14 replies to this topic

[Dell Deaton]

Doing a little research this fine spring-like Friday evening here, and could use some help in identifying definitive sources.

Aston Martin
The Living Daylights (1987)

Anyone know of a source for definitive identification of the models driven by Timothy Dalton as James Bond in this film? There's a site by the name of AstonMartins.com that includes the following write-up.

So, at the start of the film, we see our hero, played for the first time by Timothy Dalton, driving 'B549 WUU' a V8 Volante with Cumberland Grey coachwork and upholstered in black leather. This car was in fact the personal transport of Victor Gauntlett, the Chairman of AML. This car, even without visiting Q branch, was a bit special as it was fitted with a Vantage engine, prior to it being offered as a production car. I eventually saw this particular V8 at the AMOC Horsfall race meeting in 2007, participating in the 007 track parade. During the film, and whilst in Volante form, the V8 did not display any particular 'special features'.

A little later, we again see the Volante, this time in Q's workshop, where it appears to be receiving a hardtop. The script describes the car as being 'winterised'. The result is a V8 saloon; an Oscar India car that you are expected to believe is the Volante with a closed roof - this is of course impossible - but hey, it's only a film. In reality, the factory used a pair of second-hand V8's which were refurbished and modified for filming the stunt work in the mountains of Austria although much of the plot was set in Czechoslovakia. They do have visible 'Vantage' badges, but these I guess were fitted as they would have been seen on the Volante; to all intents and purposes, the car was an 'Oscar India' V8. The V8 coupe is still, I believe jointly owned by AM and Eon Productions, and is occasionally displayed at public events. I have been able to photograph the car at 1986 British Motor Show, Coys Historic Festival, Silverstone, 1998 and the AMOC St.

Okay, now back to my reason for coming here to CBn tonight--

Anything better than this out there?

Thanks!

[Mark_Hazard]

I was informed of this (by an Aston Martin dealer) in 1992, when I "borrowed" the AML/Eon V8 "show car" for eleven weeks and susequently wrote about it, which was printed in a number of 007 fan mags and which I eventually incorporated into an article on the Cars of The Stars/Bond Museum:

Another vehicle now part of The Bond Museum (previously with the Cars of The Stars “James Bond Collection”) is an Aston Martin V8 Vantage as used in The Living Daylights. It is not the famous and oft seen “show car” (still kept by Aston Martin Lagonda and jointly owned with Eon), but is from Eon’s infamous “shed 10” at Pinewood Studios. Actually, the Museum acquired three V8s from Eon, two real vehicles and a fibre-glass (which was authorised by AML) “effects” replica/shell.

Just in case it had escaped the readers notice, there were two models of V8 Aston Martin used in The Living Daylights, they were the Volanté and the Vantage ‑ for easy recognition, the Volanté is the soft-top/convertible and the Vantage is the “winterised” hard-top.

The Volanté was the first V8 Aston Martin seen in the film, is fitted with a manual gearbox and no gadgets were employed on it. That particular Volanté was the vehicle originally registered as B549WUU (as used in the film) to Victor Gauntlet, then Executive Chairman of Aston Martin Lagonda Limited and loaned to Eon on the condition that it was not involved in any of the stunts – perhaps they couldn’t get any stand-in Volantés. After filming was completed, the index (registration) number was retained (although withdrawn as a registered number) for the AML promotional (“show car”) Vantage. The Volanté was later sold, adopting a new personalised index number – ASV870. It was resold in late 1988/early 1989, shortly after I had found and photographed it (in Oct/Nov 1988), and I understand that it has since (during 1991?) been resold yet again, at an auction held during a Classic Car Show at the Birmingham NEC.

During The Living Daylights, the soft-top Volanté was seen at Q-Branch being “winterised”, resulting in the hard-top Vantage. The Aston Martin V8 acquired for the CoTS “James Bond Collection” were two of at least four Vantages used in the making of the film, the fibre-glass copy is one of at least four replicas that were built. The AML “show car” is fitted with an automatic transmission, the other (real and fibre-glass) V8s are fitted with an assortment of both manual and automatic – just watch the sequence where 007 accelerates away from the “shed” on the frozen lake, and think about it! The fibre-glass versions were used for various purposes such as close-up work etc, and to be bashed and bent in a variety of ways, including the one that was “self destructed”.

The AML “show car” has also been converted from standard, and is not registered for road use – part of this conversion necessitated the removal of the fuel tank and replacing it with a jerry-can (for safety reasons). The “gadgets” available for display on this V8 Vantage are: the spot-light missiles, the outriggers (skis), laser beam in the wheel hub and the rocket-booster under the rear number plate. The spot-lights have to be manually lowered and the missiles are push-fit, and usually kept in the boot; the outriggers are also push-fit into special locating mounts in the skirting (that in the film works like a roller-shutter); the laser hub is a standard push-fit hub fitted with a small battery powered LED; the head-up display is a window sticker, augmented by a flashing lamp; and the rocket-booster is again a flashing lamp inside a mirrored tube, fitted with red cellophane to give a flame effect – the number plate section is not moveable. A couple of spiked snow tyres and an “ice-cutting” wheel are also available for use with this “show car”.

The CoTS V8s were: a roadworthy vehicle that has a roll cage fitted (for high speed chases) and is the vehicle seen on the ice; the other car also has a roll cage fitted, has a fibre-glass nose and a steel sheet fitted to the underside (to protect the engine), it also has wooden (break-away) fittings for attaching the outriggers – this is the vehicle that “flew” over the road block; the replica is the special effects vehicle (not much more than a shell), complete with the mechanism for operating the outriggers, as well as the wheel to show the operation of the wheel spikes and lasers etc. One of these V8s now resides in The Bond Museum.

Unlike the original ‘Bond’ Aston Martin DB5s used in Goldfinger and Thunderball, none of the gadgets used in The Living Daylights were actually built into the real V8s, therefore (unlike the DB5) they do not work at the press of a button, everything seen on screen was done by “special/camera effects” – sorry to spoil the illusion. Fortunately some of this close-up and special effects photography was done using the CoTS fibre-glass replica effects V8. The targeting for the missiles was done by moving the car heater controls and fired by pushing the cigarette lighter – when the top of the central control panel slides back in the film, it was done with a string toggle system (this is evident on both the CoTS and AML cars), by someone sitting (or lying) on the back seat and out of camera shot. The head-up display and lasers obviously come under “special/optical effects”. The radio in the AML “show car” Vantage (a Philips) is different to that used in the film (a Blaupunkt) and has been disconnected (the Police were using 96.90 to communicate); the central control console may have been electrically connected at one time (for the flashing lights) but no longer, the red and green button colours change manually when pushed; the tyre stud lever moves back and forth; and the self-destruct button is inoperative (thankfully). The spot lamps and rear number plate may have been electrically operated on the effects replica, but there is no evidence of this on the ‘real’ cars.

I discovered (when I borrowed it) that the AML “show car” is not (although it wears the badge) a true V8 Vantage (that being the reason I have used italics for the model name), it is actually an Aston Martin V8 (an “Oscar India”), its forerunner (of 1979-82? vintage). Although AML are aware of this, for obvious reasons they prefer that information to be restricted and is therefore not generally known (so don’t tell them, or anyone else, that I told you so). Basically there is not a great deal of difference, but over the years a number of refinements had been made, and at the time of filming The Living Daylights the V8 Vantage was then, the current AML model – the CoTS Aston Martins are also older V8s disguised as Vantages. The body shape has remained pretty much the same since the (original) Aston Martin DBS (as per OHMSS), although different enough to require some “cosmetic surgery”. Remember too, that the DBS used in Roger Moore’s The Persuaders TV series was a six-cylinder, but wore the V8 wheels and badges because AML were unable to supply a DBS V8 at the time of filming. When not displayed, the AML “show car” Vantage is normally kept at Aston Martin Lagonda headquarters, in Newport Pagnall, Buckinghamshire.

The other V8 Vantage and fibre-glass replicas still owned by Eon have now also been removed from “Shed 10” at Pinewood – where they had all been covered in dust etc for quite a few years – and were initially transferred to their then new base at Leavesdon. (n.b. The “etc” that was covering the Aston Martins whilst they were in “Shed 10” was, to put it bluntly, bird ). All of the Aston Martin V8s used in The Living Daylights were finished in the same colour as the Volanté, Cumberland Grey (although it looks green) – the original colour of the AML “show car” was blue. Further detective work on the AML Vantage has been hampered by souvenir hunters (surely not genuine fans) who have removed both the engine plate and the chassis plate, which detail the engine builder and chassis numbers etc. AML themselves (should they have reason to) shouldn’t have too much difficulty (although probably time consuming) in tracking down these numbers, but for anyone else, forget it, unless you can obtain access to their files and have the time. One of the CoTS V8s has since been sold and now resides in the USA.

Also worth noting is that although the index (registration) number B549WUU was withdrawn from use, an Aston Martin dealer has since acquired the number and attached it to a replica of the Bond Vantage, which is (currently) up for sale.


Hope I have'nt bored you, but felt that to edit it I may loose something of importance.

[darthbond]

Reading this makes me feel like a Trekkie, i.e. "That last movie didn't coincide with the true Romulan history set up by Roddenberry."
It really doesn't matter.

darthbond

[Dell Deaton]

I was informed of this (by an Aston Martin dealer) in 1992, when I "borrowed" the AML/Eon V8 "show car" for eleven weeks and susequently wrote about it, which was printed in a number of 007 fan mags and which I eventually incorporated into an article on the Cars of The Stars/Bond Museum.... Also worth noting is that although the index (registration) number B549WUU was withdrawn from use, an Aston Martin dealer has since acquired the number and attached it to a replica of the Bond Vantage, which is (currently) up for sale.


Hope I have'nt bored you, but felt that to edit it I may loose something of importance.

This is great; thanks. Believe me, I know how that some folks can role their eyes when I respond to requests for details about James Bond watches. But ya know, so what? If they weren't interested in the first place, that's why you let Threads pass without comment, right?

Two follow-ups to this one, then.

1. Where does the Saloon model fit into this story?

2. Since I'm in the U.S. and not the U.K., I'd be interested, if it's known, in having the whereabouts of the car that's here.

Meantime, thanks for a great reply!

[JimmyBond]

You know, I never knew there were two different models used in the movie until reading this article just now.

That just goes to show that no matter how long you've been a fan of something you can still learn something new about it.

[marktmurphy]

I didn't realise there were fibreglass version of it made for the movie: that's interesting. Did these have chassis and running gear?

I always think the Gauntlett thing is rather funny: the boss's own car! Sort of mirrors the DB5, which was itself a bit of a celebrity car even before Bond got to drive it (it was the prototype DB5, featured in many road tests, and even an episode of The Saint!). It's quite interesting that unlike other Bond cars, the Volante/Vantage wasn't a brand new car: it was B reg which means it was built in 1984 (I think: that's off the top of my head!); certainly a couple of years old by 1987!

And why was Q 'winterizing' it when Bond had been ordered to go to sunny Tangiers?

[Mark_Hazard]

This is great; thanks. Believe me, I know how that some folks can role their eyes when I respond to requests for details about James Bond watches. But ya know, so what? If they weren't interested in the first place, that's why you let Threads pass without comment, right?

Two follow-ups to this one, then.

1. Where does the Saloon model fit into this story?

2. Since I'm in the U.S. and not the U.K., I'd be interested, if it's known, in having the whereabouts of the car that's here.

Meantime, thanks for a great reply!

1. Saloon? Did I miss something?

2. Ooops. Somewhere along the line I dropped a fibreglass Vantage. Just checked and the Cars of The Stars had two, one of these went to the Ian Fleming Foundation in the US - where they keep it I don't know.

marktmurphy - other than wheels, not sure what else the fibreglass versions had, although I'm pretty sure they also had fitted interiors (from what I can recall of seeing them in "shed 10" - I've got some photos somewhere, but think they are buried deeeep). One of the Cars of The Stars replicas had the gear for lowering (and raising) the outriggers and extending the road "spikes" of the snow tyres.

[Dell Deaton]

... Two follow-ups to this one, then.

1. Where does the Saloon model fit into this story? ....

1. Saloon? Did I miss something? ....

Indeed. See again my initial Post to this Thread, a relevant passage from which is re-posted here below (with emphasis added).

... A little later, we again see the Volante, this time in Q's workshop, where it appears to be receiving a hardtop. The script describes the car as being 'winterised'. The result is a V8 saloon; an Oscar India car that you are expected to believe is the Volante with a closed roof - this is of course impossible - but hey, it's only a film. In reality, the factory used a pair of second-hand V8's which were refurbished and modified for filming the stunt work in the mountains of Austria although much of the plot was set in Czechoslovakia....

Nice bit of history that one can see as a transition from the Lazenby to Dalton era Aston Martins is further available online.

[Mark_Hazard]

... Two follow-ups to this one, then.

1. Where does the Saloon model fit into this story? ....

1. Saloon? Did I miss something? ....

Indeed. See again my initial Post to this Thread, a relevant passage from which is re-posted here below (with emphasis added).

... A little later, we again see the Volante, this time in Q's workshop, where it appears to be receiving a hardtop. The script describes the car as being 'winterised'. The result is a V8 saloon; an Oscar India car that you are expected to believe is the Volante with a closed roof - this is of course impossible - but hey, it's only a film. In reality, the factory used a pair of second-hand V8's which were refurbished and modified for filming the stunt work in the mountains of Austria although much of the plot was set in Czechoslovakia....

Nice bit of history that one can see as a transition from the Lazenby to Dalton era Aston Martins is further available online.

I must have read that paragraph 3 or 4 times and missed "saloon" each time - one reason I suppose that I prefer to do my reading from the printed page.

I can only assume that the "saloon" is the Vantage.

[Donovan]

I didn't realise there were fibreglass version of it made for the movie: that's interesting. Did these have chassis and running gear?

I always think the Gauntlett thing is rather funny: the boss's own car! Sort of mirrors the DB5, which was itself a bit of a celebrity car even before Bond got to drive it (it was the prototype DB5, featured in many road tests, and even an episode of The Saint!). It's quite interesting that unlike other Bond cars, the Volante/Vantage wasn't a brand new car: it was B reg which means it was built in 1984 (I think: that's off the top of my head!); certainly a couple of years old by 1987!

And why was Q 'winterizing' it when Bond had been ordered to go to sunny Tangiers?

It's a lightweight shell with AML windows. From what I've seen of it it's a solid fiberglass casting of the entire body. Certain things like the various lights, door handles, etc. were added on but are decorative. To my knowledge the Ian Fleming Foundation owns it.

[marktmurphy]

Fascinating; thanks for that Donovan.

In the picture below, the close-up of the rear end, you can clearly see that the shutlines of the boot are just moulded in; so fibreglass, yes.
http://www.ianflemin...on.org/main.htm


Here's a Cars of the Stars one (I assume) as I saw it last year:





In quite a sorry state, sadly. Dents all over it, paintwork tarnished and with a broken light!

EDIT: Just noticed: its overiders are missing too. Was it always like that?

[Dell Deaton]

... Two follow-ups to this one, then.

1. Where does the Saloon model fit into this story? ....

1. Saloon? Did I miss something? ....

Indeed. See again my initial Post to this Thread, a relevant passage from which is re-posted here below (with emphasis added).

... A little later, we again see the Volante, this time in Q's workshop, where it appears to be receiving a hardtop. The script describes the car as being 'winterised'. The result is a V8 saloon; an Oscar India car that you are expected to believe is the Volante with a closed roof....

I must have read that paragraph 3 or 4 times and missed "saloon" each time - one reason I suppose that I prefer to do my reading from the printed page.

I can only assume that the "saloon" is the Vantage.

Hard to say. I've definitely found references to an Aston Martin "V8 Saloon" (proper name, suggesting a model reference).

Separating out the dummied-up shells, I'm still interested in identifying the exact basis cars involved here. May end up seeing if there is an automotive Forum, if not something specific to Aston Martin (I know there are clubs related to the DB5); if I end up there and get something more helpful, I'll report back.

[marktmurphy]

What are you after Dell; the exact models of the cars used? There are so many different models of V8 with such tiny differences I doubt few who even look at them closely will be able to tell the difference. Chances are, as the saloons were second-hand, they were quite possibly both different models of V8! Oscar Indias is surely about right.

Although numbers-wise it is a bit unclear: Mark says there were at least four and your link says two (not including the fibreglass shells). Puzzling; I can't keep up with them.

[Dell Deaton]

What are you after Dell; the exact models of the cars used? ....

Short answer here is "yes."

Now, that said, I certainly don't mean to suggest that I'm putting this on you.

Believe me: Those of us who seriously look after the wristwatches associated with James Bond face very much the same thing. Model numbers with more digits than you have fingers, with different ones meaning virtually the same piece (although, Heaven forbid! you wouldn't want the wrong digit of the two).

Like any other historical research, I guess where this one is going is for a clear definition of the possibilities, then to drop those that may simply be different in badging only.

So, my questions stand.

Meantime, thank you very much for helping this discussion along. There's a great deal of informatin that's come together here already. And I wouldn't want to show anything but appreciation for that.

[marktmurphy]

No, no; sorry- I've read my post back and it comes across as a little tetchy; which isn't the tone I meant it in
I suppose the only way is examine the original VIN plates from the cars as they could have been pretty old and just made up to match the Volante, which would only have been a matter of some spotlights and a lick of paint. I don't know of a good source of info regarding these cars: we even seem unsure of how many there were!

Believe me: Those of us who seriously look after the wristwatches associated with James Bond face very much the same thing. Model numbers with more digits than you have fingers, with different ones meaning virtually the same piece (although, Heaven forbid! you wouldn't want the wrong digit of the two).

Thing is, once you remove the badges, in these cases you effectively have changed what the car is. The famous DB5, for example, was, as I mentioned earlier the prototype DB5. Now what this actually meant in reality was, I think I'm right in saying, that it was a DB4 Series 5 Vantage with DB5 badges stuck on. There was almost that little difference between the two models. A new engine was the most important change, but I think the Bond one may have actually started life as a DB4 Series 5 Vantage.