One of my favorite television rediscoveries of this year has been of the original Bionic Woman series of the 1970s, starring the great Lindsay Wagner as the title character, Jaime Sommers. I’m old enough to remember this show in first run from toward the very end of the series, along with other programs like The Six Million Dollar Man (from which it was spun-off) and The Incredible Hulk. All of these shows, while entertaining some level, would have been too “serious” and confusing to the really young me, who would much rather have watched The Muppet Show or other kid-oriented fare. I did remember Bionic Woman enough so that by my college years in the mid-’90s, I had started watching again on one of the retro channels included in the cable service with some of my one-time housemates.
I had only remembered Wagner as being really beautiful from when I was little, but came to appreciate some of the story lines as a young adult while in between classes, right around lunchtime. I had again basically forgotten about the show until something triggered a memory earlier this year, after which I purchased the entire, three-season series on DVD. For those unfamiliar, the basic gist of it is that Jaime Sommers, the one-time girlfriend of astronaut Steve Austin (played by Lee Majors) suffered a horrendous skydiving accident while on a date with Steve and had to be physically rebuilt using “bionics”, an experimental, technological combination of biology and electronics. In the accident, both of Jaime’s legs had been shattered, along with her right arm and ear, along with other injuries sustained, I’m sure, even if they weren’t identified.
There’s more to it that that, but Jaime was able to be made whole using various components that implemented the same science of bionics with which Steve had been put back together after a similarly devastating crash and explosion. What all this meant was that Jaime now had almost superhuman abilities, with her new bionic legs, right arm, and hearing, where she could leap multiple stories into the air, bend strong steel bars with her right arm, run with incredible speed, and hear things from extremely long distances away. That bionic right arm was also used to great comic effect as Jaime was occasionally shown as being quick and efficient with household chores.
On the surface, it may make her sound a bit like Wonder Woman, and there are similarities, but Jaime was not positioned as a secret superhero, even if she was one. She was just a nice, small-town girl from Ojai, California; a one-time tennis pro-turned-schoolteacher with an aw-shucks sense of humor, a fear of snakes, wicked intelligence, efficiency with words, an empathic heart, model looks (Wagner had worked as a model earlier in her career), and a non-threatening approachability. One of the things I love most about Jaime’s character is how she demonstrated that one doesn’t have to be overly aggressive or exaggerated in any way to be strong, self-confident, and effective. She also had a wholesomeness and modesty about her that were completely disarming.
I don’t know the story behind this Mustang, or whether it was rebuilt after a collision or from a state of extreme neglect or disrepair. All I know is that when I had first seen it at Montrose Harbor a few weeks ago, I couldn’t believe my luck that I had found a ’67 Mustang convertible with the top down, parked by the docks, in such a picturesque setting. My first view of it was its front three-quarter perspective, and that grille was specific to ’67. As I circled the car, however, I saw those taillamps that were specific to the ’67 & ’68 Shelby GT 350 & 500, the High Country Special Mustangs from those same years, and the ’68 California Special. The ’68 C/S was offered only as a hardtop coupe and not a convertible. The High Country was available as a convertible for ’67, but again, not for ’68. So, there’s that.
There was also no ’67 Shelby convertible, though there was a ’68. The ’67 & ’68 Shelbys had a unique, completely different fiberglass front clip with a longer hood, larger grille, and a much more aggressive forward lean to it. The script “Mustang” badges on the front fenders are from a ’68. The front fenders have ’68 side marker lights, but the rear quarter panels on this car lack them and are smooth like those of a ’67. On the inside of the car, the steering wheel is a ’68 unit, new that year in tandem with a collapsible steering column. The interior of the ’68 Shelby was basically that of a stock ’68 Mustang but with Shelby identification and an oil pressure gauge and ammeter set into the center console. And then there’s a lack of a roll-bar. Confused? So was I. I still am.
My theory of this being a “bionic” Mustang is supported by the fact that only 1,124 Shelby convertibles were built for ’68 (404 GT 350s, 402 GT 500s, and another 318 GT 500KRs). Additionally, no 289s were installed in Shelbys that year, as the tri-bar pony emblem on the front fenders of this car would indicate is in the engine compartment. I’ll bet this Mustang goes, though, judging by the hood pins. I’ll bet it really scoots, and who really cares what it’s got under the hood, because it’s just that darned cool. One of my favorite things about Jaime Sommers is how just by looking at her, no one would have any idea just how strong and physically able this beautiful woman was. One major contrast, though, is that while Jaime demonstrated grace and quiet confidence in an understated manner, this Mustang convertible appears to be an obvious attention seeker.
Whoever rebuilt this convertible did a commendable job of combining all of his or her favorite elements of the ’67 and ’68 Mustangs and Shelbys. With about 44,800 ’67 Mustang convertibles and another 25,400 ’68 drop-tops built, there were still enough donor cars around for this “cyborg” Mustang to exist. Some people complain about lack of originality, but when mods are done this well, and as convincingly (even if confusingly), I just have to smile at the creativity that went into this project. Whether or not this car had originally been a basket case that had been brought back from the dead, I’m sure Jaime Sommers would approve, even if she herself was behind the wheel of a silver Datsun 280Z.
Uptown, Chicago, Illinois.
Sunday, July 23, 2023.
I recently watched the series and was quite impressed by the writing. But I really dont get that whole slo mo when she is moving fast and that horrendous “multiplication” sound effect everytime she uses her powers. It seems in the 1960s and 70s there had to be some kind of gimmick to tell the viewers that her powers are in use.
Well, the slow-mo and sound effects may have been silly (in both the SM$M and BW), but they provided fuel for several years worth of joke imitations on the Jr. High playgrounds of my youth. Hardly a day went by it seemed without someone pantomiming that slow-mo run while other kids made that boop-boop-boop-boop-boop noise!
I agree that the writing was definitely a cut above, for the era. I have also noticed the “cranking” sound effects when Jaime ran, and also the “boop-boop-boop…” when she was listening in. I suppose there would have been few other effective ways to show something out of the ordinary was going on in the scene!
Indeed, whatever made by Kenneth Johnson has an edge to it, unlike Glen Larson who does things the old fashioned way with gimmicks. Imagine peddling a TV series like Nightman in 1997 , while the special effects were 10X worse than knight rider which he made a decade earlier.
It’s a bitsa! ‘67 grille, 68 front fenders, ‘68 steering wheel. No side markers on the rear quarters. I’m going with ‘68 with some back-dates.
I would agree. It seems there are more components from ’68 than from ’67.
Looked at pictures first , then the title , and started reading. What? no mention of this cars bionic eyes( LED ) and bionic feet (aftermarket wheels)… I thought that is where you were going. .all the other pieces suggest a Frankenstein monster.🤔. One which looks quite fun to drive.
Wow – I must have been half-asleep when I wrote this… Great observations! I would have incorporated the elements you mention into this essay had I noticed them.
I wish I knew this TV show had the heroine driving a silver 280Z; that would have peaked my interest. How many times does one get the chance to see a TV show where the main character has the same car that one is (then currently) daily driving?
OK, mine was baby blue while Lindsay Wagner’s was silver, but still… after years of driving plain and mostly worn beaters that only Lieutenant Columbo (*) would drive, that would have been pretty neat.
Anyone know if Ms. Wagner’s “Z” was manual or automatic?
This Mustang must drive purists crazy, but the end results are really nice; I can almost the slots of that nice, long, slanted shifter.
Nice catch Mr. Dennis.
(*) I know Lieutenant Columbo’s car was a 1959 Peugeot 403 Cabriolet, but it was the only primary TV character’s car that reminded me of my own, also beat up, daily driver ’53 Chrysler convertible from an earlier period of my life.
Mrs. JPC and I have been re-watching some episodes of Columbo for the first time in decades. I remember being mystified about the car when the show was running, but it is fun watching it now, knowing what it is.
I’d like to think of Jaime Sommers’ Z as being a manual. She’s have to be careful not to break the shifter, though, as her bionic arm was her right.
Nicely done Mustang. Very tasteful, not over done.
An actual working “what if?” vehicle.
Great write up Dennis.
Thank you so much. I like to think that depending on the angle from which one sees it in traffic, it could be whatever one wanted it to be. A car-meleon.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane, Joseph. I had all but forgotten about the Bionic Woman.
Like you, I devoured shows like Six Million Dollar Man when I was growing up. Like many things in the past, you can’t (and shouldn’t) ever go back. I rewatched a few episodes not too long ago, and the show was actually incredibly dumb.
I thought the show was dumb then.
L0L Me too! I saw a few episodes but was never interested in seeing more!
I was 17 so I didn’t need any plot to watch watch Lindsay Wagner as Jaime Sommers.
Thanks, Tom. When I watch (end enjoy) both shows, I do have to suspend my disbelief, but I still love so much about them.
Great piece Joseph as usual. I was a teenager when both of these shows were out and watched them faithfully back then. I haven’t seen either show in years however. Nice parallel to the featured 67/68 hybrid/cyborg Mustang.
Although I’ve tried* to keep my own ’67 inspired 2007 Mustang ‘original’, I appreciate these customizations if done tastefully as was done here.
*I say ‘tried’ as that has now gone partially out the window. While for years I’ve had the sequential turn signals on my car (a mod you can’t see until I turn them on), I have recently had the seats and carpeting swapped out. While just a lowly V6, it now sports a two tone light gray and charcoal interior (real leather this time instead of the original all light gray pleather), and black carpeting instead of light gray. It really looks sharp. I was told at the time that this resembles the interior of a California Special.
I though about putting the grill from the “V6 Pony Package” on my Mustang, but decided at that time to keep things original on the outside. The reason I wanted that grill? It mimics my favorite Mustang grille of all time… the one on today’s featured car…
So many things in your comment that resonate with me. First of all, your Mustang is a beauty, and the ’67 grille is also my favorite. And I know we’ve talked about this before, but the ’05 seems like the purest, most enduring modern interpretation of the original Mustang shape and ethos. My appreciation for them only grows more with each passing year.
I also like that you have made your Mustang what you want it to be (like the owner of our featured car).
I had not thought of The Bionic Woman in years – decades, even. But I remember when it was on. I watched The Six Million Dollar Man for a short time after it came out. (I have never forgotten that voice: “We can rebuild him.”). But for some reason, I found The Bionic Woman a spinoff too far back then. I think I would find it an enjoyable watch now.
I would never made a Bionic Woman connection with a car like this, but now I don’t think I will ever be able to forget it.
While I do like Six Million Dollar Man, for some reason, it was Bionic Woman that made me get the DVDs and rewatch. I think once I’ve finished Bionic Woman, I would watch Six Million Dollar Man. We are often a bit hesitant to embrace the spinoff, especially with a premise as specific as with both of these shows.
This may be a naive question, but is it possible this Mustang was a special Hertz rental version where Hertz had the volume buying power to order a combination of features not available to the general public i.e. could it be that it is restored to original rather than being modified?
This idea is definitely worth a search on the interwebs. Thanks for suggesting the possibility.
A nice B.I.T.S.A. .
Long ago chopping up a decent stocker was sacrilege – now not so much because another car is back on the road where it belongs and after all : who paid for it ? .
I don’t much enjoy T.V. because when I went back to watch those beloved 50’s & 60’s shows, they were all insipid .
-Nate
It’s a very nice bitsa! I prefer older shows only because they seem easier to follow and aren’t necessarily serials, where I:d have to watch the earlier episodes to know what’s going on in the current one.
The beauty of the Mustang is that it has always been a car that could be personalized. That was true as to original factory options, as well as over the years as enthusiastic owners could make changes that made their car a reflection of their idea of the “perfect” Mustang. Mustang has always been more than a sports/muscle car, it was a personal car and was enjoyed by all ages, as well as in many powertrain levels.
I bought an ’07 V6 Pony Mustang with the fog light grille and found it totally satisfying to drive and a great tribute to classic Mustangs of the past. It’s now living with my Daughter. Now I have an ’06 GT convertible.