Ice Cold In Alex - Austin K2 'Katie'

[Darrow]

Dear Brit Movie Buffs,

In the film "Ice Cold In Alex" can anyone tell me how or why "Katie" a standard K2 Ambulance in the desert, suddenly turns into a 4X4 vehicle at the quicksands? Being sad and not getting out much this bothers me.

[christoph404]

Dear Brit Movie Buffs,

In the film "Ice Cold In Alex" can anyone tell me how or why "Katie" a standard K2 Ambulance in the desert, suddenly turns into a 4X4 vehicle at the quicksands? Being sad and not getting out much this bothers me.

I haven't really noticed that in the film, I would assume that there were a number of vehicles being used as "Katie" as is often the case when a film features a vehicle as a main "character" so if they used a 4x4 disguised as an ambulance in some scenes I would have thought the practical and obvious reason for that is that a 4x4 can drive through deep sand more easily! I wouldn't let it bother you too much, its just the illusion and magic of film making and you are not supposed to notice these things!!....but well spotted anyway.....

[DB7]

I take it it's a rear-wheel drive? And that in the film the front wheels were spinning?

[Automotivehistorian]

They apparently mounted a body off an Austin K2/Y* and stuck it on a Canadian Military Pattern 4x4 chassis. Odd really as they could have used a genuine CMP ambulance! I gather that when they actually get to Alexandria, there are at least two vehicles in shot that are several years younger than wartime!





*Officially "Ambulance 4x2".

[DB7]

They apparently mounted a body off an Austin K2/Y* and stuck it on a Canadian Military Pattern 4x4 chassis. Odd really as they could have used a genuine CMP ambulance! I gather that when they actually get to Alexandria, there are at least two vehicles in shot that are several years younger than wartime!





*Officially "Ambulance 4x2".

Isn't the CMP blunt-nosed whereas the K2 has a nose?

[Automotivehistorian]

Isn't the CMP blunt-nosed whereas the K2 has a nose?

Quite so! Semi-forward control in both cases, though the Austin had more of a "bonnet".

[Darrow]

They apparently mounted a body off an Austin K2/Y* and stuck it on a Canadian Military Pattern 4x4 chassis. Odd really as they could have used a genuine CMP ambulance! I gather that when they actually get to Alexandria, there are at least two vehicles in shot that are several years younger than wartime!





*Officially "Ambulance 4x2".

On getting this info I had a quick look at Bart Vanderveen's Bible and think the most likely CMP vehicle would be the Chevrolet C30. It has the same wheelbase and the engine would be roughly the same size. I missed the most recent showing on TV but seem to remember that the front wheels looked a lttle odd for a K2.

Thanks again for the info it explains a lot, but why did they do it?

[Sam Webster]

They apparently mounted a body off an Austin K2/Y* and stuck it on a Canadian Military Pattern 4x4 chassis. Odd really as they could have used a genuine CMP ambulance! I gather that when they actually get to Alexandria, there are at least two vehicles in shot that are several years younger than wartime!





*Officially "Ambulance 4x2".

There's a series 1 landrover right at the end of the film, these were not made before 1948.



The ambulance changes from a 4x2 to a 4x4 in some shots too.

[Automotivehistorian]

Could be a C30 or even Ford F30...the wheels are smaller at 16 inches than the 3-tonner Chevrolet C60S/Ford F60S with the same wheelbases. However. I am sure that the under-bonnet scenes show a straight six, not a Ford flathead V-8.

[Darrow]

There's a series 1 landrover right at the end of the film, these were not made before 1948.

The ambulance changes from a 4x2 to a 4x4 in some shots too.

The lines of Bedford QLs in the scene where Johnny Mill's CO gets zapped are a little bit iffey for that period of WW11 the film is set in. Dont get me wrong though I still think its a great film and would watch it after the pub this afternoon, except of course if "Hell Drivers" was being shown on another channel.

[Automotivehistorian]

QLs were indeed used in the desert, during and after the war. I agree it is perhaps "stretching" things as to authenticity but the trucks were clearly to hand at the time.



The other film that gets the pulses racing is GENNEVIEVE, as there are some classic vehicle shots that are now pure nostlagia. QLs would of course have been very much on active service at the time that that filsm was made.

[Darrow]

QLs were indeed used in the desert, during and after the war. I agree it is perhaps "stretching" things as to authenticity but the trucks were clearly to hand at the time.



The other film that gets the pulses racing is GENNEVIEVE, as there are some classic vehicle shots that are now pure nostlagia. QLs would of course have been very much on active service at the time that that filsm was made.

In fact I spend to much time watching what is going past in old films and missing a lot of the action.

[homeguard]

In this month's Classic and Vintage Commercials Magazine (July 2008) there is a good four page article about this great movie, and not just about the vehicles. Plenty of pictures too. I didn't know that the 'Ice Cold' was supposed to be Rheingold beer, but after trying ordinary ginger beer (which didn't look right as the colour was wrong - black and white film??), Carlsberg was used instead. Evidently John Mills had to drink 14 glasses of the stuff before they were happy with the shot in the bar!



Regards,

HG

[christoph404]

In this month's Classic and Vintage Commercials Magazine (July 2008) there is a good four page article about this great movie, and not just about the vehicles. Plenty of pictures too. I didn't know that the 'Ice Cold' was supposed to be Rheingold beer, but after trying ordinary ginger beer (which didn't look right as the colour was wrong - black and white film??), Carlsberg was used instead. Evidently John Mills had to drink 14 glasses of the stuff before they were happy with the shot in the bar!



Regards,

HG

Sylvia Syms has been very forthcoming about events surrounding the lager drinking scene in the film. It was decided not to use the original German beer (Rheingold) as the film makers didn't want the characters to be seen enjoying drinking German beer, hence the distinctive Carlsberg glass with logo.John Mills did indeed get smashed while filming the scene, in the 1980s Carlsberg used the clip as it was for a TV commercial and Svlvia Syms got paid £30k for granting permission, she has not divulged what John Mills and Harry Andrews were paid for using the clip, Im guessing Mills would have got more than that, not bad little earner as it turned out.

[Harleybloke]

...............Darrow isn't the only one needing to 'get out more'..............

[homeguard]

...............Darrow isn't the only one needing to 'get out more'..............

The C&VCM mag is a great read. They don't do bikes much though.

regards,

HG

[woody123]

Regarding the four wheel drive which appears in some scenes..the Classic and Vintage Commercials magazine article (for those who haven't read it) does have the theory that the K2 body was fitted to a 4x4 chevy chassis.It also states that there is a suggestion that BMC who owned Austin gave the production support vehicles including a 4x4 K9 truck.It would be simpler to mock up a Katy-like ambulance body onto the K9 rather than remount a whole K2 body onto a Canadian Chevy chassis,The K2 ambulance body was basically a wooden frame covered in leathercloth,so "simples" as a well known advert character would say.Some truck nuts I know reckon the front differential in the 4 wheel drive shots is too small for a Chevy diff.

Apparently as well as series one Land Rovers ,there is also a Morris 1000 at the end of the film,although I have never clocked it myself.

According to C&VC ,David Lodge who appears in the bar scene as an MP did the gig on his day off fom filming "No Time To Die".and was paid £25.

The magazine should still be available from the publishers at around £4 from:- [email]cvc.mag@kelsey.co.uk. If you're a fan of the film it has 4 page article with a lot of photographs .

[Automotivehistorian]

I have a tale to tell about a real Katy that served both sides in the War..I am hoping that I can get it printed in due course. There are photos of rebuilds of Katys with various body styles from different builders in my PEARSONS OF LIVERPOOL story. These were ex-Mid-East and possibly Italy shipped back for D-Day. Pearsons

I have also come across some shots of ex-wartime Katys that were rebuilt by the St John Ambulamce post-war into ambulances and patient-carriers and the bodywork as originally fitted can easily be seen. Post-war there was a huge number of Katys available to select from, with many being converted to vans, mobile fish and chip/tea wagons, etc.