Of Daytona's & Destruction.


zidders

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A few days I was looking up info on the (in)famous destruction of Sonny Crockett's beloved Daytona Spyder. From what I knew the actual car blown up was (and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) a bunch of body panels on a chassis. Something like that. I commented such on a Youtube video of that scene and was promptly corrected by an individual known only as David H. who informed me it wasn't a full-size car but rather a 1/8th scale model. He informed me he'd worked on the FX crew that did the effect for the plane blown up in Best of the Best 4. 

I was skeptical at first but it's just such a weird thing for someone to make something up about. At any rate I was given permission to share our conversation here in full. Let me know what you all think. I will add that after looking at the scene just after the Daytona pulls into the beach area and just before the Daytona gets blown up it certainly looks like an entirely different area of beach. 

Dave H
@Zidders Roofurry 
The TV show may have been filmed entirely in Florida but the Models of the Ferrari, and the seaplane were blown up in So-Cal by us, that's a fact. You are correct about miniature explosions being difficult to pull off, but my boss was a genius at that. 

Sorry, but the people that you say would know about this, don't know this. No fiberglass panels were piled up and blown up, just one Ferrari model in 1/8 scale. We got a rare bonus in that explosion because the smoking left front tire came rolling out of the fireball, it was a thing of beauty. I heard that cheers went up in the dailies when they saw that. I'm not sure how you can tell it was the same area of the beach. Ca. sand and Florida sand look about the same. They're just 2400 miles or so apart. It really doesn't matter to me If anyone believes it or not, I got paid $5,000 for the model and that's all that matters.

Speaking of explosions and I know it's a small picture, but my avatar is a screen shot of another one of the explosions my boss was known for. The plane was a 1/12 scale C-123 Provider for "Best of the Best 4" Watch the full clip of that explosion at the end of the movie and tell me where it looks like a miniature. Like I said in another reply, It even fooled an LA Times critic. For some reason people get real upset when they learn miniature effects are used in shows that they like. That's the "Magic" of Hollywood...Ca.  I would be happy to send you an email if you want photo verification? One more thing , Miami Vice was given the Testarossa, (2 actually),  if the producers would blow up the replica car on film and they agreed. To Ferrari the replica was an embarrassment. My boss told the producers that the replica car was still worth a considerable amount of money so why not blow up a miniature instead? They could have their cake and eat it too. That is the story in a nutshell and anything else you may have heard about that that differs is wrong.

Zidders Roofurry
@Dave H 
I'm sorry. I believe you and apologize for being so cynical (and rude). As far as pictures you don't need to send me proof-though as a fan of the show I wouldn't complain about learning more about it. That said rather than send me anything it would mean a lot to me if you posted this info on the Miami Vice forum over at MiamiViceOnline.com. I know they'd love learning more about the series. Again you don't have to-you certainly don't owe me anything seeing as how much of a douche I've been. I really do regret the way I acted. 

I love Miami Vice. I only just started watching it again in October and it's reminding me how much of an impact it had on me back when I was a kid. I can honestly say it's helped change my life now. The show & music has helped me through a very tough time. You were part of that and for that I truly am grateful.

Dave H
@Zidders Roofurry 
No problem. Fans don't like it if they feel their show is being trashed. I don't know much more about the show because we only worked on the Ferrari blow up and the seaplane. We worked on a lot of other shows but only 2 MV episodes. I'm glad that the show had a positive impact on you but all I did was build a model and watch it get blown up.

For some worthless inside baseball information, here are the coordinates for the filming location.   34° 1'6.10"N 118°49'30.16"W  It was up the driveway in the dirt area in front of the house. for what it's worth, only maybe 3 or 4 people know this. Me, my boss and a couple of camera guys.

Zidders Roofurry
@Dave H 
This inside baseball stuff is the kind of stuff I love. I really do appreciate it. Please keep the folks over at MiamiViceOnline in mind. I'd make a post about it myself but despite this being in public I kind of feel like this is your story to tell, y'know?

Also I found a similar house or area of houses on GTA V's California-based in-game map lol. I can't help feeling a bit giddy knowing this stuff.

Dave H
@Zidders Roofurry 
Although it might be fun to hang out over there I really have nothing more to add to what I've already written here. I only watched the show once or twice so you can't really call me a fan. My wife loved the show though and I don't think she ever missed it, I can't imagine why.

Feel free to pass it on  if you want, but crawl into a foxhole quick and prepare for incoming. A few years ago someone else posted this clip of the blowup here on YouTube.  After reading all of the comments there about how the blown up Ferrari wasn't a real Ferrari but instead was a re-bodied Corvette I had to say something. I had a back and forth conversation  with the original poster back then, except he ever did believe me. I went back to that post a short while later to show a friend the clip but the entire post had been removed. it was the only clip up at the time I think.

Somewhere in my messy shop I still have the newspaper clipping of the TV critic pompously telling the story of the real vs. fake Ferrari, we loved that article. My boss probably used it to get more work, a lot more work. Miami Vice was just one project of the many that we worked on. It's incredible that there is still so much interest in the show after 30 years."

It just seems too mundane & exacting to be anything fake. Not only that if you watch when the Daytona drives in and just before it gets blown up the background beach & sand is very different. The trees have that artificial look plus the Daytona sure does have that model kit luster to it. Anyways sorry if this dragged on a bit but I'd rather be overcautious than post something & stir up any kind of drama. Thank you for taking the time to read my note.

--------------------------

His last message to me was, "was digging up some pictures for a magazine article someone has been writing about special effects and our company when I ran across a picture of the Scarab model boat that I built for the Miami Vice live action show TV commercial. The writer told me he is wrapping up the story now and hopes to have it done in a week or so. Since I don't know how to get pictures to you I'll give you a heads up if and when it comes out. The story was originally about Airwolf but blossomed into all of our work as he did more research. I don't do FB or other social media so I'm afraid the article is the best way I can get pictures to you, if he publishes them. If you don't hear back from me then you'll have to assume I'm full of it.". 

So, folks-I can't help feeling there's good reason to believe him. Plenty of other shows at the time (Knight Rider, Dukes of Hazard) used model cars for risky stunts. The car in the scene just before its blown up sure looks different to me now that I'm looking at it. 

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I’ve always thought it was a model. Never looked into it. The trees and everything in the background look like toys when the car blows up. I could be wrong. Always suspected though. 

We’ve discussed this on here somewhere before, but I can’t remember if anything was resolved. 

Edited by Dadrian
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lol I had a feeling it would have been suspected at least. I'm the type where I don't really think things out but really-spending so much money on a reproduction only to blow it up? I woulda gone with a model, too. Speaking of models I really want one of the Daytona & Testarossa now lol. 

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1 hour ago, Dadrian said:

We’ve discussed this on here somewhere before, but I can’t remember if anything was resolved. 

It took a few minutes of searching but I found it:

https://miamiviceonline.com/index.php?/topic/1010-the-ferrari-daytonas-of-miami-vice/page/90/

Yup, it was a model.  I never noticed until somebody pointed it out, but then it seemed obvious.  Especially the plants looked very different.

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I always suspected it when I saw the tire roll for some reason that looked fake/toy to me. 

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this is one of my favourite "these are gonna go bang" scenes. And yes, watching it over and over i thought it was a scale model.

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3 hours ago, daytona365 said:

the boat explosion in "Mirror Image" was clearly also a miniature model being blown up:

Explosion_1.jpg.4e8531bba8d2a619000b0956d1316ef8.jpg

Explosion_2.jpg.0985cbb9dd3313c80847c348c092f615.jpg

mirror06.jpg

 

more Hollywood miniature work:

https://beforesandafters.com/2019/06/11/a-deep-dive-into-shooting-speeds-miniature-l-a-metro-scenes/

 

the sea waves size makes a model look like fake.

By the way, who cares? We dont have such thing as internet to keep point wheres wrong in the next 30 years.

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Never really gave it much thought til now.  I'm sure at the time, like many other fans, we were more in shock seeing the Daytona blown up to even consider it being a model.  I personally hate it when things like this are pointed out because now I can't unsee it when I watch the episode.  

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1 hour ago, Mr. Calderon said:

By the way, who cares? We dont have such thing as internet to keep point wheres wrong in the next 30 years.

I think there are some people here who do care, otherwise it would not have been discussed to this extent. And we have such thing as the internet to look for answers to questions that at least some of us have wondered about for many years. Like the one how they had bought two Daytonas and blew up one on request by Enzo Ferrari, however still both cars remain today.

There's nothing wrong with blowing up models, and the regular viewer, who doesn't tend to watch these scenes a dozen times like some people here do, is unlikely to ever notice. It's just an interesting fact to know, especially if you're generally interested in how movies and TV shows are being made.

Of course, it also kind of "demystifies" the legend and spoils some of the exitement. 

Edited by daytona365
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2 hours ago, daytona365 said:

I think there are some people here who do care, otherwise it would not have been discussed to this extent. And we have such thing as the internet to look for answers to questions that at least some of us have wondered about for many years. Like the one how they had bought two Daytonas and blew up one on request by Enzo Ferrari, however still both cars remain today.

There's nothing wrong with blowing up models, and the regular viewer, who doesn't tend to watch these scenes a dozen times like some people here do, is unlikely to ever notice. It's just an interesting fact to know, especially if you're generally interested in how movies and TV shows are being made.

Of course, it also kind of "demystifies" the legend and spoils some of the exitement. 

Who cares about a boat driver waiting for tubbs on the pilot? Its 1984, and after the scene, no one will rewind the tape, no one wil go to youtube, or even notice theres someone else on the boat. Internet?! What the hell is internet in 1984? Maybe a BBS....

But talking about the daytona, i think the scene was reasonable well-done. Much worst was that big thaw end credit scenes.

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On 3/3/2020 at 5:30 AM, Mr. Calderon said:

By the way, who cares? 

I just thought it was cool one of the people who worked on the effect just happened to comment on a video of it and shared a little background knowledge. I had no idea there already was a thread on it (my bad for not being diligent enough in my searching). If that's not interesting to you I'm cool with it. I don't see the sense in asking 'who cares' though. I mean why does anyone care about an old TV show that ended back when the Berlin Wall fell? Don & PMT are in their 70's and most of us who were kids when it was on are approaching middle age. There's only so much Miami Vice to talk about. Besides-it's not like it's hurting anyone & it helps keep up people's interest in the show. 

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8 minutes ago, zidders said:

I just thought it was cool one of the people who worked on the effect just happened to comment on a video of it and shared a little background knowledge. I had no idea there already was a thread on it (my bad for not being diligent enough in my searching). If that's not interesting to you I'm cool with it. I don't see the sense in asking 'who cares' though. I mean why does anyone care about an old TV show that ended back when the Berlin Wall fell? Don & PMT are in their 70's and most of us who were kids when it was on are approaching middle age. There's only so much Miami Vice to talk about. Besides-it's not like it's hurting anyone & it helps keep up people's interest in the show. 

By the way, i loved the post. What i tried to be ironical its trying to show, what the guy who had the idea to use a scale model on the scene probably thought: "come on... nobody will see the difference specially if the ferrari is a well-done scale model. Its just a few seconds. We wont have discussion forums talking about this tomorrow, or even internet. Ppl only will rewatch this on the re-runs. Who cares?". Just that. 

Less mee, mee, mee, alright?

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3 hours ago, Mr. Calderon said:

By the way, i loved the post. What i tried to be ironical its trying to show, what the guy who had the idea to use a scale model on the scene probably thought: "come on... nobody will see the difference specially if the ferrari is a well-done scale model. Its just a few seconds. We wont have discussion forums talking about this tomorrow, or even internet. Ppl only will rewatch this on the re-runs. Who cares?". Just that. 

Less mee, mee, mee, alright?

I get it. No reason for anyone to be uncool. 

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  • 1 month later...

If they were model cars and boats they did a very good job because I never noticed the difference, and I have watched the show a dozen times over.

This is very noticeably a model helicopter in "Midnight Run"  3:28 it suddenly a toy copter :D

Classic 80's film.

 

 

Edited by RedDragon86
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