February 19, 2014
Aka The Seven Samurai. John Sturges western remake of the Akiro Kurosawa classic Shinchinin no Samurai. 七人の侍
This was a big production with notable actors playing the hired guns: Yul Brynner, Brad Dexter, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Robert Vaughn and introducing Horst Bucholtz. Eli Wallach was the antagonist Calvera running the bandits. Oh, and of course Steve McQueen.
Steve and Yul were Vin Tanner and Chris Adams respectively. A great pairing with Colt, Winchester or ‘pepper gun’.
Riding? Yep on four legs not two wheels but I bet he had a 500 Triumph desert sled handy between shoots.
V for Victory? When asked about the progress of village preparations Vin replies:
” Reminds me of that fella back home who fell off a ten-story building. As he was falling, people on each floor kept hearing him say, “So far, so good.” Heh, so far, so good.”
Posted in Film and TV, Horse, Movie, Steve McQueen |
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February 19, 2014
A pair of McQueen detailed models based on the Hilts character. Both authentic in appearance including his subtle scowl. Clothing and boots perfect too. Indeed Ray Harryhausen could have used this for a stop motion filming if the infamous fence jump had Bud Ekins not stepped in to do it!
Posted in Model, Steve McQueen, Triumph Motorcycle |
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February 17, 2014
“A mole.”
A neat tee! Army green ready to tunnel with the best of ’em and pound your baseball on the cooler wall. Triumph name too. Waiting for more reasonable Target prices. Sixty bucks for a T-shirt IS a bit steep!
Posted in Clothing, Movie, Steve McQueen, Triumph Motorcycle |
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February 16, 2014
This iconic image from The Great Escape says it all: Hilts, Moto, Germans. Well someone in the Chicago area has s recreated Triumph TR6 TGE bike that is available for purchase.
Including HALT sign, all you’d need is a barbed wire fence and Swiss border. And somewhere to tote your baseball glove…. And wirecutters .
Back to the moto: it a very clean mechanical recreation in gunmetal grey to look like a German wartime beemer. Which is what Bud Skins did for the movie. A wee bit of artistic license to maintain coolness; I’m fine with that!
Posted in Film and TV, Military, Movie, Steve McQueen, Triumph Motorcycle |
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February 1, 2014
Bonneville: this blog is named after this shrine of speed; also used for Triumph’s superlative moto of the mid twentieth century. Here’s Salt Flat photographer Eric Rickman using a Triumph Tiger Cub as ‘pit bike’ to whizz from point to point capturing the hot rods, rocket cars and Burt Munro type characters. His Hasselblad medium format camera assuredly caught some impressive high horse powered streamlined beasts! He hung out with some pretty cool dudes too!
Posted in Cars, Photography, Steve McQueen, Triumph Cub |
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January 6, 2014
Scott McKenzie’s counterculture anthem of the late sixties gave young folks to heed Tim Leary’s phrase “turn on, tune in, and drop out” and head west… Well the cool were already there! Here’s Steve above the Bay on a splendid Triumph in a pose that makes me want to saddle up, kick over, and ride out to the west…
Posted in Music, Steve McQueen, Triumph Bonneville |
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December 6, 2013
We had Prince Wills recently seated ably aboard a Daytona at the Motorcycle Live show a few days ago… Here’s more in the British fold with him trying a Metisse special.
Looks like he needs one for the Royal Estate.
Here’s a classic shot of our man McQueen showing how to handle one of these machines. Air below you and dirt below that.
One item presented to The Duke of Cambridge was a sit-on motorbike for wee Prince Geordie for when he gains a few more pounds and finds his feet. This is all good for the promotion of two wheeled mobility in Blighty!
Posted in Steve McQueen, Toy Motorcycle, Triumph Motorcycle |
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July 22, 2013
A branding is the essence of a company’s presence in the publics psyche and how it is communicated. Triumph aren’t just about a motorcycle or a logo with swoosh, but it’s also the story behind its name, the history, the icons connected to it, its performance, its recognition. Here’s a promotional piece by a great branding master Mike Salisbury of the British marque and one of the most recognizable riders who welcomed being seen and racing on a Triumph.
We’ve been watching Mad Men
Posted in Graphics, Motorcycle Poster, Steve McQueen, Triumph Motorcycle |
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July 4, 2013
… One my All-Time favorite movies was released. And to celebrate the Fourth of July in “Great” style here’s a image as the Americans in the camp march with home stilled liquor and pipe a merry tune.
left to right: James Garner as Hendley ‘The Scrounger’, Jud Taylor as Goff, and Steve McQueen as Hilts ‘The Cooler King’
Alas celebrations go awry when tunnel Tom gets discovered, Ives goes fence-crazy and is shot…
“Dedicated to the Fifty”
Posted in 60's, Steve McQueen |
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June 10, 2013
Rugged knobbly tires lined up ready for a hare across the SoCal desert. Indeed it’s our old pal Steve McQueen gunning his Triumph sled for a hoof over the dust, sand and scrub if an arid Joshua tree’d scene.
Carry water, tools, tar irons, flares, water, goggles, inner tubes, water and some more water…
Posted in 60's, Racing, Steve McQueen, Triumph Motorcycle |
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May 18, 2013
A road-going racer: there’s a strong heart under that hood, and what a big hood that is! Aspiring speed demons need only apply…
Of course Steve had it painted British Racing Green.
Posted in Cars, Steve McQueen |
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May 13, 2013
In past days when smoking was more widespread one thing that was a bonus with each packet of tabs was cigarette cards. They came in broad ranging themes including motorcycles. Here’s a few from one mid century collection featuring our favorite make…
A close up of an early model on a Lambert & Butler.
Miniature print art collection? You can nearly smell the tobacco on the card stock. Of course it was the icons of the day who kept smoking a popular past time… Cool fellas indeed on the silver screen but known for their two-wheeled interest.
Hey! There was even a fag named after our titular marque…
Got a light pal!
Posted in Film and TV, Graphics, Motorcycle Art, Steve McQueen, Triumph Motorcycle |
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April 23, 2013
Classic colors: a Duck in Porsche clothing! The sublime Gulf scheme of sky blue and fiery orange gives this latter day sport twin a sweet look of Le Mans speed. Steve McQueen would put this one in his stable I’m sure.
This’ll give you a kick in the pants!
read more »
Posted in Ducati, Gulf, Steve McQueen |
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