Speaking of cars in this episode, notice in the opening scene on the Santa Monica pier at 2:52 there is a beat up Peugeot 403 convertible that just happened to be the signature car of a famous TV detective during this time period. Can you guess who I'm referring to? I suspect there in an homage going on here.

So, okay, Jim drives a Pontiac and Rocky has his GMC pickup. Has anyone elso noticed that most of the vehicles, especially the prominent ones, are General Motors cars and trucks? Was GM a sponsor of the series? Fords and Mopars do show up, but mostly as cop cars and in stock footage. Hey Harvey, there's that silver Vega at 4:02 behind the bus before the Eldorado. It will show up in every episode throughout the first season.
On another note, isn't it strange that the man sitting in the back seat of the bus (a GMC)looks just like Noah Beery? (3:29) Most notably in the wardrobe he is wearing in these shots, note the hat. He is kept "in shadow" so that the focus stays on the guest star. But looking at him there and also as he gets off the bus at the beach (the guy with the fishing gear, interesting) he passes so quickly that the eye picks him up as Rocky. Of course the actor playing Rocky in this pilot episode (Robert Donley) is nothing like our beloved Pidge. (Noah Beery's nickname, look it up on Wikipedia or IMDB)

Man, I am such a big fan of James Garner and all the rest of them...what history they have.I just have to thank Mr Garner for working so hard to make these shows and the crew for all their long hours..But whats up with the VW Bus in a lot of the shots....I love them,must have been the crews ride or something..They have caught on film those times(background life) that have slipped by so fast.I only wished I would have driven down south from San Luis Obispo,Calif back in the day to watch them do some filming about 1976 it was.....With Isaac Hayes would have been so cool.I did get to meet Vic Hickey at his home back in the 90's and he had a entry piece mirror/sideboard with the main actors from the Rockford Files etched in the glass.I got the story from him...friends with Mr Garner and Steve McQueen.Vic told me stories about those two and showed me his scrapbook.....I loved every second in Vic's house.He had stories of James Garner and Mr McQueen before he was a star and poor...All these guys are off the chart classics and real.I wonder if they ever saw me as a child in Corriganville with my Mother and brother in 1958 or so while they made those old westerns.

man i used to watch this show as a kid with my grandpa this has got to be my favorite show ever

As a teenager in the 1970's, babysitting on Friday (or was it Saturday???) nights meant only one thing for sure -- I'd be curled up on the sofa watching The Rockford Files at 9:00 (or was it 10:00 ???) p.m. Gosh, was this really all more than 30 years ago!!!????. When I got my own gold 1978 Pontiac Firebird (purchased three years new from my brother-in-law), I was in heaven knowing I had the same car as my hero :) Drove that baby for five years, and then traded it in on a 280ZX. Thank you to Hulu for bringing The Rockford Files (and all these great memories) back alive!