Dean Jeffries Builds The Monkee Mobile

   

Dean Jeffries Builds The Monkee Mobile
      In 1966 Dean Jeffries builds, NBC's

 The Monkees TV Show car.                                                             

      Dean Jeffries, is expecting, Pontiac,

  to drop off, a new 1966 Pontiac GTO

  convertible, at his, Jeffries Styling

  Studio. It comes and he starts, to

  transform it in The Monkee Mobile.

       It has a two-speed Turbine 300 

  automatic transmission.

       Jeffries tear down, of the rear half,

  includes: removes, rear seat, rear deck

  panel, trunk floor, rear window frame,

  convertible top hardware, interior

  trim and bumper. The purpose, is to

  create The Monkees open, threefold 

  cabin, extended body. Cutting open 

  the trunk, to form, the third row.

  Jeffries, cuts, the trunk bulkhead,

  the trunk floor, and rear support.

  structure. He then extends the cabin.

  rearward, building a bench seat. This

  is where; the former trunk was. He,

  reinforces, the floor sides. It creates,

  The Monkees, signature, long, open

  interior. 

      Jeffries installs a fuel cell, inside

  the gas tank.                                                                 

      Chassis and suspension for

  wheelies. Jeffries, modifies the 

  chassis, for TV stunts. He, solid 

  mounts the rear differential, with no

  springs, with ballast, to the rear. 

  Reinforces frame rails, adjust, pinion

  angle, for upward lift, capable of, 

  wheelies for camera.

  With blower, it had 500 horsepower.

  Nesmith said it drove like a tank,

  It had, no driving power to the rear 

  wheels. The problem, was a stock

  two-speed, automatic transmission,

  was not, allowing, the wheels to turn.

   All Jeffries had to do; is change the

   transmission, to either a three-speed

   automatic, or a standard stick shift.

   Then Jeffries, wouldn't go through

   all the work, as stated below.

      So, Jeffries, removes the rotors, in 

   the blower, installs a single plane      

   carburetor manifold, fabricates, an

   adapter plate, to mate, with

   carburetor, to blower housing on top

   of blower, for visual effect. He seals

   shaft opening to prevent debris entry.

   This causes, a vacuum leak, with the

   rotors removed. The Duesenberg 

   headers, on the sides of the blower,

   that hook into the megaphone pipes;

   on top the blower, is a Enderle,

   three-injector scoop, is blacked out, 

   that match the blacked-out grills.

      Jeffries has open slots on both 

   front fenders, after the front wheel

   wells, are panels, to slip, the

   megaphones pipes, into the ends of

   the Duesenberg, ribbed, tubes, of

   the headers. These are held in place, 

   with brackets to prevent vibration,

   during filming.

      Jeffries hand-formed all custom

   body panels. The GTO, silhouette,

   is reshaped, into the iconic Monkee

   Mobile. It has a stock, wood, inserts

   Pontiac, three pong steering wheel.

   The Pontiac T bar, shift handle,

    with console, is nice touch, with

    the tan seats. 

      He extends the front nose, to

   18-inches long; made from 

    fiberglass. Along with, new sheet

    metal, he forms the front fenders.

    He removes the front bumper.

      He adds, new French headlights

    of glass, shaped in ovals, to the left,

    and right sides, of the GTO grills.

      The windshield is cut and tilt,

    upward, split into two-pieces. 

    Chrome trim, between the two,

    holds the two windshields as

    one. It also has to glass mirrors,

    on the sides, of windshield frame.

    to look out of, in the left and right

    doors. 

       In the rear, extended quarter 

    panels, are, radiused wheel wells.

    Underneath is round six taillights,

    over the full taillight

    reflector, is taillight lenses.

       Dean Jeffries, applies, his

    signature, "Lipstick Red", to 

    The Monkee Mobile. 

       From the top of the front

    fenders to the rear; pinstripes

    in light tan, that matches, 

    The Monkee Mobiles' seats.

     But the original, Monkee 

     Mobile; had a black, dashboard,

     not light tan.

       The blower is yellow, to match,

    The Monkees TV Show lettering.

       The chrome base has a chrome

    radiator line. Above is a gold tire

    with gold wings, as the hood 

    ornament.

        The brakes are stock hydraulic

    drum brakes on all four wheels.

        The four tires are: Goodyear

    Blue Streak, tires, with blue

    pinstripes.

         It uses, Cragar SS Diamond

    five spoke, mag wheels, with

    four Cragar SS three prong,

    knock off caps.  

         The Monkee Mobile, has a  

    NASCAR, fuel cell in the gas

    tank. Above looking out,

    the back of The Monkee 

    Mobile, there's a NASCAR,

    chrome gas cap, to fill, it with

    gas, for their many adventures. 

         The Monkee Mobile, has 

    four locking, chrome locking,

    NASCAR, hood locks, to

    keep its hood securely tight

    for safety.

         This has, stock exhaust,  

    with tail pipes, and two

    mufflers. 

         The Monkee Mobile, had

    rivets, with snaps, to snap,

    the canvas, touring vinyl

    covered top for weather

    conditions.

         Dean Jeffries, comes out

    of his shop: Jeffries Styling 

    Studio, when finished 

    building, the Monkee 

    Mobile. He has a red

   and white parachute, used

    in Kellogg's, commercials 

    with The Monkees. He pops

    the parachute, in my top

    picture, taken, 60 years ago,

    in 1966. Later on, Jeffries, 

    would, replace that parachute, 

    with a yellow one,

    to match, the yellow blower

    on The Monkee Mobile. 

        Why did Dean Jeffries,

    paint the front of the Enderle

    three injector, three-baffles

    scoop black? Think 1941 

    Willys drag cars, with blowers,

    injectors and competition scoops.

    Look, at the megaphone pipes; 

    Don't, they, look like megaphone

    pipes, used on 1941 Willys drag cars? 

    Yes, is the answer.

                                          Customx