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Movie Magic Meets Automotive Perfection:
Rob Kibbe Interviews Tommy Boy
Director Peter Segal & Restorer Marcus Anghel

Some movies don’t just entertain us — they become part of who we are. Tommy Boy is one of those rare films. It’s a movie that blends heart, humor, brotherhood, and horsepower into a story that has resonated with car people for nearly three decades. And at the center of it all is one of the most unforgettable automotive co-stars in cinema history: the 1967 Plymouth Belvedere GTX.

On this week’s episode of The MuscleCar Place, Rob Kibbe had the rare privilege of sitting down with Tommy Boy director Peter Segal and master restorer Marcus Anghel for an in-depth conversation about the film, the car, and the unbelievable journey that reunited them decades later. It’s not every day you get to interview the man who created one of the most beloved comedies of all time — and the craftsman who brought its most famous car back to life at concours level.

In the early 1990s, Peter Segal set out to make a movie that would introduce the world to a then-unknown Saturday Night Live cast member named Chris Farley. Convinced that Farley was the funniest person alive, Peter fought to bring his vision to the screen. When the original title conflicted with Adam Sandler’s Billy Madison, the project became Tommy Boy — and comedy history was made. At its heart, Tommy Boy tells the story of an unlikely hero, Tommy Callahan, who must save his family’s failing auto parts business. Alongside his tightly wound partner Richard (David Spade), Tommy embarks on a chaotic road trip filled with unforgettable sales pitches, bad decisions, emotional growth — and one very unlucky car. That car, a 1967 Plymouth Belvedere GTX powered by a 440 and a “six-pack,” was never just a prop. Peter understood car culture, and he intentionally wrote the GTX as a true character in the movie. It took hits, suffered abuse, and endured every mishap right alongside Tommy and Richard — from the deer through the roof to the infamous door incident. By the end of the film, audiences weren’t just laughing at the car… they were rooting for it.

After filming wrapped, the battered GTX was left behind at a picture car warehouse and slowly faded into obscurity for more than 25 years. The production company even offered the car to Peter at the time, but unsure whether the movie would become a success, he passed. Years later, realizing what Tommy Boy had become to fans around the world, Peter went searching for the car — and eventually reunited with it at a Barrett-Jackson auction. Winning it back was only the beginning.

The car had suffered decades of neglect, and Peter knew it deserved nothing less than a full concours-level restoration. That search led him to Marcus Anghel, one of the most respected Mustang restoration specialists in the country. Though Mopars aren’t his usual territory, Marc took on the challenge — and delivered a museum-quality resurrection. Rather than restoring the GTX exactly as it appeared on screen, Peter chose to build the car as it might have existed after the movie ended — the real-life Tommy Boy car. Complete with Callahan Auto decals and subtle nods to its cinematic legacy, the finished product is nothing short of breathtaking.

In 2025, Peter was invited to display the car at MCACN (Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals) — widely regarded as the “Pebble Beach of muscle cars.” Against the toughest judging in the hobby, the once-forgotten movie car earned a perfect score — a rare and extraordinary achievement.

This episode is more than just a car story. It’s a celebration of friendship, creativity, craftsmanship, and the way a single movie — and a single car — can leave a permanent mark on all of us.

Rob’s conversation with Peter Segal and Marc Anghel is a true honor for The MuscleCar Place, and a moment every Tommy Boy fan will appreciate.

Follow Peter Segal on Instagram at @petesegal and explore his legendary film career on IMDb.

  See Marcus Anghel’s concours-winning restorations, visit AnghelRestorations.com.

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This interview was also captured on video and can be viewed in full on YouTube:

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This interview sponsored by our pals at National Parts Depot –
your premier source for muscle car restoration parts!