'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' flies to Florida

Published Jun 4, 2007

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Auburn Indiana - What is believed to be one of six cars built for the film "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" has been sold to a Florida collector for $505 000 (about R3.6-million).

Ralph Spencer of Jacksonville bought the car during an auction at the 16th annual Auburn spring motor fair; he already owns a 1966 Batmobile and said he had had his eyes on the winged car for the past few years.

He said: "I've always liked this car - I was a fan of the movie."

The car was on display in a Chicago restaurant called JR's Retreat but owner Jim Rich had to sell it to pay off a bankruptcy debt.

Auction company president Dean Kruse valued the car at $980 000 in 1998.

He said: "The car was in storage for so long, it needed a little work."

The auction attracted some fans of the 1968 film that starred Dick Van Dyke and Sally Ann Howes to see the car. David Stefanchick brought his family from Cincinnati to see it up close.

He said: "I'm thinking about building a replica of the car.

"Just think about the reaction of the kids in the neighbourhood if they saw this thing rolling down the street. The ice-cream truck wouldn't stand a chance!" - Sapa-AP

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