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Folks Of Interest Absent Minded Professor - Model T -

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by D_Lazaris, Mar 5, 2011.

  1. D_Lazaris
    Joined: Apr 19, 2010
    Posts: 849

    D_Lazaris
    Member
    from So. Cal

    Well I thought all of you hambers would get a kick out of this.

    Well about 6 years ago the Movieland Wax Museum in Buena Park (right next to Knotts Berry Farm) went out of business and they had an auction.

    Well from those who have been there they had the Absent Minded Professor set in the museum. It was from the Disney film in 1961. It was the flying Model T and it actually went around the museum on a track. And inside of the car was a wax figure of Fred McMurray and his animatronic shaggy dog.

    So we went to the auction and we knew the set was coming up for bidding so we braced ourselves to see how much it would go for because we absolutely loved the set. But all the bidders found out that we were required to remove all the set pieces ourselves, because of liability issues. And there were movers there asking RIDICULOUS prices to have the sets removed.

    So when the bidding started, everyone was scared to bid because of how tough it would be to get this car off of the track and out of the building. SO we decided "HEY! We can do this!" So we ended up getting it for a steal!

    But then we had to get it down... which was very very difficult but we got it!
    The workmanship is unbelievable. The entire car is made wood and paper mache'. Underneath the car is complete with a banjo rear end exhaust everything! The wheels spin and the front headlights work! We also got the wax figure and the animatronic dog of course, plus the giant tree!

    We are also 90% positive that this is actually one of the prop cars from the film in 61'.

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    So now it comes to today. We have had so many projects in the last 6 years that it unfortunately has been sitting in our garage. But we had to sit down and discuss if we don't do it now. It will never happen!

    We are going to be recreating the scene inside our house. Suspending the car from the ceiling with the tree, dog, and wax Fred. It would never fit through the door so luckily we have a large window that we removed and it fit perfectly!

    It's in the house for good now. We are in the process of reinforcing the roof where will be suspending it. Getting the tree put in the house, and touching the car up where it got damaged during removal.

    Enjoy! And we will be having a hanging party very soon!

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  2. that is awsome
     
  3. johnnie
    Joined: Jan 7, 2009
    Posts: 493

    johnnie
    Member
    from indiana

    D_Lazaris. You are a freak! Yes, but the cool kind of freak that I would enjoy living next to!
     
  4. 64 DODGE 440
    Joined: Sep 2, 2006
    Posts: 4,421

    64 DODGE 440
    Member
    from so cal

    Man...you are some kind of crazy...I love it, that thing will be so cool and a great bit of history too.:D
     

  5. M_S
    Joined: Feb 20, 2008
    Posts: 542

    M_S
    Member
    from SoCal

    I need to show this thread to my wife. Just to let her see how bad it could be the next time I decide store some car stuff in the house.

    Too cool.
     
  6. D_Lazaris
    Joined: Apr 19, 2010
    Posts: 849

    D_Lazaris
    Member
    from So. Cal

    Well the window is back in the house and we got the wheels back on the car! Fred and his dog are back in the car. Home at last!


    [​IMG]
     
  7. D_Lazaris
    Joined: Apr 19, 2010
    Posts: 849

    D_Lazaris
    Member
    from So. Cal

    HAHA Thanks! I'm surprised the neighbors don't hate us yet!
     
  8. The37Kid
    Joined: Apr 30, 2004
    Posts: 30,629

    The37Kid
    Member

    I'd have to rumage through boxes of magazines to find the issue of The Vintage Ford with the Movie Car on the cover. As I recall the car in the movie had an aluminum body, looked just like a stock 1915 T Touring car. It got repainted a light metalic green when it was the cover car back in the late 1960's.
     
  9. D_Lazaris
    Joined: Apr 19, 2010
    Posts: 849

    D_Lazaris
    Member
    from So. Cal

    Thats great! If you don't mind if you could scan the cover for me that would be fantastic. From people we talked to that work in the Disney Archive we learned there were multiple cars. We also got some negatives of one of the prop cars that was made of wood and paper mache on a crane for shots of it lifting off the ground, we are thinking that could be ours - its pretty darn close. The shots of it in the sky was used with the real car but with a rear projection of the sky
     
  10. a coupe
    Joined: Aug 14, 2009
    Posts: 100

    a coupe
    Member

    That's really cool
     
  11. Pharouh
    Joined: Sep 18, 2008
    Posts: 437

    Pharouh
    Member

    Totally cool! How many people have a wax Fred McMurray?
    Show of hands?...

    That's what I thought.
     
  12. harpo1313
    Joined: Jan 4, 2008
    Posts: 2,584

    harpo1313
    Member
    from wareham,ma

    over the top,my only responce.you hot shit
     
  13. Ole don
    Joined: Dec 16, 2005
    Posts: 2,915

    Ole don
    Member

    I get bitched at for to many car magazines visible. If I had a whole frikin car hanging from the ceiling I would be skinned alive! Your lady must be very special, give her a hug from me.
     
  14. D_Lazaris
    Joined: Apr 19, 2010
    Posts: 849

    D_Lazaris
    Member
    from So. Cal

    Glad everyone likes it!
     
  15. fish3495
    Joined: Apr 25, 2006
    Posts: 111

    fish3495
    Member

    It fits your decor.
     
  16. JamesMcD
    Joined: Dec 19, 2008
    Posts: 138

    JamesMcD
    Member

    That is awesome. I think it's great what you're doing. But what I don't understand is this: Why, in 1961 would they spend so much money and time making Model Ts out of wood & paper mache, as opposed to just getting real ones? It seems to me that the real thing would have been more cost effective back then (maybe even today, how much would a Hollywood prop builder charge to build an entire Model T from paper mache!?)
     
  17. We have The Absent Minded Professor on VHS. My five year old son and I love watching this movie, especially when The Prof is slamming the touring car onto the roof of that '60 Merc wagon. This prop is such a fun piece! Congrats!
     
  18. wvenfield
    Joined: Nov 23, 2006
    Posts: 5,580

    wvenfield
    Member

    Very cool but I have to ask. What is there to keeping a wax Fred in good condition? He has to remain cool doesn't he?
     
  19. shmoozo
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 671

    shmoozo
    Member
    from Media, PA

    When you eventually get it flying around the tree you need to hide some speakers up in the tree playing a recording of that weird sound the car made.

    Yeah.

    That'd be cool.

    :cool:
     
  20. Master of None
    Joined: Dec 18, 2009
    Posts: 2,279

    Master of None
    Member

    That's pretty cool glad someone saved it. But I have a question, whats your guess of the weight of that car and characters? Even being paper mache it can't be lite.
     
  21. AWSOME! One of my favorite movies!
     
  22. D_Lazaris
    Joined: Apr 19, 2010
    Posts: 849

    D_Lazaris
    Member
    from So. Cal

    Well Fred has been sitting in our office in just normal temperature inside our house. And there hasn't been any problems so far!

    The car weighs almost 800 pounds with everything in it. But when we got the car there was a 300 pound counter balance in it for when it was on the track.
     
  23. wvenfield
    Joined: Nov 23, 2006
    Posts: 5,580

    wvenfield
    Member

    Thanks, good to know in case I ever run into a wax celebrity.
     
  24. rbantique
    Joined: Jun 12, 2008
    Posts: 6,431

    rbantique
    Member
    from maine

    interested in some Flubber ?

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 1, 2014
  25. You must have some very tall ceilings to be able to hang that car high enough! VERY COOL!

    Where would the world be without great inventions like "flubber"?:)
     
  26. Von Franco
    Joined: Nov 26, 2001
    Posts: 1,285

    Von Franco
    Member

    OUTSTANDING , Glad it didn't get torn apart, or just Destroyed.......And that's the same
    body style that made the FAMOUS KOOKIE CAR............
     
  27. mason-d
    Joined: Jul 22, 2009
    Posts: 146

    mason-d
    Member
    from san diego

    that is so awesome. I used to watch that movie so much when I was a kid. That model t and herman munsters were what made me want to build model t's
     
  28. yblock292
    Joined: Oct 10, 2006
    Posts: 2,937

    yblock292
    Member

    that is so kool, always wanted a car in my house!
     
  29. ratster
    Joined: Sep 23, 2001
    Posts: 3,588

    ratster
    Member

    crazy! i love it
     
  30. larry woods
    Joined: Jan 20, 2010
    Posts: 566

    larry woods
    Member
    from venice fl

    have the divorce lawyers called yet?
     

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