Jönssonligans Chevrolet Impala - en legendarisk filmbil

Jönssonligan's Chevrolet Impala - a legendary movie car

Jönssonligan's Chevrolet Impala – The legendary "shitty car"

The Jönsson Gang, the Swedish film series about charming thieves Sickan, Vanheden, Rocky and Dynamit-Harry, wouldn't be the same without their iconic car: a battered, black 1964 Chevrolet Impala. Often referred to as "the shit car" in the films, the car became a central character in its own right – full of personality with its snazzy boot lid that flew up over every bump and its generous interior. Here's a look at its history, features and cultural significance.

Gösta Ekman as Sickan in a classic scene "I have a plan".

  • The Jönsson League is a Swedish adaptation of the Danish Olsen gang, where the original used a 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air. For the Swedish version, which started with Varning för Jönssonligan (1981), a similar "American Yankee" was wanted to reinforce the nostalgic, slightly awkward charm of the league. The car was mainly driven by Ragnar Vanheden (played by Ulf Brunnberg), who often shouted "Watch the paint, cardboard skull!" when someone scraped against it.
  • Before filming, the production company (SF and later Nordisk Tonefilm) was looking for a suitable car. A car repair shop in Huddinge was commissioned to modify an existing Chevrolet Impala to give it the perfect "rusty" look - scratched paint, worn interior and no seat belts to match the spirit of the 60s.
  • The car appeared in most of the eight original films from 1981 to 1999 (e.g. The League Gets Gold Fever and The League Plays Loud ). It symbolized the chaotic escapes of the League and became a fan favorite.

The coffee mug that lifts the coffee hour - Sickan "has a plan".

Technical specifications The car is a Chevrolet Impala 4-door hardtop (model designation 1869), the last model year of the third generation Impala. It was imported to Sweden in 1965 and has registration number DNH 350. Here are some key facts:
Property
Detail
Model year
1964
Paint
Black (scratched and worn in the movies)
Fuel
Petrol
Engine power
112 kW (approx. 150 hp)
Gearbox
Automatic
Tank volume
76 liters
Measure
Length: 5.4 m, Width: 2 m
Number of owners
12 (latest Tonefilm AB, Lidingö)
Current status
In service (last inspected in 2000, but maintained)
Kilometers
Approx. 79,891 km (at last check)
The interior was typical of an "American": a wide sofa in the front seat for three people, no center console, and a huge back seat that could fit the entire league. It lacked modern safety features, which made the driving scenes authentic but risky – the actors drove themselves without stuntmen.

Lovely poster with Gösta Ekman as Sickan in a picture taken during the filming of Jönssonligan reappears in 1986.


The trunk lid : The most memorable detail – the lid that never closed properly and opened dramatically during chases. It was a deliberate modification for the sake of comedy.

Ulf Brunnberg's memories : The actor has said that the car was "a sofa on wheels" and that it was a joy to drive, despite the lack of seat belts. "The more cars I got to drive, the more fun it was."

Inspiration from the original : Just like the Olsen brothers' Bel Air, the Impala was chosen for its large size and retro design, which contrasted with the narrow Swedish roads.

Today's Fate – A Secret Museum After the last films, the car ended up in SF's possession and was stored for a long time in a garage on Kungsholmen in Stockholm. Today it is owned by Tonefilm AB and is stored in a private, secret museum somewhere in Sweden (rumors point to Skokloster or outside Stockholm). The museum also contains other props such as Sickan's beret and Vanheden's clothes. The owner, who is managed by Olle Larsson, refuses to sell despite offers of up to 500,000 kronor – "It's like opening something sacred," he says. The car is regularly maintained and appears at unannounced events during the summers, but is not open to the public. The Chevrolet Impala has become a cult symbol of Swedish film history of the 80s and 90s, as beloved as the league itself.

"I have a plan." That's what Sickan says in the films about the Jönsson League when he has carefully thought out all the details of the next coup to be carried out.

15c183cf-8ccd-459b-a972-16815a89b5ee

Actor Gösta Ekman is unforgettable in the role of Sickan, the criminal genius who is the mastermind behind the Jönsson League's escapades.

The picture was taken during the filming of the film Jönssonligan får guldfeber in 1984 and Gösta Ekman in the role of Sickan wears all the typical details; the beret, the glasses and the cigar.

The picture was first published in the magazine Svensk damtidning in 1984 and was taken by Lasse Persson.

Tillbaka till alla inlägg

Leave a comment