Sixty years ago, a multimedia phenomenon swept America, and indeed, the world. People have now spent years laughing at them, but The Monkees were everywhere in the fall of 1966. They were a hit television show. They were a band that (kind of) generated multiple hit records, and were featured in fan magazines and public appearances everywhere. They also drove around in a unique customized Pontiac GTO that became known as The Monkeemobile. Every reader of a certain age remembers it. But did you know that there were (and still are) two of them?
I recently listened to an audio version of a 2024 book by Eric Lefkowitz, entitled “Monkee Business”. It is an excellent read for anyone interested in pop culture or pop music of the mid 1960’s. The book tells the story of how a couple of young television producers decided to make a television show about a rock and roll band. The pair put out a casting call and got two musicians (Peter Tork and Mike Nesmith) and two actors (Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones) to play the parts.
The new group (often derisively called The Prefab Four) eventually gelled into an actual, working band, if with a lot of internal drama among the four members who had widely divergent skill levels and musical tastes. For those who want a deeper dive into the group itself, I wrote about them (here) and how, against all odds, and in fits and starts, they learned that the goodwill created with fans in their early days grew enough to support them for the rest of their performing lives. Today, Micky Dolenz (who turned 81 on March 8th) is the sole member still living.
But we do not come to The Curbide for retro music or pop culture – at least not primarily. We are here for the cars. And it occurred to me after I wrote about The Monkees, that the book went into very little about The Monkeemobile. I am here to address that failing.
When Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider (the duo eventually responsible for a series of hit films including Easy Rider) were planning the television show that would become The Monkees, they determined that a customized car would be a big plus. That was the heyday of big ticket customs for television, including for The Munsters and Batman. Customizer Dean Jeffries had contacts with Screen Gems Television and was approached about designing a car for the new show. Jeffries was also under contract with Model Products Company (MPC), a manufacturer of model kits, to design custom options for those models. Jeffries told MPC head George Toteff what he had been approached to do, and Toteff, in turn, contacted his friend Jim Wangers at Pontiac.
Wangers eventually became famous in his role as evangelist for the Pontiac GTO, so it was natural that he would suggest that car as the basis for a Monkees custom. This series of conversations led to a big agreement in which Pontiac would supply two cars to be customized for the show, along with multiple additional stock GTOs for The Monkees themselves and for members of the production team. Jeffries would be responsible for the design and fabrication of two custom Monkeemobiles, and MPC would get the rights to sell model kits and toy versions of the cars.
Before we get into the specific versions of the Monkeemobile, we must note that sources about the history and disposition of the various versions of the Monkeemobile are all over the place, without a single really good and complete one to rely upon. Accordingly, I have sifted through multiple websites trying to sort out fact from fiction or error and what follows is my my best educated understanding of the various Monkeemobiles and what has happened to them over the past six decades. The same goes for photos of the various cars, which have appeared with different trim colors and details at different points of time.
The first car built was for use on the show. Jeffries gave the car an exaggerated front end, and did the same with the rear, even adding a drag chute between the taillights. The interior got bucket seats in place of the rear bench, but a third-row bench was installed in what had formerly been the trunk. A touring car-style convertible top was added, along with a “Monkees” logo on the side, and there it was. Some sources indicate that Pontiac and General Motors had some thoughts on what these customized GTO’s should look like, and that Jeffries’ vision was not close to GM’s ideas at all. But Jeffries decided that his contract was with the show and not with Pontiac, and acted accordingly, leaving Wangers to manage any corporate fallout.
Mechanically, a GMC 6-71 blower was added for more power. The rear suspension was a solidly mounted axle with weight added to the back of the car to make for easy wheelies. This suspension and extra power proved a mistake because the car was quite hard to control. The supercharger was soon replaced with a dummy version to get the power back down to something manageable.
This car (which became known as Monkeemobile No. 1) was used in filming the show. After the show left the air in the spring of 1968, the car remained in use as a promotional tool for the band as it toured. It accompanied the band to a show in Melbourne, Australia. Or was supposed to – one source says that the car did not get to its destination until the band had moved on to other stops on the tour, which concluded in Japan. By the fall of 1968, Monkeemania was cooling in the U.S. and the decision was evidently made to leave the car in Australia. It was apparently put on display at several locations over the next year or so, then vanished. It has been reported that Dean Jeffries made some efforts to bring it back to the U.S., but that the combination of long distance and red tape prevented this from happening.
The car was not sighted again until it turned up in Puerto Rico in the 80’s as a hotel courtesy car, and may have gotten a coat of pink paint somewhere along the line. The car next appeared in 1992 as part of a government foreclosure auction of the hotel chain. An anonymous man in the New York vicinity learned of it and contacted the GTO Association of America, which informed him that he had located Monkeemobile No. 1. That person made the minimum $5,000 bid and had the car shipped from Puerto Rico to New York. The car required some paint and a general freshening up, but was in remarkably good condition otherwise and was used in a 1997 Monkees reunion show. A March 1, 2012 article at northjersey.com (archived here) related that in the intervening years, the anonymous bidder had shared ownership with nieces and nephews, who enjoyed occasionally driving and showing the car in Bergen County, NJ. This appears to be where that car still resides.
Monkeemobile No. 2 was built with a more conventional chassis and was transported all around the country for promotional appearances, which the band made regularly during breaks from filming the show. Car No. 2 was eventually purchased by George Barris, who made some minor updates and modifications before giving the car a major restoration in 2006-07.
George Barris’ involvement has led to a lot of confusion about these cars, with many believing that Barris had designed the original. This impression was probably not corrected by Barris displaying the No. 2 car outside of his shop for several years.
Car No. 2 was sold through Barrett-Jackson for $360,000 in 2008 to a collector in Michigan named Mel Guthrie. That Detroit-area collector appears to have still owned the car as recently as August, 2024. It has been reported that Car 2 was also distinguished from Car 1 by a somewhat smaller door logo and being equipped with air conditioning.
In its current state, car No. 2 appears to have an interior and a roof that is closer to white than the original, along with a stereo system that is likely more elaborate than anything envisioned in 1966.
One car has been referred to at least once as Monkeemobile No. 3. That car was apparently created by George Barris some time after the other two cars were in private hands. It differs from the Jeffries-created versions in a few respects, mainly in the use of a 350 V8 and a caramel-colored interior in place of the original cars’ off-white. That car spent several years in Barris museums and was auctioned in 2018 by Mecum.
There has also been at least one “tribute car”, one that was claimed to have been built under Dean Jeffries’ supervision in anticipation of the Monkees’ 45th anniversary in 2011. Jeffries passed away in May, 2013 at the age of 80. We could call this Monkeemobile No. 4, (though at least one source listing it for sale called it Monkeemobile No. 3) and it is probably the easiest to identify because of the bold yellow trim around the grilles. This one appears to have been auctioned in the UK by Hagerty in 2022. Unless that was the Barris car (No. 3). Some information indicates that Barris added the yellow trim (among other changes) to Car No. 2 (before it was restored) and to his own No. 3.
Which would mean that the photo with the yellow trim is of the Barris No. 3 car and that this photo is of the “other” No. 3 car made with Jeffries’ input. This photo, in which Jeffries is claimed to be the man on the right, would suggest that this is the “non-Barris” No. 3 car. What is clear is that The Monkees’ recording sessions have been the beneficiaries of far better documentation than the various versions of Monkeemobiles have seen.
There have been a handful of tribute cars that have been made in later years, in various degrees of authenticity. But we should note that the most common Monkeemobile would be one of the reported 7 million kits made and sold by MPC. Perhaps some of our readers have owned one of those.
In the end, the Monkeemobile has been much like The Monkees themselves – nobody in the car hobby has cared enough about these cars to do a thorough documentation or a definitive history. But there has been a constant interest from fans to keep these cars alive and loved and at least occasionally available for public view, where they always please a crowd. Perhaps 2026 would be a great time for someone to bring these cars together to celebrate their (and The Monkees’) 60th anniversary. But until that happens, this little thumbnail history will have to do.
Oh look that formal finish of the roof line. A car for the real important. Is it “padded”, too?
A pre-teen me enjoyed the Monkees; I still have the Husky (the small size ‘Corgi’ models) Monkeemobile, pretty much intact. Obscure fact: in the ’70s Mickey Dolenz was the creator and voice of ‘Metal Mickey’.
The Monkees are a treasure trove of obscure facts. Like that Mike Nesmith wrote Linda Ronstadt’s early hit “Different Drum”.
My favorite Monkees trivia: Peter Tork learned about the Monkees casting call from his friend Stephen Stills, who also auditioned but was rejected. Just as well, as Stills later did fine for himself in Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young. But in an alternate universe, “For What it’s Worth (Stop, hey, what’s that sound?)” and “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” could have been Monkees songs, which they so aren’t.
To continue on that thread; as The Monkees started to rebel against their being just a front for (essentially) The Wrecking Crew studio musicians, the show’s music producer Don Kirshner wanted to show them up. So he got a song (or commissioned it) from Jeff Barry and Andy Kim, and created a totally fictitious band to perform it. Sugar, Sugar by The Archies.
The Monkees (at least in name) also had great success with songs written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, as well as a few by Neil Diamond, including ‘A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You’, ‘Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)’ and what could arguably be described as The Monkees biggest hit: ‘I’m a Believer’.
The Wrecking Crew rarely knew who they were actually playing for, not that that’s always a bad thing. Charlie Manson also failed the audition for the Monkees, though I doubt he had worse teeth than Stills. When the Monkees were occasionally permitted to contribute, ‘Circle Sky’ and ‘You Just Might Be the One’ were especially excellent. They were better actors than musicians, true.
The Monkees were the first rock band to get a Moog synthesiser on record, they played a large part in starting country rock and in a way were responsible for MTV…so not a totally disposable pop group. The Australian connection with the Monkeemobile is an interesting one that I’d not heard before, a couple of years later there was an aborted attempt at a Monkees style tv show in Australia, called ‘Once Upon a Twilight’ it starred the band The Twilights (with Glen Shorack later of Little River Band on vocals) they got around in a vintage open top car, the Monkeemobile was way way cooler…..
What a great deep dive. I had always simply assumed that the Monkeemobile was a George Barris creation. It seems that Barris would have been happy with my false assumption.
The story of the initial version of Monkeemobile 1 is fascinating. A “difficult to control” car with a lot of power, set up to pop wheelies…used in filming? What a terror, and easy to see why that got tamed before long. On the other hand, imagine creating a very real car for a TV show? Nowadays they’d just cgi the thing and call it a day.
Thanks Jeff! I had always assumed that it was a Barris job too. One source I came across related that there was some bad blood between Barris and Jeffries, and if that is true, we can be pretty sure that the Monkeemobile was wrapped up in that, whether as cause or effect.
It occurred to me just how much astroturfing (to use a modern phrase) occurred in boosting the Monkees TV show and band by how much money got put into just the car. And isn’t it true that NOBODY did PR back then better than Pontiac.
Dean Jeffries was an amazing character who did work for Barris in the 50s as a pinstriper. He did the lettering on most Indycars in the 60s. Besides the Monkeemobile he also created the Green Hornet Black Beauty car. He was a stunt driver who broke his back driving a large truck over a jump for a movie and he never went to the hospital but designed his own back brace.
He did not like George Barris because of him taking credit for others work. Insiders knew that Sam Barris was the creative part of that organization and George was the promoter.
As a 10 year old I would watch the Monkees every week just to catch a glimpse of this car.
Thanks for this background – I am not very well versed in the custom car landscape of that time. But I did watch that show every week. I could tell that the basic car was a GTO and thought it was cool how they put a Model T-style touring car roof on it.
There is a book out there about Dean Jeffries, expect to pay dearly as it is out of print. Plenty of pictures of the Monkeemobile in there as a work in progress. Too many details to mention except that his shop became a hang out for movie actors like James Garner and others who were into cars. Everybody treated each as people not celebrities so that was the draw as well as car talk.
There was also a Kelloggs cereal promotion done which tied into the Monkees. Might have included a small plastic GTO in the box, you would have to read about that in a Jim Wangers book.
I didn’t know that Jim Wangers was involved with the Monkeemobile, but it’s not surprising in the least, considering that he was the point man between Pontiac and McManus, John, and Adams on the GTO’s massive (and stunningly effective) marketing campaign from the start. It was that collaboration, alone, that goes a long way to the general consensus of the GTO being the first musclecar.
I’d even go so far to say that Wangers was every bit as integral to the success of the GTO as John DeLorean, someone with whom he worked hand-in-hand.
It’s great to see a JPC byline again, Jim.
6 year old me was becoming more car aware by the day, and I knew that the Monkeemobile was a Pontiac GTO, but I had forgotten just how Krazy this Kustom was! – and apparently, the original wasn’t a “Kustom” at all.
Like others, I had always assumed it was designed by the same guy that did the Batmobile, but alas no.
Thanks for the deep dive, and great write up, JP.
As a side note: Pontiac must not have been TOO upset by this custom. It almost predicts the ’68 GTO with that plastic fantastic front end. Maybe they drew a little inspiration here? – eh, probably not. The ’68 GTO was probably all sorted out before The Monkees ever even aired, considering design cycles and all…
Thanks Rick! This turned out to be a deeper dive than I was expecting, with every source raising as many questions as it gave answers. This project might have gone more quickly had I cheated and used AI, but I kept my research old school. 🙂
I’ve long been a fan of the Monkees’ music but have only seen a few episodes of the TV show, and didn’t even realize the Monkeemobile occasionally referenced was a custom car. None of them really work for me – the 1960s bodywork clashes with the 1920s-style top and split windshield.
I think the car is so wrapped into my childhood infatuation with the group/show/music that I have lost the ability to look at this thing objectively as a design.
The other funny thing about the pre-fab four Monkees was how they wanted to write their own material and try and be a real group. They eventually did write but this disturbed Hollywood so much they decided on just eliminating the actors and replacing them with cartoon characters who didn’t act up. The Archies was the result and they did have one big hit Sugar Sugar.
There is currently one on display with a gto collection over the past year, and about to end, at the Saratoga auto museum in Saratoga springs ny… Dont know which number or build version… I live about two hours away, maybe ill take a ride up and check it ou before they change out the display…
I think it is the Barris-built No. 3 that is at that museum, or at least that is the claim on their website. It appears to sport a “Barris Kustoms” logo on the fender behind the front wheel. It may have been reupholstered and re-roofed – other photos I have seen of the Barris No. 3 had a caramel colored roof and interior. This looks closer to the original off-white.
I remember watching it on reruns in the mid ’80s and even 11-year-old me thought that it would make more sense in-story for them to have a hand-painted 1948 panel truck.
Don’t know about laughing at them…we have laughed with them for 60 years says someone who got his granny to knit the Mike Nesmith hat in the correct shade if green! Interesting article nonetheless
I was a teenager in the 1960s, liked much of the music at the time, never a fan of the TV/movie car customs. The Monkeemobile, Green Lantern Imperial, Batmobile. I will never forgive Barris for what he did to the beautiful Lincoln Futura. As a young child in the 1950s I was allowed to sit in the Futura at an auto show. In my little suite & tie, I pushed forward and climbed up on the stage to touch the Futura. The female model showing the car allowed me to sit in it. Leaving the auto show Dad gave me hell but it remains a clear memory I will always cherish. Pux on Barris.
That transition from Futura to Batmobile has to be one of the strangest story in the history of cars.
Thanks for this. I’m not a Monkees fan at all, but found this very interesting… all new knowledge to me.
I guess the apex of Monkeemobile research would be to find a picture of Car #1 in its pink Puerto Rico hotel livery. I have a tough time picturing that one!
Also, Car #2 has air conditioning? Is it just me, or does this design not really lend itself to being air-conditioned?
I tried finding a picture of the car in pink paint, but struck out. And yes, the air conditioning thing is a head scratcher, but then again I sometimes drove my Miata on hot summer days with the top down and the a/c blowing cold air in my face.
I too remember the Monkees, they were derided by all those who were ‘serious’ about music but I enjoyed them as a child and watched the silly TV show at times too .
Good memories all told .
-Nate
I think that among people who know music, the Monkees get more respect now than they used to.
To give Barris his due on this one, he did state the Monkeemobile in his possession was designed by Jeffries in 1974, in the book ‘Cars of the Stars’ written by Jack Scagnetti in close collaboration with Barris. The book also shows a custom GTO of Barris Kustom’s own making; ‘Fuzz’ from the TV special ‘Romp’.
There is a custom (and a show) I have never heard of.
I’m glad to see these Monkeesmobiles are still with us and there’s more lucky than the Chevrolet Superior school bus used in the Partridge Famiy although some people created some copy-cats of that school bus.
I’ve always loved seeing the Monkeemobile appear in an episode of the show, it seemed so out there to young me! Had the Corgi diecast which was so cool. Now every summer I get to see the original Monkeemobile at a local car show here in Bergen County, how awesome is that!
Close up, so cool!
The Monkeemobile also makes a (topless) appearance in the video for “Black Planet” by goth pioneers The Sisters of Mercy.
Great write-up of that video shoot by Robert Webb here, the guy Barris entrusted to deliver and oversee the car:
http://robertwebb.com/som.htm
Of interest, band frontman Andrew Eldritch didn’t even know how to drive at the time, so most shots with him behind the wheel were actually conducted with the car on a flatbed trailer hidden just out of the camera frame, but by the second day of shooting he’d learned well enough to get a few brief shots of him actually driving the car on the road.
Not sure which version this is at the Orlando Auto Museum…
Here’s
the front end.
Hey ik its in a different post but I have your old 1968 chrysler newport, same color, same rust spots, A/C, and same wheels. If you want it or if you have any info on the car id be interested, I bought it yesterday and I just seen your post about it today, and I was looking up colors for what the car is and your post popped up and it blew my mind that this is the car you had
The car was hideous then and it is hideous now.