The cars of UFO TV series

[garethj]

After the earlier thread about FAB1 I thought I'd give some forum space to the cars of another Gerry Anderson show, UFO.  If you think that what's wrong with society today is there aren't enough silver catsuits and purple wigs, you're in the right thread.

 

 

It was made in 1969 but set in 1980 and whilst they missed the fact that Petula Clark would be advertising Talbot Sunbeams they did suggest that aliens would be invading earth and kidnapping humans for body parts, so at least they got that bit right.  The good guys were members of SHADO, Supreme Headquarters Alien Defence Organization, which is probably more difficult to join than it is to get off Virgin Media's mailing list.  Want to see the title sequence?

 

 

Woah, what's that brown beauty in there?

 

Phooarrr, it's fantastic!  And Ford thought the Sierra would be a bit too curvy in 1983?  What's it look like from the back?

 

 

I think I love it even more.  What's it like inside?

 

High tech communications too?

 

A brown and cream handset tells me everything I need to know.  And because this was a Gerry Anderson show, there were miniature versions to film too

 

ok, maybe not too convincing right now but in 1970 most of us didn't even have a colour TV set, it had a tiny screen and was positioned in the far corner of the room.  1080P?  Forget it.

 

They were designed by Derek Meddings who had done most of the production design for Gerry Anderson's shows, if you get the chance to buy his book 21st Century Visions then jump on it.  The special effects team was already well practised in making models for filming, but to produce a real car they gave it to Alan Mann Racing who the year before had built Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as well as their normal stuff of racing Fords.

 

The Ford connection was a bit handy as the UFO cars were based on Ford Zephyr running gear but with a 1600 Cortina engine.  UFO cars?  Yes, because as well as Straker's car above, Colonel Foster had this lilac stunnah

 

 

 

Christ, NCAP would knock off a star for pedestrian safety there, but it's still got gullwing doors so I could forgive it almost anything.

 

Enough of my ramblings, have some magazine scans from a few years ago and actually learn stuff other than my opinion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Asimo]

Point of order: Pet Clarke advertised Chrysler Sunbeams, all gone Talbot before 1980!

[Bren]

Both cars appear to be still in existence but in poor condition.

 

I also enjoy the show even though it deffo has'nt aged well - Gabrielle Drake was a stunner - especially in a mini skirt.

[Guest Breadvan72]

You have most egregiously missed out Wenda Ventham aka Benedict Cumberbatch's mum, who played Colonel Virginia Lake.

 

 

 

[Guest Breadvan72]

The theme music was soooo groovy.  

[Guest Breadvan72]

If you were a small boy in the early 70s, you would have the Dinky model of the Moonbase Interceptor.  You would be told off for firing the missile at your brother, because you might have put his eye out.  Then you would lose the missile.

 

 

[Guest Breadvan72]

By 1980 we were supposed to have a Moonbase and tinfoil clad Space Babes.  I want my money back.

[Braddon81]

Around 4 or 5 years ago a chap called Sean Robinson having failed to persuade the owner of Strakers car to sell,persuaded him to let him take moulds off the car to make a full replica. At one point a Mike Brewer free Edd China was to get involved to help with its build. A shell was made and since then its all gone very quiet.

Dave Lee Travis owned the car in the late 70s and early 80s.

It was then repainted with scenes from Ufo and gradually fell in to disrepair. Apparently it's now landlocked in a back garden and even if it could be retrieved it would have to be craned out of its resting place and it's now in an extremely dilapidated state.

[Dan the van]

According to Google Fosters car is alive and road legal in Oz.Both of the six wheel security vehicles survived to (based on the Austin 1100),one in Italy that's complete and restored,the second was discovered last year in a boatyard in the Canaries in a poor state.It has been saved and is undergoing restoration.

[Guest Breadvan72]

Note that by 1980 the UK had switched to driving on the right.  This was done in two phases. During the one year transitional period all the lorries and buses drove on the right while all the cars and bikes stayed on the left.

 

Seriously, though, how was the switchover done when Sweden did it in (IIRC) the 60s?  Maybe there were only 12 cars in Sweden then. When you cross from former French Imperial Africa to former British Imperial Africa, is there even more than usual mayhem at the border crossings? 

 

 

[Guest Breadvan72]

Benedict Cumberbatch's mum kept her looks for a long time, but has become a tad mumsy of late, which is fair enough.  She appears in Sherlock as his, er ... mum.

 

 

Gabrielle Drake has aged very gracefully.   She is the sister of dead hippy popster Nick Drake.

 

 

 

 

[Guest Breadvan72]

Cumberbatch Pere is also an actor, and was a handsome dude in his youth.  In Sherlock he plays Sherlock's dad.

 

[forddeliveryboy]

If you were a small boy in the early 70s, you would have big Citroëns to make you realise there was a parallel universe of amazingness beyond the rows of brown, beige and orange BL and Ford dullness.

 

EFA

[forddeliveryboy]

The sight of an SM in the flesh was quite an event, partly because rare, partly because shape and partly because they were 130mph fast and floated on some magic suspension made of Nitrogen.

[Junkman]

Gabrielle Drake was a stunner - especially without a mini skirt.

 

FTFY

 

[garethj]

An update to this - I made some as 1:32 slot cars

 

 

 

Although you need to make the jet turbine wooshing noise yourself

[Wack]

Thanks for posting that video, UFO was my favourite TV show when I was 10 , still got the corgi toys in the attic but they're very play worn , I'll never part with them though

 

Space 1999 was also on the shows not to be missed , Randall and Hopkirk , The Persuaders

[Felly Magic]

I would love one of those 6 wheeler van type things that were in the show, I wonder what they were based on?

[Uncle Jimmy]

Blimey Gilftastic! Cumbersnatch mother has the same playful smile lingering on her lips as Honor Blackman did in Goldfinger.

[purplebargeken]

UFO was bloody brilliant. I loved the alien spacecraft!

[flat4alfa]

Good posting but to be awkward and spoil the party, can I mention there is already a thread on UFO

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/32-futuristic-shite-ufo-the-tv-series/

 

Not that it really matters when Mama Cumberbatch gets shown again

[Dick Cheeseburger]

^ This is all new to me. I wish I was a young man in my early twenties in the 1960's though....

 

Most of the photos in the old thread are rodged, but this link still throws up an interestingly story. I wonder what happened to the replica? No news in around four years it would seem.

 

http://gerryanderson.co.uk/finding-strakers-car/

 

Edit: more info on the recreation here. Turns out it'll be a Jaaag under the fibreglass.

 

https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2013/12/10/a-childhood-dream-realized-as-a-tv-car-rises-again/

[holbeck]

 

Is it too nerdy to note that the cars from UFO are parked up at Holby City Hospital?

 

 

 

[lovejoy]

$22.jpg

 

Is it too nerdy to note that the cars from UFO are parked up at Holby City Hospital?

OOOOF !!!!!   that a bl**dy C2 Corvette Coupe poking out from the rear left, in Shite Orangy brown!

[Guest Hooli]

$22.jpg

 

Is it too nerdy to note that the cars from UFO are parked up at Holby City Hospital?

 

Top nerdage.

[flat4alfa]

Extended nerdaging may also mention the set for Emergency Ward 10, General Hospital and Grange Hill.

 

Because it's a building on the Elstree Studios premises

 

[JeeExEll]

$22.jpg

 

Is it too nerdy to note that the cars from UFO are parked up at Holby City Hospital?

Not nerdy at all, I do believe you could be right.

 

[JeeExEll]

Study of the team at work with their custom-built Mini Moke camera-car.

Nice work if you can get it.

 

[lovejoy]

Thanks, Capree,  I'm torn between the vette, and the SEX - wheeled Moke now !! 

[PiperCub]

I would love one of those 6 wheeler van type things that were in the show, I wonder what they were based on?

 

I seem to recall it was something BMC based. I think it was on the Austin/Morris/Riley/MG etc 1100/1300 (ADO16???) subframes with the rear doubled up and maybe the floorpan too as the proportions look about right.

I don't remember where I read this though so it may not be the case at all. 

 

 

Weird how we all feel a bit short-changed because 37 years on, life in 1980 and beyond aien't like it was prophesied to be on the telly in the 1970's!!!