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Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car up for sale on Ebay
A car alleging to be the original hero car from Ian Fleming's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang has wound up on <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350458312378"; target="_blank">eBay</a>, apparently in running condition - reports <a href="http://autos.aol.com/article/chitty-chitty-bang-bang-for-sale/"; target="_blank">AOL Autos</a>. According to the seller, the film's production manager insisted that the hero car be a fully-functional road car, not just a mock up.
To that end, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang sports a 3.0-liter Ford V6 and automatic transmission, mounted in a one-off ladder frame. The body features a handmade aluminum hood and red and white cedar boattail rear. Unfortunately, none of Chitty's magical powers made it to the road car, meaning this thing won't fly.
The seller claims that all the brasswork on the car came from actual Edwardian-era cars, to make sure Chitty Chitty Bang Bang looked as true-to-life as possible. That sounds like a lot of work to go into a car for Hollywood, even a hero car.
The seller provides a convincing back story on the car, but there's no official documentation shown or offered. This is no-doubt a well-built car, and very well could be the original from the movie, but at a starting bid of $1,000,000, you would need a lot of confirmation before pulling the trigger.
To that end, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang sports a 3.0-liter Ford V6 and automatic transmission, mounted in a one-off ladder frame. The body features a handmade aluminum hood and red and white cedar boattail rear. Unfortunately, none of Chitty's magical powers made it to the road car, meaning this thing won't fly.
The seller claims that all the brasswork on the car came from actual Edwardian-era cars, to make sure Chitty Chitty Bang Bang looked as true-to-life as possible. That sounds like a lot of work to go into a car for Hollywood, even a hero car.
The seller provides a convincing back story on the car, but there's no official documentation shown or offered. This is no-doubt a well-built car, and very well could be the original from the movie, but at a starting bid of $1,000,000, you would need a lot of confirmation before pulling the trigger.
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http://www.profilesinhistory.com/
And here's Pierre's website endorsing the sale:
http://www.chittygen11.com/index2.html
The Los Angeles-based auction house Profiles in History says it will offer the car, which it says is roadworthy and fully functional, for sale on May 15. The pre-sale estimate: $1 million to $2 million. The estimate in part reflects the enthusiasm collectors have shown recently for vehicles associated with movies and movie stars.
A few years ago a Ferrari 250 GT Lusso once owned by the actor Steve McQueen sold for $2.3 million — about 10 times what garden-variety Lussos were fetching. Last year an Aston Martin DB5 used in the James Bond films “Thunderball” and “Goldfinger” fetched $4.6 million.
Chitty is a somewhat different story in that it was a one-off custom car and not a production model. The auction company says it was built by Ford to look like a car from the early days of the automobile while also being tough enough ”to withstand being driven driving in sand, on cobbled streets and down staircases.
The movie was based on a novel, “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car” by Ian Fleming, who also created the James Bond character in a series of books.
As with the Bond and McQueen cars, prospective buyers will want to see as much documentation as possible attesting to the vehicle’s provenance. The collector-car world, after all, is famously fraught with fakes. Experts are still debating the authenticity of a Pontiac ambulance sold at auction in January. The ambulance was said to have carried president John F. Kennedy after his assassination in Dallas, but some say it is a replica of the actual car, which was destroyed decades ago.
They have owned the car since the early 1970’s and have kept it in England since it appeared in the film in 1968. The highlight of the event for me was when I was given a 5 minute ride in Chitty by Pierre Picton and sat in the front passenger seat, the same seat that Truly Scrumptious sat in. The car is road legal, has to have a yearly MOT and the GEN II number plate is its DVLA registered mark. I felt very privileged to have been able to sit in piece of iconic cinematic history and one that could be worth over $1 million! The car has been rarely driven in the past few years and few people have been driven in the vehicle since the film was made in 1968.
Proud owner Pierre Picton and his wife Suzie were at the centre for 2 days chatting to customers about the car and Pierre took great delight in dressing up as the eccentric Caractacus Potts. Pierre has owned the car since 1972 and also appeared as a double for Dick Van Dyke in the film and was on set in 1967 when shooting commenced in France, Bavaria and England. Competition winners and a couple of centre staff were lucky enough to have a once in a lifetime opportunity to be driven in Chitty.
Mark Rumfitt, Hempstead Valley Centre Manager said, “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was truly the star car of Hempstead Valley’s inaugural Festival of Transport event during September 2011. Pierre and Suzie Picton owners of Chitty really enjoyed talking to our customers and they took great delight in telling stories to the young and old alike about their magical car. Thousands of photos must have been taken of the immaculate car and the close up detailing and workmanship was incredible. I was privileged to be able to have a ride in Chitty and crowds of people came to wave Chitty good-bye as she left the centre. I was sad to see that Chitty was going on sale in USA as part of a major Hollywood auction, as I know how much care and love had been devoted to it by Pierre and Suzie Picton.”
Mark added, “Chitty and our Festival of Transport event proved to be so popular that we are already planning this year’s event for 9-11th September. There will be some famous star cars on display in the malls and a Classic Motor Show will be held on Sunday 11th September. Last year over 100 vehicles took part in the motor show and we are already booking vehicles in for this year’s event.”
If you are interested in attending the Classic Car Show, please contact 01634 387076 and we will email you a booking form.
This year's event a James Bond theme and have booked a couple of Aston Martin's and a Jaguar XKR from Die Another Day.
Only 1.2 million pounds - anyone fancy going halves?
Have just noticed that I mentioned Michael Jackson's offer of $3/4 - that is $.75m or $750,000 - unfortunately my initial figure looks like $3 to 4m and not the three quarters of a million offered.