Few vehicles have captured the imagination and fear of audiences quite like Christine, the menacing motor from Stephen King’s chilling novel and John Carpenter’s 1983 cinematic adaptation. This vengeful, possessed car, a vibrant red 1958 Plymouth Fury, sped into pop culture history, becoming an unforgettable symbol of automotive horror.
Interestingly, despite Christine’s fame, the 1958 Plymouth Fury was not initially a popular model. Stephen King himself reportedly chose this car specifically because it was relatively obscure, aiming to resurrect a forgotten piece of automotive history into a horror icon. Let’s delve into the facts behind the real car that became Christine.
The 1958 Plymouth Fury: Design and Original Appeal
Following the success of the 1957 model, Plymouth sought to maintain a consistent design ethos for the 1958 Fury. In an era of rapid stylistic changes in the automotive industry, the Fury stood out for its evolutionary, rather than revolutionary, design.
Alt text: A menacing red 1958 Plymouth Fury, known as Christine, with its chrome headlight bezel and grille prominently displayed.
The design embodied classic 1950s American car aesthetics. It featured a wraparound windshield, distinctive round “lollipop” taillights, and prominent tailfins, all contributing to its streamlined, space-age appearance. Inside, bench seats, abundant chrome accents, and a slender steering wheel evoked the feeling of piloting a spaceship, typical of the era’s design aspirations.
Rarity and Collectibility: Why the 1958 Fury is Special
Plymouth vehicles often lagged behind Ford and Chevrolet in sales figures, and the 1958 Fury was no exception. Its relatively high price tag, coupled with an economic downturn, contributed to its limited production run and short lifespan in the market.
For those training to become auto mechanics, encountering a 1958 Plymouth Fury in the wild would be a rare treat. Approximately only 5,000 were produced, marking the end of the Fury as a limited-edition Plymouth model. Today, its scarcity, combined with the “Christine” legacy, makes it a highly sought-after collector’s item.
Alt text: Close-up of the 1958 Plymouth Fury grille with a prominent ‘V’ emblem, indicating the powerful V-8 engine housed within, a key feature for automotive enthusiasts.
Engine and Performance: The Heart of the Fury
The prominent “V” ornament on the Fury’s grille was more than just decoration; it signaled the presence of a potent V-8 engine under the hood. Buyers had a choice between two V-8 engine options, both paired with the TorqueFlite A-488 transmission, renowned for its smooth operation.
Students in auto mechanic courses often study the Fury as an example of the 1950s American obsession with power and speed. The Fury boasted up to 305 horsepower in its most powerful configuration, achieving top speeds exceeding 230 kilometers per hour, impressive for its time.
Creating Christine: Movie Magic and Car Transformations
Moviegoers will recall the opening scenes of “Christine,” depicting the car as the sole red vehicle on the assembly line amidst a sea of off-white cars. However, in reality, the 1958 Plymouth Fury was exclusively painted “Buckskin Beige” from the factory. The iconic red color was a cinematic invention.
Alt text: Behind-the-scenes image from the movie “Christine” showcasing multiple 1958 Plymouth Fury cars, some in red and some in white, used for filming stunts and creating the killer car effect.
The off-white cars seen in the film were indeed Plymouths, often Belvedere or Savoy models, repainted red to serve as doubles and provide spare parts. Due to the destructive nature of Christine’s on-screen antics, around 20 Plymouths were utilized during filming, not all of them genuine 1958 Furys.
To maintain visual consistency, production crews ingeniously blended parts from earlier Plymouth Fury, Belvedere, and Savoy models. Ironically, mirroring the cobbled-together nature of the movie cars, only two “Christine” cars are believed to survive today, themselves pieced together from various parts used during filming.
The 1958 Plymouth Fury, forever immortalized as Christine, remains a potent symbol in automotive and cinematic history, captivating enthusiasts and horror fans alike.
