Producers of Saturday-morning television programming in the seventies were truly inspired. Their outstanding work attempted to educate our elementary-school-age selves about grown-up things like how government works or emerging environmental concerns. The sad thing is that not all of us now-fiftysomethings retained any of it.
I can still sing “I’m just a bill” but then forget most of the lyrics after that. The short-lived kids’ show Ark II was apparently about the consequences of mistreating our planet, but all I can remember now are the cool vehicles used in the program. Maybe you don’t even know what I’m talking about, but I can fix that rather quickly.
Wouldn’t A True “Ark” Have More Animals Than One Talking Monkey?
In retrospect, the premise of the show Ark II was rather heady stuff for 8-year-olds eating a bowl of Fruit Loops. This was the intro voiceover:
For millions of years, Earth was fertile and rich. Then pollution and waste began to take their toll. Civilization fell into ruin.
This is the world of the 25th century. Only a handful of scientists remain, men who have vowed to rebuild what has been destroyed.
This is their achievement: Ark II, a mobile storehouse of scientific knowledge, manned by a highly trained crew of young people. Their mission: to bring the hope of a new future to mankind.
Will nothing remain except barren wasteland? Then why was my mom upstairs spraying half a can of Final Net onto her hair and into the ozone later? Why did McDonald’s sell breakfasts in eighth-inch-wide Styrofoam boxes you threw into a landfill? Sorry, Earth!
Honestly, we really didn’t understand, nor did we care once the Ark II vehicle appeared. [Ed note: “The Ecology” and the danger it was in was very much part of my 1970s grammar school education, and kid-me was totally worried about it right up until Star Wars came out – Pete]
The mobile Ark II lab was essentially a futuristic motorhome, manned by three young scientists who drove across the desert-like land of 2576 trying to help the survivors they encountered. How they obtained food or stayed so clean-looking was never discussed.
It was like a Road Warrior-style environment without leather-clad Australian thugs and no hopped-up V8 Holdens. Oh, and Ark II had an intelligent monkey that talked, albeit in a sort of grunting Slingblade sort of way, as you can see in the first 90 seconds of the episode below. [Pete here again. Producer Lou Schiemer voiced the monkey – Adam, he has a name you guys – by speaking while inhaling. These are the kinds of facts I know.]
There have been a lot of rumors floating around about the Ark II vehicle over the years. One such rumor is unfounded: it was not the work of the famous Dean Jeffries, creator of a multitude of vehicles for movies and television like the Monkeemobile and The Green Hornet Imperial. This falsehood also sparked the rumor that the Ark II was the basis for the “Landmaster” vehicle in the film Damnation Alley, which is also not true. In fact, the development of Ark II was done by Brubaker Industries, the company responsible for the famous Brubaker Box, which … well, you’ll see a little later.
Another rumor is that the Ark was built on a garbage truck chassis; this is partially correct. Under the Ark II’s skin was a 1971 Ford C-700 cabover truck that might well have had sanitation duty in its early life. This is the infamous truck series that Jason always likes to point out as having a monster face.
The 44-foot-long fiberglass body of the Ark II was placed on top with a pointed nose not unlike the Eagles of Space 1999 or even the Rectrans camper of the early seventies.
Most of the show was shot at Paramount Ranch near Malibu (same filming site as M*A*S*H and countless other shows). How did the Ark II get from one filming location to another? They drove it on the road! This clip from the video below shows an image of the giant Ark on the road in 1976 (near Malibu and getting passed by a Malibu.) They’d better get a move on since it’s getting dark and the Ark had zero exterior lighting.
Apparently, it was impossible for the driver to see out of it from the Ford cab hidden behind all of that fiberglass, not to mention local traffic being distracted by what appeared to be the Space Shuttle cruising by. Considering that the operator was driving somewhat blind, all high-speed driving scenes were filmed at Rogers Dry Lakebed at Edwards Air Force Base where the behemoth couldn’t hit anything:
Of course, in typical sci-fi show style, the interior sets were totally independent of the exterior shots, and in a Tardis-like way they looked way too cavernous. Laboratories, living quarters AND a garage space in back on this forty-foot camper? Get real.
From some views, it looked more realistic, but considering it’s the width of a school bus or motorhome, there’s a lot of exaggeration happening here:
It’s immensely cool looking inside and out, but the Ark II had even bigger tricks up its sleeve.
A Former Bug Under A Box In A Box
To gain entry into the Ark II, there was a drop-down staircase under the nose, but in back was the real party trick. Ramps deployed, and a smaller four-passenger ground-based “shuttle craft” sort of vehicle emerged. I don’t remember my reaction as a kid at the time, but I think it involved me getting lightheaded and possibly passing out.
This vehicle was the Ark Roamer, and if the front end of this open-topped thing looks familiar, it’s because it started life as a Brubaker Box.
The Brubaker Box was a body kit that sat on top of a Volkswagen Beetle chassis to create a sort of low-slung futuristic minivan. Brubaker reportedly sold only three kits in the early seventies; a later attempt to market it as the “Sports Van” moved about 25 more units before the whole project was abandoned in 1979.
It is supposedly one of those first three “Boxes” that was converted into the Ark Roamer with open sides and a T-bar roof. I’ve read that the Roamer was based on a Brubaker Box sitting on a 1968 Beetle chassis “with an automatic;” if so, that would mean the dreaded “Stickshift Automatic” with the gear-knob clutch switch. If that was still working in the year 1976, much less 2576, I’m shocked. In the show, based on the dubbed-in noise and the off-center outlet in back, I think it was supposed to be jet-powered, despite the VW exhaust hanging down.
I bet it REALLY pulled to the right on full jet force like a car with a busted half shaft.
A Very Short Story Ar(k)
After the run of sixteen shows, Ark II came to an end in December of 1976. That was typical of many shows during that time and had nothing to do with ratings. The question you probably have is: what happened to these awesome Ark vehicles?
Well, if you’ve wasted the time reading this post so far, you absolutely MUST spend the fifteen minutes or so watching the video below for the answer:
To summarize the YouTube spot, the Ark II was a nightmare to keep functioning, and reinstalling parts that fell off was a constant job. Despite being only around five years old at the time, the Ford truck underneath was supposedly a total clunker that barely ran. “We bought the truck for around $75 and ended up spending about $75,000 on it”, said one producer.
After filming ended, the whole thing was scrapped except for the nose cone, which went on to be used in the 1977 kids’ show Space Academy and later Jason of Star Command, as the full-size prop representing the nose of the “Seeker” spaceship, which was obviously designed around the existing Ark front end.
Thankfully, the Ark Roamer survived. Ironically, it was reportedly converted to a stock enclosed Brubaker Box after the show ended, but according to the YouTube video above, it is rumored that the owner is working to convert it back to the open Roamer design. That’d be a great 50th anniversary tribute to a beloved but largely forgotten show.
I certainly didn’t forget it, but I did pretty much seem to ignore the ecological message of Ark II with my current 12 MPG daily driver. And Schoolhouse Rock? Don’t even get the editors here started on my punctuation.
Top graphic images: Filmation/CBS TV
“Laboratories, living quarters AND a garage space in back on this forty-foot camper? Get real”
Best not to ask about the sleeping arrangements or exactly what kind of “experiments” are going on.
Reminds me a little of Lost in Space, what with all of that interior space in a small package, with the Ark Roamer filling in for the Chariot.
When it was all over with, they should have just driven it out onto the playa, tarped it, and let Burning Man come to them.
I watched a bit of that episode. Is that Dr. Smith leading ‘The Flies’?
I’ve never heard of this show, or the shows mentioned regarding the environment. I was a senior in college when this came out, or ended, or whatever, so I was a bit preoccupied.
Let’s not forget the real world Ark II, the Dobbertin Surface Orbiter.
I always loved the Brubaker Box!
It makes me sad to find out so few were sold.
Too young to remember the show. But I remember the “Big Breakfast” and IT WAS FRIGGING AWESOME.
My favorite part of camping was hitting a McDonalds for a Big Breakfast (or two) on the way home.
I vaguely remember something that looked like the ark ii in seaQuest. It might have gotten around for weird distopian shows for a while.
I started to realize that the past few generations aren’t into cars as much because shows these days don’t have a hero car. In the 70’s 80’s and possibly 90’s we had shows such as:
I’m sure I’m missing a bunch, but I can’t think of many shows in production today that has a cool hero car.
Also car chases. I’m old but you’re forgetting Jim Rockford, all of Charlie’s Angels, BJ & the Bear (groan- ABC was never top-tier TV), Cannon and Hawaii 5-0 in those big floaty Lincolns and Mercurys. Of course Magnum PI in the red Ferrari, and the opening Hart to Hart credits with the Jag(?) and Mercedes SL, plus Max in the Rolls.
“It was a big time, when big men drove nothing but huge Ford cars!”
Shout out to the MST3K screening of “Mitchell”
Even his name says “Is that a beer?”
Great cites! Hart to Hart’s is actually a Ferrari Dino, which we only ever see Jonathan driving in the pilot, and then only for a little while as he crashes it and it never appears again.
It might be less overt at least in the US. A lot of the Japanese cartoons have what appears to be ae86. Kids have been obsessed with them for over a decade. Alot of them don’t really know what an ae86 is so it just becomes 80s cars that look similar.
Seems to be some kids in the audis because of various movies too. Like marvel and transporter I think some others too.bJust less accessible and poor choices. I’ve also been told by early 20s kids driving 90s rangers it’s because they liked Hank hills original truck.
There is also a decent call for white yjs because of clueless and some Netflix show shot in the outer Banks.
I don’t remember any car in Baywatch but I’ll add a few more from this time period to your list:
I think we could go on and on with it and your point likely has a lot of validity.
From Baywatch were the yellow Nissan and Toyota lifeguard trucks.
Baywatch is in the next era, not the late 70s/early 80s one.
+ MacGyver’s YJ Wrangler, and (to stick up for my avatar) the Coyote X of course.
Baywatch had cars?
I do remember some slow motion chase scenes. But if there were vehicles involved, I did not really focus on them.
“Simon and Simon” had the targa Camaro and Macho Power Wagon.
I can, to this day, recite the entire preamble to the US Constitution thanks to Schoolhouse Rock — but I have to sing it.
I have vague memories of Ark II, and of getting it confused with Damnation Alley somewhere along the way; George Peppard, killer cockroaches, and all.
I don’t like to reveal too much online, but my name is Bill. (IYKYK)
And I’m sure you’ve got a discount card from Lolly’s, right?
Turns out the Tesla Roadster was actually announced in 1976 and is *only* 50 years behind schedule!
It’s funny, the internet says McDonalds began to phase out the Styrofoam breakfast containers in 1990, but I was born in ’88, and I freaking loved getting the hotcakes in the Styrofoam till I was at least 8 or 9 years old. I’m going to assume that in this case “phase out” meant “use up our 10 years supply” lol.
I (born in 1973) hated the high-pitched noise the styrofoam boxes made when touched or – God forbid – opened so much that I actively avoided McD for years. I’m sure that at least in Europe paperboard replaced styrofoam before 1990.
I loved the MC DLT! Hot side hot, cold side cold in the divided compartments of the styrofoam container.
I guess I didn’t know what I didn’t know about a LOT of things back then…
There’s a very interesting video about the styofoam packaging used for McDonalds.
One thing that jumped out at me is how long the hamburgers stay hot in the styofoam boxes as compared to paper wraps.
I loved that show and did not remember “Ruth” at all, but now it’s clear that it influenced more than just my taste in cars.
I loved that show and fantasized about the vehicle. I think it’s why I love RVs to this day, especially the GMC RV that had a tiny resemblance.
Ark II, Damnation Alley, Earth II and others. The 1970s were obsessed with nuclear war and the end of civilization.
Planet of the Apes, Logan’s Run.
On The Beach
When the Wind Blows
(which I only recently watched)
Alas, Babylon
And Soylent Green (food shortage), Omega Man (virus pandemic), Colussus: The Forbin Project (AI gone amok)…
I’d daily the hell out of it, and also use the nose as a parking awning for my smaller vans.
You’re killing me Bishop! Not a single mention of the third vehicle, the jetpack?!
59 years old and TIL this show existed. Huh.
YouTube has the complete run if interested.
Or wait for the JJ Abrams reboot that we all know has to be coming at some point. Possibly starring Chris Pratt
certainly plenty of material for a post apocalyptic earth.
They could film it in Gary, Indiana
While reading last week’s post, I thought about requesting a look at Ark II. This article surpasses my expectations; last time I looked, I could barely find anything about the show online. Bravo!
I feel like the single monkey was another cash grab left over from the 70’s/80’s I bet it was thanks to Clint Eastwood’s “Every Which Way But Loose” box-office success of the then novelty animal pairing with an orangutan named Clyde.
Seemed like that one prompted a bunch of Hollywood studios to replicate that folksy, comedic formula. I still kind of want to get ahold of some episodes of BJ and the Bear as I recall watching that one fondly for some reason.
“Right turn, Clyde.”
It seems to have started in the late 60s. Clyde and BJ & The Bear were probably the tail end of it.
I assumed it was a wink and nod to Planet of the Apes.
Wasn’t that Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp?
That was a bit before my time, but yeah, probably the more likely answer.
Adam was the direct descendant of the Trunk Monkey.
I think the shadow of Vaudeville was still hanging over movies/T.V in the ’70s (George Burns, tons of variety shows), so trained animal acts were still a thing.
Also travelling circuses still had plenty of trained animals for Hollywood to borrow, and we had started the space race by sending chimps up, which everyone watched on TV.
“The Ecology” and the danger it was in was very much part of my 1970s grammar school education, and kid-me was totally worried about it right up until Star Wars came out – Pete”
If you grew up in the 70’s or 80’s you also had to be very concerned with the possibility of encountering quick sand and practicing your escape routine. Quicksand was everywhere back then.
I had a 1972 Ghia with the Autostick. It was still functioning when I bought it in 1997.
Conjunction junction what’s your function? Hooking up words and phrases and clauses. That’s from memory, no Google required.
I remember the breakfast guy. And freezing orange juice in ice cube trays.
I still hanker for a hunk ‘o cheese from time to time.
A wagon wheel and a juice ice cube won’t spoil your dinner
Thank goodness. I’ve got a date with Interplanet Janet later.
Man was food being rationed in the 70s or what.
“Hey kids when you’re ready for a snack a few licks of the salt block really hit the spot and won’t spoil your dinner.”
People tended to have smaller appetites back then
Same.
Unless you had the Tupperware popsicle molds.
“I had a 1972 Ghia with the Autostick.”
You had it? Lemme guess… you lost it when you drove into some quicksand, right? RIGHT???
Let’s just say that I didn’t channel my inner David Tracy. Being young, broke, living in an apartment, and no tools beyond the basics I sold it after buying a house, having a child on the way, and that fact it wouldn’t start when I went to move it to the house (it wasn’t my daily driver). i stuck a “For Sale” sign in the window.
I sometimes wish I had kept it but it would have been like DT’s first XJ he’s holding on to. Rusting away in some corner with me thinking someday I’m going to tackle this but never actually making it happen.
“I sold it after buying a house,”
And then the person who bought it off of you lost it in quicksand, RIGHT?
LOL.
Yeah sometimes I wonder about if I kept my old vehicles. But I dismiss that idea because the worst thing you can do to a car is just let it sit and rot… especially sitting outside on dirt. Better to sell it to someone who will either fix it up or use the parts.
The future was so clean in the 1970s. Ironic since nearly everyone used an open car window as a trashcan.
Iconic.
I use that as an example when I try to convince youngsters that the ’70s were awful.
Like, the mayor of your town would do that, and your rabbi/priest/minister/guru/sensei…
Tennessee even had a commercial about this:
Original 1976 Tennessee Trash PSA
I can still hear that McDonald’s picture
I’m 56. That Filmation stuff was the bomb. Ark II, Cosby, others. Most of the actors were reasonably hot young unknowns and I do recall some early crushes on both sexes. Being car-brained, another Filmation show was “The Secrets of Isis.” The wonder-womanesque hero drove a Firebird. I can’t recall how, but it changed colors between episodes, or perhaps seasons- I think it was stolen and repainted. And then Shazam! I’m dating my GenX self here, but I had Shazam! Underoos. Saturday mornings were just so awesome.
You and I are the same age, and apparently loved the same Saturday morning shows! Over the years, my mind had conflated the Ark II with the motorhome that Shazam traveled the highways and byways in, but a quick search shows me that Shazam’s ride was an actual Dodge RV.
Interesting! In my mind Shazam’s RV was a GMC Motorhome, which I suppose in appearance and size is closer to the Ark II rig. Speaking of more GenX cars. How about those uber trippy Krofft puppets? Not always cars per se, but whacko “vehicles”. Wasn’t there a magic broom or something in H.R. Pufnstuf, and an ambulance driven by a puppet character? The Charles Nelson Reiley villain’s flying hat- with a steering wheel in Lidsville. Then Wonderbug and some others. Wild psychedelic stuff.
It would be interesting to know more about the Box – some years ago, I ran into a guy at a car show who had managed to shoehorn an automatic from a Type 3 into a Beetle with what he claimed was only modest sheet metal modifications. It was so he and his wife could caravan to shows in a set of his/hers Beetles. The conventional wisdom had been that sort of modification wouldn’t work, but he made it sound straightforward. Question would be, would they have done that in the 70s to make a TV car more user friendly for actors?
Also, I still maintain that McDonalds could have found a way to make biodegradable packaging for the McDLT if they applied themselves, they were just being lazy
Biodegradable packaging? McDonalds doesn’t even have biodegradable food https://youtu.be/knVSMD0t0OY?si=Ca1hj1TGfJHxh3dQ
You could cram the T3 automatic into a bug if you found a way to eliminate or rework the frame horns that carry the transmission. Those would get in the way of the automatic sump. IRS T3s (that had the automatic) didn’t have frame horns so there wasn’t a clearance issue with those. The body carried the rear of the engine/trans mounting, like a bus or 911/912.
His claim was that it was simpler to deal with than the Autostick, but I very much doubt that, since the Autostick is itself pretty basic, people just like to throw their hands up and run away because its slightly different from the usual. At its core, its still fundamentally based around the regular VW transmission and is certainly far less complicated than Chrysler’s semiautos or any moden auto
I never owned an Autostick, but I understand that the biggest issues were keeping the oil fresh and clean (to keep from gumming up the system) and not resting your hand on the gearshift causing the clutch to disengage. Beyond that, I think you’re right that there’s not much really to go wrong.