Post by Tod on Nov 14, 2009 12:53:16 GMT -8
Built by Dean Jeffries and his sidekick Dick Dean from a 1966 Pontiac GTO convertible
Two cars were built for the NBC TV show "The Monkees" in the span of 4 weeks
Car #1 to be used mostly in the TV show
Car #2 to be used as stunt car but used on the car show circuit
Both cars were base-engine 389 four-barrels with automatic transmissions
Both cars from Pontiac were originally silver/blue metalic in color
Both cars would end up being used in the TV series
As an example; Car #1 in episode 33 and #2 in episode 39
Car #1 has a larger door logo, different color blower flaps (blacked out) and different belt cover than the #2 which has the smaller logo and red colored flaps. Belt cover ribs are farther apart
Both measure around 20 feet long
Two front and two rear bucket seats as well as a third row bench seat are used
The seats are cream tan vinyl
The carpet is wine-brown in color
Stewart Warner gauges fill up the dash
A permanent hardtop was built to resemble a convertible top and covered in tan orlon to match the tan vinyl upholstry.
Two people could unbolt the top and lift it off the car
Outside the car, all chrome was removed including door handles
Front and rear sheet metal was hand formed by Dean Jeffries and Dick Dean.
No fiberglass was used
Square CIBIE headlights brought over from France were used in front
Taillight covers frabricated especially for the car were used over factory assembly
Thirty coats of Candy Wine Burgundy paint were laid on and hand rubbed
The car rests on Goodyear 900x15 tires in the rear and Goodyear 650x15's in the front
Crager SS wheels with center knock-off caps lay inside the tires
Power comes from a 389 cubic inch Pontiac engine
Dummy blower set up is used to cover carbs
Rear axel is solidly mounted
Factory windshield was cut and tilted forward and a chrome piece was added to the center to give the illusion of a taller split windshield
The aft portion of the front wheel wells were lengthened to allow the non-functional chrome exhaust trumpets to protrude
Functional exhaust exits just ahead of the rear wheels
A trailer hitch was added to the car with the intention of pulling a trailer that would open up so that the band could perform on it.
Even though the trailer was built, it was never used in the show. Hitch was later removed
Car #1 was taken to Australia to help with promotions on the 1968 Monkees concert tour. For some reason, the car did not travel on with the tour and was left there. Dean Jeffries made the attempt to retrieve the car but was unsuccessful
The car would later appear in Puerto Rico as a hotel courtesy car. It is still a mystery on how it ended up there
In 1992, it would sell at government auction for $5,000 when the hotel went out of business
Car #1 is now in the safe hands of a private collector on the East coast
Car #1 can be seen from time to time at collector shows
Car #1 was used for the 1/18 scale diecast. (note the use of the door logo which is reversed on the right door)
Car #1 was used in 1997 for the Monkees TV special and on display in 2001 for the Petersen Automotive Museum "Cars And Guitars Of Rock & Roll" exhibit
Car #2 was acquired by George Barris at end of The Monkees TV series after Dean Jeffries declined to purchase the cars back from NBC
Car #2 was auctioned off in September of 1983 for $26,000. The winning bidder never appeared to pay for the car
Car #2 was used as part of the TV Land display
Car #2 was seen in the "She's gotta have it" episode of the TV show Wings along with Peter Tork
Car #2 was fully restored & modernized by Mike Gray and his team in 2006 for the 40th Anniversary of The Monkees
Car #2 was auctioned off by George Barris through Barrett-Jackson on January 19, 2008 for the winning bid of $360,000
This car is now owned by a private individual in SE Michigan
Two cars were built for the NBC TV show "The Monkees" in the span of 4 weeks
Car #1 to be used mostly in the TV show
Car #2 to be used as stunt car but used on the car show circuit
Both cars were base-engine 389 four-barrels with automatic transmissions
Both cars from Pontiac were originally silver/blue metalic in color
Both cars would end up being used in the TV series
As an example; Car #1 in episode 33 and #2 in episode 39
Car #1 has a larger door logo, different color blower flaps (blacked out) and different belt cover than the #2 which has the smaller logo and red colored flaps. Belt cover ribs are farther apart
Both measure around 20 feet long
Two front and two rear bucket seats as well as a third row bench seat are used
The seats are cream tan vinyl
The carpet is wine-brown in color
Stewart Warner gauges fill up the dash
A permanent hardtop was built to resemble a convertible top and covered in tan orlon to match the tan vinyl upholstry.
Two people could unbolt the top and lift it off the car
Outside the car, all chrome was removed including door handles
Front and rear sheet metal was hand formed by Dean Jeffries and Dick Dean.
No fiberglass was used
Square CIBIE headlights brought over from France were used in front
Taillight covers frabricated especially for the car were used over factory assembly
Thirty coats of Candy Wine Burgundy paint were laid on and hand rubbed
The car rests on Goodyear 900x15 tires in the rear and Goodyear 650x15's in the front
Crager SS wheels with center knock-off caps lay inside the tires
Power comes from a 389 cubic inch Pontiac engine
Dummy blower set up is used to cover carbs
Rear axel is solidly mounted
Factory windshield was cut and tilted forward and a chrome piece was added to the center to give the illusion of a taller split windshield
The aft portion of the front wheel wells were lengthened to allow the non-functional chrome exhaust trumpets to protrude
Functional exhaust exits just ahead of the rear wheels
A trailer hitch was added to the car with the intention of pulling a trailer that would open up so that the band could perform on it.
Even though the trailer was built, it was never used in the show. Hitch was later removed
Car #1 was taken to Australia to help with promotions on the 1968 Monkees concert tour. For some reason, the car did not travel on with the tour and was left there. Dean Jeffries made the attempt to retrieve the car but was unsuccessful
The car would later appear in Puerto Rico as a hotel courtesy car. It is still a mystery on how it ended up there
In 1992, it would sell at government auction for $5,000 when the hotel went out of business
Car #1 is now in the safe hands of a private collector on the East coast
Car #1 can be seen from time to time at collector shows
Car #1 was used for the 1/18 scale diecast. (note the use of the door logo which is reversed on the right door)
Car #1 was used in 1997 for the Monkees TV special and on display in 2001 for the Petersen Automotive Museum "Cars And Guitars Of Rock & Roll" exhibit
Car #2 was acquired by George Barris at end of The Monkees TV series after Dean Jeffries declined to purchase the cars back from NBC
Car #2 was auctioned off in September of 1983 for $26,000. The winning bidder never appeared to pay for the car
Car #2 was used as part of the TV Land display
Car #2 was seen in the "She's gotta have it" episode of the TV show Wings along with Peter Tork
Car #2 was fully restored & modernized by Mike Gray and his team in 2006 for the 40th Anniversary of The Monkees
Car #2 was auctioned off by George Barris through Barrett-Jackson on January 19, 2008 for the winning bid of $360,000
This car is now owned by a private individual in SE Michigan
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