Forget 'The Fast and the Furious' - this '82 cult hit is so much better

Mad Max might be the biggest Australian carsploitation movie, but it ain't the best.

The Australian film Running on Empty is often referred to as a 'cult' hit, however we believe that it deserves far more praise than that. For some of us that were in our late teens in the mid ‘80s, this was the first high-octane Aussie film where cars featured as characters. Think The Fast and the Furious, only 30 years ago – and you’ll begin to understand the impact this film had on Aussie car enthusiasts.

Running on Empty was entirely filmed and produced in New South Wales, and featured a cast of many Aussie actors including Terry Serio (Mike), Max Cullen (Rebel), Richard Moir (Fox), and Deborah Conway (Julie). It also featured plenty of Australian motoring icons, such as an XY GT-HO Phase III, an EK Holden Sedan, and a HT Monaro. There’s also a handful of some American muscle too, like a blown ’57 Chev and a flashy Dodge Challenger.

Set in the early ‘80s the film follows the fast-paced life of Mike, a young fella who loves his cars fast and his women hot. He witnesses a street race featuring the infamous “Fox”, which unfolds with dire consequences for a yellow Monaro. A battle between the Fox and Mike ensues, where we follow the highs and lows, and a number of other chaotic encounters with fellow street racers who all want to win at all costs. 

Steve Courtney was involved in Running on Empty at the beginning. He has more than 30 years' experience in special effects within the Australian Film Industry, running his business, FX Illusions, in Queensland. As a part of the film crew, Steve had the task sourcing and building many of the cars starring in the film. 

“I first got involved because the director had seen ‘The Rammer’ in an old car mag. The car was owned by a good friend of mine, and production company bought ‘The Rammer’. One thing led to another and I ended up in Sydney as the vehicle co-ordinator for the film and also the head mechanic for the blown ’57.

While the supercharged 1957 Chevrolet is shown in the movie as a two-door, it started out as a four-door sedan. It was also quite unique looking too – it sat high in the rear, was missing the front bumper, and featured a huge blower that sat proud of the bonnet. 

Steve also recalled the red XY GT-HO Phase III that Mike drives. “We did have a genuine car, as well as four other stunt cars that were used during the film. One thing that nobody knows is that we used the genuine car in the scene where the car goes airborne! We couldn’t get any of the stunt cars repaired prior to the stunt, and as we had a tight film schedule it had to be done.” 

Steve also explained the unusual stripes on the XY GT-HO Phase III that many car enthusiasts had debated for some time. 

“I fitted the XY with nitrous, and boy did it go hard. A member of the production crew took the car for a drive and actually crashed it into the back of a truck! Correct side stripes couldn’t be sourced before filming began, so the GT stripes on the front guards were hand-painted.” 

The whereabouts of the original car used in the film is currently unknown. Maybe you know where it ended up?

The original “Fox” villain car (a 1970 Dodge Challenger) is owned by a Mopar enthusiast in Perth, Western Australia. It still retains its matching numbers 440cid V8 and slap-stick auto, and is still in very good condition. The current owner has logged about 8000 kilometres since buying the car around 10 years ago, and loves it every time he drives it. “The Fox’s big black Dodge stops people in their tracks. The movie star looks, the loud and lumpy 440 V8 – it’s just a great car to drive,” says the current owner.

The original “Blown ‘57” is also alive and is undergoing restoration by a Running on Empty fan from Sydney NSW who bought the car 27 years ago. “I fell in love with the ’57 the first time I saw the movie, and watched it over and over again. I also thought Rebel had some great lines and was an important character,” says its current owner. The car is exactly as it featured in the movie, and still retains the fenderwell headers and also a cheeky line-locker kit to make smoking the wheels a little easier.

Terry Serio, who starred in the lead role as Mike, says: “Fans still to this day get in touch or spot me out and about and request me to sign their VHS or DVD – it’s incredible. It is hard to think of another local production that has had such an impact on a group of people for such a long time, even younger guys talk to me about the movie and they know every line of the film”.  

One of the key features of the movie was the stunts involving cars, though bear in mind that there was no CGI (computer generated imagery) used in this movie – all the stunts are very real. Terry described the scene where the XY drives under the truck trailer. “I can remember the car (XY) being prepared for the truck crash scene, including cutting the pillars with a hacksaw to weaken them. We all watched on as stuntman Peter West drove straight under that trailer for real.”

Terry also noted “lots of risks were taken, and there was a lot of luck involved”. Terry has enjoyed a long career working in the Australian film and television industry, including numerous roles in popular TV shows like Blue Heelers & Home and Away.

While Running on Empty may be considered a ‘cult’ hit, its story is relatable to many who lived the car enthusiast life back in the ‘80s. With the classic hairstyles and fashion, the illegal street racing, and the huge range of desirable cars (both then and today), if you haven’t seen this film you certainly are missing out.

Source: Survivor Car Australia

What do you think of Running on Empty? Does it merit more attention? Tell us what you think in the comments below.