Man builds Chitty Chitty Bang Bang replica "dream car" for wife
It's nice to see romance flourishing in this increasingly jaundiced world. Nick Pointing's wife, Carolyn, fell in love with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the tender age of three. She'd already accumulated quite the collection of Chitty memorabilia when Nick and Carolyn struck upon the idea to build a Chitty of their own one lazy Sunday morning. Presumably, that was the last time the couple took the opportunity to laze around. Fashioning bespoke bodywork is a decidedly deliberate process for even expert metalsmiths. The Pointings were not experts. Nick taught himself to weld and found a 1973 Series III Land Rover to donate its frame and running gear. Using stills from the Disney film and a Corgi scale model of the car, the Pointing's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang came to life in a less magical, more deliberate birthing process than Dick Van Dyke pulled off. Parts were sourced from all over the place. There's wood from a boatyard, bits of Mitsubishi Galant, headlamps from a retail store's housewares department, even pieces from a Singer sewing machine.
Mrs. Pointing's teenage daughter has told her mum to get out more. In pursuit of that interest, Nick and Carolyn will be taking a 12,000 mile journey to Australia, raising money for the Earl Mountbatten hospice, Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the World Wildlife Fund along the way. The replica has passed the MoT, and the Solihull undercarriage should ensure a safe arrival at the end of the expected four-months the journey will take. Now, what children's movie had a magical Porsche 912? Maybe we can argue that it's mostly like Herbie, but better. Doubtful.
[Source: Daily Mail]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
dlm3 12:12PM (4/09/2007)
Much as I'm sure the Walt Disney company would like to take credit for the film, it was actually produced by United Artists under Albert Broccoli (also known for the numerous James Bond movies)
Reply
Jruhi4 12:09PM (4/09/2007)
A couple of comments:
1)Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was NOT a Disney flick. Rather, it was distributed by MGM.
2)It's a shame they focused so much on the movie version. The original book, as noted in the original Daily Mail article, was written by Ian Fleming of james Bond fame. As such, it was a great kids' book, with secret agentish stuff, the kids being kidnapped in France and the like. The flying car was about all the movie and the book had in common. The movie was a HORRIBLE syrupy musical aimed at 4-6-year olds, whereas the book went for a slightly older audience.
Reply
It's Me 12:25PM (4/09/2007)
Yeah, not Disney, but Albert R. Broccoli (yes, of Bond fame).
Reply
Dan Roth 12:40PM (4/09/2007)
Thanks for the catch on my mis-attribution of the film, post has been revised.
Dan
Reply
Peter 1:58PM (4/09/2007)
I hope those wings fold, if he expects to drive it on the road.
Reply
why not the LS2/LS7? 1:11PM (4/09/2007)
I'm not sure how anyone can get too angry about a film from a book written by Ian Fleming, adapted by Roald Dahl and produced by Albert Broccoli. It was a quality film, just one for kids.
To me, it's amazing how much Flemingness survives. The name Truly Scrumptious is only about a half a step away from Pussy Galore or Chu Me.
Reply
abemeister 1:41PM (4/10/2007)
Great post! I like Fleming and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang would be the ultimate auto buffs car. TRULY SCRUMPTIOUS!
I would like to see more pictures.
Reply
Chris Balcombe 2:36PM (4/14/2007)
As the photographer who took the series of photos of Nick and Carolyn, I can say they're a lovely couple, who went to great efforts to make the shoot work. Regarding the folding wings...at the time of the photo shoot they were not ready, so we used wooden, painted wings, supported by rods, which are actually not physically connected to the car. But they gave the right impression I was after. Nick is currently working on the final wings, and, judging by what he's done thus far, they'll be a very nice job. The Daily Mail online still has a gallery of different pictures, plus the video footage I shot on the same day. Here's hoping the couple make loadsa money for the charities they've chosen, when they drive overland (and presumably in boats) to Australia later this year. I agree the film is far removed from Fleming's book, but I saw the film at exactly the right age, and it's etched in my mind as being one of the best family films ever.
Reply