"White Sands" Corvette

[Duke W.]

Most of you probably recall that a '66 Nassau Blue big block convertible played a prominent supporting role in this 1992 film starring Willem Dafoe.

Other than what are probably sixty series tires that look too short on repro KOs the car looked decent and got a good thrashing.

My guess from the sound track is that the engine is L-36 not L-72. Anyone else have an opinion?

Also, does anyone know who owned the car at the time and where it is today?

Duke

[Stuart F.]

Re: "White Sands" Corvette

Don't know about the car, but he's probably still stuck in the jungles of Colombia. A "clear and present danger" (loved that one).

I vaguely recall seeing the movie with the Vette, but I don't recall the setting. Was that shot at the monument?

Stu Fox

[Michael J.]

Re: "White Sands" Corvette

This film was shot all around New Mexico, including White Sands National Monument. But the filmography descriptions say it was a 1965 396 Corvette.

[Chuck S.]

Re: "White Sands" Corvette

Don't know about the car, but he's probably still stuck in the jungles of Colombia. A "clear and present danger" (loved that one).

I vaguely recall seeing the movie with the Vette, but I don't recall the setting. Was that shot at the monument?

Stu Fox

I don't remember the movie, but I can supply a trivia item about the "monument": That white stuff is actually not sand.

Over the eons, a mineral has been dissolved out of the nearby mountains by rain and melt water. The saturated rain/melt water flowed down to a location near the foot of the mountains, where the water evaporated leaving the mineral deposited in pools as a stratified deposit.

Park rangers will not allow you disturb or take off any pieces of the mineral away these days, but early settlers desparate for light inside gloomy cabin interiors used sheets of the transparent mineral as window glass. Their desparation is evident in the fragility of the material...in a hail storm, you would be better off with plastic wrap covering your windows.

Natural erosion and wind action has weathered the mineral into "sand", and caused it to gradually migrate northward to the monument's present location. The migration continues northward at a VERY slow pace.

This entire area, including the mineral deposits, is part of the White Sands Range, and access is now only possible once a year by appointment. Military police armed with M16s escort a convoy of visitor vehicles into the deposit area. The M16s are not to keep the visitors in line...the MPs are armed to protect the visitors from the occasional rouge Oryx that thinks his territory is being violated. The government once issued a limited number of "Oryx hunting permits" by draw to thin the population; I don't know if that practice continues. Oryx are an exotic species; I have no idea how they were introduced to White Sands Range. Maybe back in the day, the US Army was trying to develop an alternative calvary mount to replace horses...that's how wild camels once roamed the west.

[Peter L.]

Re: "White Sands"

The "white sands" at White Sands National Monument in southern New Mexico are gypsum, i.e. calcium sulfate (CaSO4.2H2O). Pete

[Stuart F.]

Re: "White Sands" Corvette

I recall while stationed there during the Cuban Missle Crisis, only the Ordinance troops had to pull symbolic guard duty (we were signal). We'd be walking over to the theater or NCO club and hear the rapid fire of their M-1 carbines out in the desert. Normally, you were supposed to account for every round expended on guard duty, but all the troops were coming back with empty clips. They then issued them each just one clip - well, those were shot off too. We always figured it was due to boredom, but it was dangerous out there as they shot at anything that moved including Jack Rabbits. The Army never did learn how to handle the "Berlin Crisis" draftees. At the range, they are the ones that did most of the design and development work on a lot of Secret projects that led to our former technical advantage in rockets, lasers and space. Many were Phd Engineers who worked for some flunky civilian who got all the credit, specially on the days that the enlisted or draftee engineers had to pull KP! Thanks to JFK, that finally changed (after I left).

Stu Fox

[Michael J.]

Re: "White Sands" Corvette

Yes, that's right the "sand" is gypsum, hydrated calcium sulfate, an evaporitic residue from Lake Lucero, a playa lake formed by internal basin drainage from the surrounding mountains. They have numerous Oryx hunts in the area every year. You have to draw for a license, and there are many more applicants than winners, so it is a hot ticket. I have never been successful, but am in the draw each year, I keep hoping, in the meantime I hunt "goats" not too far from here. Much easier to get a license for.

[Stuart F.]

Re: "White Sands" Corvette

Michael;

Perhaps it was one of them there Ornx's that ran me over in the scrub brush of the Organ Mountains. We used to hike up the trail leading to a series of abandoned mines, i.e. gold, silver, etc. past the big antenna board. We were in a constant search for Cornados gold, Ha!. One day we came down through a wash and, as the brush and cactus were about head high, I didn't see the sucker coming until he knocked me over and disappeared.
There was an old Model T truck up there yet and a lot of old mining equipment, left when the Government shut them down. Understand the mines were still active then.

[Chuck S.]

Re: "White Sands" Corvette

Yes, that's right the "sand" is gypsum, hydrated calcium sulfate, an evaporitic residue from Lake Lucero, a playa lake formed by internal basin drainage from the surrounding mountains. They have numerous Oryx hunts in the area every year. You have to draw for a license, and there are many more applicants than winners, so it is a hot ticket. I have never been successful, but am in the draw each year, I keep hoping, in the meantime I hunt "goats" not too far from here. Much easier to get a license for.

Ahhh, Lake Lucero...that detail escaped me, like the name of the mineral.

When I lived in El Paso, the drawing was held at the Rod and Gun Club at Fort Bliss. I assume they had several draw locations, but Fort Bliss would have been nearest most of area military and civilian employee population. The club was moved while I was there; the new place was more accessible and appeared to be on reservation land, but the government may have sold them that corner parcel at the loop and Railroad Drive. The ranges were dedicated to the club and completely separate from any military training ranges, but the club, and the drawing, was open to military and civilian alike.

I loved to shoot out there. During the week you could go out there and be your own "range officer". For a long range zero, they had the best range I have ever seen...it was 200 yards with target stand installations and nice high bullet stop berms. I often wondered what happened when a novice held so high the bullet went over the berms. I wouldn't be surprised if growth didn't force that range to eventually be closed.

[Chuck S.]

Re: "White Sands" Corvette

...Perhaps it was one of them there Ornx's that ran me over in the scrub brush of the Organ Mountains. We used to hike up the trail leading to a series of abandoned mines, i.e. gold, silver, etc. past the big antenna board. We were in a constant search for Cornados gold, Ha!. One day we came down through a wash and, as the brush and cactus were about head high, I didn't see the sucker coming until he knocked me over and disappeared...

HaHaHa... Oryx are big animals, and not to be trifled with (to wit, the M16s ). Did he have two long, mostly straight spiral horns? You would have had to look UP to see the horns at that range. If it was an oryx, you might still have the scars to prove it! Mebbe it was antelope (pretty small)...or a mule deer (not a real small animal either).

[Michael J.]

Re: "White Sands" Corvette

Michael;

Perhaps it was one of them there Ornx's that ran me over in the scrub brush of the Organ Mountains. We used to hike up the trail leading to a series of abandoned mines, i.e. gold, silver, etc. past the big antenna board. We were in a constant search for Cornados gold, Ha!. One day we came down through a wash and, as the brush and cactus were about head high, I didn't see the sucker coming until he knocked me over and disappeared.
There was an old Model T truck up there yet and a lot of old mining equipment, left when the Government shut them down. Understand the mines were still active then.

Being an undergraduate Geology major at NMSU, I spent much time in those mines. The biggest was the Stevenson-Bennett Mine, an old lead silver mine that was worked up til the 1950s. We found lots of beautiful minerals in the mine, and it was very dangerous and unstable, many open adits and shafts with only old timbers holding things up. This mine is now closed down and sealed, the Feds are also cleaning up the arroyo due to lead contamination. It was probably a "goat", not an Oryx. The Oryx are not on that side of the Organs.

[Michael J.]

Re: "White Sands" Corvette

Ahhh, Lake Lucero...that detail escaped me, like the name of the mineral.

When I lived in El Paso, the drawing was held at the Rod and Gun Club at Fort Bliss. I assume they had several draw locations, but Fort Bliss would have been nearest most of area military and civilian employee population. The club was moved while I was there; the new place was more accessible and appeared to be on reservation land, but the government may have sold them that corner parcel at the loop and Railroad Drive. The ranges were dedicated to the club and completely separate from any military training ranges, but the club, and the drawing, was open to military and civilian alike.

I loved to shoot out there. During the week you could go out there and be your own "range officer". For a long range zero, they had the best range I have ever seen...it was 200 yards with target stand installations and nice high bullet stop berms. I often wondered what happened when a novice held so high the bullet went over the berms. I wouldn't be surprised if growth didn't force that range to eventually be closed.

I spent much time at Ft. Bliss when I was in Army ROTC, we used the ranges and VietNam Village for tactics training and rifle qualifications, along with using the armor ranges for the tank practice, that was a hoot. The drawings for Oryx licenses in New Mexico are conducted by the NM Dept. of Game and Fish, and are done online. Very efficient, but not good when you are unlucky like me.

[Chuck S.]

Re: "White Sands" Corvette

I spent much time at Ft. Bliss when I was in Army ROTC, we used the ranges and VietNam Village for tactics training and rifle qualifications, along with using the armor ranges for the tank practice, that was a hoot. The drawings for Oryx licenses in New Mexico are conducted by the NM Dept. of Game and Fish, and are done online. Very efficient, but not good when you are unlucky like me.

The drawing I attended, and was likewise unlucky, was in 1988 before the online version. I was lucky enough to get drawn for an elk permit up in the four corners area years later, but that's another story.

It makes sense NM Dept of Game and Fish now does the drawing. Even if the game is on a federal reservation, wild game is considered the property of the state, regardless on whose land it resides. Complying with fed rules for hunting on an active federal range is another deal altogether.

[Jay G.]

Re: "White Sands" Corvette

Most of you probably recall that a '66 Nassau Blue big block convertible played a prominent supporting role in this 1992 film starring Willem Dafoe.

Other than what are probably sixty series tires that look too short on repro KOs the car looked decent and got a good thrashing.

My guess from the sound track is that the engine is L-36 not L-72. Anyone else have an opinion?

Also, does anyone know who owned the car at the time and where it is today?

Duke

I do remember the film. A guy I grew up with Runs A Special Effects Co. in ventura. FilmTrix. He was working on Speilbergs/Lucas Earth II TV show in early 90's. The White sands was filmed around that time. Listening to both Kevin and sound track. The consenses was it's a crate motor 90's Listening to the Whine as it takes off. Remindes of blower sounding engines.

[Duke W.]

Re: "White Sands" Corvette

Geez, you guys are more interested in geology that Corvettes. BTW, the movie does point point that the "sand" is not sand.

Anyway, the Corvette's hood has the "Corvette Sting Ray" emblem, which says it's a '66. There are a couple of shots where if one had the DVD version, you might be able to freeze the frame and read the fender emblem, but all the library had was a VHS.

So since all you guys are such geology nuts, get the movie (on DVD if possible from your library or Netflix) and lets figure out the car!

I did have a sort of "whine" at idle. I figured maybe it had a gear drive cam.

Duke