn't have enough.

 

[RustyGold]

Great movie...sad demise for the cars, however. Not near as bad as Dukes of Hazard, I read that they averaged destroying three Chargers per episode

Jason

 

[MattBiker]

Yes, just found the number - according to Cooter Ben Jones, 325 Chargers were used for the series and 24 for the movie.

 

[RustyGold]

...and of the series, I believe I've read that no more than 20 survived .

...and I watched every cheesey episode .

Jason

 

[ozzmonaut]

Christine is a '58, the '57s had a parking lights in the inboard quad light set up (they didn't have time to get the quad lights 48-state approved...so the quad lights came out in '58).

I've never been able to read the book, as Christine is a four-door...I just can't wrap my mind around that choice .

Jason

He didn't choose the car... it chose him. I almost bought a 59 locally a couple of months ago. Wouldn't have been exact, just close enough for me. But I don't need a haunted car, I have 3 to keep up already

 

[MattBiker]

I bet it was tempting. I watched video of one on Youtube and it sounded the same as in the movie.

 

[RustyGold]

He didn't choose the car... it chose him.

I didn't understand the author's choice...guys often make dumb decisions on whom, or what, they fall for...that, I understand .

Jason

edit: my HS car was a '66 Sports Fury...I called her Christy . She probably met a similar demise to Christine after she left my ownership. I bought a replacement '66...but, it has been in my barn for nearly 20years after my little brother blew it up in a joyriding incident .

 

[Bike Bum]

Christine is a '58, the '57s had a parking lights in the inboard quad light set up (they didn't have time to get the quad lights 48-state approved...so the quad lights came out in '58).

I've never been able to read the book, as Christine is a four-door...I just can't wrap my mind around that choice.

Jason

I read the book about 25 years ago, and you're right, the car was a 4 door. Of course, Steven King changed up cars from books to movies more than once. In the movie Needful Things, the "Devil" drove a 1958 Mercedes but in the book he drove a 1948 Tucker Torpedo.

 

[ozzmonaut]

I didn't understand the author's choice...guys often make dumb decisions on whom, or what, they fall for...that, I understand .

Jason

edit: my HS car was a '66 Sports Fury...I called her Christy . She probably met a similar demise to Christine after she left my ownership. I bought a replacement '66...but, it has been in my barn for nearly 20years after my little brother blew it up in a joyriding incident .

I got what you meant. I was just being funny. But yeah, it is an odd choice, given what was available at the time. I tend to go for cars that aren't as popular anyways. So anybody who sees me smiling and driving what I love, probably thinks I'm an ...... Right now I only own one car that I like, a 69 VW bus. Other than that I have an 02 Kia that I bought new , and an 80 Chevy truck. The bus is for general transportation, Kia for long trips and good mileage, and the truck is the household workhorse. One day I will indulge myself and get some vehicles that I can enjoy.

 

[ozzmonaut]

My highschool car was a 74 Chrysler New Yorker, and I wish I had it back. It was haunted too, and hungry for ballast resistors. I always kept one in the glove compartment

 

[Indyjps]

Tuck and roll seat would be awesome.

 

[MattBiker]

I think it might match the theme well.

 

[RustyGold]

...the "Devil" drove a 1958 Mercedes but in the book he drove a 1948 Tucker Torpedo.

That is almost enough to get me to read another Stephen King book .

It was haunted too, and hungry for ballast resistors. I always kept one in the glove compartment

...anyone that owns a '62-'72 Mopar better have a spare ballast resistor in the glove box...at least there are cell phones now, before cell phones no ballast meant you were going to be walking at some point .

Jason

 

[Bike Bum]

You need to pick up issue #12 of CARtoons magazine. It fits your build.

 

[RustySprockets]

I hear Harlem Nocturne even now.

 

[léocwc]

Anyway, where's the bike?

 

[MattBiker]

Been busy, hope to work on it this week. I picked up this emblem. It will go on the chainguard after some paint touch up.

Every time I think about the car, that "don't know why I love you" song pops into my head.