Dick Van Dyke, Car Guy. Who Knew?: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Aug. 11, 2011 8:13 a.m. Woody SuperDork

I'm about half way through reading Dick Van Dyke's new book My Lucky Life In and Out Of Show Business.

So far, he has casually mentioned owning a Corvette around 1961 and a Jaguar around 1964. It doesn't sound like he had great luck with either (the Vette was cut in half by a snowplow and the Jag lost its engine), but you also don't get the sense that he drove them because he was some flashy superstar. In fact, the Vette predates his rise to nationally known TV guy. It sounds like he's just a good guy who likes cars.
Aug. 11, 2011 8:35 a.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

Also... he had a flying car once.
Aug. 11, 2011 9:02 a.m. 1988RedT2 Dork

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

Also... he had a flying car once.

Am I the only one that thinks a Factory Five replica of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang would sell like hotcakes?
Aug. 11, 2011 9:03 a.m. dean1484 SuperDork

1988RedT2 wrote:

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

Also... he had a flying car once.

Am I the only one that thinks a Factory Five replica of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang would sell like hotcakes?

Nope!
Aug. 11, 2011 9:05 a.m. 914Driver SuperDork

His brother was a car guy too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Mother_the_Car
Aug. 11, 2011 9:18 a.m. kreb Dork

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

Methinks that he's a bit heavy on the bling, yo! I kinda preferred Chitty when it was in it's rat rod phase.
Aug. 11, 2011 9:26 a.m. Zomby woof SuperDork

Does anybody remember the name of the sports car he bought in an episode of the Dick Van Dyke show?

I don't know why I remember this stuff.
Aug. 11, 2011 10:03 a.m. Jerry From LA HalfDork

The sports car was called the Tarantula. The episode (no. 88) was called "Scratch My Car and Die."

It was filmed around the time Dick Van Dyke bought his XKE

The internet is omnipotent.
Aug. 12, 2011 3:57 a.m. novaderrik Dork

not only is he a car guy, but he has a name that is almost as funny as NASCAR legend Dick Trickle..
Aug. 12, 2011 5:09 a.m. petegossett SuperDork

He's from nearby Danville, IL originally, and I know there have been occasions over the years where he's come back home to support local causes. While I've never met him, he seems like a genuinely nice guy.