the green thing at auto italia

I did put that on another thread, although I thought they were 70's, wasn't one of these used in a famous film of the time??

 

From the front end it didn't look to bad - a bit like a Countach.

But the photo here makes it look like a Beach Buggy - did they both had Beetle engines?

 

saw a few the weekend dave,went with m8 to kit car show and also saw the one and only pug 406 to 360 eeeeeerrrrrrrrrr


Dale.

 

I like them in that 70's retro quirky kinda way, i suppose the handling is blamed on the beetle chassis

 

Clockwork orange?

 

Also known as

Nova, Britain
Sterling, Sovran, Sebring USA
Purvis Eureka, Australia
Scorpion, New Zealand
Puma, Italy
Eagle, south Africa

 

In the early eighties the Nova became a movie star, you may recall the film "DEATHRACE 2000" with David Caradine and Sylvester Stallone. With about 5 seconds left before the end credits run, the winner, Caradine, jumps into a Nova (seen only from behind) and drives off into the sunset.

There was also a brief appearance by a yellow Nova in "CANNONBALL2" in which two women borrowed a Nova, but burn out the engine within a couple of minutes. (This was not a British Nova, but the U.S.A squared off Sovran version).

Rumours have it that in 1987 the producers of BATMAN considered the Nova as the new 'Batmobile', however it has been confirmed that the Ellams were approached about the canopy.

The biggest screen moment the car has had must be the "CONDORMAN" The story is about a comic writer called 'Woody' (Michael Crawford) who is hired by the CIA for a top secret assignment: Woody only agrees if he can use his comic book inventions and become "CONDORMAN".

The Corndorcar is a modified Nova, it was yellow with a huge brown condor painted on the bonnet with its wings spread along the side of the car. The backend was extended to include a huge jet engine, and house the machine guns and rocket special effects. The interior shots were done with two canopy inner skin's, a whole one for filming head on driving shots, and the other was cut in half for the side close up's. The dashboards with TV monitors and rocket targets were all made by the company commissioned by Walt Disney.

The film company says that in all, four Novas were made (by Ellams) for the film. One of these didn't have the floorpan lowered, this can clearly be seen when the car is chased off a pier and miraculously turns into a hovercraft and escapes. The water born version is only seen from behind and as the rear end was modified so much its not clear if it is actually the second body shell.

Another Nova was used during the chase scene when special guards emerge from the cars body to protect the windscreen and an enemy car (Porsche kit) drives right over the Condorcar like a ramp. This stunt car must have been reinforced to take the other cars weight. Then there's the road going car for all long shots, this car was lost for many years , but has now been found.

 

I remember condorman, I've heard of Deathrace but i've never seen it

The part in Cannonball 2 is a countach not a Nova if I remember correctly

 

Out of interest I just stumbled across one in Gt40 Gulf Colours (I was looking at beach buggies!!)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VW-Beetle-based-NOVA-Kit-Car-Sporty-Beach-Buggy_W0QQitemZ4644948821QQcategoryZ29750QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

I feel I am going to regret asking - but why?

 

Its something I have always fancied but I don't know if I have the guts to drive one you know the looks etc..., I know i'll never get one, sometimes I just like browsing i.e. ebay Usa looking at custom/drag/hotrods with huge V8's and loads of chrome ;-)

 

Fair play.
I hired a beach buggy whilst on holiday in Tenerife 20 odd years ago. I parked it up at the back of the hotel that evening. Returned to the car the following morning to find that the Club 18-30 jokers had used it as a motorised portaloo... it was a dreadful mess

 

I hope you noticed it before sitting in it ;-)

 

clockwork orange used an adams brothers probe 16

http://anything-auto.net/cars.php?car=35

 

I remember when they had a vote on restoring one of those on Top Gear last series but it didn't win, I can't remember what did win