TV production company seeks Chummy to buy

[Martin Prior]

To the best of my knowledge, film companies hire, rather than buy the cars that they use, unless they're planning to damage or destroy it. I'm pretty certain that this Chummy would go the same way as the unfortunate RN in "Foyle's War" a few years go (blown up and burned).

No-one should consider selling their car to a film company unless they have a clear understanding of what it's required for.

[Tony Griffiths]

I remember Clarkson describing in one episode of Top Gear that they had a selection of borrowed British Leyland cars. At the end of filming, there were taken away by the BL and returned the next day - but in different colours....

[austin]

To the best of my knowledge, film companies hire, rather than buy the cars that they use, unless they're planning to damage or destroy it. I'm pretty certain that this Chummy would go the same way as the unfortunate RN in "Foyle's War" a few years go (blown up and burned).

No-one should consider selling their car to a film company unless they have a clear understanding of what it's required for.

I have experience of this having worked on various feature films and TV series in a previous career. (And my dad did many more than me.)

If a vehicle has a "major" part in a production they will look to buy one, (or multiples) and use them through the filming process and then sell them at the end of the production. Much cheaper than hiring one. There are specialist companies that will do this for you and try and source the car etc etc.

One obvious example that springs to mind is Withnail's Jaguar in Withnail & I.

[Ian Wegg]

I remember Clarkson describing in one episode of Top Gear that they had a selection of borrowed British Leyland cars. At the end of filming, there were taken away by the BL and returned the next day - but in different colours....

I don't know about Top Gear but Brian Clemens, who produced many iconic TV action series such as The Avengers and The Professionals would often rant about the incompetence of BL when it came to continuity. The whole British car industry was very slow to appreciate the value of free publicity, hence Roger Moore driving a Volvo in The Saint.

[Andy Bennett]

These are the points was making in my original comment. It is a very specific model they are asking for and the most expensive of standard models. So, my guess it isn't simply a piece of set dressing for perhaps the background of a 1940s garage, as any cheap 1930s tired car would work.

Could be they have a working chummy and plan to spray this one up as a look alike to be damaged/destroyed for some reason, or something else completely, perhaps a biop' where the subject was known to have a chummy so they need one to spray up and just sit there looking right.

It is all a little odd, hence my first suggestion needing more info before anything is offered, although I doubt they would confirm if it was going to be damaged or destroyed etc.

[JohnD]

Could it be that when they say "Chummy" they mean any Austin Seven as is often the way when those who do not own an anorak describe most sevens ? 

Clarification required perhaps

[Reckless Rat]

One way to get rid of a water-ski special....

[Ivor Hawkins]

To the best of my knowledge, film companies hire, rather than buy the cars that they use, unless they're planning to damage or destroy it.  I'm pretty certain that this Chummy would go the same way as the unfortunate RN in "Foyle's War" a few years go (blown up and burned). 

No-one should consider selling their car to a film company unless they have a clear understanding of what it's required for.

My mistake Martin, it was Foyle’s War!

[Ian Wegg]

I strongly suspect the production involved was this: Moonflower Murders, now showing on BBC1 (very good too).

It features a couple of A7s and (spoiler alert) one of them has a prang in episode 1.

   

[falcott]

Strange wheels for a 7.
I guess this is following the aforesaid prang with a few frontal features askew.