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Very few people ever saw the original Interceptor -- just after the movie was made I was that lucky - this is the story of my first contact with the movie car, and the chronology of my building of the replica car
Go
back in time to so long ago... I can not even remember the date, or for
that matter the year, lost now.
It was both late in the 1970s and late Summer, and I had found a strange
car down the Mall shops in my home town of Boronia in Victoria. Boronia
is situated at the base of the Dandenong Ranges; for some reason it was
hot, (that much I remember), one of those hot summer afternoons with cicadas
buzzing in the afternoon heat. It took very little for me to exchange
my normal -push bike- training session for a walk of a mile or so down
to the new shopping Mall. My training partners all knew I was a car fanatic;
earlier in life, I had been following the fortunes of motorsport at the
expense of school work, which I found consistently boring. And now, at
the expense of required training, in the local Mall I found this amazing
sight. A Black on Black XB coupe sitting in with the shoppers of this
backwater place. No guard rails, no real introductions, only a single
sign indicating that the car had been used in an upcoming Movie. Drawn
by the sight, I quickly started to look over this out-of-place object.
Was it real? Or was it a trick of movie prop makers? Inspection soon told
me that this was real. A look underneath the machine confirmed every hope,
this thing was a beast; huge great collectors took the race like extractors
into what looked to be a 4-inch flange; big black dump pipes stretched
back to a point that split into two outlets just in front of the rear
wheels, and before them were two fake pipes which I excused as movie props.
I could see also massive great stabilizer bars; as I had previously seen
underneath a racing XB coupe, I knew this was a racing set up, the real
thing. The rear suspension confirmed this, it was unique, and heavy-duty,
a race setup no doubt. I was hooked. Hell, this thing must fly. What is
the name of the movie again? When does it come out? How big are the tyres?
295 T/A's with 265's on the front. Christ, you would need to be an animal
just to steer this thing. A look inside and again it is all race and violence,
a standard Blue Police light is the only indicator of the movie. A Cop
car!!! Shit, this is a COP car. When in history will cops ever be this
cool?
What is this film again? Mad Max?
Stand back and look... It's Black on Black, some sections of the car are
in satin black and others are in gloss; the tail is noticeable in satin
Black with a thin satin stripe running subtlety around next to the main
colour; a section of the bonnet is also in satin black (this can be seen
in the first movie. ) It is mega wild, the roof spoiler is as it turns
out years in front of its time; only now are rally cars using the same
device. The bonnet was also of interest, as it was fitted with a L88 type
Corvette scoop, no supercharger to be seen. The car was still a knockout,
the L88 scoop worked fine, it looked OK. This was the total trip, a full
house XB coupe. I remember wondering how could someone just leave it in
the Center for all to maul, ice cream stains and sticky finger marks all
our its body of black violence. To me it was sad, it was so out of place
in the shopping zone. I knew immediately that on the screen this thing
would be violence itself, no paper tiger, but a machine of power and speed.
It would snort and howl, rip and tear, fear in motion, death in colour
and deed, ........Violence on the Street.......
A trip over to the single information board that no-one else read, and
the story was told. Filming had been at up to 260 km/h, the fastest chase
sections filmed since Steve McQueen's Le Mans back in 69. In fact, only
McQueen's film had ever been faster.
The Movie...MAD MAX.
I must remember that, I must see it.
CHRONOLOGY
1978
*Find Original car in the Boronia Shopping Mall, decide that this is the
meanest Falcon I have seen, so I look at a few Falcon coupes.
*Shelve the idea, as the V8 would be expensive to run with the bikes (I
raced push bikes when younger) and weekends away.
*As I spend a lot of time on the road, also figure (rightly) the Police
would hassle me like a criminal.
1981
*Make contact with Purvis Fiberglass, and enquire as to their involvement
in the movie.
*"Purvis" put me in contact with Errol Platt, as Errol did the
coach work on the original car, he is full of stories and information,
pictures and all.
*Errol provides the information on a coupe that his friend owns.
1982
*I buy the coupe,
* I am offered an alloy roll cage which was to be fitted to the car; lack
of funds prevent its purchase.
*Errol begins to work on this the second interceptor; he supplies and
fits the rare roof spoiler; there was only ever one mould.
*Errol also puts me in contact with "Mullins" Wheels who supplied
the wheels. He tries to locate the "Monza" front end but fails.
*Mullins get in touch with a wheel builder that they use and the wheels
are made.
1984
- 1990
*1984: the run to the Broken Hill film location the "Mundi Mundi"
plain takes place, this is the run that involves the race with the Aeroplane.
(see pilgrimage story)
*Various modifications in connection with the project.
*The roll cage is added.
*The exhaust pipes are run out the side; the contractor is a major exhaust
company. They were initially reluctant to do the job because of legal
restrictions. When they see the car, they "forget" their legal
requirements and want to run them right up the doors, like in the second
film.
*Still no luck with the Monza nose.
1990
- 1992
*"Street Machine" does a feature (December 1990)
*The car gets little use, due to business and other commitments, and of
course (mostly) increasing Police interest.
*Join the Philip Island Auto Race Club, intending to run on the mid-week
practice (fun) days; but the car is too loud and exceeds the decibel limit,
and (mostly) avoiding the Police during on-road transport to the Island
is a pain.
*Frustrated by the Police pressure, I write a letter to "Street Machine"
magazine, asking that they consider, implement, or support an Alternate
Vehicle Registration. Specifically, to allow supercharged and modified
vehicles to attend club runs and meetings. The aim being to protect the
cars we drive and the industries that service us.
*For a while the car sits in the back of my bike shop in Balwyn, Victoria.
1992
*Move to Perth.
*The car sits in Melbourne for 3 years covered over in my brother's farm
shed.
1995
*The Interceptor arrives in Perth.
*I join the West Australian section of Confederation of Australian Motor
Sport (CAMS).
*The car is cleaned and goes into the West Australian Motor Museum; during
the next year, the car comes out for only the occasional run on the Wanneroo
raceway during midweek tune-up days.
*The engine block strikes water. The car will be a year in engine rebuilding.
The job goes to Graeme Dowding, a die-hard Ford fan.
1996
*While the engine work is going on, I write two detailed sponsorship proposals,
and send one to "Pepsi MAX", And one to "Ampol MAX".
I get no response from either.
1997
*Achieve Internet access.
*Scan various sites looking for information; list my car on a visitor's
book on a Mad Max site and start receiving inquiries.
*One such inquiry from the USA asks for details of how I found the car
and what I have done.
*I write a short essay called "First Contact" and email it to
the enquirer in the US. This is basically an essay on finding the original
car in the Boronia Mall.
*"First Contact" is well received and I was asked for another
one.
*"Pilgrimage"
gets written and sent off to the US. Pilgrimage is more of a short story
written about the first trip up to Broken Hill. It includes an account
of a race with an aeroplane.
*The final part of the trilogy will need to wait till I'm finished.
*I shelve my plans to rip apart the car and to turn it back into a standard
coupe, as the international recognition is beyond what I would have expected.
*Late 1997 I sign on to Peter Barton's guest book.
1998
*Contact now established with Peter Barton. Peter runs a World Wide Web
site called the Mad
Max F.A.Q. (Frequently Asked Questions)
*Peter emails me lots of questions.
*My name lodged on the web as the builder of the yet unfinished second
Interceptor.
*Inquiries start coming in from the internet as to the details of the
car. Most inquiries come from the USA.
*I receive two enquiries (one from the USA and one from Sweden) saying
that they had heard stories of a second "unfinished Interceptor",
but they had dismissed these stories as rumors or a myth.
*Contact made with Grant Hodgson, via the motor museum. Grant owns what
is believed to be an original yellow Interceptor, as driven by Mel in
the first film.
*Grant becomes a major force in the reconstruction.
*I discover that the interest is world wide with hellos from Brazil, Mexico,
England, France, and of course America. Most locate me via Peter Barton's
site.
*Via the internet I am able to contact Peter Nelson and local Australian
expert on the original Kerion Murphy. Kerion established contact with
the restorer of the original car, Bob Fursenko.
*Kerion asked if I had plans to finish the replica. I said yes, but I
cannot find a "Monza" front end. And I have not been able to
find one for 16 years.
*Kerion actively started looking for a Monza front end, contacting both
"Planet Hollywood" who rebuilt a hollow, no-engine replica for
the Sydney site, and Ford Australia who built the original Monza nose
for the 1970s concept car the "Concorde Van".
*I attempt contact with Errol Platt; I reach Errol's family and discover
that Errol has died following a battle with M.S. Errol's uncle tries to
locate the pictures that I saw in 1982, but they are now lost. The family
ask that I remember Errol and credit him in displays.
*I contacted a Greg Ball in Sydney. Greg had been named in the "Street
Machine" mag as contracted to rebuild a replica for a customer. As
it turned out, Greg and his customer gave up, as they could not find anything;
no roof spoiler mould, no Front end (well, one he reckoned it would take
a 100 hours to fit.) All in all zip! Nothing.
*Planet Hollywood and the Ford Motor Co both failed to have any information.
Planet Hollywood stated that they have nothing to do with the props and
all the prop building is tracked down by American staff who arrive, source
all the props , set up the running of the restaurant, and go back to America.
At this point it appears that the Sydney car was freighted over from the
London restaurant.
*Ford Motor Co give the name of their Plastics Division Ventura . Ventura
built the Concorde Van as a concept car in the 1970s complete with Monza
nose.The company is now privately owned. Again, no luck.
*Kerion contacts Bob Fursenko, (original restorer). Bob already knows
of both Grant's and my car. And in a triangle of information between Bob,
Kerion, and Dave in the USA, we find a possible contact. Kerion follows
this up, and finds the sole remaining "Monza" mould, unused
and sitting in storage in a panel beaters.
*The Planet Hollywood car is found to be a poor copy with the wrong blower
hat, flares, and roof spoiler fitted.
* Dave in the USA has obtained the same "Monza nose" information
and orders a Monza nose two days after me.
*I decide that a replica is assured of a position in the Museum (West
Australia Motor Museum) at anytime. From the contact with original connection
Errol Platt, and the use of the origional mould, it is in fact the the
nearest thing to a "Sister car". Unlike the "Batmobiles"
of which they built 15 or 20 and sent them every place, the Mad Max film
crew built only a single Interceptor (used in both films.)
*At the same time, Pro Performance in Malaga are looking for a dead supercharger
body to enable a fake supercharger to be set up as on the original car.
*Make about 10 cardboard "mock-up" scoops trying for the right
design. Each scoop takes up to an hour to make, some take 2 hours.
*No one seems to know just what the scoop is, till Dave in the USA identifies
it as a "Scott" fuel injector hat from the 60's drag racing
scene.
*Dave in fact has found one for his replica and is sending over the dimensions.
*Many dead ends in looking for someone who could build a replica scoop;
finally, Chris Mills Performance give me the name of Ballistic Race Cars
in Wanneroo; Greg at Ballistic is keen on the car and asks for reference
sites on the Internet.
*Dave in the USA wants a Roof spoiler for his replica; I find that one
can be taken from my car and send this information over to the US.
*Graham Dowding calls me with the news that a truck wrecker in Wanneroo
may have a blown up GM 6/71 supercharger.
*I pick up the blown charger and it is gutted to be prepared as a fake
supercharger, as on the movie car. When finished, the fake Supercharger
will be removed in about 10 minutes
(or 8 bolts.)
Late
1998
*Much research goes into the height requirement of the supercharger; it
sits much higher than a stock charger.
*Grant And I construct the framework to hold the supercharger. The work
takes a couple of full days.
*Mike Priest, with help from everyone in the workshop, manufactures a
system to mount the fake blower drive. It actually is a starter motor
mounted into the blower casing.
*The fake fuel lines are made up, this takes most of a day.
*The "Monza" nose arrives; it is basic, too thin and flimsy
to withstand the 250+ km/h blasts that it will get.
*Initially we are very disappointed, but it is all there is, so ahead
is the only option.
*The side panels that extend back to the front wheels are missing, the
front end contains no mounts or instructions.
*I learn how to fiberglass from the local supplier.
*Re-enforcing work and missing parts construction gets under way.
*Commence fitting the front end, in the end it is on/off the car about
5 times, the fitting will eventually take in excess of 200 hours.
*Grant works like a possessed man on the project and commences a duplication
of the original roof console (as on his car.)
*The replica Scott injection hat is made, but through a different source;
Neil, a drag race driver and aluminum fabricator, takes an interest. The
scoop is made to the USA drawings. Neil then donates the old supercharger
snout from his race car.
*Difficulty getting light brackets, a bit of wasted time in tracking some
down. Light covers also prove difficult, eventually I assign the manufacture
of a pair to Superline Plastics and chose a different supplier for the
Golding.
*Another day spent looking for indicator lights, not able to locate white
lights at this stage.
*Grant takes the car in order to get the correct pipes made up. Once the
work is done, the car is parked outside the exhaust factory and HUGE interest
is created.
*Initially unable to find anyone wanting to paint the front end; Grant's
neighbor Peter (Panel beater) agrees to do so.
*Front end gets painted.
*Still no luck with supercharger pulley. Now been looking for 5 months.
*People from all over the world that have dreamed of owning the Interceptor
find out about us via the internet and now contact Grant and me, asking
to buy cars and parts.
*Eventually a supercharger pulley is found; the pulley size is ok but
the offset is wrong.
1999
* I decide to shoot a bit of video film on the interceptor, the car looks
so good on film I decide to follow up. I look at attempting to make a
film on the car, I also look at retailing this film, the aim being to
put funds returned into the interceptor. I ask Peter Barton and Cal to
place a notice of my intent on their sites. I also request a "show
of interest" be returned from interested parties.
*Pulley gets cut in half and reconnected front to back, offset now OK.
*Locate a revolving Police light, similar to the movie car light, but
perhaps a bit bigger. Close inspection of the film does show a lower than
expected (what I remembered 25 years ago) mounting. This indicates a large
light. I elect to go with the light but now new mounts will be required.
*Gold trim gets put onto the light covers.
*Front end still waiting to be cutback, unsure of expected delay.
*January '99 pictures are taken to forward to "Street Machine"
magazine
*Brother Malcolm actively starts working on an Internet site for the car.
*Establish contact with the Road Warrior Forever (RWF) internet site's
author. A section is created on the site to showcase the Interceptor.
The car was on display since April 99 as the "Last Interceptor"
*Street Machine January 1999 edition comes out with a photo taken of my
car by a passer-by, with the question, "What is this?". I contact
Street Machine but they are not interested in the car.
* I am contacted by Aaron from "Sudden Impact" films; Aaron
requests the use of my interceptor in is upcoming film, Aaron's film is
to focus on the Australian Car culture and reference Mad Max.
Aaron and I agree on terms, and Aaron agrees to assist me with filming
my video.
*Front end gets cut back and the matte/satin finish gets applied to the
rear of car and to the bonnet.
* "Street Heat" magazine plans and photographs the yellow Interceptor
and my car for an article eventually displayed in the March/April 2000
issue.
*The Interceptor is invited to attend the West Australian Street Machine
show. The show promoter prints posters but remarks that the name "Australian
Police Interceptor" is too long for the TV ad; the name is used for
the posters.
*The Interceptor is well received at the show, and the promoter invites
the car back the following year, requesting a shorter name for advertising
purposes.
*The Interceptor assumes the identity given on the RWF site and becomes
the "Last Interceptor."
*Interest in my still not filmed video is good, the project becomes viable.
*The RWF site expands the section on the Interceptor. I am amazed at the
presentation, and I discover the possibility of both computers and the
Internet.
2000
*Commence
work on the flares, enlist a local fiberglass and mould making company
for advice and assistance.
*The flares become an epic task taking way longer than expected. To reduce
cost, I complete most of the work myself, operating under guidance from
the professionals.
*I lease a scrapped coupe from a yard and manufacture initial flares onto
this coupe.
*Many months pass but finally the flares are fitted, along with correct
white indicator lenses.
*Rear wheels are sent away to correct the offset, a deeper dish allowing
the wheel to fit into the flare.
*I angle grind away a large section of rear panel bodywork to allow wheel
travel into the flare; this decision was difficult but necessary.
*Chrome wheel centers and studs are added to the wheels.
*I
meet Scott Smith, the builder of the "Last V8" car. Scott and
I are able to spend only a short time talking. Scott produces a lot of
interesting Mad Max related information.
*I start thinking of releasing a "first cut" of my video, the
purpose being to raise money for a more professional "final cut".
This "first cut" will be cheaper to both produce and retail.
*When
I first saw the Interceptor, it was so long ago I have forgotten what
my age was then, but I was in my early 20's. Now at least half of my lifetime
later I finally own what is the only second Interceptor ever built; yes
others will follow, and there will be many more Interceptors owned and
built by many more people...
*As a street machine enthusiast, I am grass roots, I have always enjoyed
motor sport at any level I could be involved in. The Interceptor has been
an ongoing interest for a long time, and shall be forever.
The paint has been on since 1982 and the next planned improvement is to
restore the car further with a new paint job.
*If that initial garage scene with the Black Interceptor was not the spirit
of this whole street machine sport put onto film...whatever could be?
For me it remains the definitive motor sport clip.
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