SHADO Cars
Web site by: Phil
Broad
These cars, originally built for Gerry Anderson's first live-action feature film "Doppleganger" (US title: "Journey to the Far Side of the Sun"), would go on to feature prominently in his later TV series "UFO". The one shown above in bronze color belonged to "S.H.A.D.O." Commander "Ed Straker" (played Ed Bishop) while the second car, in violet, belonged his Second-in-Command, Colonel Paul Foster (played be Michael Billington).
The cars were designed by Len Bailey
and built by the famous Alan Mann Racing Company (builders of the world famous
Ford GT-40 racing cars and the "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" from the
movie of the same name). They were built on English Ford Zephyr Mk 4 chassis,
cost approximately $12,000 to build and were considered under-powered by those
who drove them. The two cars have aluminum bodies made from the same basic
mold lines with minor modifications to make them appear to be different. Straker's
car could be considered the "basic" version while Foster's car has
added details to change its appearance, such as the obvious air scoops and
less-obvious extensions to the front and rear body work. These extensions
not only make the car slightly longer but also serve to make it appear sleeker.
While the Straker car dimensions are unknown, the Foster car is reportedly
8 feet wide by 18 feet long. That's a big car by any standard!