The 1975 cult classic film Death Race 2000 spawned many things after its release, including a lot of lame knockoff films and bad sequels – not to mention children’s toys and questionable Halloween costumes. One of the greatest things this hokey film did produce, however, was the “Shala Vette,” a Corvette-ish car driven by the film’s (sort of) antagonist, Frankenstein, portrayed by David Carradine.
That car is still around and will be auctioned by Mecum next month.
The Shala Vette is similar to the character who drove it: badass, mean, and mostly Hollywood amid a conglomeration of parts. The engine at back, for example, is pure fantasy, but is as cool-looking as are the large fins that run from head to tail and the uber-cool tusk-teeth adorning the grille. Even Sylvester Stallone (Machine Gun Joe in the film) would be amazed at the great condition this car is still in.
The car itself is actually an amalgamation of cars created specifically for the film. Designed by James Powers for the movie and built by Dean Jeffries and George Barris, the Shala Vette sits on a Volkswagen Chassis, is powered by a flat-six air-cooled Corvair engine, and propelled through a three-speed manual transmission.
The interior of Frankenstein’s car is as green as the rest of it, featuring green-pleated seating, green carpet, and a green-wrapped steering wheel. Mecum estimates the going price for this awesome piece of movie history will be $20,000 to $25,000.
