The legendary 'Rain Man' Buick Roadmaster resides in Detroit and is still raising autism awareness

Southfield — One of Hollywood’s most famous cars, the 1949 Buick Roadmaster that Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman drove in the movie “Rain Man,” has found a home in Detroit.

And, true to its movie heritage, it’s making a difference for autistic children.

Hoffman played Raymond Babbitt in the move — the autistic brother of Cruise’s Charlie Babbitt character — and the car shared equal billing as the pair bonded on a cross-country trip from Ohio to Las Vegas. Hoffman adopted the car as his own after the movie, keeping it for 34 years before putting it up for auction earlier this year. It was bought by Detroit collector-and-entrepreneur Kevin Adell.

This Thursday, the car will be in a starring role again, this time in the fourth annual Stahls Automotive Foundation’s Autos for Autism event in New Baltimore.

“I got a call from Wayne Carini — he has a show called ‘Chasing Classic Cars’ on the Motor Trend Channel,” said Adell as he cruised Southfield in the legendary Buick. “I didn’t know until he called that one of his family members has autism. He asked if he could use the car to show awareness for autism. He’ll be at the Stahls Museum this Thursday from 4-8 p.m. . . .  and this car will be used to raise money.”

The event on Sept. 15 will benefit the Ted Lindsay Foundation, which supports autism research and education. The Stahls Museum restores and exhibits vintage vehicles, music machines and memorabilia of the 20th century.

Along with Carini, Detroit Red Wings alumni Eddie Mio and Butch Patrick, who played Eddie on the “The Munsters” TV show, will be on hand.

The big, curvaceous, eight-cylinder Roadmaster convertible stands out on Metro Detroit roads surrounded by modern, jelly bean-shaped models. Buick’s signature quad port holes are prominent, as are whitewall tires and chrome grille. Open the door and the interior is a striking mix of cream and burgundy.

Adell says two Buicks were used for the movie — a primary mule car that was covered in plates and drill holes to carry cameras while filming the actors, and his car, which was used for running footage. The former went to director Barry Levinson, the latter to Hoffman.

“The car should have got an Oscar with those guys,” said a smiling Adell of the movie that took home four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Hoffman. “Hoffman kept his Roadmaster in a garage for 34 years. Now he’s 85 years old, and he put it up for auction at Scottdale. I’ve got the original title with Hoffman’s home address in Beverly Hills.”

In the movie, Raymond famously tells Charlie that “I'm an excellent driver.” Cruise’s character turns over the wheel to his movie brother and Raymond bumps a couple of curbs outside a Las Vegas motel.

Adell’s car looks no worse for the wear, having been impeccably restored since it came into his collection — right down to the Ohio plates.

That’s how he met Carini, who had done restoration work on Levinson’s Buick in Connecticut. “We were stumped on the transmission,” said Adell, who owns media properties including the The Word Network, 910AM Superstation, and WADL-TV. “It’s a 1949 automatic Dynaflow — he helped with a number of things.”

Tickets for Autos for Autism are $20 for ages 16 and older — ages 15 and younger are free. A VIP ticket costs $40 includes a a photo op with the 1949 Buick Roadmaster, meet-and-greet with the three celebrities, and access to a special car exhibit that includes a 1951 Hudson Hornet and 1970 Dodge Challenger. Tickets can be purchased online at www.eventbrite.com/e/autos-for-autism-2022-tickets-400159757607, or by calling the museum. Stahls Automotive Foundation is at 56516 North Bay Drive in Chesterfield Township.

“I definitely know this car. It’s a 1949 Buick Roadmaster, straight-8 — Fireball 8 — only 8,095 production models,” says Raymond Babbitt in the movie. The most famous copy is in Detroit raising autism awareness.

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.