Wired: Go Behind the Scenes on Hollywood’s Hottest Custom Car Lot
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Wired: Go Behind the Scenes on Hollywood’s Hottest Custom Car Lot
http://www.wired.com/underwire/2010/...9&viewall=true
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NORTH HOLLYWOOD, California — Nestled away in North Hollywood is one of the most valuable parking lots in the world. The 100,000-square-foot complex houses the offices (and rides) of movie vehicle designer Tim "Fireball" Lawrence, as well as Cinema Vehicles Services — one of the most storied automotive build houses in Hollywood.
"They say Nicholas Cage was the star of Gone in 60 Seconds," Fireball says as he walks through a body shop buzzing with activity. "He wasn’t. The '67 Shelby Mustang we built here was the real star."
Everything from Batmobiles to crashable "Ferraris" to an endless fleet of made-for-the-screen taxis and police cars have found life in this shop, thanks to Fireball’s designs and CVS’ team of automotive experts. Fireball gave Wired.com a look behind the lot’s razor-wired walls, shedding light on the genesis, customization and final resting places of some of film and television’s most memorable vehicles.
"They say Nicholas Cage was the star of Gone in 60 Seconds," Fireball says as he walks through a body shop buzzing with activity. "He wasn’t. The '67 Shelby Mustang we built here was the real star."
Everything from Batmobiles to crashable "Ferraris" to an endless fleet of made-for-the-screen taxis and police cars have found life in this shop, thanks to Fireball’s designs and CVS’ team of automotive experts. Fireball gave Wired.com a look behind the lot’s razor-wired walls, shedding light on the genesis, customization and final resting places of some of film and television’s most memorable vehicles.
Examples...
Ecto-1 From Ghostbusters
The Ghostbusters’ signature ride hides out in a quiet corner of the Cinema Vehicles Services body shop. Long after the second film wrapped, the original Ecto-1s were stripped and left to collect dust in various collector junkyards.
Eventually, Tim "Fireball" Lawrence and the CVS team rediscovered them and started the restoration process. "We ended up passing them off to Sony for touring purposes, while they were mulling over greenlighting the third film," says Fireball. Now that filming for Ghostbusters 3 is ramping up, fans can expect to see the Ecto back on the big screen in 2012.
The Ghostbusters’ signature ride hides out in a quiet corner of the Cinema Vehicles Services body shop. Long after the second film wrapped, the original Ecto-1s were stripped and left to collect dust in various collector junkyards.
Eventually, Tim "Fireball" Lawrence and the CVS team rediscovered them and started the restoration process. "We ended up passing them off to Sony for touring purposes, while they were mulling over greenlighting the third film," says Fireball. Now that filming for Ghostbusters 3 is ramping up, fans can expect to see the Ecto back on the big screen in 2012.
1967 Shelby GT500 Mustangs From Gone in 60 Seconds
These gutted 1967 Shelby GT500 Ford Mustangs are just two of the 11 that were built on the lot for 2000 action film Gone in 60 Seconds. "These two were what we called the 'Go Baby Go' cars," says Tim "Fireball" Lawrence. "They were specifically outfitted with the 'Go Baby Go' shifter knobs and nitrous rigs for that close-up shot."
These gutted 1967 Shelby GT500 Ford Mustangs are just two of the 11 that were built on the lot for 2000 action film Gone in 60 Seconds. "These two were what we called the 'Go Baby Go' cars," says Tim "Fireball" Lawrence. "They were specifically outfitted with the 'Go Baby Go' shifter knobs and nitrous rigs for that close-up shot."
Souped-Up Stunt Cars
For every pristine car on the Cinema Vehicles Services lot, there are dozens of weathered and retooled stunt cars. "Cars will get rigged here for camera mounts, or things that have to get prepped for stunts, like beefed-up suspension," says Tim "Fireball" Lawrence. "If they’re going to do 360s, then we’ll put in a second emergency brake, too."
For every pristine car on the Cinema Vehicles Services lot, there are dozens of weathered and retooled stunt cars. "Cars will get rigged here for camera mounts, or things that have to get prepped for stunts, like beefed-up suspension," says Tim "Fireball" Lawrence. "If they’re going to do 360s, then we’ll put in a second emergency brake, too."
Good stuff! More at the link
