The cars of Stephen King stories: books and film adaptations

“Maximum Overdrive” (adaptation of “Trucks”)—Green Goblin big rig

“Maximum Overdrive” is a 1986 horror film loosely based on King’s short story “Trucks”, from his 1978 short story collection “Night Shift.” “Maximum Overdrive” also happens to be King’s one and only directorial effort. In the story and the movie, machines come to life and turn against humans after a comet causes a radiation storm on Earth. At a North Carolina truck stop, patrons are terrorized by the big rigs which have become homicidal. The apparent leader of the trucks is a Happy Toyz big rig with a giant Green Goblin face on the front, which happens to be a White Western Star 4800 truck with a Detroit Diesel 8V-71. Also notable (and dangerous) is the M274 Mule which can fire its mounted M60 machine gun by itself. It may not have been a good movie (it has a 14% on Rotten Tomatoes), but that Green Goblin truck is still pretty terrifying.

“From a Buick 8”—Buick 8 (resembles a 1953 Buick Roadmaster)

King’s 2002 novel “From a Buick 8” features a car known as a “Buick 8,” which resembles, but is not actually a blue 1953 Buick Roadmaster. In fact, the Buick 8 is not a car and is not drivable, it repels all dirt and debris, and it repairs itself when damaged. Furthermore, many supernatural occurrences emanate from and happen around the Buick 8. As it turns out, the Buick 8 is a portal to another world. Not necessarily a “killer car,” per se, but it’s pretty close.

“Riding the Bullet”—1960 Plymouth

“Riding the Bullet” is King’s 2000 novella (adapted into a 2005 film of the same name). In it, student Alan Parker hitchhikes to visit his mother after she suffered a stroke. Along the way, he is picked up by George Staub (driving a 1960 Plymouth in the movie). The problem is that George Staub is dead, and the 1960 Plymouth is the very same car that he quite literally lost his head in. Worst hitchhike ride ever?

“Christine”—1958 Plymouth Fury

Of course, if you know anything about Stephen King, you knew I was going to mention this one. In King’s 1983 novel, “Christine,” socially awkward teen Arnold “Arnie” Cunningham buys a 1958 Plymouth Fury named Christine. After he buys the car, Arnie’s outward appearance improves, he starts dating the prettiest girl in school, and he stops letting bullies push him around. However, he also becomes irascible, erratic, and eventually alienates his friends and family. Of course, it turns out that Christine is possessed, can repair itself, and ultimately goes on a killing spree. So, yeah, that’s pretty much your quintessential killer car right there.

Fun fact: there’s an error in the book (but not the movie). In the book, the hitchhiker who saves Leigh gets in the back seat via the back door … except Christine is a two-door hardtop, not a sedan. In addition, although the car is identified in the movie as a 1958 Plymouth Fury, Scott Von Doviak, in his book “Stephen King Films FAQ: All That’s Left to Know About the King of Horror on Film,” notes that the evil car was depicted on screen using two different Plymouth models: the Belvedere and the Savoy. This is probably because only 5,303 of the 1958 Plymouth Fury were produced, and at the time of filming the movie, they were costly and hard to locate.

In addition, other characters drive notable cars. Dennis Guilder drives a red 1968 Dodge Charger R/T in the movie (it’s a Plymouth Duster in the book), Buddy Repperton’s ride is a 1967 Chevy Camaro SS, and Will Darnell has a Chrysler Imperial in the book, but a 1974 Cadillac Coupe de Ville in the movie. And, of course, in the book Christine is seemingly destroyed by a pink septic tanker truck named Petunia, a scene that is left out of the movie.

“Mr. Mercedes”—Mercedes S class

“Mr. Mercedes” is King’s first crime novel, published in 2014, and the first book in his Bill Hodges trilogy. The trilogy was adapted into a television series in 2017, also called “Mr. Mercedes.” It features a serial killer who calls himself Mr. Mercedes and begins his killing spree by plowing into a crowd of people using a Mercedes S class. Not a supernatural killer car so much as a killer driver in this one.

“Needful Things”—Tucker Talisman

In “Needful Things,” King’s 1991 novel, a mysterious man named Leland Gaunt opens a curiosity shop in Castle Rock, Maine that always seems to have an item in stock that is perfectly suited to each specific customer. When Gaunt first comes to town, he arrives in a Tucker Talisman. The Talisman was a sportier version of the Tucker 48 that was planned but never built. So, for those readers who know their car history, it added an extra level of creepiness to Gaunt that he drove a car that never actually made it to production. In the movie, however, Gaunt drives a 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300d W189, presumably because it was impossible to have him drive a Tucker Talisman, as they were never made.

“Cujo”—Ford Pinto

In King’s 1981 novel “Cujo” and the 1983 film adaptation, Donna Trenton and her son Tad are trapped in a Ford Pinto by the titular rabid dog. While the car isn’t a critical part of the story, I imagine there were a few people who felt uneasy about Pintos after reading the book or seeing the movie.

Honorable Mention

“Pet Sematary”—Truck that kills Gage Creed

In King’s 1983 novel “Pet Sematary” and the 1989 and 2019 film adaptations, the two-year-old son of Louis and Rachel Creed, Gage, is accidentally killed by a speeding truck on the busy road outside their home. While the truck plays only a small but important role in the novel (and therefore is not well identified), the accident it causes leads Louis to bury his dead son in the Pet Sematary, resulting in the horror that follows. As Jud Crandall warns, “sometimes, dead is better”.

“Stand by Me” (adaptation of “The Body”)—1949 Ford Custom Convertible Coupe

In the 1986 movie “Stand by Me,” adapted from King’s 1982 novella, “The Body,” the gang leader “Ace” Merrill drives a 1949 Ford Custom Convertible Coupe, aka a “shoebox Ford.” In the car, he participates in some hoodlum mischief like playing mailbox baseball and racing/playing a game of chicken with another vehicle. While the shoebox Ford is not a critical part of the plot, Ace’s activities in the car serve to establish his character as a bully.

What other notable vehicles from Stephen King’s books did I miss, killer or otherwise? Tell us in the comments!