Meet the man who provided vintage cars for Glasgow filming of Borderland

When it came to sourcing vintage motors to set the nostalgic scene, producers turned to Robert Fraser from Bearsden who is a long-time enthusiast and collector of classic cars.

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Pictured: Robert Fraser in his Mercedes 500sl

He said: “My father had a Ford Zodiac Mark II back in the 1960s he used to spend hours working on which is how my interest started.

“I have such a passion for older cars, I love messing about with them until they’re running exactly how they should.

“I have around 12 in total now.

“Most people think I’m totally nuts.”

Pictured: Robert's Father's Ford Zodiac in the 1960s

The retired British Airways worker now owns a stunning collection ranging from an olive-green Mercedes w123 300D to a compact 1963 Austin Mini, making it no surprise that movie bosses were keen to enlist his help for the film.

Speaking of the experience he said: “It was so exciting for me to see my cars used in a film.

“I didn’t realise just how much work goes into getting just a few seconds of what will be on screen.

“It took days to get one scene right, it’s such an interesting process.”

Pictured: Borderland filming in Glasgow city centre Picture: Colin Mearns (Image: newsquest)

It wasn’t just two of his prized possessions that were given a cameo role in the flick.

Knowing that older models can be tricky to drive Robert himself jumped behind the wheel and received a full retro makeover in the process.

He said: “They sent me to get makeup and put a wig on me because my hair was too short.

“I was dressed in a corduroy jacket with massive lapels that looked like the wings of an aircraft carrier.

“There were a few other guys with vintage car collections there I was joked with saying ‘I’m sure I have some clothes like this in my wardrobe from back in the day.’"

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Pictured: A Mercedes w123 300D is part of Robert's collection

Although Borderland was Robert’s first experience of stepping onto a working set, a number of his cars have previously been used for big-budget films.

Recently, a 60-year-old white mini appeared in the Netflix hit A Castle for Christmas, although upon closer inspection of the end result it appeared hidden behind a closed garage door.

“At least I knew it was there” he laughs gamely.

Taking a larger role in a Hollywood favourite was an elegant grey Zodiac which would soon lead to a touching encounter between Robert and the film’s lead actress.

Pictured: Robert now own two Ford Zodiacs

He said: “My Zodiac was in Saving Mr Banks a few years ago which starred Emma Thompson.

“Sometime later when I was working on a flight from LA, she was a passenger and was such good fun.

“She said she remembered the car and when we landed, she stopped, turned to me and said ‘Now Robert, make sure to look after that Zodiac!’”

While the glitz and glamour have made for some entertaining anecdotes, for Robert owning a collection that he has devoted years of work to is about so much more than just five seconds of fame.

Pictured: Robert's 1963 and 1993 Minis

He said:“I think it’s a nostalgia thing really.

“I’m 64 now and I often find myself looking back to a time when life was a little slower

“My career could often be quite busy and a great way to destress was to head out for a drive in one of the cars.

“No music, no one else with me, just going for a drive.

“There’s a sense of nostalgia that the smells and the feeling of driving an old car give you.

“It's so much more than just the mechanics.

“Having the cars used in Borderland was a great way to connect with people who felt the same."