Great Western Motors

Captured in the mid-1970s outside Great Western Motors in Greenbrook, New Jersey, this photo shows the Fireball 500, a radically customized 1966 Plymouth Barracuda built by Barris Kustoms for the Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello film Fireball 500. With its striking dual-cockpit design, molded windshields, and aggressive race-inspired styling, the car was a Hollywood showpiece. Underneath, it packed a 426 Hemi and was reportedly capable of 160 mph. After its time in the spotlight, the car ended up as a promotional piece for the dealership, sitting outside, exposed to the elements. By the early 1980s, the Fireball 500 had fallen into disrepair, its bodywork crumbling due to its quick-build movie prop origins. Photo from The Tom Winger Photo Collection.