A Route 66 guide to the “Cars” movie June 9, 2006
Posted by Ron in Attractions, Movies, People.trackback
Updated May 20, 2008
If you just saw the “Cars” movie and want to find more information about Route 66, welcome.
First, the Radiator Springs shown in “Cars” is a fictional town. Historic Route 66 exists. On the real Route 66, there is a Baxter Springs in Kansas and a Peach Springs in Arizona. But Radiator Springs does not exist, except in the imaginations of Pixar’s artists and writers. However, many of the characters and places shown are based on real people and locations on Route 66, the Mother Road.
Let’s introduce them, shall we?
For instance, Sally the Porsche, portrayed in the film by Bonnie Hunt, is based primarily on Dawn Welch, owner of the historic Rock Cafe in Stroud, Okla. Welch’s restaurant is one of the road’s most acclaimed, as Michael and Jane Stern of Roadfood.com will attest. If you plan to visit the Rock Cafe for a meal, it is advised that you be there during off-peak hours. The restaurant tends to get very crowded during the lunch and dinner rush. And for you single guys out there — sorry, Dawn’s married. (UPDATE: I regret to inform everyone that the Rock Cafe was destroyed by fire on May 20, 2008. There’s no word on whether it will be rebuilt.)
The Sheriff is portrayed by the distinctive baritone voice of Michael Wallis, who also served as a Route 66 consultant for the film. Wallis has written 14 books, including the bestselling “Route 66: The Mother Road”, which catapulted him to national prominence in 1990. Wallis also guided the Pixar crew on two Route 66 tours for its research for “Cars,” and he and his wife, Suzanne, wrote “The Art of Cars,” a behind-the-scenes look at the film. They reside in Tulsa.
Fillmore, the VW microbus voiced by George Carlin in the film, was unofficially inspired by Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire. I say “unofficially” because Waldmire refused to lend his name for the film. He’s a strict vegetarian, and he was bothered by “Cars” toys with his name on them would be in McDonald’s Happy Meals. Waldmire lives a hippie lifestyle, driving up and down Route 66 in his own VW microbus (complete with a solar panel for supplemental power), and selling his intricate artwork.
By the way, Fillmore’s geodesic dome home in the film looks a lot like the dome at Meteor City in Arizona. Waldmire has a connection to Meteor City; he painted the massive mural of Route 66 there.
Tow Mater the tow truck, voiced by Larry the Cable Guy in the film, is a composite of NASCAR superfan and non-Route 66er Douglas “Mater” Keever of North Carolina, Dean Walker (lower left), a mover and shaker at the Kansas Historic Route 66 Association; and Harley Russell, co-owner of the SandHills Curiousity Shop in Erick, Okla. Walker can turn his feet backwards and frequently can be found at the Baxter Springs Heritage Center and Museum in Baxter Springs, Kan. Russell, who for many years was a professional musician, and his wife, Annabelle, perform music and offbeat comedy as the Mediocre Music Makers at their shop in Erick, which he describes as the “Redneck Capital of the World.” Russell’s speaking voice, by the way, sounds very much like Mater’s.
Ramone’s body-art shop in the film is directly inspired by the U-Drop Inn, a recently restored Art Deco gasoline station and restaurant complex in Shamrock, Texas.
Sally’s Cozy Cone Motel in the film is a composite of the historic Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, N.M., and the teepee-shaped Wigwam Motels, with one in Holbrook, Ariz., and the other in San Bernardino, Calif. All of these motels are restored, well-maintained, and worth seeking out for a night’s sleep. Also, the name of Cozy Cone Motel is probably a nod to the Cozy Dog Drive-In restaurant on Route 66 in Springfield, Ill.
The mountain shaped like a radiator cap that overlooks Radiator Springs is inspired by Tucumcari Mountain in Tucumcari. The mountain is the dominant feature in that region for miles around. Local high-school students repaint the town’s initial on the side of the mountain each year. (The lower image, by the way, is from an old postcard.)
The Cadillac Range of mountains that surrounds Radiator Springs is derived from the rugged Black Mountains of western Arizona and the famous Cadillac Ranch sculpture in Amarillo, Texas.
Lizzie’s Curio Shop in Radiator Springs resembles the crazy Route 66 jumble of memorabilia and knickknacks at Hackberry General Store in Hackberry, Ariz., and the SandHills Curiousity Shop, aka the City Meat Market building, in Erick, Okla. I suspect other stores are included in the mix, including several in Oatman, Ariz. Lizzie seems patterned after Dot Leavitt of Dot’s Mini-Museum (not pictured) of Vega, Texas, although there may be a bit of Lucille Hamons, the late owner of the now-closed Lucille’s gas station of Hydro, Okla., (not pictured) mixed in as well.
The “Here It Is!” sign near Lizzie’s shop is directly inspired by the historic “Here It Is!” billboard for the Jackrabbit Trading Post in Jackrabbit, Ariz.
The Casa Della tire shop’s Leaning Tower of Tires is obviously inspired by the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy or the half-scale replica in Niles, Ill. — take your pick. But there also is a leaning water tower near Groom, Texas, that probably sparked imaginations in Pixar.
Flo’s V-8 Diner in Radiator Springs basically resembles an air filter found in many cars. However, the canopies at Flo’s resemble the this old canopy at a gas station on Route 66 in Needles, Calif. There are others sprinkled across the country, but are rapidly disappearing.
I suspect Flo herself was partly inspired by Fran Houser, owner of the Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas, who’s well-known for her food and hospitality. But there are plenty of small, friendly restaurants along Route 66 that could have provided ideas to Pixar.
When Sally and Lightning McQueen drive into the country along old Route 66, the forest road resembles the highways winding through the Kaibab National Forest west of Flagstaff, Ariz., and the twisting, turning road that leads to Oatman, Ariz.
When McQueen drives through a tunnel that resembles the tunnels on the Arroyo Seco Parkway in Los Angeles County (not pictured), he encounters a gorgeous waterfall on the other side. This appears to be inspired by Havasu Falls, which is not on Route 66 but is near the Grand Canyon, a destination for Route 66 travelers.
The bridge that McQueen sees Sally driving on resembles several bridges on Route 66, including the Cyrus Avery Route 66 Memorial Bridge in Tulsa (second photo), the Colorado Street Bridge in Pasadena, Calif. (third photo; postcard image), and the now-closed bridge over Diablo Canyon at Two Guns, Ariz.
One of the wide desert vistas of Route 66 seen in the film resembles the view from La Bajada Hill, a very old alignment of the Mother Road about halfway between Santa Fe and Albuquerque. Don’t try to drive up La Bajada Hill, though. It’s narrow, severely eroded, and boasts about two dozen switchbacks that provided a challenge to drivers even during its heyday. It’s best to drive to the base of the hill and hike up the remnants of the old gravel highway instead.
The tractors seen wandering through town and invading a store in Radiator Springs are a likely homage to the wild burros that roam Oatman, Ariz. The animals are descendants of the burros once used in the gold mines there. The burros are a tourist attraction unto themselves, although the locals get irritated when the animals barge into stores and hassle tourists.
One of the closed businesses seen in Radiator Springs bears the name “Glenrio.” This refers to the ghost town of Glenrio, which is on old Route 66 at the Texas-New Mexico border off Exit 0 on Interstate 40. One of the Radiator Springs businesses is nearly identical to the long-closed Little Juarez restaurant in Glenrio (above).
When Lightning and Sally visit the ruins of the Wheel Well Motel, it reminded me of a composite of the Wagon Wheel Motel (above) in Cuba, Mo., the now-closed Wishing Well Motel in Countryside, Ill., and the rock overlook at the old Chief Yellowhorse Trading Post at the Arizona-New Mexico border.
There’s also a short glimpse in the film of a neon “EAT” sign. There’s a similar sign at the site of a long-defunct restaurant near Cajon Pass in Southern California. Clanton’s Cafe in Vinita, Okla., also has one.
Among the deserted businesses in Radiator Springs, you see a shuttered “Budville” building. This is in reference to the Budville Trading Post, west of Albuquerque on old 66.
If you decide to travel Route 66, it is recommended that you pick up a Route 66 Dining & Lodging Guide from the National Historic Route 66 Federation. There are several excellent guidebooks to help you find your way, including “Route 66: EZ Guide for Travelers,” Bob Moore and Rich Cunningham’s “Complete Guidebook and Atlas to Route 66″ and the “Here It Is!” map series of every state the Mother Road traverses. Scott Piotrowski wrote an excellent Route 66 guidebook to the Los Angeles area, and David Clark recently published a guidebook to the Mother Road in Chicago. And if you are traveling with children, you can download a free guidebook to kid-friendly attractions on the Mother Road here.
If you are able to drive to only one Route 66 city that best resembles Radiator Springs, I recommend Tucumcari, N.M. It’s a small town that boasts a bunch of vintage motels, a Mexican restaurant shaped like a sombrero, lots of neon lights, a Route 66-themed grocery store, Tucumcari Mountain and the well-preserved Odeon Theatre, which still shows first-run movies.
If you seek to visit a city on Route 66 that’s bigger, Albuquerque has done the best job of the major metropolitan areas in keeping its Mother Road flavor, especially with its abundance of neon lights along Central Avenue.
So get out there and discover the Mother Road for yourselves. As Wallis would say, “Life begins at the off-ramp. Travel well.”
(Route 66 News would like to gratefully acknowledge the photo contributions of Emily Priddy, Guy Randall, The Lope blog, HavasuFalls.net and RoadTripMemories.com with this project. Image excerpts from “Cars” came from computer screenshots of the trailers, downloads from the film’s Web site, and from a complementary movie poster.)
GREAT JOB!!! Really adds life to the whole thing. Again, GREAT JOB.
thanks Ron - this is just what i was asking for the other day !!!
I agree with John! GREAT JOB!!! That really helps everyone, Animation/Pixar fans, Cars fans and Route 66 fans and even everyone else understand how Route 66 and Cars tie together and where a lot of the bits in Cars comes from.
A lot of effort certainly went into this film to be in what is in my opinion, the best Pixar film to date.
Amazing! This will keep me happy for hours! I love all the links - especially Emily’s. My family of 8 will be hitting the “road” July 7 and this will really get me stoked!
Thanks for all your hard work!
Aud
Fantastic site. I’m passing it on! Many thanks.
Thanks, and great timing! I’ve photographed most of those places but didn’t know what the ex-cafe in Glenrio had been called.
Ron, this is great. Thanks for all the hard work putting it together.
Laurel
Ron,
Great job on this project and this blog! Your passion must exceed
your time to do all of this ten fold. Where do you find the time?
I am passing this on to the Colorado folks here. It is outstanding.
Thanks again for the work you do,
66 Willy
Just beautiful, Ron! Certainly can’t wait to see the Tulsa premiere of “Cars” tonight! Thanks for all your hard work on this.
Thanks for this! It’s so neat how it all ties together.
Thanks Ron for the interesting and entertaining references that connect movie magic to the real life people and places. We’ll make a note about your blog in our next issue of Texas Driver Magazine and pass the word along to our readers.
_Cars_, the newest one from Pixar
Guide to Route 66 stuff in “Cars”
Thanks Ron, great job!
Great site…I have seen a lot of it. Thanks a lot-
I was already anxious to see “Cars”, now I’m practically chomping at the bit.
While we were dating, my wife got me a map of Route 66 drawn by Bob Waldmire. Loved it and still love her.
Best written article on _Cars_ I’ve read yet! Great job pulling together all those photos for comparison. I had to mention this on Lost Tulsa, since it mentions the Rt. 66 bridge and Wallis.
Wow. In March of this year, my fiancee and I traveled Route 66 (a long-held dream of mine) from Missouri to Flagstaff. I recognized many of the places and inspirations in the movie, and we stopped at a great many of the places mentioned above. I teared up in the movie…when they talked about Route 66 fading away and people staying on the Interstate to shave 10 minutes off their trip. People really do need to slow down and enjoy the journey. My Route 66 trip was the best vacation and best time we’ve ever had, and we’re already planning to do it again…the whole way this time. Thanks for the article…it was wonderful!!
Thank you so much! What a great article! We just saw the movie and it was one of the best I’ve seen in a very long time. I’ve always wanted to travel Route 66, so now I have a good idea of where to start.
It is too bad that this is not handed out at the theaters. This would no doubt whet the appetites of those who are not familiar with our road.
Outstanding job on tying it all together. That had to consume a lot of time.
Unfortunately, the canopy over the former gas pumps at the Towanda station have been removed, but the Kicks on 66 bar and restaurant rates a definite stop. You’ve got to try their pig wings.
RoadDog, I figure that I can reach more people on the Internet than anyone ever could handing out fliers. Anita’s response just above yours explains why I spent so much time on this project.
And everyone, thank you for the kind words.
My wife and I plan to drive the whole Route in September of this year. We have not yet seen the movie but I appreciate the effort you have put in to making it real. Thank you for your dedication
WoWSA! What a great piece you’ve put together here.
Due to my dialup way over here in New Zealand it’s all unfolding at a perfect speed for me to carefully savour it! hehehe
Thanks!
My wife and I have driven the “old road” 9 times in the last 8 years and are going again in August. We watched CARS yesterday and recognized most of what you have shown us here in this piece. You did a masterful piece explaining who inspired what car and what place resembles a Mother Road location. Keep up the good work!!
I had read that Mater was inspired by a guy known as “the King of Redneck Hill” (also seen in the movie) whose real name is ‘Mater.
I’m aware of the other “Mater.” But I wanted to focus on people who are actually on Route 66.
[...] Anybody want to go see Cars? I forget if I’m gonna attempt to fit this in on another Joyce/Herman movie-hopping day. Err, Joyce get back to me on Superman, etc. See also: A Route 66 Guide to the “Cars” movie. I had no idea that so much research went into the design of the objects and characters in the movie. I really want to go see it now. [...]
Was told by this site by Kathryn here in oz. Awesome!! Have just come back from seeing this movie.
Makes me wanna pack up the family and head on over to travel along Route 66.
After seeing the movie I could tell there was a message in it. That is why I started looking around for more info. Thanks for the background.
Excellent job. Thanks for all the work.
[...] And if you’d like to find out where they got some of the ideas for the film, head over to Route 66 News where Ron gathered some really cool info about inspiration for the film. Enjoy! Posted by Bartek Filed in Animation News [...]
We just took our 3 boys, ages 9, 5, 3. They truly loved the movie, and we found it a great opportunity to teach them a little history after the movie!!
This is a great little piece about a fading part of American history. The site and images mentioned are just a part of the sites in the movie, but I can hardly blame you for choosing these. There’s also the mesa shapes like the old Pontiac hood ornaments, and the history of the Hudson automobile in Nascar racing. Between ‘51 and ‘53 the “Fabulous Hudson Hornet” dominated nascar with a better than 50% win record. That is better than any manufacturer since, due in large part to its ’step down design’ that greatly lowered the car’s center of gravity. It was the fastest American production car of its time with a top speed of 132 mph and still managed to get 36 mpg highway! They were inexplicably absorbed into the AMC corp in ‘56, but left behind a stunning history. That’s the reason I ended up naming my son Hudson, and I’m currently restoring a ‘52 Hornet for his first car. In short, Pixar couldn’t have chosen a better representation of former Nascar Glory.
Great! Let us know how the restoration of that Hudson is going. I have to admit, “Cars” certainly has piqued my interest in early-’50s Hudsons.
OK, here’s what I want to know. Are there ANY Studebakers in the movie?
Thanks, Matthew
This website is awesome! I have been a lifelong Disnut and now, thanks to Cars, am beginning to understand the fascination with the Mother Road. Thanks so much for all your hard work on this site. It really is fantastic.
Donna (a friend of Laurel’s)
What a Wonderful Job. I am 27 and really didn’t know much about Route 66 until I saw Cars tonight. Thanks for all the useful information !!
I ride with a group that does Rte 66 every year by motorcycle. We begin from downtown Chicago on the second Saturday in June and get to the Santa Monica pier a week later.
This is an AWESOME site! I have not yet seen the movie, but I can’t wait to take my grandson. Congrats and THANK YOU!
– john
The desert view that you indicate is La Bajada Hill in New Mexico is actually in CA. If you send me your email address I can send you a picured painted by noted Rte 66 artist Jerry McClannahan that shows this view. I believe it is near Amboy CA.
I just checked the picture. I believe the scene in question shows the view from “Roy’s”, a gas station and diner. McClanahan has also illustrated a series of maps with Jerry Ross that allows modern travellers to travel the remaining sections of Rte 66.
Saw the movie “Cars” and was curious to how close some of the similarities are to Rte 66. Now I’m planning on driving across Arizona to see some of the sites. Good site - thank you!
je trouve ce film formidable, il m’ a impressionné, surtout que la “route 66″ vive, encore merci à tous ceux qui ont participé à la réalisation de ce film, c’est un documentaire présenté d’une manière moderne qui dénonce les méfaits des autoroutes, ce film transmet un message, halte au massacre de la nature, restons naturel !
How many people are interested in keeping RTE 66 together after seeing this movie? I am one of them! When I ride my motorcycle, I always take the old routes, and stay away from the Interstate highways. I choose these routes because you can slow down and see nostalgia, history, and you will get closer to the “heart” of America this way. After seeing Cars, I was amazed at how cleverly the creators/writers of this movie condensed a week long trip into 2 hours. Ron, you did a great job of pulling these pieces together, and if we can get Mr. Wallis involved in the board here, it would be even better. I for one, would love to see RTE 66 completely marked on the maps and roads - as it was!
Hey what about the theatre, didn’t that represent the Rt. 66 theatre in Carthage, MO.
Thank you so much. You make me want to travel Route 66!
Had a chance to see Cars at the Drive-In in Neligh, NE. That was a great opportunity. Great movie about a great piece of American History, showing on another great piece of American History. Great time!
Wow … that was one of the most informative posts I’ve read in years! .. thanks … as for Cars, I’m way behind on flicks, but will finally get to see it today .. can’t wait!
Does anyone know of a motel in/under a rock in eastern Utah/Western Colorado? I remember seeing one on a trip in that area, and was reminded of it when I saw the Wheel Well Motel in “Cars”.
This is great! I didn’t know how all the characters/places tied into real people/places. Cars is a great movie
very cool site!!! it really gives alot of info to people who want to know more, wonderful job!!!
What do you mean “not real”?
GREAT job, thanks so much! It’s nice to put a face to a name. Can’t wait till we “do” Route 66 in October this year.
I saw a picture in an older book about rt.66 that clearly showed
a gas station carved out of rock in the shape of an early wooden car wheel. I don’t remember if there was a motel also, but the photo
shows two old time gas pumps and a mid-late twentys touring car. I don’t remember where it was said to be, but a photo of the part of the road that has such sharp curvs and switch backs, north east of Oatman, AZ. was on the same paige
wow this is really useful information
this is very interesting information. thank you for makeing this website! i loved the movie cars. my favorite characters were mater, ramone, lightning, and fillmore.who were ya’ll’s?
i have traveled route 66. i think it is cool to know the places and people in ‘cars’ really exist. does anyone know who red is based on? and if anyone knows who stanley is based on please tell. i’m just wondering. thanks for the help. cool website!!!!
lightning is based on steve mcqueen (an actor and racecar driver).
Roy, Lightning McQueen does have a bit of Steve McQueen in mind. But there also was a Pixar staff whose last name was McQueen, and this played a role. The look of Lightning McQueen is based on a host of race car designs, according to Pixar. But it’s amazing late in the film, when Lightning gets a new paint job, that he suddenly looks a lot like that Corvette from the original “Route 66″ television show.
I’m not aware of Red being based on anybody. He was voiced by Pixar staffer Joe Ranft before he died in a car wreck last year.
I’m not aware of the Stanley statue being based on anybody. In small towns all across America, it’s not uncommon to find a statue of the town’s founder. It’s obvious Pixar took a page from this.
Al W., if you ever encounter that picture of the wheel-shaped business carved into the rock, scan it and e-mail the image to route66news(at)yahoo(dot)com . I’d love to see it.
To my knowledge, there was no such business along Oatman Road. But who knows … you may have an image of something that’s quite rare.
GO RED THE FIRETRUCK!!!!
The Real Life People and Places of "Cars"
The success of the latest Pixar film, ":Cars" has triggered a wave of renewed interest in Route 66, and a whole new audience for the tremendous Route 66 News blog. This blog a real labor of love…dozens of posts…
As soon as I saw the advertizements for Cars, I knew I wanted to see this Movie. Being a car buff as I am, I related to the characters. It was all that I expected and more. It was so realistically clear for an animation. It brought tears to my eyes of the love and kindness and emotion of what the story was all about. “Cars the Movie” was a real inspiration to me. This is the kind of movie America needs to be watching. This is one movie I will buy when the cd comes out. I want this movie for all times.
Just saw the movie last night. My wife & I have always wanted to travel down some of Route 66. This film & your great information here have certainly inspired us to do that someday soon.
The research done for this film had to be extensive & meticulous! The race track scenes showed so many aspects of a Nascar track it was amazing. Now I can see they did the same for Route 66.
Thanks again for your info!
Ok, I just googled and found this
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/attract/UTMOAhole.html
Hole N’ The Rock - is that what we’re all remembering from our childhoods and postcards, the Wheel Motel in the movie Cars??
It’s possible, but not likely. Pixar people have never mentioned it in interviews. The hole in the rock in the movie more closely resembles the old Chief Yellowhorse Trading Post at the New Mexico-Arizona border along Route 66.
Great blog and great post. Very informative. I linked to it on my post “Cars The Movie and Route 66″ on my blog “Traveling Route 66″.
I also added your blog to my links.
Thanks for all the great info on this site. We saw the movie the first weekend, then a week later on a trip to Arizona we drove a couple short stretches of Route 66.
Re: Your suggestion that Tucumcari, NM, “best resembles Radiator Springs,” we went through Seligman, Arizona, and it is a perfect model for Radiator Springs — desert, mountains, on old Route 66, bypassed by the Interstate highway. The residents and businesses try to make a living off their historic heritage by selling Route 66 post cards, signs and other souvenirs. And the old cars parked in town all have eyes painted on the windshields, like the CARS cars! Three 1959 Edsels have eyes on their windshields, which I don’t think was done since the movie came out, because we were there only a week after seeing the movie. I think they’ve been that way for some time, and that someone connected with the movie saw them and picked up the theme.
I’d like to know what you think!
I am planning an article for Old Cars Weekly and would hope to use some of your info and refer people to your website.
I agree that Seligman is also an excellent town that’s comparable to Radiator Springs, and I’m sure it exerted some influence on Pixar’s animators.
However, I think Tucumcari is a better model, and here’s why:
– The big mountain in the background resembles Tucumcari Mountain, complete with the town’s initials painted on it.
– Tucumcari has a stoplight in the center of town just like Radiator Springs.
– The Cozy Cone Motel bears a lot of resemblance to the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumari.
– The Glenrio Motel in Radiator Springs is a reference to Glenrio, a ghost town about 45 minutes east of Tucumcari.
– Like Radiator Springs, Tucumcari is a desert town.
– The scene in which the cars drive down Route 66 under the glow of neon lights looks a lot like Tucumcari a night, which still has plenty of neon. Seligman has fewer vintage neon signs.
– Seligman has plenty of kitsch, like the Sno-Cap Drive-In and Angel Delgadillo’s barbershop. Tucumcari has plenty of kitsch, too, like a Mexican restaurant in the shape of a sombrero and Tee Pee Curios, which is in the shape of a teepee, and a grocery store that’s all decorated in a Route 66 motif. Edge: Tucumcari.
I was in Seligman a little less than a year ago, and I saw no cars with eyes painted on the windshields. I think it was done expressly for the movie, and most people in the Route 66 community knew this film was coming months in advance. Like all smart businesspeople, they prepared for it. Dawn Welch of the Rock Cafe had “Cars” decorations in front of her restaurant the minute the movie was released wide.
Thanks for referring to my site with your article. If you need to get a hold of me, just check the “About Me” tab on the home page and the information will be there.
i went to Seligman on”route 66″ 3 days after CARS came out and i didnt see the old cars with the eyes on the windshield, maybe i was too early? they obviously haven’t been there that long. and when i said i went on “route 66″, i meant i was only in Arizona.
> It is too bad that this is not handed out at the theaters. This would
> no doubt whet the appetites of those who are not familiar with our
> road.
I’d like to suggest Apple stores (as Steve Jobs owns both Pixar and Apple Computers) as another source of new roadies.
Great post, thanks for the link!
im new to blogs and this is the first iveread it was great!!!!!!!!!
Ilove the movie cars i wish i had a live with all the diffieant cars
Does anyone know what font type is used in the title “Cars”??
thanks I enjoyed this too…
I went 2 see cars it roccccccccccccccccccks I went 3 the cinemas and saw it twice it was that gd
hey i love Mater
I love cars it was funny .My favorite charicter was doc hudson because he used to be a piston cup racer and I felt bad for nim when he got in that wreck and I felt sorry for him.I do not like sarge because he is all was me and I now that he is soupouse to be but still he is all was mean.I also like romone because I like to do body art to.If inebody is reading this than they shud get the game it is fun and funny.
We loved the movie cars. We liked it sooooooooo much that we are getting the ps2 game. Our favorite charcters were Lightning McQueen and Mack because Lightning McQueen was a very fast racing car which we like and we also thought Mack was great because he was Lightning McQueens true friend and he also had cool gadgets on his lorry. We didn’t like the street racers as they played sleeply music which made mack fall asleep and go off road.
I haven’t ever been a fan of Disney movies (nor Pixar ones) but this one certainly made an impact on me and my girlfriend who went to see it together. We are seriously considering a honeymoon down Route 66 since we have told ourselves half-jokingly we can certainly relate to Lightning McQueen and Sally Carrera… That would be great
my favourite movie is cars so crazy over it
E mailing from the UK. This is the best blog i have Ever Read. based on the best disney movie ever.
I’d love to travel down route 66 one day!
i LOVE MATER
BY dakota_mil06 E-MALL ME
Another Email from Britain. Cars is a very popular movie over here at present (It is no1 in the cinemas). This movie is the finest of the year by far! I found your article thru a link on the blogger site. It is the best article I have ever read on the Internet anywhere in the World.
What a fabulous site. I’ve just sent it off to a friend whom is about to embark on a very quick 3 week trip of Route 66 after seeing the movie (we live in Australia) She said this site was absolutely the best help. My daughter who is only 4 has “dragged” me willingly of course to see it twice. SHe is so in love with Fillmore that she takes her cars with her to bed and of course she has a cube pillow - The Love Bus is her hero. Mind you she was also the one who told me that the clouds were tyre marks. Again thanks for a spectacular site and its in my favourites.
mater rules all!!!!!!!!!
Sort of odd that Waldmire refused to give his name officially because as a Vegan he is opposed to a toy to be handed out at MacDonalds that could connect him to meat. It’s odd because as pointed out in the Marathon Tour DVD set interview with him, his folks own Cozy Dog and he uses them as a base of operation. Cozy dogs are meat (well, maybe you could argue that hotdogs aren’t exactly meat, but I ate a sausage sandwich there a month or two back, and that’s meat for sure) yet he’s okay with using them for a base and selling his stuff through them. Maybe he couldn’t get a percentage?
Well, it’s one thing for him to sell stuff through the Cozy Dog, because that’s family.
He had several reasons why he turned down McDonald’s, the vegetarian thing being just one of them.
Does anyone know where I could get the font used for in the logo for cars?
my brother love your movie cars and he watches it tree time a day and i measn seven days a week four weeks an hour
Just FYI, Doc Hudson is also based on a real person. John Steinbeck.
He wrote the Grapes of Wrath in which Route 66 is first referred to as the Mother Road. The Joad family in that novel came out west on Route 66 in a Hudson Super Six Sedan that had been converted into a truck, hence the ‘Hudson’ part of the name.
John Steinbeck’s most well-known character (who didn’t appear in Grapes of Wrath, by the way) was Doc from Cannery Row and Sweet Thursday, modelled after his friend Ed ‘Doc’ Ricketts. Hence the ‘Doc’ part of the name.
So Doc Hudson is clearly a reference to John Steinbeck, who publicised the Mother Road so well.
I knew that majoring in Literature in college would come in handy someday …
kurva pěkný film pičo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! plymouth suberbird byl skvělý
Whats the name of the font?
great job! wonderful movie
i l ikecars
[...] Before you go though, take a trip onto the Route 66 News blog. Wow! What a great site. There is so much information there as to be overwhelming, so go to this specific post that Lorne pointed me to this morning. There you will find incredibly detailed background information about the sites and even specific people who probably inspired the animators at Pixar. Even if you don’t see the movie (and you should!), read the post. There are some great historic places and some wonderful resources listed if you should ever get your kicks on Route 66. [...]
I’m from the north so until i moved to oklahoma two years ago it was just some old road i crossed driving cross country. I recently visited Arcadia,ok its amazing I loved it. I also am lucky enough to work in El Reno and for those of you that pass thru there on 66 you have to check out Sids diner (off hours) its packed wall to wall otherwise. Ive recently decdied that i am going to take my vaction and travel rt 66 from start to finish a little each vaction so i can enjoy it. im already looking forwardto my first one in oct..
H`d seen now “car`s” with my three children - i thing - a 66-visit is to do - thanks -
Sam, I think you’ll enjoy yourself on that California trip.
Travel well.
My grandparents and some of my other family members live in Adrian TX, the Midpoint of Rt. 66. I grew up around that area mostly in Amarillo TX. I loved the Movie Cars it made me tear up a bit. I live in IL now and am not anywhere near Rt. 66 or I-40 anymore I miss home and can’t hardly wait to go back and visit all off my family and friends. Thanks for sharing all of this information with us I think it is neat how you spread the word about the Mother Road and made the characters after real people, and took scenes from all over to make Radiator Springs. Oh and my husband loves Mater!
Brandi
Ron,
I came across your site while looking for photos from the Cars movie to use for a theme party for my twin 3 year old boys who loved the film. I have a new interest in seeing the movie again now that I have a ‘reality connection’ from your information. You really take for granted the work that goes into these films - thanks for filling in the blanks and making it more interesting to watch a million times after we purchase the DVD next month!
When does it come out on DVD?
Nov. 7.
enjoyed reading the note, glad to see some effort went in to the movie. I liked the movie in the same way as I liked buzz lightyear. Spotted this when looking fopr a map of the game for my kids os me as well the game on the ps2 is fun as well. I now want to make 66 part of my next holiday trip to the states.
superb work!!
hello ! i’m french ! GREAT POST !!! i have to return an English duty on an element of road 66… and that much will help me! THANK YOU !!
likes we say in french : merci beaucoup beaucoup !! c’est un travail remarquable !!! felicitation !
humm…sorry if i don’t have a very very good english
I just want to say that I am orginally from Stroud oklahoma, and I have eaten at the Rock Cafe… ITS SOOO GOOOD, my dad used to eat there for lunch all the time… if anyone ever gets a chance to stop by stroud you should, just keep truckin on into davenport and chandler… they are small towns but hold alot of history… the movie was awesome made me cry..
The font type of the cars logo is magneto
outstanding. thank you for taking the time to stitch reality and fiction. “cars” was an impeccable movie but what i found here enhanced my “cars” experience immensely. thank you, Ron.
I love the movie cars and I amwatching the mmovie right now . I am at the part where He is getting to win or loose the pistion cup.
I have been watching cars, and am really happy with how well the animators did with the whole movie. I live along i-40 and was really suprised with the accuracy with the land marks. I live in Holbrook, AZ which is along route 66 and watched my grandparents lose their motel and restraunt because of the interstate bypass. This movie was so accuarate in so many areas that it is almost unbelievable. I loved it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great post Ron,
We’ve only travelled from Amarillo westwards on 66, in fact on our honeymoon in 2005. It was only recently we got to see the film whilst on a longhaul flight out to the middle east and to be honest I actually found the whole thing quite emotional after having been to many of the bypassed route 66 towns linked with the film.
The most amazing thing out of all the homages paid in the film to me was, and here we are in total agreement with our suposition I think, the character of Flo. It must have taken me all of about 20 seconds to realise she was based on the wonderful Fran Houser, who I’ve only met twice, but who obviously made such a huge impression on our Route 66 trip last year.
Maybe its about time we came back and did the rest of the mother road soon and met some of the other great characters along the way. And we’re getting a hankering for that Ugly Crust Pie!
Thanks for sharing, Chris and Becky.
hello my name is Stacey Caudill i would like to say a few words about the movie Cars my favorite person in the whole movie is Mater the Tow Truck i have alot of stuff of Mater i really like him alot he makes the whole movie i think
hello my name is james i like lightning mc queen because he is a racing car i like his bit when he says im becoming one of them.
i think you should re pave the road
Wow this is an amazing site my brother is mad about cars and now we know what is what! Thanks!!!
I mrecken that your movie is so good but i like mator the best because he’s so funny. lihtning mecqueen is sorter good and cut I like mator because in the ghost light it is funny when he scares lightning maqueen. And when he has the light on the hook of his toe truckand gets scared and runs of.
absolutely my all time favourite movie to date. this is how ive always looked at vehicles with different characters. i have three old intternationals as my watchdogs out the front of my dugout home in the old opal town of cooberpedy. mater is my long lost mate.id love to have him visit.ive worn out my boys dvd .ive wornout my boys dvd replaying his parts.havent laughed so much in ages.”to not to”.
Thanks for the great information… I’m making a fabric ‘play mat’ for the 4yr old grandson to use with his Cars cars for Christmas… I only get to see the Cars DVD very ocassionally (when he’ll let me!), and this information helps me design it convincingly. A great use of the internet as far as I’m concerned!
Do e-mail me photos of your fabric when you’re done, Margaret. I’ll be very interested to see what it looks like.
lightingmcqueen how are you today
In the 60s when I was 14 yrs old, I travled to California with family from Oklahoma. Already, parts of 66 were diverted to the new partially finished I-40, but I will never forget the sights of that trip! Wow, streches of desert that seemed endless.
A couple of years ago, my wife and I drove to California on I-40. We took 3 days to get there. Tucomcari, Petrified Forest, Painted Desert, Grand Cannon, the whole deal. I took a GPS and a laptop running STreets and Trips. Each time I saw a section of 66 running adjacent, I’d get off, drive to it and enjoy the old road!. I don’t remeber where it was, probably in New Mexico, when we got on the old road, the concrete appeared to have been shattered, consistantly from side to side for many miles. Our little Buick 88 could barely move at all on the rough stuff. It was as if someone purposely destroyed the pavement.
I hated to see 66 go. I wish Martin Millner was still driving that Vet up and down going odd jobs and having adventures! Those were the days!
“Oklahoma City is oh so pretty”
Bill Johnson
I am a 48 year old with a very active ‘inner child’ who absolutely LOVES this movie! Best animated ever I think. It was fun to try to find all the similarities of the Road in the movie. Love that Mater…he is my favorite by far. I had a room at my house completely decorated in Route 66 items as I love the road and not only have traveled it in its entirety but drive it every chance I get.
Since the movie, I have incorporated items from the movie, CARS, into my room and now the kids that come around love it! Mater alarm clock, Mater rug, original movie poster from the theater in my town, DVD displays from the store when the movie came out….and more…Plus it gives me a chance to share more about the road.
Thanks to PIXAR for one awesome movie. This kid-at-heart (still!) loves!
What a cute movie. My grandson (18 months) loves it so much he will not even sit to watch it. He stands and squeels with delight. Thank you from the adults also, we all love it. Great message also.
Route 66 was the main hiway before I-40 was built. It really brings back memories of my childhood, when I was 8 or 9 years old, traveling with Dad and Mom. It is real nice to take the senic road again. I wish the old road was all the way across, instead of portions of it.
Hi Fantastic site , loved the Movie , it struck a chord with my love of classic cars and road trips . We recently went out of town to town a lttle way up North from us and found our selves on a road that has been by passed too by a new motorway extension . We couldn’t help but compare it to Cars , it was a little sad to see the run shops and closed petrol stations .
Rex ,Auckland New Zealand
Here,s a great site to find out more behind the cars of’ Cars’
http://p067.ezboard.com/fcarsthetoysfrm9.showMessage?topicID=4.topic
Thanks for the memories…..I enjoyed the movie ever so much. Let me tell you why.
My parents (from whom I got my wanderlust that is still a part of my persona today) and I, traveled the “Mother Road” many times in the 40’s and 50’s. I must admit,….my eyes watered up a bit when the movie pointed out that sometimes we need to take the less traveled path, reminded me of both of my parents who were always inclined to do so, and by doing so we experienced many unique places, saw many unique things, and met many unique people as we took our trips “out west”.
I’m so very pleased to have had the experience of traveling every mile of the “Mother Road” in it’s heyday. One trip in a 47 Buick convertable. They were wonderful times, that I shared with my wonderful parents, along the wonderful American road called “Route 66″.
Again, to all those involved in the production of this movie……Thanks,……for the memories.
Sziasztok.Magyarországrol irok nektek.Van két fiam.Benjamin 6-éves,Dániel 5-éves.Nagyon tetszett a film.Amiota megvettük,minden nap megnézik,töbször is .Egyszer szeretnénk ellátogatni hozzátok.Egyszer remélem sikerül.Sziasztok.Irjatok vissza magyarul.
Bay-Bay ,Mcqveen.Örülnénk ha meghivnátok.
A film to see anytime, now and forever. Amazing history, amazing job! Thanks for the makers! Giannini - Brasil
Cars is a wonderful film that has become an instant classic.your blog is best blog I’ve ever seen on the Internet. This fabulous Highway is loved all over the world. I hope one day to travel this road (Preferably in a 1959 Coupe De Ville).
Happy Christmas to you all from wet and windy Britain.
My son got this movie for his second birthday in November. Since then we have seen it at least three dozen times. He refers to it as “music”. It is a wonderful movie and has really peaked my interest in Route 66. I’m 36 years old and have for a long time had some knowledge of the Road and have heard the song but never really knew how much the interstate had been diverted away from the original Route and how many towns and businesses had been driven into oblivion because of it. It always makes me sad to see beautiful old buildings and Mom and Pop shops being thrown away so easily now a days. I hope that this movie has opened alot of eyes…just like it did mine and I hope that one day I will get to travel Route 66 and see some of the things people here have talked about in person. Maybe by then more people will have realized just how important it is to preserve this unique piece of America and a major revitalization will be under way.
-Progress is of no value if we strip away everything we have ever known to the point that we cannot remember where we came from.-
Ron, Thank you so much for sharing your website and info with me! I have been looking around your site, and I’ve enjoyed the wealth of Route 66 info you have here. This CARS animation/reality breakdown is FABULOUS — it will be so helpful with the kids! I will link back from RebelHousewife.com, and I’m sure we’ll be in touch as our Route 66 Family Road Trip Adventure draws closer — thanks again!!
HEY! MY BRO AND I LOVE “CARS”!!!! EVER THING WE OWN IS PRETTY MUCH “CARS”!!!!!!!
I wondered if the places in Cars were replicas of places on Route 66
It was a pleasure, very interesting and informative….
Thank you
Ron, Thank you so much for putting together all of this information on your website. I am travelling from Australia to the USA in September 2007, to drive the entire length of Route 66. I was given the CARS DVD as a Christmas gift, and whilst I recognised some of the CARS/Route 66 links, your website has really helped me add even more highlights to my itinerary, and provided me with some excellent ideas on reading/reference material. Thanks again!!!
This calls for a serious ROAD TRIP!!! Been lookin’ fer a reason to go visit mom in California for a while, anyway.
My two year old loves the movie “Cars” and he always either has “Stickers” or Mater with him at all times. We got him a race car bed before the movie came out and now his whole room is cars.
I also thought that looking at the pictures was fun because I used to work at the Costco just across the street from the Leaning Tower in Niles, Illinois. When I first saw the tower I was suprised.
Well I think it is kind of crazy my son loves cars and his name is Carson. We named him well. We watch Cars or Mater and the Ghostlight daily.
this was the best movie that i have ever sine but can you just give the site where little kids can color the car and they can make card for friends and for family like for b-days thanks
I LOVE THE MOVIE AND MY 4 YEAR OLD SON DEOS NOT STOP WATCHING IT.
This movie keeps my 4 ear old grandson eating his breakfast, lunch and dinner and for the reward of putting it on , he will have his nasal drops and medicines too .
Great going
where can we get the sound track and music of this movie ? please email to captioning tje mail as, “Macqueen”
This little old welshman has bumbled along I-40 a few times and been drawn on to the highway it replaced. I have gawped, eaten at diners and generally enjoyed visiting several segments of the mother road across Az and Ca. I recently bought the film “Cars” on DVD and got blown away. I`m a sentimental old petrolhead and loved every minute of the film. Thanks for the summation and tie-ups. They can only add to my pleasure and nostalgia for my favourite places. Jaybee Norris
Thank you for making this great movie cars I hope all the people who watched liked the movie as much as I as in myself liked the movie Cars.And hope you make a new on just as great as this one ……..but you can makeit way more humoros.Okay?And if you make another one make this year please and hope Sally and Lightning have who want refill their dads dream of winnig the piston cup.but their dad told that its just an empty cup but they won it for him for father cars day and they worked all night changing the letters to;HAPPY FATHER CARS DAY .In the morning lightning saw what his kids made for him and saw Sammy and Lewis sleeping then they woke and yelled happy father cars day!then he thanked them showed Sally and Mator.
Stumbled across your site when I was looking to see if there really was a Wheel Well Inn. Thank you for all the research and interesting info. We have traveled Route 66 before but never put it all together. This makes Cars even more enjoyable.
Thanks for the movie Cars it was wonderful. My son Love Mater he always likes to say his part. I enjoy the movie because it teaches you about life and we need more movies like that. This movie is a movie that you just never get tired of. I wish all of you the best in the future and keep up the good work. By the way you guy are so funny.God Bless
Fascinating!!!! My co worker and I were just wondering if there was a ‘real’ radiator springs. (she was indoctrinated last night…and is hooked as I have been for months!) Thank you for your excellent contribution to the web!
Great Website, makes me wanna load the kids up and take off across the land in our mini van. Only I hope we end up better than the mini van travelers at the end of the movie. My son recieved “Cars” for xmas and have wached it at least twice a day since and I have been wondering where Pixar/Disney got their inspriation from. Great website, lots of information and lots of great pictures.
Cars has now become a disney classic that will be enjoyed by youngsters and adults for generations to come. Great blog! The best on the Web!
Does anyone know the name of the font used in the name of “Lightning McQueen” and where I can get it from?
this is my favorite movie ever and always will be! i was touched by this movie and think it is the best thing ever!! i love the whole idea and the morel of the movie, and i love Lightning McQueen!!! I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!!!!!
hey im 20 years old but i have a sister thats 6 from the day we got the movie havn’t stop wacthing it,form my point of view its the best movie of 2006!!!! i can’t for cars 2 to come out!!
guess what when i saw that movie every day i saw my mothercan we have that movie and i got it now when ”cars” movie 2came that would
be best love it………………………
i love this movee
ive wached it 57 times in counting
Dave : about the Cars font
This is what I’ve found… no free source of it found in my searches
YMMV
Googling told me about Magneto which some experts are claiming is the font used by Pixar.
http://www.abstractfonts.com/search/magneto
from that link you can see that font is not free.
From AeNigma’s free font archive I found Lowdown
aenigmafonts.com/fonts/fontsl.html
which is at least free but not that close
I also found
mickeyavenue.com/fonts/di…ewareFonts
which includes some free fonts based on Disney movies but again if Cars is there I’m missing it.
Hope that helps
Neat site with an incredible amount of nifty information. I’ll be back to read more.
Come on over to
http://www.carsthetoys.com if you are a Cars toy nut like me.
http://p067.ezboard.com/bcarsthetoys
sorry but to keep the place nice we make you apply for membership
Hi! Why I can’t fill my info in profile? Can somebody help me?
My login is Kisakookoo!
Great Blog! Cars is also a great Movie! This famous Highway is so atmospheric (In Europe we see Route 66 in those great old road movies). In Europe crazy politicians are unfairly blaming the automobile for global warming which means we might face a future over here of restrictions in the use of our cars. I would like one day to travel this legendary highway and stay in The world famous Blue swallow Motel in Tucumcari.. My son would like to stay at The Cozy Cone Motel. (It would be great if there was such a place).
Thanks for showing all the historic places, it really looks like what I’ve seen on Cars. I’ll remember Cars forever.
epic,
man its amazing…i simply wanna spend time visitin tis lovely paradise-that’s what it seems to me*!
awsome work…thanx to all o’them who contributed in bringing out the best pic. of the story behind Cars…!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
epic,
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*I LOVE CARS*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I DRIVE A TRUCK AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CURIOUS ABOUT SOME OF THE SCENERY THAT IS ON RT.66. I HAVE PASSED ALONG I-40 HUNDREDS OF TIMES, AND NEVER TOOK THE TIME TO SLOW DOWN AND LOOK AROUND. THIS LAST WEEK I DELIVERED IN KINGMAN, AZ. SPENDING THE REST OF THE DAY LOOKING AROUND ALONG THE KINGMAN PART OF RT 66. IT WAS NICE TO SLOW DOWN AND SNJOY THE SITES OF THE HISTORICAL HIWAY.
Ron,
Great job relating the scenes in “Cars” to real life places found on Route 66. I have always heard much about “The Mother Road” but I am too young to remember a time when it was the only way to travel. Your blog has inspired me to set aside some time to travel parts of Route 66 with camera in hand. And since we live in Oklahoma, there is much to see within a short drive. BTW, my three year old loves to watch the movie pretty much daily, which is great with me. After reading this blog, I now understand some of the references in the movie that relate to real places or things. Many thanks, William
I thoroughly enjoyed this post. Glad that Bob Waldmire is still alive and cantankerous as ever. My purchase of the DVD of cars was to be able to stop the credits so that I could see who I know that got mentioned. Since you don’t mention some of them, I’ll direct folks to my blog about them. http://6t6signman.typepad.com
In your resources for a trip on Route 66 there is no resource for the item that made Route 66…route 66. The highway marker signs along the side of the road. Authentic heavy steel highway marker signs for all 8 states can be found at: http://www.crossroadsigns.com
good stuff…very interesting blog.
Actually, Marty, I do have the closing-credits list of Route 66 inspirations from the movie right here:
http://rwarn17588.wordpress.com/2006/06/13/pixars-route-66-inspirations/
And, yes, it came straight from Pixar itself. So I know it’s accurate.
my name is william and im 2 1/2 years old, i like cars because i like mator and sally and lightning and stanley and red and flo and ramone
FYI: There is a Cool Springs in Arizona on the opposite side of the twisty grade of Route 66 that runs from Kingman to Oatman….
Thanks for all the great info on your site…My 3 1/2 y.o. son is now, thanks to Cars, a Route 66 fanatic. I plan to use your info to devise a driving route that will enable him to experience the joy of the Mother Road from his unique perspective.
Thanks!!! My kids loved your site and it answered all the questions about they have been asking about what was real and what was not from the movie!!
Fascinating and Wonderful blog! Everyone in the world who enjoyed the movie Cars and want to know more about Route 66 must read your excellent and informative article. I hope Cars recieves its deserved Oscar in the forthcoming academy awards for the best animation movie of the year!
I love the movie Cars. This site has really given me a new appreciation for the movie and the folks who took the time to respect the history of the setting they chose to make it in. Thank you for your hard work and time to put this together for the rest of us.
My brother and sister and me love this movie so much
Great
Can someone give the URL from where I can download the music f Lightning Mcqueen ? My 4 year young grandson is crazy abut the music Please email to captioning ” Lightning mc Queen”, kindly. God bless you.
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