Who's that girl?

[Andyww]

Took a while to notice there's a car in that picture

On 16/12/2015 at 13:57, PhilW said:

I always just assumed it was the James Bond one "FYEO"  Trouble is I think there were 3 or 4 cars used and there are pictures around that claim to be James Bond cars but have subtle differences so I am just not convinced.  There is also the claim the Copper one was originally white and changed due to the filming in a snowy landscape.  From the pictures of the Copper car which is currently in Florida unless it has been sold has been messed about with since filming for sure.

 

The truth about these cars is anyones guess in my opinion and I doubt we will ever know for sure.

As I recall the white one in the movie had gold wheel centres and the "white bikini" car has silver.

[PhilW]

Andy

I would have to dispute that.  

 

[Andyww]

Hmmm OK. I still have it on PVR, I'll have another look this evening. Both the FYEO models (the 1:16 and 1:43) do have gold centres but the models could simply be wrong.

 

[Kimbers]

Dad has said that some of the time (for fully clothed shots) they wouldn't use models at all but girls from the office/secretaries etc. Has anyone asked the factory?

[GordonMasson]

Could be Kimbers......

Going to talk to them again soon so perhaps I will have some news

[GordonMasson]

Just been on BBC Radio Humberside again.

I had a feeling that they were going to tell me they have found something out but sadly not

However 75,000 people viewed the link on Facebook and listened to the interview on the first day and its now up to 86,000.

Surely we must be able to track down this woman somehow!!!!

Thanks for the share on Facebook Bibs

[Bibs]

Have you asked BAngus or Flo? Would you like me to?

[GordonMasson]

I asked Brian ages back but he wasn't at Lotus in those days. I am sure I have asked Flo about it as well but I could be wrong so worth a try.

[hedgerley]

Ok Bibs, I'll make a start on the white Esprit photo. Far left, black hair is Caroline Munroe, as per the signature. And the girl stood in the door is, I'm pretty sure, the one from the Hai Karate ads in the 70's, Valerie Leon.

[chipp]

On ‎1‎/‎16‎/‎2014 at 17:32, PhilW said:

Cant help you there but I have always thought about recreating picture of the white 007 Turbo with the model in the white Bikini.  Recently found out it was taken in Norwich and I am so sad I believe, in fact I am positive I found out where from Google earth.

 

Need also a model unless of course there are any secret cross dressers out there who need a way to tell us all!!

Phil, i'm sure it was down on London Street out side the old Garlands department store.

As you look at the picture Jarrolds and the market place would be he to the left and a little further up to the right is where the jewelry shop was held up recently by the moped gang.

 

chipp

[GordonMasson]

Quick update folks.

As I am going to be down that way...." well Silverstone but its south of Edinburgh", I am going to take the car back to Louth golf club on Monday 1st August to recreate the photograph.

I never did track down the model so I hope to have one final push in the next couple of weeks and if I cant find the original then I will have to find a stand in model.

This has been 33 years in the planning so its fitting that its going to be done on the cars 40th anniversary

[GTK]

Hi Gordon, totally intrigued! 

Did you track down Ms. Dixon to rule her out? What about what Kimbers said re Lotus in house people, was there any kind of lead there? And where was the photo was used, maybe if it appeared in print somewhere that a credit would have been obligatory?

Just sleuthing out loud whilst looking at the photo - your mystery girl is small (mostly ). If the car's 44", ok granted she's posing but her feet are flat on the ground and with a rough measurement I only lose approx. 4% of my height leaning back like that. So guessing she's roughly 1/3 again taller than the car (hat is considerably taller than her head), add 4% for the pose and it puts her in the region of 5' maybe 5'2. In the real world models aren't all 6', but 5' isn't so usual either. The wardrobe and location seem more like the stuff of photo op. rather than considered production. I'd be leaning towards mystery girl being a staffer. 

Best of luck over the next few weeks, it would be great to track her down in the 11th hour. We should pull out the stops.

George

PS, just a suggestion; if you end up back on the radio you could ask for a look-a-like for your photo recreation, and for wardrobe too

[Paul Coleman]

I'm guessing she's no longer with us and was killed in a freak accident involving her flares - probably tripped over them and was run over by the car as it left the location?

[GordonMasson]

On 16 July 2016 at 00:15, GTK said:

Hi Gordon, totally intrigued!

Did you track down Ms. Dixon to rule her out? What about what Kimbers said re Lotus in house people, was there any kind of lead there? And where was the photo was used, maybe if it appeared in print somewhere that a credit would have been obligatory?

Just sleuthing out loud whilst looking at the photo - your mystery girl is small (mostly ). If the car's 44", ok granted she's posing but her feet are flat on the ground and with a rough measurement I only lose approx. 4% of my height leaning back like that. So guessing she's roughly 1/3 again taller than the car (hat is considerably taller than her head), add 4% for the pose and it puts her in the region of 5' maybe 5'2. In the real world models aren't all 6', but 5' isn't so usual either. The wardrobe and location seem more like the stuff of photo op. rather than considered production. I'd be leaning towards mystery girl being a staffer.

Best of luck over the next few weeks, it would be great to track her down in the 11th hour. We should pull out the stops.

George

PS, just a suggestion; if you end up back on the radio you could ask for a look-a-like for your photo recreation, and for wardrobe too

Hi George,

Interesting theories there!

Not been able to track down Angie although I haven't given up.

There is a model agency down there who have said they might be able to provide a model but it its a "we will provide a model, she is £*** a day" then it may be prohibitive to go professional. To be honest that doesn't bother me anyway.

It would be fantastic if I could track down the model but I also want to get a girl about the same age.... I'm guessing early 20's to do the pic too.

There is a movie prop agency who said they have the fur coat, hat and flairs available.

I tracked down the photographer who has since passed away and he told me that the photo was used for a local newspaper article, nothing directly related to the factory.

Totally unrelated to the search for the mystery lady, I had an e-mail from the daughter of the garage owner who originally sold the car. She wasn't aware of the photo but all going well she is going to come along when the photo is taken.Having a picture of her with the car is a great tie back to the start of the story.

 

[swindon_alan]

Great to meet you and your lady at Silverstone yesterday Gordon! I hope that you made it up to Louth and then home ok.

Just to let you know that your wife was responsible for me having to shell out twenty nine quid on a Lotus jacket as my good lady loved the one she had bought, "it fits so well" and "she was feeling a bit chilly"

[swindon_alan]

Any news @GordonMasson? Did you do the photo shoot at Louth? Pics?

[GordonMasson]

Hi Alan... been meaning to put an update up for this for a while but never got round to it. Will do it soon.

For now though, yes, we went to BBC Lincoln and then to Louth and did the photo shoot. It was a great day........