My 2010 Chevrolet Camaro Bumblebee
Discussion
fred bloggs said:
Awesome car, and I bet it’s fun at all the events.
I hired one back in 2017 for a euro road trip
The SLP 575 bhp supercharged with manual gearbox. Was great driving the LHD in Europe
I would love a v8 one but I have a 4door v8 manual
They both look mega, Fred!! I bet the 575bhp was insane! I hired one back in 2017 for a euro road trip
The SLP 575 bhp supercharged with manual gearbox. Was great driving the LHD in Europe
I would love a v8 one but I have a 4door v8 manual
Prom Time!
I've had a few requests over the years asking if I could do prom rides, but I've always declined these, as insurance requires you to be registered for hire and reward (taxi), which brings too much expense and complication for my liking.
However, this year I happened across a site offering to match people to free prom cars. The site is specifically for those who otherwise couldn't afford to get something a bit fancy for their special day, or had been let down last minute. It is on a strict no-payment basis, which I was happy with as this would comply with insurance (you are essentially just giving someone a lift someone where, as you would for any occasion).
Time for a new adventure. I signed up to see what it’s like, to give something back to others and to help out with smiles
Most proms have occurred during the past couple of weeks as we are at the end of school term. I registered on the site and got quite a few requests, some of which I couldn't do but I was able to do some.
I was contacted first by a dad who asked if there was any chance could I take his daughter to her prom in the Camaro. It was near where I used to live, about 45 minutes away from me and nearby is a large shopping centre, so took my family with me, dropped them off to do some shopping and headed over to do the prom run. The dad hadn't told his daughter about the car but he did tell me she was a big fan of American cars as well as the Transformers film. Her reaction when I pulled up was absolutely priceless and not one that I'll forget in a hurry! The family were so grateful that I was able to attend. I was happy to do it, feel good vibes all round and a great reason to take the car out for a spin. We bundled dad into the back and off we went.
Arriving at the Prom event and there were so many sports cars, supercars, high end luxury as well as some weird and wonderful cars (and horses!) bringing all of these young ladies and gents to their fancy do.
After drop off, I went to pick up my family from their shopping and we all went out for a meal before heading home and I received a lovely thankyou card from the parents.
I did a couple more prom rides afterwards as well, one in my Aston for a young gent whose girlfriend was also going in an Aston so we had a matching pair, and then another young lady at the end of last week in the Camaro.
That'll be my Prom rides for this year drawing to a close. They have been extremely fun events, that nervous excitement of the prom goers heading to their end of school ball, the parents who just want everything to be a special as it can be for their loved ones, the positive energy from all the students as you arrive, coupled with the gratitude all round and the whole experience has feel-good-vibes in spades. Add to that the opportunity to be welcomed by families who you'd otherwise never meet and get to know them for a short time is quite a remarkable and humbling experience.
All thanks to a car. Wonderful!
I've had a few requests over the years asking if I could do prom rides, but I've always declined these, as insurance requires you to be registered for hire and reward (taxi), which brings too much expense and complication for my liking.
However, this year I happened across a site offering to match people to free prom cars. The site is specifically for those who otherwise couldn't afford to get something a bit fancy for their special day, or had been let down last minute. It is on a strict no-payment basis, which I was happy with as this would comply with insurance (you are essentially just giving someone a lift someone where, as you would for any occasion).
Time for a new adventure. I signed up to see what it’s like, to give something back to others and to help out with smiles
Most proms have occurred during the past couple of weeks as we are at the end of school term. I registered on the site and got quite a few requests, some of which I couldn't do but I was able to do some.
I was contacted first by a dad who asked if there was any chance could I take his daughter to her prom in the Camaro. It was near where I used to live, about 45 minutes away from me and nearby is a large shopping centre, so took my family with me, dropped them off to do some shopping and headed over to do the prom run. The dad hadn't told his daughter about the car but he did tell me she was a big fan of American cars as well as the Transformers film. Her reaction when I pulled up was absolutely priceless and not one that I'll forget in a hurry! The family were so grateful that I was able to attend. I was happy to do it, feel good vibes all round and a great reason to take the car out for a spin. We bundled dad into the back and off we went.
Arriving at the Prom event and there were so many sports cars, supercars, high end luxury as well as some weird and wonderful cars (and horses!) bringing all of these young ladies and gents to their fancy do.
After drop off, I went to pick up my family from their shopping and we all went out for a meal before heading home and I received a lovely thankyou card from the parents.
I did a couple more prom rides afterwards as well, one in my Aston for a young gent whose girlfriend was also going in an Aston so we had a matching pair, and then another young lady at the end of last week in the Camaro.
That'll be my Prom rides for this year drawing to a close. They have been extremely fun events, that nervous excitement of the prom goers heading to their end of school ball, the parents who just want everything to be a special as it can be for their loved ones, the positive energy from all the students as you arrive, coupled with the gratitude all round and the whole experience has feel-good-vibes in spades. Add to that the opportunity to be welcomed by families who you'd otherwise never meet and get to know them for a short time is quite a remarkable and humbling experience.
All thanks to a car. Wonderful!
Hi everyone!
It has been a fun summer this year, with a few events in the calendar.
A couple of months ago we attended Huddersfield Comic Con, which was a great event, but sadly it rained quite heavily most of the day so the outside displays were a bit of a washout. This is a shame as the organiser had put a lot of effort to get some interesting cars, including the Jurassic Park jeep, Stranger Things car, a fleet of American police cars and these guys:
My Camaro was accompanied by a Mustang turned Barricade replica (Bumblebees nemesis in the 2007 movie):
Then I attended York Comic Con, along with Andy and his Optimus Prime truck. You may recall from one of my previous posts that I caught up with him a few months ago in the newest generation Prime truck when we joined the motorway at the same time! Well, he has now finished creating his replica of the original Generation 1 truck, which those of us of a certain age will remember from the toy line! It's also the one in the newest movies from the franchise and it looks awesome!
There was also a Bumblebee costumer at this event too who was busy throughout the day getting photos with everyone, with my car and the Prime truck as a backdrop!
Oh, and here is my new hat! I love both brands so couldn't resist! :lol:
Last month I was at a farm shop in Yorkshire which has started hosting an annual car event. My car was part of a movie-car mini line up and was good to catchup with friends. There were lots of sports cars here on the day, but just got a couple of the movie-car section uploaded:
Last weekend I attended Sheffield Comic Con, along with Andy and his truck once again. We handed out free Transformers comics, posters and stickers to the kids...
This was a fun day out and my car got photographed a lot - and used as a backdrop for some modelling shots.
I've got one more event coming up in Newcastle, then that'll be it for the season and we'll start on some maintenance work over the winter (service, MOT, tyres and new fog light installs).
It has been a fun summer this year, with a few events in the calendar.
A couple of months ago we attended Huddersfield Comic Con, which was a great event, but sadly it rained quite heavily most of the day so the outside displays were a bit of a washout. This is a shame as the organiser had put a lot of effort to get some interesting cars, including the Jurassic Park jeep, Stranger Things car, a fleet of American police cars and these guys:
My Camaro was accompanied by a Mustang turned Barricade replica (Bumblebees nemesis in the 2007 movie):
Then I attended York Comic Con, along with Andy and his Optimus Prime truck. You may recall from one of my previous posts that I caught up with him a few months ago in the newest generation Prime truck when we joined the motorway at the same time! Well, he has now finished creating his replica of the original Generation 1 truck, which those of us of a certain age will remember from the toy line! It's also the one in the newest movies from the franchise and it looks awesome!
There was also a Bumblebee costumer at this event too who was busy throughout the day getting photos with everyone, with my car and the Prime truck as a backdrop!
Oh, and here is my new hat! I love both brands so couldn't resist! :lol:
Last month I was at a farm shop in Yorkshire which has started hosting an annual car event. My car was part of a movie-car mini line up and was good to catchup with friends. There were lots of sports cars here on the day, but just got a couple of the movie-car section uploaded:
Last weekend I attended Sheffield Comic Con, along with Andy and his truck once again. We handed out free Transformers comics, posters and stickers to the kids...
This was a fun day out and my car got photographed a lot - and used as a backdrop for some modelling shots.
I've got one more event coming up in Newcastle, then that'll be it for the season and we'll start on some maintenance work over the winter (service, MOT, tyres and new fog light installs).
And so we reach the final event of the season which was over in Newcastle.
Its a long journey from my home near Leeds, and further than I'd typically travel both due to cost and comfort. But we had the weekend spare, so decided to make a family thing of it as none of us had been to Newcastle before.
Unfortunately the trip wasn't the most successful. We arrived on Saturday, but didn't realise that there was a football match on and every car park we could find was full. So we left the city centre having not had the chance to see any of it but we found the nearby Metro centre and had a pleasant afternoon looking around the shops there instead.
We arrived at the hotel that evening, but sadly Daughter was poorly and spent most of the evening being sick in the hotel room!
The hotel itself was really nice though and very quiet.
Next morning, show day - Newcastle Fright Fest Comic Con and with everyone fully refreshed and full of lovely hotel breakfast, we headed over the event and had a great time. The weather gods were very kind to us and it was beautiful weather all day long.
I stopped at a petrol station on the way to give the Camaro a bath and we parked at the event, with the Camaro providing lots of photo opportunities and went down really well with guests, and plenty of people asking questions about the ownership experience. We also gave out free posters, stickers and comics to the kids too, which really made some people's day.
There were a couple of actors there as well who were signing autographs and taking selfies with people (David Schaal from the Inbetweeners and Ian Whyte who played the part of Predator in the movies, amongst other things). My daughter currently has aspirations of being an actress, so I took her to see them and asked about their experiences, how they got into acting etc. They were very gracious and talked to her about their time in the business and were kind enough to sign pictures for her too.
The organiser of the event was a very friendly chap and I hope to work with him again for future events. I also ran into an old friend from the circuit and we got talking about all things Knight Rider, which has renewed my interest again in making a Trans-Am replica. The cost of the parts have rocketed though, so if I do, I might just go for the outside only as a cheap and cheerful homage to the awesome TV show of my youth. My bewildered wife just shakes her head in disbelief at my mad car antics - but its always with a smile of support. The older I get, the younger I become.
As for the Camaro, winter plans are thus:
Its a long journey from my home near Leeds, and further than I'd typically travel both due to cost and comfort. But we had the weekend spare, so decided to make a family thing of it as none of us had been to Newcastle before.
Unfortunately the trip wasn't the most successful. We arrived on Saturday, but didn't realise that there was a football match on and every car park we could find was full. So we left the city centre having not had the chance to see any of it but we found the nearby Metro centre and had a pleasant afternoon looking around the shops there instead.
We arrived at the hotel that evening, but sadly Daughter was poorly and spent most of the evening being sick in the hotel room!
The hotel itself was really nice though and very quiet.Next morning, show day - Newcastle Fright Fest Comic Con and with everyone fully refreshed and full of lovely hotel breakfast, we headed over the event and had a great time. The weather gods were very kind to us and it was beautiful weather all day long.
I stopped at a petrol station on the way to give the Camaro a bath and we parked at the event, with the Camaro providing lots of photo opportunities and went down really well with guests, and plenty of people asking questions about the ownership experience. We also gave out free posters, stickers and comics to the kids too, which really made some people's day.
There were a couple of actors there as well who were signing autographs and taking selfies with people (David Schaal from the Inbetweeners and Ian Whyte who played the part of Predator in the movies, amongst other things). My daughter currently has aspirations of being an actress, so I took her to see them and asked about their experiences, how they got into acting etc. They were very gracious and talked to her about their time in the business and were kind enough to sign pictures for her too.
The organiser of the event was a very friendly chap and I hope to work with him again for future events. I also ran into an old friend from the circuit and we got talking about all things Knight Rider, which has renewed my interest again in making a Trans-Am replica. The cost of the parts have rocketed though, so if I do, I might just go for the outside only as a cheap and cheerful homage to the awesome TV show of my youth. My bewildered wife just shakes her head in disbelief at my mad car antics - but its always with a smile of support. The older I get, the younger I become.
As for the Camaro, winter plans are thus:
- New tyres (age markers rather than wear).
- I've purchased some fog lights for the front, which I'm going to get fitted.
- Annual Service.
- Annual polish and general tidy.
- Plan some fun stuff for next year.
EmBe said:
Just read the whole thread from the start, I must have missed it in the past.
All I wanted to say was you seem like a very generous hearted chap - with a nice car, obviously - who enjoys brightening up people's day. More power to you
Why thankyou, EmBe, very kind of you to say. Much appreciated! All I wanted to say was you seem like a very generous hearted chap - with a nice car, obviously - who enjoys brightening up people's day. More power to you
Just a short update, MOT time for the Camaro, passed without any issues so all good for another year!
I've also cleaned it over the Christmas period, and its looking very nice in the garage currently. Will get it all polished over the next couple of weeks, as well as back-to-black for the rubbers, and give the inside a good finish with AutoGlym's finest. I'll post pics once completed.
I've also cleaned it over the Christmas period, and its looking very nice in the garage currently. Will get it all polished over the next couple of weeks, as well as back-to-black for the rubbers, and give the inside a good finish with AutoGlym's finest. I'll post pics once completed.
It's great to see how much pleasure you are getting from your Camaro, and how much other people are enjoying seeing it. 
Good news on the MOT too!
Funny how you mention a Knightrider itch! I must be a fair bit older because my iconic American car would be the General Lee Dodge from the Dukes of Hazard.
Good news on the MOT too!
Funny how you mention a Knightrider itch! I must be a fair bit older because my iconic American car would be the General Lee Dodge from the Dukes of Hazard.
Mr Tidy said:
It's great to see how much pleasure you are getting from your Camaro, and how much other people are enjoying seeing it.
Good news on the MOT too!
Funny how you mention a Knightrider itch! I must be a fair bit older because my iconic American car would be the General Lee Dodge from the Dukes of Hazard.
Thanks Mr Tidy!Good news on the MOT too!
Funny how you mention a Knightrider itch! I must be a fair bit older because my iconic American car would be the General Lee Dodge from the Dukes of Hazard.
I reckon we are of similar vintage - I used to watch the Dukes of Hazard too! Loved that show, as well as The Fall Guy, AutoMan, the A-Team and of course Knight Rider. The latter was my favourite as the car looked so fantastic, so sleek, modern and unlike anything else I'd ever seen. Plus it talked, was a technological marvel, helped out Michael Knight and could drive itself. 7 year old me just loved that. Just amazing!
That said, the plan for a replica probably won't happen I don't think. When I priced up the parts to make one, they are really quite expensive now and equally I'm not sure if I'd have the patience to run a car that old, with all of their foibles. But, never say never!
I've just finished editing a bit of a promo video for the Camaro for events, so thought I'd share. Its not for touting for business (I can't imagine there will be anyone on here doing events in my area that would require such a thing, and already know most of the event organisers anyway), its more just to share the video so you can see a bit more of the car and some of the things I've been up to with it if anyone is interested!
[mods, please remove the link if it’s against the rules, with my apologies]
As for 2024, I've got a few things lined up for this year so far: I have three provisional bookings for proms - as mentioned previously I do these completely for free on a friendly basis, and always prove popular and fun! However, this year they are all quite some distance from me, so I'll be capping the rides to a maximum of five this year I think,’with the other two reserved for local only.
I also have a couple of bookings for public display events in a few months time which I'm very excited about as I really enjoy doing events. I’ll post pics as we go!
The final update for this post is that Bumblebee had a very special assignment last week in the Bolton area, in saying farewell to a young man who was taken from the planet much too young. I didn't know him, but the family informed me that he was a huge Transformers fan. I believe it was part of his last wishes to have Bumblebee or Optimus Prime to be part of his funeral procession, so it seemed the least I could do.
I spent the previous weekend giving the car a good clean and polish and it was looking very sparkling indeed in the garage ready for the day.
Getting to the event proved quite an interesting challenge. An early start with heavy snow the previous day around Bolton - and an inevitable crash on the M62 causing more than an hour of delays. My Sat Nav sent me onto an alternative A-road, which I needed to be on time. I had assumed that this alternative was well used A route and that it would have all been gritted. How very wrong I was, as the road twisted up and down the mountains and slowly went from being tarmac, to being white tarmac, then finally to just being snow. A reminder that this was treacherous was the abandoned car to my left, with its hazards on, hanging on for dear life half on, and half partly down the mountain side. Steep drops, twists and turns and ups and downs made for an incredibly stressful experience in my rear wheel drive bohemouth.
Yet at the same time, it was so unbelievably serene. The sun was just starting to rise and the mountains, visible in all shapes and sizes on all sides, covered in snow looked utterly wonderful. All other motorists were firmly in the “behaving and acting like a team” camp which was reassuring too. Sadly no photos as there was no way I was risking a stop!
Amazingly the Camaro didn’t skid or slip once. I didn’t even see the traction control light up…. but that was still the longest ten miles of driving I’ve ever done in this car.
Back on the motorway and all was well again. After a short to pick up Captain America, we arrived at the family home. I was asked to be the first car behind the formal family cars in the cortage. A very humbling experience. Transformers were one of his big favourites, with both Optimus Prime and Bumblebee decorated on the side of his coffin.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/rhys-william...
The funeral was covered by a number of different news agencies. A celebration of the life of Rhys.
The procession was significant, with outriders, motorcycles and the police stopping traffic. Rhys’ wish was to go through the fire station as part of his last ride, at which point the fire brigade team all came out, jumped in their truck and joined the cortage to the church. I found that a very powerful and moving act of kindness and respect.
https://www.tiktok.com/@manchesternews/video/73254...
Although I didn’t know Rhys, I read a lot about him in those weeks prior to the funeral. It felt like so many people came together as best as they could in honour of the young man, to pay their respects and support his family. I felt privileged to play just a small part of it and I hope my presence there with Bumblebee was just what he’d hoped for.
RIP, Rhys.
[mods, please remove the link if it’s against the rules, with my apologies]
As for 2024, I've got a few things lined up for this year so far: I have three provisional bookings for proms - as mentioned previously I do these completely for free on a friendly basis, and always prove popular and fun! However, this year they are all quite some distance from me, so I'll be capping the rides to a maximum of five this year I think,’with the other two reserved for local only.
I also have a couple of bookings for public display events in a few months time which I'm very excited about as I really enjoy doing events. I’ll post pics as we go!
The final update for this post is that Bumblebee had a very special assignment last week in the Bolton area, in saying farewell to a young man who was taken from the planet much too young. I didn't know him, but the family informed me that he was a huge Transformers fan. I believe it was part of his last wishes to have Bumblebee or Optimus Prime to be part of his funeral procession, so it seemed the least I could do.
I spent the previous weekend giving the car a good clean and polish and it was looking very sparkling indeed in the garage ready for the day.
Getting to the event proved quite an interesting challenge. An early start with heavy snow the previous day around Bolton - and an inevitable crash on the M62 causing more than an hour of delays. My Sat Nav sent me onto an alternative A-road, which I needed to be on time. I had assumed that this alternative was well used A route and that it would have all been gritted. How very wrong I was, as the road twisted up and down the mountains and slowly went from being tarmac, to being white tarmac, then finally to just being snow. A reminder that this was treacherous was the abandoned car to my left, with its hazards on, hanging on for dear life half on, and half partly down the mountain side. Steep drops, twists and turns and ups and downs made for an incredibly stressful experience in my rear wheel drive bohemouth.
Yet at the same time, it was so unbelievably serene. The sun was just starting to rise and the mountains, visible in all shapes and sizes on all sides, covered in snow looked utterly wonderful. All other motorists were firmly in the “behaving and acting like a team” camp which was reassuring too. Sadly no photos as there was no way I was risking a stop!
Amazingly the Camaro didn’t skid or slip once. I didn’t even see the traction control light up…. but that was still the longest ten miles of driving I’ve ever done in this car.
Back on the motorway and all was well again. After a short to pick up Captain America, we arrived at the family home. I was asked to be the first car behind the formal family cars in the cortage. A very humbling experience. Transformers were one of his big favourites, with both Optimus Prime and Bumblebee decorated on the side of his coffin.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/rhys-william...
The funeral was covered by a number of different news agencies. A celebration of the life of Rhys.
The procession was significant, with outriders, motorcycles and the police stopping traffic. Rhys’ wish was to go through the fire station as part of his last ride, at which point the fire brigade team all came out, jumped in their truck and joined the cortage to the church. I found that a very powerful and moving act of kindness and respect.
https://www.tiktok.com/@manchesternews/video/73254...
Although I didn’t know Rhys, I read a lot about him in those weeks prior to the funeral. It felt like so many people came together as best as they could in honour of the young man, to pay their respects and support his family. I felt privileged to play just a small part of it and I hope my presence there with Bumblebee was just what he’d hoped for.
RIP, Rhys.
Edited by Cloudy147 on Thursday 25th January 15:32
Funerals are terrible at the best of times, even worse for one so young.
Seperate to that tho, really appreciate you taking the time and the effort to share this whole journey. Passion and enthusiasm are totally evident (as is the sense of humour!) and it makes for a really enjoyable read.
Everything about the car and what you use it for puts a smile on my face
Seperate to that tho, really appreciate you taking the time and the effort to share this whole journey. Passion and enthusiasm are totally evident (as is the sense of humour!) and it makes for a really enjoyable read.
Everything about the car and what you use it for puts a smile on my face
Mr Scruff said:
Funerals are terrible at the best of times, even worse for one so young.
Seperate to that tho, really appreciate you taking the time and the effort to share this whole journey. Passion and enthusiasm are totally evident (as is the sense of humour!) and it makes for a really enjoyable read.
Everything about the car and what you use it for puts a smile on my face
That’s awesome to hear, thanks Mr Scruff!! Seperate to that tho, really appreciate you taking the time and the effort to share this whole journey. Passion and enthusiasm are totally evident (as is the sense of humour!) and it makes for a really enjoyable read.
Everything about the car and what you use it for puts a smile on my face
This running thread hasn’t generated a particularly big engagement but it’s great to know that people are still reading and enjoying my ramblings.
Appreciate your comments.
I’ve had quite a busy time of it over the past few weeks, with a number of events that I took the Camaro to.
The first of the season was Huddersfield Comic Con. A small event to get the year going but was good fun. I had a chance to catchup with some friends who run stalls as well as Mike, a prop builder who I see at pretty much every event I go to. A great guy with a lot of talent - and a LOT of movie related props!
Anyhow, a couple of pictures, firstly here the car is with another friend who works as a Bumblebee costumer, and is a great performer:
And here he is squaring up to Fes Batista, a pro boxer from the local area:
Next up came Sheffield Comic Con at the Magna Science Museum. This was a lively event and had a great atmosphere. Also booked for the event was my friend Andy who drives both (and I think, the only) Optimus Prime trucks in the UK. Here on display is the retro prime that is featured in all of the newer films, as well as the classic toyline and cartoon series. Also pictured with a Prime costumer:
A busy day!
Incidentally, the modern truck, which features alongside my car in the Michael Bay movies will be going on a promotional tour around the UK this month, so be sure to look out for that if you are a fan of the franchise!
The following weekend we were off to Rotherham Comic Con! The doors to get into the venue were only a couple of inches wider than the car, which made for an interesting entrance, and part of the cosmetic additions that had been added to the doors had to be removed before I could even get in! A bit of teamwork and inspiration from some of the teams who were building the props for the event sorted that out for us, which both the organisers and I were very grateful for.
A good opportunity to catchup with some trader friends at the event, and have a walk through Rotherham town centre at lunchtime - a place that I grew up but haven’t been to the town for many years.
Back at the event and Mike, my prop builder friend had brought Moes Tavern to this event and, to my surprise, said that he had a Homer Simpson outfit in his van which he had bought years ago for giggles but never worn.
We went for a look… I tried the head on for and we both chuckled at the absurdity of it…
Mike was trying to get me to dress in the full outfit, I was starting to break but he broke first and in he went. There aren’t many Homer outfits out there, and the looks he got as he went into the event were quite something.
Go Homer!
Later in the day, when the event was getting quieter a very polite young lady came over and respectfully asked if there was any possibility she could sit in my car as she was a huge fan of American cars, as well as Transformers. I did the usual quick scan to check if there were many people around (often if you open the doors for a photo op for someone, a queue quickly forms) and I agreed. This was a good decision, she sat in the car for a good few minutes, asking me about my ownership, how I’d got it etc, and was so, so happy at being able to sit in it she was on the verge of tears. I’ve said it before, owning memorabilia like this really does strike a cord with many people and it’s lovely to be able to share the experience and not keep it locked away.
The final event to bring us up to date was last weekend at Rochdale, where Mark Ryan - the voice of Bumblebee in all of the Transformers movies, along with other robots, was in attendance. A nicer man you couldn’t wish to meet and I spent a long time chatting to him about his time on set, working with the other stars, Michael Bay etc. He was also in Robin of Sherwood many years ago - a TV show that I loved growing up in the ‘80’s, so we chatted about that as well. He was kind enough to take some photos with me and my car. He also signed my car as well as some posters that I had!
Whilst walking around, I spotted Fish, a local and very talented artist who is often at these events, he was painting Bumblebee. I loved the picture, so purchased the artwork and later took it to Mark to have him sign it alongside Fish. Mark was happy to take a photo with Fish, which I think is a great addition to the artwork in that it was being painted whilst I was there (I have pictures of him painting it too), I have the autographs to go alongside it and the photo of them both too! I’m unsure yet if to put it up in the garage or in my office, but wherever it goes, it’ll have pride of place!
Also at Rochdale was a costumer in the Arcee robot outfit - I’ve never seen this one before and it looked great. The kids loved it!
My next events are in Wakefield for the Trinity Star Walk, followed by another really exciting event - although I can’t share the details of that just yet.
Oh, and a service is booked in for next month too, so I’ll report back on that, and then we’ll be into the motoring season as well as the current show/event season. Happy days!
The first of the season was Huddersfield Comic Con. A small event to get the year going but was good fun. I had a chance to catchup with some friends who run stalls as well as Mike, a prop builder who I see at pretty much every event I go to. A great guy with a lot of talent - and a LOT of movie related props!
Anyhow, a couple of pictures, firstly here the car is with another friend who works as a Bumblebee costumer, and is a great performer:
And here he is squaring up to Fes Batista, a pro boxer from the local area:
Next up came Sheffield Comic Con at the Magna Science Museum. This was a lively event and had a great atmosphere. Also booked for the event was my friend Andy who drives both (and I think, the only) Optimus Prime trucks in the UK. Here on display is the retro prime that is featured in all of the newer films, as well as the classic toyline and cartoon series. Also pictured with a Prime costumer:
A busy day!
Incidentally, the modern truck, which features alongside my car in the Michael Bay movies will be going on a promotional tour around the UK this month, so be sure to look out for that if you are a fan of the franchise!
The following weekend we were off to Rotherham Comic Con! The doors to get into the venue were only a couple of inches wider than the car, which made for an interesting entrance, and part of the cosmetic additions that had been added to the doors had to be removed before I could even get in! A bit of teamwork and inspiration from some of the teams who were building the props for the event sorted that out for us, which both the organisers and I were very grateful for.
A good opportunity to catchup with some trader friends at the event, and have a walk through Rotherham town centre at lunchtime - a place that I grew up but haven’t been to the town for many years.
Back at the event and Mike, my prop builder friend had brought Moes Tavern to this event and, to my surprise, said that he had a Homer Simpson outfit in his van which he had bought years ago for giggles but never worn.
We went for a look… I tried the head on for and we both chuckled at the absurdity of it…
Mike was trying to get me to dress in the full outfit, I was starting to break but he broke first and in he went. There aren’t many Homer outfits out there, and the looks he got as he went into the event were quite something.
Go Homer!
Later in the day, when the event was getting quieter a very polite young lady came over and respectfully asked if there was any possibility she could sit in my car as she was a huge fan of American cars, as well as Transformers. I did the usual quick scan to check if there were many people around (often if you open the doors for a photo op for someone, a queue quickly forms) and I agreed. This was a good decision, she sat in the car for a good few minutes, asking me about my ownership, how I’d got it etc, and was so, so happy at being able to sit in it she was on the verge of tears. I’ve said it before, owning memorabilia like this really does strike a cord with many people and it’s lovely to be able to share the experience and not keep it locked away.
The final event to bring us up to date was last weekend at Rochdale, where Mark Ryan - the voice of Bumblebee in all of the Transformers movies, along with other robots, was in attendance. A nicer man you couldn’t wish to meet and I spent a long time chatting to him about his time on set, working with the other stars, Michael Bay etc. He was also in Robin of Sherwood many years ago - a TV show that I loved growing up in the ‘80’s, so we chatted about that as well. He was kind enough to take some photos with me and my car. He also signed my car as well as some posters that I had!
Whilst walking around, I spotted Fish, a local and very talented artist who is often at these events, he was painting Bumblebee. I loved the picture, so purchased the artwork and later took it to Mark to have him sign it alongside Fish. Mark was happy to take a photo with Fish, which I think is a great addition to the artwork in that it was being painted whilst I was there (I have pictures of him painting it too), I have the autographs to go alongside it and the photo of them both too! I’m unsure yet if to put it up in the garage or in my office, but wherever it goes, it’ll have pride of place!
Also at Rochdale was a costumer in the Arcee robot outfit - I’ve never seen this one before and it looked great. The kids loved it!
My next events are in Wakefield for the Trinity Star Walk, followed by another really exciting event - although I can’t share the details of that just yet.
Oh, and a service is booked in for next month too, so I’ll report back on that, and then we’ll be into the motoring season as well as the current show/event season. Happy days!
Update
A few pictures from last weekend’s events…
Star Walk event
First up was Star Walk in Wakefield, in which characters, cars and props from movies, TV and pop culture were in abundance…
This event is always a popular one and my car was part of the backdrop:
A quick snap during set up time, before it got busy:
A Speedster prop from Star Wars:
Stars and Cars
Then on Sunday we headed to Bolton for our first attendance at the brilliant Stars and Cars event, hosted in aid of Derian House children’s hospice. This event features some of the greatest movie cars of all time, including a host of Batman cars from old to new….
Then there were the classics, from Knight Rider, Back to the Future, A Team, Jurassic Park and a host of others, including a screen used Fiat 500 from Indiana Jones…
There was a selection of Bond cars too:
…And of course a Transformers display featuring a couple of Camaros (mine in the photo below), a Beetle bumblebee, a mustang Barricade, Optimus Prime and a Lamborghini Countach, which was “Sunstreaker” in the original cartoon and toy line.
At these events, I find that the car acts as a dual-role socially, in that car enthusiasts ask about my experience buying and owning the car, and Transformers enthusiasts (usually children) are in awe of being able to see the car from the movies they have watched at home. My friend Andy had brought Optimus again, and always has a load of goodies to hand out, posters, comics and stickers. My colleague from work had come to the event with his son, so I gave him a goodie bag of stuff and he was absolutely made up. Andy also introduced me to the family of Transformers’ biggest fan, a young fellow who was having a great time looking at the cars and the truck. Andy asked me if he could sit in my car, of course I said yes, his mum took a picture and the young man wanted me in the picture as well. So there you are, my first celebrity photo.. It was fun just observing the event from a distance as well and seeing the excitement and curiosity of some of the guests when they spotted that my car had been signed.
There was also an orchestra in attendance who were amazing and added some real class to the event, as well as traders and stalls and costumers playing the parts of Lara Croft, Iron Man, James Bond, Batman and a host of others.
The American candy store trader was there as usual, and, after ribbing him for the past year about never having any sugar free drinks, he brought me a full crate of Dr Pepper Zero, Strawberry’s and Cream edition. I bought them all.
The icing on the cake was the lady who played the unhappy Umpa Lumpa from the recent Glasgow Wonka Experience disaster was also there - complete with her now famous trademark uninspiring ‘lab’. It was great fun and very slick. Loved it!
In terms of automotive chat, I got talking to the guy who owned the Camaro next to mine - his is a newer V8 model and is an official Transformers Edition (which has a specific serial/VIN for these). I wasn’t aware of this until now, as I thought all ‘Editions’ were simply a bolt-on package performed by the dealer, I hadn’t realised it was a factory option. Comparing the two cars (his had 20,000 miles vs my leggy 70+’er) and you could see his paint was in better shape than mine, with my car showing its age in swirl marks. You don’t really spot them being a flat colour, but in the sun if you are looking for them, you can see them. I think it’s due a good detail to bring it back to its best, so something to consider, funds allowing at some point.
In terms of events, it’s been a busy couple of months but I’ve got a gap now until June, where we pick up with a couple more comic con events, along with some proms. I’ll still be using the car for fun though, which will include the occasional school run and maybe a few visits to The Motorist cafe too.
Next up will be a service, next week.
A few pictures from last weekend’s events…
Star Walk event
First up was Star Walk in Wakefield, in which characters, cars and props from movies, TV and pop culture were in abundance…
This event is always a popular one and my car was part of the backdrop:
A quick snap during set up time, before it got busy:
A Speedster prop from Star Wars:
Stars and Cars
Then on Sunday we headed to Bolton for our first attendance at the brilliant Stars and Cars event, hosted in aid of Derian House children’s hospice. This event features some of the greatest movie cars of all time, including a host of Batman cars from old to new….
Then there were the classics, from Knight Rider, Back to the Future, A Team, Jurassic Park and a host of others, including a screen used Fiat 500 from Indiana Jones…
There was a selection of Bond cars too:
…And of course a Transformers display featuring a couple of Camaros (mine in the photo below), a Beetle bumblebee, a mustang Barricade, Optimus Prime and a Lamborghini Countach, which was “Sunstreaker” in the original cartoon and toy line.
At these events, I find that the car acts as a dual-role socially, in that car enthusiasts ask about my experience buying and owning the car, and Transformers enthusiasts (usually children) are in awe of being able to see the car from the movies they have watched at home. My friend Andy had brought Optimus again, and always has a load of goodies to hand out, posters, comics and stickers. My colleague from work had come to the event with his son, so I gave him a goodie bag of stuff and he was absolutely made up. Andy also introduced me to the family of Transformers’ biggest fan, a young fellow who was having a great time looking at the cars and the truck. Andy asked me if he could sit in my car, of course I said yes, his mum took a picture and the young man wanted me in the picture as well. So there you are, my first celebrity photo.
. It was fun just observing the event from a distance as well and seeing the excitement and curiosity of some of the guests when they spotted that my car had been signed.There was also an orchestra in attendance who were amazing and added some real class to the event, as well as traders and stalls and costumers playing the parts of Lara Croft, Iron Man, James Bond, Batman and a host of others.
The American candy store trader was there as usual, and, after ribbing him for the past year about never having any sugar free drinks, he brought me a full crate of Dr Pepper Zero, Strawberry’s and Cream edition. I bought them all.
The icing on the cake was the lady who played the unhappy Umpa Lumpa from the recent Glasgow Wonka Experience disaster was also there - complete with her now famous trademark uninspiring ‘lab’. It was great fun and very slick. Loved it!
In terms of automotive chat, I got talking to the guy who owned the Camaro next to mine - his is a newer V8 model and is an official Transformers Edition (which has a specific serial/VIN for these). I wasn’t aware of this until now, as I thought all ‘Editions’ were simply a bolt-on package performed by the dealer, I hadn’t realised it was a factory option. Comparing the two cars (his had 20,000 miles vs my leggy 70+’er) and you could see his paint was in better shape than mine, with my car showing its age in swirl marks. You don’t really spot them being a flat colour, but in the sun if you are looking for them, you can see them. I think it’s due a good detail to bring it back to its best, so something to consider, funds allowing at some point.
In terms of events, it’s been a busy couple of months but I’ve got a gap now until June, where we pick up with a couple more comic con events, along with some proms. I’ll still be using the car for fun though, which will include the occasional school run and maybe a few visits to The Motorist cafe too.
Next up will be a service, next week.
Cloudy147 said:
...Andy also introduced me to the family of Transformers’ biggest fan, a young fellow who was having a great time looking at the cars and the truck. Andy asked me if he could sit in my car, of course I said yes, his mum took a picture and the young man wanted me in the picture as well. So there you are, my first celebrity photo. . It was fun just observing the event from a distance as well and seeing the excitement and curiosity of some of the guests when they spotted that my car had been signed....
I must admit that I can't begin to imagine how popular your's must be at shows or in the day-to-day. I frequently get asked about my Challenger: "can I take a pic"; "what's XYZ like to own/drive?"; "can I look inside?" (the look on their face when you tell dad to hop on in or let the child do so!) - your's must be a whole different level!. It was fun just observing the event from a distance as well and seeing the excitement and curiosity of some of the guests when they spotted that my car had been signed....DodgyGeezer said:
I must admit that I can't begin to imagine how popular your's must be at shows or in the day-to-day. I frequently get asked about my Challenger: "can I take a pic"; "what's XYZ like to own/drive?"; "can I look inside?" (the look on their face when you tell dad to hop on in or let the child do so!) - your's must be a whole different level!
Haha, yeah, it’s a similar experience to yours. I do spot people on the motorway pointing and smiling, or taking photos, and occasionally people driving past and slowing down to get video or just to look at the car. Kids always shout “Bumblebee” when on the school run and stuff like that. I remember one time a couple of door-to-door salesmen types came to my house and I had the garage open and they went nuts for it. It’s certainly quite a head turner, I suspect like yours. These big American cars are quite the rarity, which for me at least is part of the appeal.
Service Time
Back again to Porsche Euro specialist cars today to see John and have the Camaro serviced….
Being the Porsche fanboy that I am, John gave me a mahoosive calendar for free too!
It has a rather cool Porsche 911 coin attached to it!
A clean bill of health once again with all the oily bits all freshened up and ready to go. John also installed my front fog lights which I’m really pleased with, to make the car look closer to that of the original in the film:
Camaro likes to make a striking impression when around other cars…
Back at home, my Vantage got the room all to itself, so was able to spread out….
My next planned show is in about six weeks time, but I’ll be driving it between now and then for fun. The school run is always an event, makes lots of kids smile. Might also head up to The Motorist cafe one evening or two as well, time allowing.
The weather is picking up, and so is everyone’s mood. Car season is upon us, hurrah!
Back again to Porsche Euro specialist cars today to see John and have the Camaro serviced….
Being the Porsche fanboy that I am, John gave me a mahoosive calendar for free too!
It has a rather cool Porsche 911 coin attached to it!
A clean bill of health once again with all the oily bits all freshened up and ready to go. John also installed my front fog lights which I’m really pleased with, to make the car look closer to that of the original in the film:
Camaro likes to make a striking impression when around other cars…
Back at home, my Vantage got the room all to itself, so was able to spread out….
My next planned show is in about six weeks time, but I’ll be driving it between now and then for fun. The school run is always an event, makes lots of kids smile. Might also head up to The Motorist cafe one evening or two as well, time allowing.
The weather is picking up, and so is everyone’s mood. Car season is upon us, hurrah!
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