# Identify this car from Three O'Clock High (1987) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 17, 2016, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323 "2016-03-17T21:06:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TheSundial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6f9a4e/32.png) [@TheSundial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheSundial)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2016, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323/1 "2016-03-17T21:06:38Z")
Partially shown vehicle except can it be identified? [http://s19.postimg.org/4nd7voqsj/Three\_OClock\_High\_1987\_720p\_Blu\_Ray\_x264\_YIFY\_mp4.jpg](http://s19.postimg.org/4nd7voqsj/Three_OClock_High_1987_720p_Blu_Ray_x264_YIFY_mp4.jpg) [http://s19.postimg.org/6gg4k0bz7/Three\_OClock\_High\_1987\_720p\_Blu\_Ray\_x264\_YIFY\_mp4.jpg](http://s19.postimg.org/6gg4k0bz7/Three_OClock_High_1987_720p_Blu_Ray_x264_YIFY_mp4.jpg) [http://s19.postimg.org/a1c038gir/Three\_OClock\_High\_1987\_720p\_Blu\_Ray\_x264\_YIFY\_mp4.jpg](http://s19.postimg.org/a1c038gir/Three_OClock_High_1987_720p_Blu_Ray_x264_YIFY_mp4.jpg) [http://s19.postimg.org/oykh48tr7/Three\_OClock\_High\_1987\_720p\_Blu\_Ray\_x264\_YIFY\_mp4.jpg](http://s19.postimg.org/oykh48tr7/Three_OClock_High_1987_720p_Blu_Ray_x264_YIFY_mp4.jpg) It’s true that if I search every muscle car after awhile I will most likely find a match for the front seat/steering wheel. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2016, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323/2 "2016-03-17T21:10:04Z")
Any luck from this - [IMCDb.org: "Three O'Clock High, 1987": cars, bikes, trucks and other vehicles](http://www.imcdb.org/movie_94138-Three-O-Clock-High.html) ---
**Author:** ![TheSundial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6f9a4e/32.png) [@TheSundial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheSundial)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2016, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323/3 "2016-03-17T21:13:03Z")
I just posted that comment about this vehicle on that page. It wasn’t added by the previous contributor because it’s not shown well. Although a main character does get out of it. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2016, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323/4 "2016-03-17T21:13:40Z")
The car is shown in this movie clip, but it’s no better than the pictures you linked to. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/UW-Y3QyK-aU/maxresdefault.jpg "Three O'Clock High (1/10) Movie CLIP - The New Guy (1987) HD") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW-Y3QyK-aU) One of the commenters on that video identified it as a Dodge Challenger based on the steering wheel and the dash, most likely a 1970 though difficult to tell what year. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2016, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323/5 "2016-03-17T21:16:31Z")
It’s a 'cuda. 70-74, but can’t be sure of the year. It has a Dana 60 rear end, so that generally marks it as Chrysler. The interior panel is missing, but the door handle is cuda The steering wheel is cuda, as is the seat and the dash looks right. The body lines looked like it right away, but i couldn’t be sure. But the rest matches. It could be a Challenger, but I am voting cuda. I think the body crease that a Challenger has would be visible in the camera angles. But, it is hard to tell. ---
**Author:** ![desertmonk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@desertmonk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/desertmonk)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2016, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323/6 "2016-03-17T21:19:25Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > It’s a 'cuda. 70-74, but can’t be sure of the year. > > It has a Dana 60 rear end, so that generally marks it as Chrysler. > > The interior panel is missing, but the door handle is cuda > > The steering wheel is cuda, as is the seat and the dash looks right. > > The body lines looked like it right away, but i couldn’t be sure. But the rest matches. > > It could be a Challenger, but I am voting cuda. I think the body crease that a Challenger has would be visible in the camera angles. But, it is hard to tell. And I think Chyslers were the only ones to do leaf springs? ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2016, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323/7 "2016-03-17T21:19:29Z")
I’m really tempted to say a GM muscle car based on what I see from the rear quarter panel and the interior shot. Most likely a Chevelle or Nova. I see from **Telemark** ’s link there is a Chevy 2 Nova in the movie so that may be it… ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2016, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323/8 "2016-03-17T21:20:06Z")
FWIW, I found another site that said it was either a Challenger or a Cuda. > [@](#): > > it is either a dodge challenger or a plymouth cuda cannot tell for sure because you can only see the side of the car and the inside door panels are taken off Looks like it was copied from another web site so I’m not going to link to it. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2016, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323/9 "2016-03-17T21:22:56Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > FWIW, I found another site that said it was either a Challenger or a Cuda. Oh it IS either. But which one? ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2016, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323/10 "2016-03-17T21:58:19Z")
Cudas and Challengers have, as far as I can tell, the same inner door structure. Which these pictures match. I’m still voting cuda, just because of [this](http://s19.postimg.org/4nd7voqsj/Three_OClock_High_1987_720p_Blu_Ray_x264_YIFY_mp4.jpg) shot. it just looks more like a cuda. I think the door has less curvature in a Challenger. I’m surprised the imcdb doesn’t list it. And in the whole, wide internet, it is surprisingly difficult to find a picture of the door structure! ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2016, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323/11 "2016-03-17T22:05:07Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > The car is shown in this movie clip, but it’s no better than the pictures you linked to. > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW-Y3QyK-aU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW-Y3QyK-aU) > > One of the commenters on that video identified it as a Dodge Challenger based on the steering wheel and the dash, most likely a 1970 though difficult to tell what year. You couldn’t tell year from anything in that clip. it’s almost like they are deliberately hiding the car’s ID, If the inner door panel was in, you could tell. He even hides the quarter window, which would also be a dead giveaway. But between cudas and Challengers, Most Original Parts Are [del]Replaced[/del] interchangeable, so seats and steering wheels are not hard identifiers. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2016, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323/12 "2016-03-17T23:23:28Z")
> [@desertmonk](#): > > And I think Chyslers were the only ones to do leaf springs? no, the Mustang and Cougar also had leaf springs. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323/13 "2016-03-18T01:52:11Z")
'Cuda. You can tell by the door. The 'Cuda had the window crank below the door handle, the Challenger was slightly above it. [Compare photos 12 and 15](http://www.hemmings.com/magazine/mus/2012/02/T-AAR---1970-Dodge-Challenger-T-A-and-Plymouth--Cuda-AAR/3708631.html#PhotoSwipe1458265321850) ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323/14 "2016-03-18T02:52:43Z")
Actually, 1970 AAR 'Cuda (or a clone). The AAR (340-Six pack) was only produced for the 1970 MY. It was the only Plymouth model with the exhaust in front of the rear tires. The AAR 'Cudas the Hemi 'Cudas, and 440 'Cudas (MT) all came with the Dana 60, but ony the AAR 'Cudas had the exhaust in front of the rear wheels. In the pictures, the exhaust is obviously aftermarket, but it would make no sense to give a big-block car a small block exhaust, even aftermarket. So, if it isn’t a 1970 AAR 'Cuda, it was made to look like one. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323/15 "2016-03-18T06:13:49Z")
> [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](#): > > Actually, 1970 AAR 'Cuda (or a clone). > > The AAR (340-Six pack) was only produced for the 1970 MY. It was the only Plymouth model with the exhaust in front of the rear tires. > > The AAR 'Cudas the Hemi 'Cudas, and 440 'Cudas (MT) all came with the Dana 60, but ony the AAR 'Cudas had the exhaust in front of the rear wheels. In the pictures, the exhaust is obviously aftermarket, but it would make no sense to give a big-block car a small block exhaust, even aftermarket. So, if it isn’t a 1970 AAR 'Cuda, it was made to look like one. AARs only had 8 3/4 rear ends. And whatever that exhaust is, it isn’t AAR. It looks like it is coming out of the quarter panel! ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323/16 "2016-03-18T08:24:39Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > You couldn’t tell year from anything in that clip. > > it’s almost like they are deliberately hiding the car’s ID, If the inner door panel was in, you could tell. He even hides the quarter window, which would also be a dead giveaway. Yeah, the flinging himself across the quarter window is not a thing an actual person would do, they’re trying to hide it. Also bonus Lisa Simpson at 15 seconds! > [@swampspruce](#): > > I’m really tempted to say a GM muscle car based on what I see from the rear quarter panel and the interior shot. Most likely a Chevelle or Nova. I see from **Telemark** ’s link there is a Chevy 2 Nova in the movie so that may be it… Could be, the half-second of quarter window you can see looks about right. Clearly we need to find somebody with a Cuda and somebody with a Nova, get pictures of them from that angle … Actually the easier way might be to measure the spacing of the lugnuts. Mopar and Chevy both used 5-bolt wheels, but different spacing on the lugs. Good luck getting a scale bar out of the clip, though (you’d use the wheel diameter, but those are clearly aftermarket wheels so probably not stock size), and it’s only 1/4" difference (Chevy 4.75", Dodge/Plymouth 4.5"). > [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > AARs only had 8 3/4 rear ends. And whatever that exhaust is, it isn’t AAR. It looks like it is coming out of the quarter panel! The exhaust is Mad Max/NASCAR style. And the axle isn’t really a great point to ID it by; swapping in a heavy-duty truck axle to replace the stock glass rearend is one of the first things you do when building a hotrod, innit? ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323/17 "2016-03-18T09:48:19Z")
> [@swampspruce](#): > > I’m really tempted to say a GM muscle car based on what I see from the rear quarter panel and the interior shot. Most likely a Chevelle or Nova. I see from **Telemark** ’s link there is a Chevy 2 Nova in the movie so that may be it… The Chevelles didn’t have bucket seats, and I don’t think the Novas did either. Never owned a Nova, but I cut my teeth in a 72 Chevelle. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323/18 "2016-03-18T11:16:01Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > AARs only had 8 3/4 rear ends. And whatever that exhaust is, it isn’t AAR. It looks like it is coming out of the quarter panel! But it looks like a brand new Dana 60 under an old car… You’d put a Dana 60 in for limited slip … right ? ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323/19 "2016-03-18T12:18:42Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > AARs only had 8 3/4 rear ends. And whatever that exhaust is, it isn’t AAR. It looks like it is coming out of the quarter panel! You’re right. I should have known that (or, I used to know that; now I know it again). > [@Isilder](#): > > But it looks like a brand new Dana 60 under an old car… > > You’d put a Dana 60 in for limited slip … right ? The Dana 60 is to support greater torque. Sure-Grip (limited slip) gearset could be had in just about any differential offered. I used to have a 1965 Barracuda with a 7-3/4 2.93 Sure Grip. But, looking at the steering wheel and seat, it is obviously a E-body Chrysler. Based on the door, it’s a Barracuda. If the Dana is factory, it’s a big-block 'Cuda; otherwise, it is a clone. ---
**Author:** ![SpyOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@SpyOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpyOne)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323/20 "2016-03-18T14:38:09Z")
> [@desertmonk](#): > > And I think Chyslers were the only ones to do leaf springs? Dude? _Everybody_ did leaf springs. That was like the default suspension for a car of that era. Chryslers were known for using torsion bars, but that was for the front suspension, not rear. The wheel is consistent with a Barracuda, in that you often see Baarricudas on those rims. I have no idea if they were a factory option or aftermarket, and they would probably fit on a lot of cars either way. I’d go with the people who think they have recognized the differential, doorhandle, and steering wheel. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-car-from-three-oclock-high-1987/749323.md?page=2)