We lost James Garner this week, one of the ultimate car guys who was a very popular actor with an amazing career and life. A mans man he was awarded 2 Purple Hearts after serving and being wounded in Korea. He portrayed western gun slinger's and private eyes on the big screen and on TV was Maverick and Jim Rockford in the Rockford Files. He passed at age 86 Sunday. James Scott Bumgarner born in Norman Oklahoma part Cherokee Indian on his mothers side who died when he was 4 years old did not have a charmed early life.
On a Harley Davidson Topper
At the Carroll Shelby driving school
Who knew from that photo above when he leaned on the Pace car he would pilot no less than 3 Indianapolis Pace cars in the actual races!
1975
1977
1985
He formed the American International Racers team
Garner's AIR Team signed with AMC to sponsor 10 1969 SC/Ramblers to compete in the Baja 500
They campaigned an L88 Corvette
His Oldsmobile Baja racer has actually been restored
TV's Rockford drove a very plain Firebird, not a Trans Am
Garner had a great relationship with General Motors
Became a spokesman for GMC truck
His dad on the Rockford Files drove a GMC (GMC and Pontiac at one time were joint dealerships)
It is strongly understood the special edition Gentleman Jim trucks were in honor of Gentleman Jim Garner
James Garner, Steve McQueen and James Coburn on the set of The Great Escape
An actor with no controversy or scandals who was successful on screen and on the track
FULL THROTTLE AND WIDE OPEN ON YOUR FINAL JOURNEY
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