Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 14 Electro Plated Car Replica

Reader Reviews
Let's be honest folks, this car is just one big piece of fun for those of us who were youngsters in the 60's when the film first appeared. It's not really a toy for the kids of today...that's just our excuse for buying it. It's really a plaything for us BIG kids of yesteryear! Having said that, it's also very plain that this vehicle is very fragile and that its plastic components wouldn't last very long in the throes of vigorous children's play. It's an item for putting up on the high shelf and admiring from a non-handling distance (and...um...occasionally taking it into one's hands for a moment of guilty reverie...when the kids aren't around, and no-one's looking). The replica is reasonably faithful to the vehicle in the movie; most of the important parts are there, about the right shape, size and (for the most part) the right colour. The wooden "boat" at the rear of the vehicle looks like it's made from brown plastic, not timber; the shiny chrome metal finish of the hood looks like glossy, plasticised material, not polished alloy. I'm planning to get some modelers' adhesive metal foil and re-do the hood; I'll also airbrush some of the other components (such as the wooden boat) and try a few modelers' painting and finishing tricks to see if I can make it look a little less like a plastic toy, a little more like a replica. The leading edge of the wings lacks the drive mechanism (very obvious in photos from the film, and even in the pictures on the box!) which operate the propellers (also missing). But these are minor quibbles, and probably won't even be noticed by the majority of people. Those with a bit of modeling skill may even want to have a crack at modifying their car by scratch-building certain components to add the missing parts. I'm very happy with my replica, and I think others will also consider it a worthy addition to their collection.