A fan of ’90s nostalgia contacted Jalopnik earlier this week to share a vague Facebook Marketplace ad for a 1975 AMC Pacer described simply as “Good Burger mobile from Nickelodeon's 1997 movie Good Burger” [sic] and yeah, there’s really no mistaking this particular Pacer despite the fact that it looks like it’s been sitting in an oceanside parking lot since the movie came out.
Released in 1997, Good Burger was based on a sketch from All That, Nickelodeon's Saturday Night Live for kids. In the movie, Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell star as Dexter and Ed, who kids who work at a homely burger joint called Good Burger and end up in some kind of battle with a flashy new burger establishment across the road.
The movie also starred Sinbad, as well as the iconic AMC Pacer with a giant burger mounted on its hood, known as the (what else?) Burgermobile.
Sadly, the Burgermobile has seen better days. Although its hamburger is still (barely) intact, the pickle hubcaps are missing.
It's currently unknown whether this is the official Good Burger Mobile. And if so, is it screen used or made for promotional uses. The International Hamburger Hall of Fame and the Hamburger Museum say they have bought the car in a effort to save it from the scrap yard, however, movie companies sometimes make multiple versions of cars for use in production as well as for promotions.
The Burgermobile is for sale in Florida now for a cool $10,000 USD. Then Jalopnik replied to the ad and got a little background from Karl, who’s selling the car–apparently his dad “bought it off someone who I think won it in a contest after the movie release” approximately 12 years ago. As you can tell from the pictures, it hasn’t moved a whole lot since then.
Looks like a pretty gnarly restoration project, but then again, ’90s nostalgia is so strong right now that I bet somebody will step up to take this on. How hard can it be to find Pacer parts?
Sadly, its a fate far too common with classic movie cars. The iconic Ecto 1 from Ghostbusters was also left to rot, until it was restored to promote Ghostbusters: The Video Game.
Did you hear? All That is coming back, with a brand-new series executive produced by OG cast members Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell! See the following link for more info!: http://po.st/AllThatRevival
Update (5/20) - From KMOV:
Famous Burger Mobile from 90s film 'Good Burger' could be spotted on St. Louis streets this August
ST. LOUIS (KMOV.com) -- Welcome to Hi-Pointe Drive-In, home of smashed-thin burgers, Can I take your order?
The iconic drive-in is bringing a blast from the 90's past to the St. Louis area. The famous Burger Mobile featured in the 1997's Nickelodeon film Good Burger will soon have a new home, thanks to the Hi-Pointe Drive-In.
Saturday Night Live star Kenan Thompson and actor Kel Mitchell drove the 1975 AMC Pacer, which had a hamburger on its hood, to deliver the burgers in the movie.
Fast forward 22 years, the car is now covered in rust and has been purchased by the owners of the drive-in.
Mike Johnson, the owner of the drive-in, said the car was purchased for $6,000 and had to be towed to St. Louis from Daytona Beach. The car is currently undergoing around $20,000 worth of work.
“People these days want to have an Instagramable picture, so we'll keep it open and let people open it and sit in it to take pictures and stuff. Hopefully there will be less glass in the seats,” Johnson said.
The restaurant took to Facebook in early April to have loyal customers guess the name of the movie for a $50 gift card but it unknown when and where the car will be on display.
According to Johnson, the 'Burger Mobile' should be spotted on St. Louis-area streets in August.
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Vital Information!: Nickelodeon to Premiere All New 'All That' on Saturday, June 15, 2019; To Feature Performance by Powerhouse Trio Jonas Brothers!
Originally published: Friday, March 01, 2019.
Additional source: Movie Prop Tracker, KMOV4, Google.co.uk.
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