Turbo Grand Prix Window Sticker from Pace Car for the Movie "Days of Thunder"

[Larry M]

In case you don't have your own copy of an actual window sticker, I am posting mine, removed from the window of my car. Pontiac and McLaren both told me that my car was the actual pace car in the movie, and that it during filming, it was driven on occasion by Tom Cruise. I was told that sometimes he would take it into Daytona at night and drive around, sometimes turning on the track lights.

 

My car was never titled or licensed until I bought it with 16,000 miles on it. Also, I was told that it was trucked to several car shows, etc. before I bought it. I was told that its window sticker was removed from the glove box and applied before I ever saw the car. I had gone down to look at a new Grand Am and I saw this car and fell in love, at first sight. After I drove it a few blocks, I was completely sold. : )

 

I never saw the track lights, only the five holes in the roof where they had been mounted. Pontiac filled the holes and repainted the roof before I took possession of the car. The only other modification was one hole which remained in the console where the switch for the track lights had been mounted.

 

It was a wonderful car and lasted 194,000 miles before being totalled in an accident on October 16, 2006. I was t-boned by a 16-year old girl who ran a red left turn signal. I have been injured but am slowly recovering.

 

I loved my car and was heartbroken to discover that it was a total loss.

 

 

 

Except for the track lights, and the replacement windshield which didn't have the PONTIAC lettering, the car in this photo looks just as it did when it was in the movie. The only modifications to my pace car were its high-performance chip and a 160º thermostat.

 

NOTE: My car was NOT the Pace Car for the actual Daytona 500 race. That TGP had many modifications, I was told, including high-capacity oil pan with sump, Corvette front brakes and gearing. It also had white lettering painted on the sides. I was also told that the Daytona 500 Pace Car could do 140mph on Daytona's tri-oval. I was told that it had to be able to do 140mph in 3rd gear. Amazing!!! : )

 

[Addicted To Boost]

I'm sorry to hear that such a nice TGP got totaled!! Glad you're okay though.

[kuntzie]

wow nice car.. did the insurance company keep it or did you buy it back...

 

if you didnt buy it back.... why not i would have.. no matter how bad it was

 

also i hope you come to a full recovery soon

[GOT2B GM]

Sorry to hear about your loss man. At least you're still with us.

 

That car was a piece of TGP history.

[Larry M]

Well, State Farm was giving me the "bum's rush" to make a decision, or face additional storage charges for each day. Especially since I am at home recuperating, I figured out that there was no place I could satisfactorily store the car. Jeff M had my transmission rebuilt in Minnesota (according to his beefed up specs) and I would love to have been able to remove turbo, trans, engine, ABS system, crossmember/cradle, and a ton of other parts before sending it away for scrap. The tires were almost brand new as well. But it only had the stock chip installed, for the winter, so I still have a couple of hot ones.

 

But Illinois law (due to chop shop legislation) forbids removing any parts from a car that is to be sold as salvage after declaration of total loss. Also forbidden is revealing where the cars go for auction, or who purchases them. There may be ways to find it a bit later, hopefully.

 

Thanks for responding with good wishes for my recovery, and for your empathy at my loss of such a special vehicle. : )

[kuntzie]

wow those laws suck

[R Dubya]

Glad you are still with us today. Cars can be replaced, to an extent obviously. Too bad about the car. Looks like it was a nice one. Did you get screwed on insurance coverage?

[mfewtrail]

Sorry to hear about your TGP and your injuries. I wish you a speedy recovery.

 

Also, that's some interesting info. You don't happen to know the fate of the car that actually paced the Daytona 500 do you? I've heard something about one of the pace cars supposedly being a museum before, but I don't remember where it was supposedly at.

[Q-Ball]

Sad story. Your TGP was one of a kind!

[Euro]

damn...that sucks! did you have the pace car stickers at all for the doors, etc??

[Larry M]

No stickers, there were none on the Pace Car for the movie. Tom Cruise drove the car at times while in Daytona.

 

The Daytona 500 Pace Car for the February 9, 1989 race was a different car and had its lettering painted on.

[Euro]

wow thats amazing. so sad that its gone. but thankfully you're ok! i didnt know that a movie TGP was so close to me lol

[black_97_ls]

damn man. Sad to hear. Glad you're still alive and kicking.

[Crazy K]

Don't really know you yet, But sorry for the loss! Damn I wouldn't mind having a tgp...... if it were a availible as a convertible

[jeremy]

damn ....at least she treated you well ....

[Garrett Powered]

Don't really know you yet, But sorry for the loss! Damn I wouldn't mind having a tgp...... if it were a availible as a convertible

 

It can, and has been done

[mfewtrail]

Don't really know you yet, But sorry for the loss! Damn I wouldn't mind having a tgp...... if it were a availible as a convertible

 

It can, and has been done

 

There are NO TGP convertibles and never were as far as I know. If you're referring to the car Jeff M. has a picture of, look at that picture again...it's a GP w/ a shitty carriage top(look closely, you can see it has a sunroof).

[Garrett Powered]

Don't really know you yet, But sorry for the loss! Damn I wouldn't mind having a tgp...... if it were a availible as a convertible

 

It can, and has been done

 

There are NO TGP convertibles and never were as far as I know. If you're referring to the car Jeff M. has a picture of, look at that picture again...it's a GP w/ a shitty carriage top(look closely, you can see it has a sunroof).

so you are saying it cant be done? there is a wrecked black cutty drop in my J/Y. not that I would attempt, but had to think about it.

 

...that red one aint real???