What a truly scrumptious journey
5th March 2008
It can’t fly, but that hasn’t stopped a replica of the movie-star car from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang from making it to the other side of the world.
Nick and Carolyn Pointing have driven the vintage-style tourer from their home on the Isle of Wight to Sydney. The six-month, 17-country, 19,000km odyssey was completed without incident.
They crossed over to France, then traversed Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, Cambodia and Singapore.
The car was then shipped over to Australia for the final leg.
Nick created the car for Carolyn, who’s a huge fan of the film, using a Land Rover engine, parts from vintage cars, boatyard scraps and even a Singer sewing machine. He based his design on stills from the film and a Corgi toy replica. The car has a top speed of 80mph and does boast fold-out wings, although sadly it doesn’t actually fly.
In completing their journey the couple have raised £5,000 for the Earl Mountbatten Hospice, the Multiple Sclerosis Society and WWF.