Jay Orberg: how a truck driver became the creator of the most fantastic cars on the planet
When we see a superhero car or a race car from the future on the silver screen, we don't think about who creates these vehicles. Most believe that somewhere in the depths of the Dream Factory there is a workshop that assembles futuristic supercars and incredible limousines. But in fact, most of the amazing cars on screen come from Jay Ohrberg. This man was nicknamed the “King of TV Cars” and he well deserved this title.
For half a century now, American Jay Orberg has been designing and assembling cars for films, TV series and television shows. Nothing is impossible for him. Jay is the father of a 30-meter limousine, a 6-meter football car, a giant guitar car and a limousine with a volleyball court.
It must be said that Orberg's imagination is closely in the world of cars. Sometimes he breaks out of its limits and then the result is no less cool. For example, he made James Bond's Lotus Esprit submarine from The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). Yes, the car from “Ghostbusters”, the car from “The Pink Panther” and a dozen Batmobiles from different years are also on his conscience.
It all started at the dawn of the 1970s, when Jay drove a truck. His responsibilities included delivering cars to car shows and exhibitions. What kind of cars did Orberg see during this time? It was then that he realized that show cars were a good way to make money, and also an enjoyable one. Yes, in his free time from work he loved to tinker in the garage and drive along the highway with the breeze.
And Jay Orberg started acting weird. The very first of his homemade products, shown to the public, became a sensation. Offers from film studios and TV show organizers were not long in coming. Today, 80-year-old Jay is Hollywood's leading expert on unusual cars, motorcycles and boats. Despite his advanced age, the designer is full of energy and ideas.
Jay Orberg is currently working on an incredible new limousine with two engines, a swimming pool and a helipad. At the same time, he is developing a car for SpongeBob, and this, you see, is not an easy task. The American also has immediate plans to open a museum in Las Vegas, where his most spectacular creations will be presented.