Unique Chitty Chitty Bang Bang replica set to fetch £180k at auction

A one-of-a-kind Chitty Chitty Bang Bang replica is expected to fetch almost £200,000 when it goes up for auction this week. 

The recreation of the fantastical cinematic star is thought to be the only one built using period-correct components and is set to go under the hammer at H&H Classics’ auction at the Pavilion Gardens, Buxton, on 26 July, with an estimate of between £160,000 and £180,000.

The 1968 Dick van Dyke film is regularly listed among the best-loved children’s films of all time, thanks in no small part to the role of its characterful and instantly recognisable automotive star. Having been inspired by the film as a child, the car’s current owner fulfilled a lifetime ambition in 2018 by having their very own version of Chitty built. 

Unlike the cinematic version, this one can’t float or fly but is a faithful recreation of the film’s car and is ready to take to the road, according to its owner. 

Commissioned in 2018 and finished in 2019, the car is thought to be the world’s only Chitty replica built using pre-World War Two parts in honour of the film’s period setting. Beneath the faithfully recreated body shell is a pre-war Packard chassis which was converted to right-hand drive and extended by two feet to give it the same dimensions as the original film car. Powering the car is a 5.0-litre six-cylinder side-valve Studebaker special engine of a similar age to the chassis, married to a three-speed manual gearbox, and with a handmade custom exhaust. 

Staying true to the 1920s era, the car retains the chassis’ genuine wooden artillery wheels; 1909 electric headlights and 1909 oil-fired sidelights. The braking system is the original ‘2 wheel-only brakes’ with bands on the outside and shoes on the inside, and the pedals are a confusing but period-correct arrangement with the accelerator in the middle, brake on the right and clutch on the left. The only purposely left unrestored part on the car is an original 1913 Cadillac windscreen glass and frame. 

Since being created in 2018, the car has appeared at a variety of classic car shows and events, drawing attention wherever it goes.

Lucas Gomersall, vehicle specialist at H&H Classics, commented: "Being trusted with the sale of such an iconic vehicle is a privilege. This is a truly unique piece of automotive history, with remarkable provenance, and is certain to be as much a delight to movie fans as it will be to car enthusiasts worldwide. The thorough attention to detail and unwavering commitment to creating a handsome evocation of the car, make this sale a one-off event.”