Sunday, November 9, 2008

Mad Max


This car was originally customised by a young man called Murray Smith. A film company executive spotted it on his driveway and thought it would make an ideal vehicle for a new film being produced: "Mad Max". The car was purchased and Murray was given a job on the film as mechanic. With further modifications the car was used in the original film and in its sequel.

On completion of the films the car was destined for scrap, having sustained some frontal damage, but was saved by scrap dealer Ray Evans. He later sold the car to Bob Fursenko who spent a vast sum restoring the car. Cars of the Stars purchased the cars and is proud to own the most famous Australian car, featuring in the most famous Australian film, driven by the most famous Australian actor Mel Gibson.

Film car


On the 5th November 1955, Doc Emmett Brown stumbled upon the key to time travel - the flux capactor. On the 26th October 1985 in the parking lot of Twin Pines Shopping Mall in town of Hill Valley, the Doc, his dog Einstein and his young sidekick Marty McFly become the first time travellers and embark on a trilogy of adventures in the film blockbusters "Back to the Future". Cars of the Stars own a publicity vehicle used to promote the third film.

The BATMOBILES


Wealthy Bruce Wayne, upright citizen of Gotham City, is no ordinary man - beneath his rather dull millionaire facade is a masked hero, defender of justice, crime fighter extraordinaire. One flash of the bat signal or call on the bat phone and 'Wham Bam' he transforms into action as the Caped Crusader - BATMAN. The true story of Batman was derived from an obscure bat image in the novel 'The Bat' by Mary Roberts Rinehart. Writer and illustrator Bob Kane developed this image into the hugely successful comic book creation known today. From this format it was a natural progression to TV and film.


The original Batmobile was a creation of George Barris who modified the Lincoln Futura, a one-off styling exercise to produce one of the most famous custom cars ever produced. The films "Batman" and "Batman Returns" give rise to the magnificent Anton Furst Batmobile, a timeless brutal expression of a car as dark and secretive as is its hero. In the film "Batman Forever" the cars design returns to a more comic book appearance.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang


An ancient derelict racing car is discovered by Jeremy and Jemima who persuade their father, Caractacus Potts, to buy and restore her. After the car's restoration they take her on a picnic to the seaside joined by Truly Scrumptious, daughter of Lord Scrumptious, the owner of a local sweet factory. While Potts tells a story about Pirates a nearby tugboat becomes the yacht of the evil Baron Bomburst of Vulgaria who has come to steal 'Chitty'. The magical car takes them on an amazing adventure and transforms itself into a hovercraft and aeroplane.


When making a multi-million dollar production, film producers always make sure that they cover themselves should anything go wrong and hold up production. In the case of vehicles used in films, they always make sure there is at least one back up vehicle available should the main vehicle crash or fail to work. In the case of the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang the film was centred around the car of the same name and because that car transformed its self into so many forms during the film several vehicles were used. In fact six cars were used in this film. Two being the racing car, one in a dilapidated state and the other the racing car that crashes. At the end of the film neither of these versions survived. Four other Chittys were produced for various parts of the rest of the film. The hovercraft car, that transforms from car to hovercraft, and three other cars. The hovercraft car was made slightly lighter than the others by using aluminium instead of brass for some of the parts. It was also hung from a jig or helicopter for some of the flying scenes. Its engine was removed during filming to lighten the car further. It was later refitted with an engine and runs perfectly. It takes a very careful eye to spot the different cars used in the film but each one is minutely different and each can be identified if you know what to look for. 'Cars of the Stars' motor museum in Keswick, England owns the 'hovercraft car' and also the main road car used in the film and in fact this latter car is the most original and untouched of all the surviving Chitty cars with its original engine and interior.

Monday, September 1, 2008

It is more blessed to give

A friend of mine named Paul received an automobile from his brother as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office, a street urchin was walking around the shiny new car, admiring it.
  "Is this your car, Mister?" he said.
  Paul nodded. "My brother gave it to me for Christmas." The boy was astounded. "You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn’t cost you nothing? Boy, I wish . . ." He hesitated.
  Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the lad said jarred Paul all the way down to his heels.
  "I wish," the boy went on, "That I could be a brother like that."
  Paul looked at the boy in astonishment, then impulsively he added, "Would you like to take a ride in my car?"   "Oh yes, I’d love that."
  After a short ride, the boy turned with his eyes aglow, said, "Mister, would you mind driving in front of my house?"
  Paul smiled a little. He thought he knew what the lad wanted. He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big automobile. But Paul was wrong again. "Will you stop where those two steps are?" the boy asked.
  He ran up the steps. Then in a little while Paul heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled brother. He sat him down on the bottom step, then sort of squeezed up against him and pointed to the car.
  "There she is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs.
  His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn’t cost him a cent. And some day I’m gonna give you one just like it . . . then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in the Christmas windows that I’ve been trying to tell you about."
  Paul got out and lifted the lad to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a memorable holiday ride. That Christmas Eve, Paul learned what Jesus meant when he said: "It is more blessed to give . . . "