Movie cars often hold a special place in our hearts. Sometimes they’re iconic and other times they are downright ridiculous. But, they’re almost always memorable in some way.
For many of us, we often dream of owning one of these rides. Now some lucky collector might get the chance, as a huge lot of film cars and other memorabilia will go up for auction in Belfast later this month.
The massive collection is part of a government seizure auction hosted by auction house Wilson Auctions.
The story behind the collection is one that is worthy of a movie itself. Back in February 2017, Wiltshire police, working from a tip-off, raided one of the most bizarre places: a nuclear bunker. There they uncovered one of the largest cannabis facilities ever discovered in the UK. With $8 million of Mary Jane produced from the underground farm over three years, the leaders had their fair share of walking around money.
The three men, dubbed the “Nuclear Bunker Gang” all ended up in prison, with their ill-gotten gains seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act. One of the men, Martin Fillery, had used his cut to collect a treasure trove of movie memorabilia. Now, after moving through the appropriate channels, the government is putting it up for auction.
Perhaps one of the main highlights from the collection is a BMW 635CSi from Back to the Future Part 2. While the car may not be as iconic as the time-traveling DMC DeLorean or Marty’s dream Toyota Pickup, it still holds a place in the film’s lore. Driven by Griff, grandson of Biff, in 2015 the car represents the silly future the film portrayed.
With its black and red paint, the car now looks rather retro. However, add in the hover system on the tires and the car suddenly looks “futuristic”.
In addition to the flying BMW, several other film cars will hit the auction block. Other notable additions include a Dodge Monaco Bluesmobile from The Blues Brothers and Del Boy’s Reliant Regal Supervan from Only Fools and Horses.
For Batman fans, the auction also features a replica Batboat built from a Glastron jet boat. A few other replicas make their way into the collection as well, including a Lamborghini Countach and one of a kind McLaren F1.
If you’re looking more for video games though, the auction also has those in spades. Several vintage arcade cabinets will go under the hammer as well. Breezing through the listings, our favorite standout had to be the original SEGA Outrun cabinet. Other sci-fi memorabilia is also available, from original Star Wars costumes and a life-size Terminator.
Even though the entire collection oozes 1980s, it still strangely appeals to us in a nostalgic way. We will definitely be curious to see what the final total is on some of these iconic pieces. The auction takes place tomorrow, October 26, in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
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