Gizmo's Corvette No. 2

ONE OF THE SCREEN USED CORVETTE'S USED BY GIZMO IN GREMLINS

Introduction

In Gremlins, one of the ongoing challenges faced by director Joe Dante and the effects team was figuring out how to move Gizmo from place to place in a believable and entertaining way. As a small, delicate puppet with limited mobility, Gizmo couldn’t easily navigate the chaotic environments of the film— especially during the action-packed finale set in a department store. To solve this, Dante drew inspiration from a favorite 1952 Looney Tunes cartoon "Feed the Kitty" and came up with a clever and character-appropriate solution: have Gizmo commandeer a toy car.

The result was the now-iconic pink Barbie Dreamvette, a logical item for Gizmo to stumble upon in the store and ingeniously rig to drive, giving him a memorable and heroic moment while cleverly working around the puppet’s movement limitations. Of particular note, Joe originally wanted the Corvette to be red, clearly inspired by the cartoon car.

Creating the Gizmo Corvette

For the film, the crew used a 1979 Mattel Barbie Dreamvette as the foundation for Gizmo’s memorable ride. Since the original Barbie car was just a static plastic toy, it needed extensive modification to become a fully functional RC vehicle. Blair Clark at CWI led the fabrication process, removing the original plastic top from its base and wheels, then using velcro to attach the body onto a custom-fabricated metal base. Wheels and suspension from a Tamiya Ford F-150 Ranger XLT RC were used for propulsion, transforming the toy into a drivable prop capable of performing on set.

To get the wheels actually moving, the original electronics from the Tamiya RC were replaced with custom components, including a large gel cell battery that could power both the RC vehicle and the animatronics within the Gizmo puppet. While the hero Corvette itself had no built-in effects beyond its drivability, the Gizmo seated inside could move his head side to side as it drove, bringing the character to life. The other stunt cars produced lacked these movements. All the wiring and controls were custom-installed using early 80's Futaba components, allowing for seamless coordination between the vehicle's movement and Gizmo’s subtle animated gestures.

It’s believed that around four Gizmo Corvettes were produced for Gremlins, each serving a specific purpose during filming.

The hero car featured a fully functional RC setup and an animatronic Gizmo capable of limited head movement and likely blinks. A second version was a simpler driveable car with a static Gizmo that was seen crashing into Barney the dog. The third was a stunt car—easily identified by its reversed side decals— was built to handle impacts and is frequently seen crashing into obstacles and launched off the snow shovel. Finally, an unmodified Barbie Dreamvette was used for the climactic airborne shot at the end of the driving sequence, providing a lightweight option for a clean flying visual.

Notably, all the close-up shots in the film were done using an oversized Gizmo puppet—similar to the one later used in Gremlins 2—as it allowed for greater expression and more nuanced performance. The smaller Gizmo puppets lacked the internal space to accommodate enough servos for full facial articulation, limiting their ability to convey emotion effectively. However, no oversized Corvette was produced for these shots; instead, a scaled steering wheel was created for Gizmo to hold onto, maintaining the illusion while accommodating the larger puppet.

By modern standards, the radio controls used for Gizmo’s Corvette were quite primitive, and interference from metal shelving, lighting rigs, and other on-set equipment was a constant challenge. The car might drive smoothly one moment, then suddenly lose signal and take off uncontrollably, often crashing into set pieces before it could be stopped. This unpredictability created major headaches for the crew—not just in terms of continuity and safety, but also due to the limited lifespan of the large gel cell battery powering both the car and Gizmo’s animatronics. More than once, the team found themselves dangerously close to running out of power just as the cameras were ready to roll.

Gizmo Corvette No. 1 - The Hero Car

Until 2025, the only known surviving Gizmo Corvette was believed to be the hero car housed in Bob Burns’ legendary collection in Burbank, California. Unfortunately, the Gizmo figure permanently affixed to that vehicle has suffered extensive foam decay over the years, leaving much of his face deteriorated. However, this deterioration has revealed a fascinating glimpse into the puppet’s internal mechanics—exposing embedded electronics within the head that likely controlled his side-to-side movement and possibly even eye blinks, offering rare insight into the complexity of the film’s practical effects work.

Gizmo Corvette No. 2 - Now Found

In 2018, Gizmo Corvette Number Two quietly resurfaced when it was sold from a crew member to a Florida-based collector who specialized in radio-controlled vehicles used in film. For years, the car remained largely unknown to the public, as the collector maintained a low online profile. That changed in 2025 when photos of the car were finally posted online—thankfully, we spotted them quickly and were able to work out a deal to bring this remarkable piece into our collection. While we’re not currently displaying its internal components, every detail of the car aligns with a narrow production window between 1983 and 1984, when Gremlins was being made. It offers a rare and fascinating glimpse into both vintage RC technology and the world of practical effects from over four decades ago.

While some components commonly seen on the other Corvettes—such as decals, bumper pieces, or minor trim—have been lost to time, Gizmo’s Corvette Number Two remains a beautifully preserved example of an iconic movie prop. Instantly familiar to fans around the world, it stands as both a nostalgic symbol of Gremlins and a testament to the creativity and craftsmanship of 1980s practical effects.

Special thank yous to Aelia Petro, Joe Dante, Mark Walas and the RPF Forum for their help in putting this article together.