Original reconstructed Chitty Chitty Bang Bang lands at Riverside Museum

An original reconstructed Chitty Chitty Bang Bang will be on show alongside a host of other illustrious automobiles at the Riverside Museum!

Article Source: Glasgow Museums
Last Updated: 23 September 2016 13:46

Movie and musical aficionados are set to have a truly scrumptious time when one of the completely restored, original cars from the hit fantasy adventure Chitty Chitty Bang Bang lands at Riverside Museum, Glasgow. The magical car from Ian Fleming’s 1964 novel was brought to life in Ken Hughes 1968 film. Ever since it has retained a special place in many people’s treasured childhood memories, reminiscent of a time when floating and flying automobiles seemed entirely believable.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang has been painstakingly reconstructed and will be on show alongside a host of other illustrious automobiles displayed on Riverside’s Wall of Cars. The unique, delightfully colourful car was one of six built in 1967 for a starring role in the British musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It featured the eccentric inventor Caractacus Potts, played by Dick Van Dyke, alongside other stars including Sally Ann Howes as Truly Scrumptious, Lionel Jeffries as the wonderfully odd grandpa and Robert Helpmann as the unforgettable main antagonist, the evil Childcatcher.

The car now belongs to Gordon Grant who has loaned it to Riverside until early 2017.

Gordon Grant, owner of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, said: “I am delighted to bring Chitty to Glasgow. Riverside provides a stunning backdrop for this spectacular car and I think she will feel right at home in Scotland’s museum of transport. I hope all those people, young and old, for whom Chitty holds a precious place in their heart, will come and meet her.

“In the process we hope to raise awareness of and some precious funds for Strathcarron Hospice, a place that means a great deal to my family. Strathcarron offers specialist care for people with illnesses that cannot be cured. They need in excess of £10,000 every day from fundraising and donations to continue providing the wonderful care so many treasure at a very difficult time.

“My very good friend Mary Mackay spent some time at there. She would have been celebrating her birthday on Monday. Like Chitty she brought joy wherever she went, so I think it’s appropriate Chitty goes on show at Riverside to mark the occasion and raise awareness of Strathcarron.”

Millie Watson and Gregor Selkirk from the Vivace Theatre School in Glasgow dressed up as Jeremy and Jemima Potts. They were joined by Chitty Chitty Bang Bang owner Gordon Grant to welcome the magical car into Riverside Museum. Gregor will be on stage when Chitty Chitty Bang Bang the Musical comes to The Kings in October.

Chair of Glasgow Life, Councillor Archie Graham, said: “We are very grateful to Gordon for bringing this truly iconic car to Riverside. We’ve just enjoyed the hugely successful Festival of Wheels and this is a wonderful way to carry on enjoying the often whimsical world of travel and transport that Riverside was built to celebrate. She will be in wonderful company, alongside Glasgow’s world-class Transport and Technology collection.

“I vividly remember marvelling at Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as a child, wishing I could travel in such style and then reliving it all over again with my own children. I hope lots of people will come to Riverside and take the opportunity to meet this magical car.”

For the film six cars were created, including a fully functional road-going car with UK registration GEN 11. This car was designed by the film's production designer Ken Adam, and cartoonist and sculptor Frederick Rowland Emett and built by Alan Mann Racing in Hertfordshire in 1967. It was fitted with a Ford 3000 V6 engine and automatic transmission and allocated a genuine UK registration.

It was privately owned by Pierre Picton of Stratford-upon-Avon from the early 1970s until May 2011, when it was offered at auction by a California-based auction house and sold for $805,000 to New Zealand film director Sir Peter Jackson, who now uses it as a fund-raising vehicle.

Five other car props were built by the studio: a second, smaller road-going version; a transforming car; a hover-car; a flying car; and an engineless version for trailer work. Most had engines added after filming was complete and were used to promote the film throughout the world. The second road version, which appears in 12 seconds of the movie, is on display at the Dezer Car Museum in North Miami, Florida. The final road version, which is the one which will be on display at Riverside Museum, Glasgow, is privately owned by Gordon Grant and was recently on display at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu, England.

It started as number 3 racing car, which crashes at the start of the film. The car has been painstakingly reconstructed by W G Grant, who has worked tirelessly to rebuild the car using the original components from the number 3 racing car. They were assisted by Lionel Whitehead, chief engineer of Allan Mann racing, chassis engineer Neil Spencer, electrician Russ of Solex Electrical Southhampton, family friend Ross and Gordon’s father, Gordon Grant Senior, on mechanics and engine.

The multi-award winning Riverside Museum is free to enter. It shows off the breadth of Glasgow’s world-class travel and transport collection through its multidisciplinary story displays. Highlights include a 1900 recreated Glasgow street with shops, pub and subway station and a huge transport collection featuring some of the world’s oldest and finest cars, bikes, ship models, locomotives and trams.