PULSE AUTOCYCLE NETWORK  Forum Index PULSE AUTOCYCLE NETWORK

 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Just saw Back to the Future II......

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    PULSE AUTOCYCLE NETWORK Forum Index -> The Forum
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Falcon Wing



Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Posts: 108
Location: Colorado Springs

PostPosted: Sun Jan 09, 2005 10:16 am    Post subject: Just saw Back to the Future II...... Reply with quote

which Pulse #'s were actually in the movie? I noticed a red one and a white one that was seen twice. Anyone know?
_________________
Joel Patton
www.picturetrail.com/pulse199
www.picturetrail.com/falconwing
www.picturetrail.com/falconwing2 (seat bracket build)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Steve C. Schmidt
Guest





PostPosted: Sun Jan 09, 2005 7:29 pm    Post subject: Back to Future II Reply with quote

Universal Studios became interested in the Pulse after seeing it in early 1988 Fox Television Network show. They contacted Ed Butcher, president of Owosso Motor Car. Co., and within months two Pulses were in Los Angeles for the film, "Back to the Future II," by Steven Spielberg's production company.

Butcher recalls building a car for a customer who later backed out of the deal. This car and another Pulse were loaned to the movie studio in about the summer/fall of 1988. One Pulse was white and the other blue. In the movie the blue car was repainted red.

After the production was finished, Butcher took these two cars to the Las Vegas area and sold them. It is not known where they are today. Several owners claim their cars were in the Back to the Future II movie.

In March 20, 1989, Ed Butcher reported in the Detroit News that his company was hopeful that the appearance of his Pulse autocycle in the new movie will inject new interest in the vehicle.

The movie was released by December of 1989 and the Pulse streaked across the "Big Screen". It was shown twice in the movie. One scene lasted only 1.5 seconds, but it was enough to get attention.
Back to top
steve c. schmidt
Guest





PostPosted: Mon Jan 10, 2005 3:37 am    Post subject: vin Reply with quote

Yes they had a VIN, but Butcher cant remember their numbers or who he sold them to. He sold them to two different parties in or near Vegas. He did not want to bring them back to Owosso, so he must have given somebody a good deal.
Back to top
elden simons



Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 369
Location: Brampton, Michigan

PostPosted: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:42 am    Post subject: Mystery Pulse in Movie Reply with quote

Ah, and notice also the mystery Pulse copy on the roof of a building that served as a fueling station. I noted it from the movie at the theater, and then also on the VHS copy. Someday I'll get the DVD and zoom in on the segment for a closer look. My DVD player has got a really neat zoom feature!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
tomcap21
Site Admin


Joined: 26 Aug 2003
Posts: 7
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin

PostPosted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 1:13 pm    Post subject: Back to the Future II Pulses Reply with quote

Steve, Ed Butcher is not telling the whole truth. The two Pulses that appeared in that movie were owned by the company selling LiteStars in San Diego, California. This is also the company that was going to build the LiteStars on the West Coast when Sta n Lietner was having trouble with Owosso Motor Car Company. They owned two LiteStars, a red one and a white one. Dave in Seattle owns the white one.

TomCap
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Steve C. Schmidt
Guest





PostPosted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 11:12 pm    Post subject: Movie Reply with quote

There are many people who claim that their Litestar or Pulse was in the movie Back to the Future or another movie.

Perhaps when owners buy a Litestar or Pulse, the seller tells them this car was in the movie or some other movie........but what they really mean is....this type of Litestar or Pulse was used in a movie. The new owners then claim their car was the actual car in the movie.

One Pulse recently on Ebay said that it was the actual car used in the movie.

Dan Willis, who was a partner with Henry Coppolla, in the LiteStar of San Diego dealership claimed that his Owosso built Litestar #009 appeared in Back To The Future II. (#009 is now owned by Dave McCoy.... that now has an electric motor for propulsion.)

http://www.autocycles.org/009ol.html

If this is true then the cars in the Back to the Future movie would have twin headlights.

Ed Butcher's version.........In the Detroit Free Press article about Owosso Motor Car Co. written in June 1989, the writer tells us the following:

"Two Pulses were shipped to Universal Studios in Hollywood for the movie "Back to the Future: Part II," filmed by Steven Spielberg's production company. How they humped to finish those cars on time, with the assurance that somebody would probably want to buy one. But nobody has. It was in the movie, but only a few seconds."

Ed Butcher told me that he was contacted by the production company.

"Universal Studios became interested in the Pulse after seeing it in 1988 on a Fox Television Network show. They contacted me and within months two Pulses were in Los Angeles for the film, "Back to the Future II," by Steven Spielberg's production company."

Butcher recalls building a car for a customer who later backed out of the deal. This car and another Pulse were loaned to the movie studio in about the summer/fall of 1988. One Pulse was white and the other blue. In the movie the blue car was repainted red by the production company. After shooting the red paint was washed off.

These two cars were taken from Hollywood to the Las Vegas area and sold according to Butcher by himself.

On March 20, 1989, Ed Butcher reported in the Detroit News that his company was hopeful that the appearance of his Pulse autocycle in the new movie 'Back to the Future II', will inject new interest in the vehicle. The movie was released by December of 1989 and the Pulse streaked across the "Big Screen". The Pulse was shown twice in the movie. One scene lasted only 1.5 seconds, but it was enough to get attention.

Factory installed single head lights began about Pulse #186....circa Feb, 1986

OMCC filed for bankrupcy in June of 1986. The plant was moved to Butcher's farm.

I keep digging for the facts, Ken Haughton remembers hauling the Pulses to Hollywood.......but I will contact him again for more facts. Perhaps they really only took one car to Hollywood and used Dave's car too.

Can anyone look at the movie again and see if they can identify the headlight configuration.

I will keep digging on this end.

steve schmidt
owosso, michigan
Back to top
Falcon Wing



Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Posts: 108
Location: Colorado Springs

PostPosted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 12:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Seeing how the movie came out in 89, the Pulses would have to have been made prior to shooting in 87 and 88. What # is Dave's?

Since mine was built in 86, I got dibbs on bragging rights!!! Wink


**Whoops** posted just after Steves!

From what I saw in the movie, I remember that they headlights were single flip ups.
_________________
Joel Patton
www.picturetrail.com/pulse199
www.picturetrail.com/falconwing
www.picturetrail.com/falconwing2 (seat bracket build)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
steve 195
Guest





PostPosted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 11:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The white pulse had a flip up headlight, pulse logo on the canopy that appears to be tinted, the wing antenna on the back, motorcycle turn signals on the back and was goldwing powered.
Back to top
Falcon Wing



Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Posts: 108
Location: Colorado Springs

PostPosted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 1:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That is what I thought too.....so, how could #009 be the one in the movie then?? Unless the car was modded for the movie, then returned to stock.

...the plot thickens! Somebody call Speilberg!
_________________
Joel Patton
www.picturetrail.com/pulse199
www.picturetrail.com/falconwing
www.picturetrail.com/falconwing2 (seat bracket build)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Guest






PostPosted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 6:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK, I looked at the Back To The Future site and found these two pics of the red Pulse:



and



I concede the the red Pulse is not my LiteStar.

Next,I'll see if can rent the VHS tape or the DVD and get some pics of the white Pulse.

TomCap
Back to top
Steve C. Schmidt
Guest





PostPosted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 9:33 pm    Post subject: movie Reply with quote

Tom,

Thanks for researching this. The pics are great. The Pulse appears to have a water-cooled engine too.

Eldon mentioned he thought he saw a Pulse on the roof of the gas station too.
Anybody see that one. Could there be a THIRD car in the movie?

steve
Back to top
elden simons



Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 369
Location: Brampton, Michigan

PostPosted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:11 am    Post subject: thankyou Tom Cap! Reply with quote

So glad you posted those photos from the site you visited. It only proves that the Pulse's were important stars.
The mystery autocycle being fueled on a roof top was a fabricated mockup. The town itself was a facade/fake. A full weight G.C.R.V. would not have sat well without all sorts of special support on a fake roof.
This topic was addressed some months ago where one of you out there noted that a copy of a Pulse was created in the production, but no one could give further detail. I can only deduce that this is the situation. What better model to put on a roof top to emphasize the era of flying vehicles than the hot Pulse car! None of the others better conveyed the idea of "flight-potential/ergo-design" (what?). I am not certain (will make correction when certain), but I believe that the roof top Pulse can be seen following the Hover Board incident. Look at the roof lines, it is brief.

*(March 12,'05) Bought the wide-screen version DVD set...and did alot of Pause/Step viewing of Part II. The autocycle on the fuel station roof is a yellow "PULSE". I be darned that if it is a copy, then why also the Pulse logo on the canopy? Heres's the way to see it, and also get a finger cramp. Right when Marty begins his hover-board course over the pond, begin viewing with the pause button. The yellow Pulse can be see in bits and pieces, especially when the camera focuses on his feet on the board and the board is skipping on the water. Also, when the 'Pit Bull' hover board is released from its case for to go after Marty...do some more Pause/Step viewing and you can make out a person standing in the driver's position of the Pulse watching the situation. This is pretty much before the bullys go flying from their boards and into the Courthouse glass. So there goes my understanding of word that a copy was built. So I'm uncertain about it. Question


Last edited by elden simons on Sun Mar 13, 2005 10:02 am; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Guest






PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 4:13 am    Post subject: Look at this idea. Reply with quote

http://www.canosoarus.com/03CalifCommuter/03b.htm[url][/url]
Back to top
Bob Hichborn



Joined: 12 Feb 2004
Posts: 404
Location: Orlando, Fl

PostPosted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 9:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.canosoarus.com/03CalifCommuter/03b.htm

Hopefully, this link works alittle better then the previous posters link, but thanks for the link. See... where are these kind of people now? This guy has done some wild stuff! I wonder if he can come up with a descent reverse unit for the Pulse? Oh... and steering box... ah ... and how bout some brakes .... and then ....
_________________
"Everyday you wake up with a Pulse,
is a good day!"
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Nelson Locke



Joined: 26 Aug 2003
Posts: 78
Location: Pembroke Pines, Florida

PostPosted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 7:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, Bob, for fixing my link. I thought this California Commuter Car was interesting.
_________________
Pulsing with excitement,
Nelson A. Locke
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Bob Hichborn



Joined: 12 Feb 2004
Posts: 404
Location: Orlando, Fl

PostPosted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 9:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nelson,

Yeah, that was a great link! Looking thru his site I found this one:
http://www.3wheelers.com/galleries.html

Which has a few 3 wheel prototypes that are just awesome! Looks like they were built in Australia, but never got off the ground for various reasons. Really nice looking stable designs.... hmmm.... maybe it can be the dual front wheel Pulse design that has been discussed here from time to time.
_________________
"Everyday you wake up with a Pulse,
is a good day!"
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
elden simons



Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 369
Location: Brampton, Michigan

PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 1:02 pm    Post subject: Still a Pulse Pure-ist, but... Reply with quote

Still love the classic Bede design, but if one leans to a three-wheel design I'd like the incorporation of ideas from the Tri-Magnum.
Love the back-end look of the Tri-Magnum. If someone has a computor "Morph" program, I wonder how the two designs could merge.
How would the look of "wing" stabilizers be fashioned? I know, not as sleek as the original.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
elden simons



Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 369
Location: Brampton, Michigan

PostPosted: Sun Mar 13, 2005 10:12 am    Post subject: Third Pulse in movie targeted Reply with quote

Basicly this is a notice of update, I nailed down where the third Pulse can be seen. So, go back to Page 1 of this subject and review my entry for January the 26th. There is someone in the vehicle, on the roof refueling station!
_________________
Tammy and Elden have Pulse #308 from 1988.Built in Butcher's Barn and presently sets inoperative in their garage. We are still keeping it!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    PULSE AUTOCYCLE NETWORK Forum Index -> The Forum All times are GMT + 6 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB 2.0.22-1 (Debian) © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group