Throughout the history of cinema, Hollywood has used thousands of automotive creations to capture the imaginations of its audiences. No matter whether it's the Batmobile, Kitt, or Mad Max's Pursuit Special, all of these cars were used to (at the very least) make the movie/show more exciting. Although these types of vehicle fabrications are more often than not used in predominantly action films, there have been some used in more "family-friendly" movies.
One such example is Greased Lightning from the hit late 70s musical "Grease", which starred John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Although the car only made a brief appearance in a single musical number, the image of that bright red hot rod tended to stick in many peoples' minds. As a result of this, the car (among others portrayed throughout the film) became famous in it's own right and also became one of the most well-known aspects of the movie.
So, "where is it now?" is a question that you might be asking yourself. After all, it is practically one of Screenland's most influential cars from the late-ish 20th Century; therefore, it should have a proper home, right?
Well, thankfully, you can rest at ease, as it has been properly taken care of over the course of these past forty-four years.
Let's explore a little bit of Greased Lightning's history and where you can expect to find it in the future.
Greased Lightning Originally Started Out Life As A 1948 Ford Deluxe Convertible
Underneath all of the glitz and glamour that is Greased Lightning, you’ll find that the hotrod was actually based on something a bit less exciting: An old 1948 Ford Deluxe Convertible. The model was initially marketed as an entry-level luxury car and even came with a relatively affordable price of $1,740 ($19,616.23 today). However, by today’s standards, it wasn’t exactly what you would call sporty.
When the 1948 Deluxe Convertible left the factory, it was equipped with Ford’s legendary flathead V-8, which was considered to be the top-tier engine for this model year. Despite this, the motor itself only produced around 100 HP and about 180 lb-ft of torque. Additionally, the power unit was mated to a 3-speed manual transmission (so, not exactly a race car by any means).
Danny And The Gang Made Some "Minor" Modifications
If you’ve watched Grease before, then you probably already know that there is no shortage of interesting cars... or musical numbers. “Greased Lightning” stands out among these other cars, however, because it combines both of these concepts and melds them into one (and it's also bright red). For those who haven’t watched the movie, all you need to know is that Greased Lightning is an imaginary car that is “built” while the T-Birds (John Travolta’s gang) sing and dance (yes, it’s an odd image to imagine).
Throughout the course of the musical number, there are lyrics that describe exactly what the T-Birds are adding to the old Ford. This includes new suspension, exhausts, pistons, and spark plugs. Additionally, they also add a slew of interior and exterior accessories, like that of a see-thru Plexiglass hood and a Palomino dashboard.
Funnily enough, many of the parts that they claim to be putting into the car literally would not work together. This includes putting in both a manual transmission (“4 on the floor”) and an automatic transmission (“automatic...hydromatic”), as well as fitting fuel injectors to a carburetor (“four-barrel quads”). Clearly, the lyricists weren't exactly what you'd call gearheads.
Despite these minor discrepancies, however, the final product is definitely something to behold. In essence, Greased Lightning does a bang-aup job at capturing the spirit of the old mid-1900s hot rod scene (albeit with just a tad too much singing and dancing). Nevertheless, the tatted-up roadster definitely would stand out at any past or modern car meet.
It's Currently Where Many Other Hollywood Automotive Stars Go To Retire
After the filming of Grease had wrapped up, Greased Lightning was eventually sold to a private buyer in California. Much later in 2011, while the car was being restored at an auto repair shop, the owner of Greased Lightning sadly passed away. Not really knowing what to do with the famed hot rod, the auto shop ended up selling the car to the prestigious Volo Auto Museum in Illinois.
Today, Greased Lightning still occupies an exhibit at the famed museum and joins many other Hollywood automotive idols. This includes the likes of Herbie the Volkswagen Beetle, Speed Racer’s Mach 5, a Delorean from Back To The Future, and even the Mystery Machine! So, you could say that Greased Lightning will be spending its golden years amid fantastic company. Not too bad for a car that was jumped and danced on by a bunch of adults pretending to be teenagers.