These cars look like Hollywood stars. KC’s ‘Movie Car Man’ builds near-perfect replicas

Some people enjoy movies; others live through them. What began with a Blues Brothers Halloween costume has turned into an adventure on par with the films that have inspired it.

For Russell Dameron, also known as the “Movie Car Man,” the magic of cinema has extended far beyond the silver screen.

The journey started with a Halloween costume—and a car. While searching for the perfect details to add to their costumes, Russell Dameron tracked down someone in Kansas City who actually owned a replica of the Bluesmobile from the movie “The Blues Brothers” and thought it would be perfect.

After talking to the owner, Dameron found out that renting the car for a few days wasn’t an option, but buying the vehicle outright was. Dameron and his wife said, “Why not?”

The only problem? The car was in terrible shape. But, instead of possibly finding a better version of the vehicle, Dameron knew he wanted to fix up this car and make it his own. He knew exactly who could help.

His brother Rod Dameron, a skilled bodywork specialist with a knack for hot rods, tackled the car’s body restoration alongside his cousin Rodney Creed, who brought his mechanical skills to the table so that the cars could actually run. Together, they took on the challenge of rebuilding the Bluesmobile from scratch, making sure that every detail painstakingly matched the on-screen original. From their first reactions to driving the vehicle on the street, they knew they were on to something fun.

Although fun, this wasn’t just doing a quick paint job and adding a couple bells and whistles. Achieving screen accuracy required exhaustive research—pouring over forums, studying freeze-frames of the movie, and analyzing every detail. Even something as small as the Budweiser cans crushed in “The Blues Brothers” needed to be recreated. Russell Dameron, who is in charge of doing the research on each vehicle, personally sought out the exact year of the cans and crushed them by hand to match the film.

The hunt for the rocket light from the “Toy Story” Pizza Planet truck was an equally daunting task, but the result was a car that was faithful to the movie, complete with Woody and Buzz Lightyear hitching a ride on the tailgate.

While searching for parts, they came across a vintage Cadillac hearse ambulance and immediately saw its potential as the legendary Ecto-1 from the “Ghostbusters” movie franchise. They dove into the project, building the “Ghostbusters” car from scratch with the same relentless attention to detail, and one car turned into two which then turned into the fleet they have now.

They also have two vehicles from the “Jurassic Park” films, the Mystery Machine from “Scooby Doo” fame, and a screen accurate version of Herbie the Love Bug, the classic Volkswagen Beetle, minus the moving headlights.

Dameron and his cars continue to delight fans everywhere they go. Whether it’s the “Jurassic Park” Jeep or the Ecto-1 blaring its unforgettable sirens, these cars are show-stoppers. They’re more than just vehicles; they’re nearly living breathing characters that evoke deep nostalgia and joy.

According to Dameron, the reactions from fans is the best part of it all. “People go insane when they see the cars,” Dameron says. The emotional connection audiences have with these vehicles speaks to their power as cultural icons.

And Dameron doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon. With an eye on other classic movie cars—perhaps a DeLorean from “Back to the Future” or a classic Lincoln turned Batmobile—his passion for this hobby grows with every new car.

Dameron made sure to mention that it’s not only about the cars—it’s about family. His wife plays a big supporting role in bringing the projects to life, and his children, some of whom currently work in Hollywood, contribute through social media and marketing. Movies have always been a way for them to connect as a family.

“We all grew up with these movies, we quote movies as a family,” says Dameron. “We love movies, it’s how we relate to each other, and of course the movie cars are just a natural extension of that.”

This story was originally published December 4, 2024 at 5:00 AM.