A Mexican-American, Pepper (John Astin), has big dreams of striking it rich, but very little capital to make those dreams a reality. But one day Pepper quits his factory job and uses his life savings -- such as they are -- to buy a beat-up jalopy, which he transforms into a taxi. He prowls the streets looking for fares, always trying to stay away from the cops, as his business is illegal. His dreams sour, though, when the car is stolen. He must get it back or lose everything.