Citroen DS camera car....which shiter owned it??

[Vin]

I was watching the Grand National and the quality of the filming, from all angles, got me thinking about how horse racing used to be years ago. Just the one long shot from the camera car in front...I remember that you used to see the Citroen CX used as a base for filming, earlier the DS was used.

 

A shiter on here used to have, or maybe still does, a DS Safari with the bodywork chopped back from the C pillar to make a pick-up bed on which camera gear was mounted for the filming of horse racing...

 

Any Ideas??? Is it still around???

[greengartside]

 

That's the CX from the '87 Grand National.

[forddeliveryboy]

Do they still track the race with a vehicle? A camera mounted on a galloping horse would provide as steady a picture as many a modern. 

[Ghosty]

Top Gear tried to use a C6 for that at one point, iirc it "failed" miserably.

[Ghosty]

[Ghosty]

[Ghosty]

[Vin]

Cheers Tayne. So the WUVmeister was the one...

 

That BBC CX looks amazing 8)

 

They filmed the movie 'Memphis Belle' around these parts and I have heard/read tales that to aid filming they went to a Citroen dealer in Grimsby and got a couple of 2CVs to use as camera cars. Must be a gene thing...

[chaseracer]

Top Gear tried to use a C6 for that at one point, iirc it "failed" miserably.

 

The C6 was fine, it was the BMW 5-series that couldn't cut it.

[wuvvum]

It did indeed.

 

[Vin]

That is ace. Have you still got it Wuv??

[Ghosty]

LOL, lights from a VW 1302

[wuvvum]

Nope, sold it a good couple of years ago now.

[catsinthewelder]

My old BX was ex-BBC, not a camera car just a staff vehicle.  It still had the stickers on and an ownership plate.

 

 

[Jon]

Not sure about now but in the 1990's there was an American pick-up used for filming horse racing alongside the runners at York Racecourse, with various 7.5 tonne box lorries with operators mounted on a cherry picker dotted around to pick up the longer races going round the whole track. Would be surprised if they still followed alongside today, with the track being beside a cycle path into town.

 

Most camera cars on drama shoots are American-based, for their size and weight, meaning they can easily tow a low loader for the action car and house loads of hangers-on who all seemingly have to ride along during action, as their roles are so important (they usually aren't). In terms of camera cars as 'pursuit' vehicles, where they're chasing the action at whatever speeds, older Citroens have proven popular, such as the BBC ones seen above. A producer who worked on a lot of BBC Newcastle productions back in the day, such as Byker Grove, said 2CVs were popular as camera cars for scenes of kids running, etc. due to their cheap hire cost and the fact that the interiors and doors were easily removable to get kit and crew on board. 

 

In the mid-2000's there was a Citroen Specialist round Sandyford way in Newcastle that had a CX estate cut down to a pick-up and it was sat outside as an advertisement piece. I made enquiries about using it and although the rates were good, it didn't seem to have many lashing points etc. and just didn't look fit for purpose. When the owner made claims it'd be safe to use at up to 100mph(!), it was clear that no-one had ever ridden on the back of it.......

[forddeliveryboy]

[Felly Magic]

Local firm to here, Bickers seemed to provide loads of film & tv companies with trailers and stuff, they used Ford F series pickups a lot

[Ghosty]

Bickers Action do a lot, they're quite high proifile. Had a lot of flatbed Ford Cargos too.

[HillmanImp]

Someone just linked to an old Practical Classics thread on Facebook and there was a picture of Wuvs old one on. 

Seems its actually used as a camera car. 

https://thomthomproductions.com/blog-page/

[HillmanImp]

Guys now selling this. No price as yet. 

Suspect it might be more than you bought it for @wuvvum. 

[barrett]

He should deffo advertise it on 'classic and car'

[ProgRocker]

On 25/01/2020 at 13:15, HillmanImp said:

Someone just linked to an old Practical Classics thread on Facebook and there was a picture of Wuvs old one on. 

 

I have or had a 'Magic Roundabout' toy car a bit like this. I think it was actually bought for one of my sisters. 

I must see if I can fish it out. 

[Barry Cade]

I know where there is a BMW 750i camera car, completely bespoke back end,seemingly used in many films. Painted matt black so no reflections on camera.

[HillmanImp]

7 hours ago, barrett said:

He should deffo advertise it on 'classic and car'

I sold my Robin Reliant on there. 

[wuvvum]

9 hours ago, HillmanImp said:

Suspect it might be more than you bought it for @wuvvum. 

Possibly a tad.  I only paid about a grand for it if memory serves - even back then that was bloody cheap for an MOT'd and running(ish) DS.

[R1152]

What I'd love to see is an old BBC CRE.