Lancia Motor Club

Following messages received from a BBC researcher.  Could you get back to me ASAP if you either own a suitable car that you would be willing to provide, or know of one whose owner might be willing?  Chris Owen, LMC Press Officer (07899 951760 or press(at)lanciamc.co.uk).  Please note the requirement for a 4 door car!

 "I'm trying to source a Lancia in the London area (pref west) that we can use as part of a forthcoming BBC documentary. It will be needed for a couple of hours one day between on Sunday 5th, Sunday 19th or Monday 20th September. We'll need to film our programme presenter driving the car and will need to put a camera and tripod in the back of the car so a 5 door vehicle would be best.

I've looked at your website and think any of the following models would suffice:

Ardea 39-53
Berlina 33-37 or 53-55
Aurelia 39-53
Aprilla 37-48

The programme is for BBC4 arts and called 'Modern British Masters' and we're filming episode 2 which covers a group of British artists who worked between the wars - John Nash, Stanley Spencer, Alfred Munnings among others.
 
We'd like to film our presenter driving a car from the period (ish) hence the enquiry."

wouldn't an augusta be more suitable for between the wars? john turner has a nice one  ::)

If there is a picture of John's car online somewhere, I'll gladly suggest it?  Any other offers?  ;D

This is one from Covent Garden Lancia 100 2007. Not sure if John would be too happy with someone else driving his car though, specially knowing what a lot of hooligans the BBC has on it's Payroll, could you imagine a certain Mr Clarkson getting behind the wheel, the thought of it's enough to make you feel sick.

Brian
8227 8)

Sorry to play the obvious game but that's a Lambda. Still between the wars though.

My fault I didn't read the message with my brain in gear :-[ but my comments still apply.
I'll have to have a hunt around my photos as I'm sure I must have one of the Augusta somewhere.

Brian

8227 8)

John's car is in the Club News section for 2010 on the main website from Brooklands on January 1st, or see attached:



http://www.lanciamotorclub.co.uk/club-news.htm

at the 2009 AGM http://www.flickr.com/photos/80688018@N00/3716294686/in/set-72157621373584656/

The problem the BBC are up against is that any car of that era needs an experianced hand and the potential for mechanical damage, aside from all the camera mounts etc, is pretty high. 

Early in my Aurelia ownership I let a friend have a quick run round the block one night (we were staying on the way somewhere) and he failed to notice the rev counter went in the oposite direction from the speedo.  We also had a nasty moment at a junction when he couldn't find the handbrake and somehow had run out of feet to have one spare for the brake.  I wouldn't be at all surprised if he missed the change up to third and got second.   After that I was a lot more choosey who got a go, very careful as to what road at what time of day, and following a long chat through the quirks.

Old cars take familiarisation and concentration.

David

Only just caught up with this.  The Augusta is off the road at the moment waiting for a new dynamo (and it is in fact Christine's car not mine)  The Lambda is as ever available but is an open car. I don't mind who drives it and it is pretty well indestructible, though the gearbox is a bit of a bugger if you don't know it and otherwise competent drivers have come to an embarrassing halt in the middle of the road trying to find one.  There is a picture of it on the database at http://db.lanciamconline.co.uk. It would in fact be quite appropriate since the painter George Chapman who was one of the Nash, Piper group owned and drove a similar 7th series car.

John

... and just to prove it , here's a PDF from the database of John's car :)

Just to add a correction, the actual URL is http://www.lanciadb.co.uk/ (the simple to remember one) - which then redirects to http://db.lanciamconline.co.uk/apex/f?p=mcrlmc (which is a bit harder to remember)

I'm just making a mental note that we do need 'era' based lists as this always seems a requirement ... (although it's easy enough to search for vehicles older than n years)

John - thanks for getting back to me.  I have someone with an Aprilia talking to them at the moment, but if that proves to be a non-starter, I'll put your name forward.

This is John's car at the 1968 Overstone AGM. One of the first photos I ever took!

Funny colour for a Lambda.  I had an awful lot of pale grey paint left over from my old AC.

Does anyone have any advice or experience to offer on the level of fee payable for the use of a car for filming?  Or indeed any dos and don'ts from experience?

not exactly the same but wedding hire on a vehicle like that would be in the region of £350>450 for approx 2.5hrs work if thats any help  ???

That's quite a tidy amount there ... out of interest , and probably needs a separate thread :) but does it affect the insurance doing weddings (as it's usually one of the clauses)?

For info., and to share experience with the Forum, me and my Aprilia did half-a-day's filming with the BBC team yesterday at Black Park, near Pinewood.

The programmes being filmed are a 3-part series called 'Modern British Artists' , starting with Alfred Munnings followed by Paul Nash, John Piper, Stanley Spencer etc and finishing with Hockney in the 1960s.  There were 3 BBC crew and the presenter, a young academic art historian, Dr James Fox.

The set-up was exclusively driving interior shots (so no external Aprilia pictures) either with me driving and the director shooting James in the back seat; or James driving, doing a piece to camera. The Aprilia hook was that, apparently, Paul Nash owned one in the 1940s.

James, never having driven anything other than a modern, adapted to pre-war practise and double-declutching very quickly. After a short time he proved to be a v. competent driver. The crew respected the car, despite the tight fit getting a camera and a tripod in the back seat.

Our experience was immeasurably improved by finding a full-house feature film-crew set-up with a cast catering truck adjacent at Black Park and blagging our way into their coffee and Danish. Doncha luv Hollywood ?

The rest of the filming will take place in Jan/Feb and the series may get on-air on BBC4 Freeview in Summer 2011.

Summing up, a very good experience with a careful, thoughtful and capable crew. I think I was lucky, judging by what I have heard from others.
Nick

Wonderful news - I can't wait to see it.

David

Steve

YES doing wedings does affect insurance if you are being payed as you are then using the vehicle for "hire or reward", so there is additional risk and additional premium!

Don

At least you can legally go mini-cabbing on Sat nights!