Book Review – 50 fabulous years in hot rods…
Review by Russell Purcell
The emergence of both television and film over the last half-century helped cultivate a segment of the car culture that attracts some of the most talented and creative individuals to ever draw a sketch, engineer a solution, or turn a wrench. Most of us have heard of George Barris, and the proliferation of cable television and the two-hundred-channel universe is giving similar star power to men like the late Boyd Coddington and Chip Foose. All three of these men are masters of self-promotion. Marketing machines. While this may be beneficial for their bank accounts, it also tends to detract from the work that initially put them on the map. By many accounts, the greatest custom car builder of them all is a self-educated native Californian named Dean Jeffries. A man who is often overlooked due to his desire to enjoy a private life, but who is lauded for his drive to think outside the box and really explore the depths of his imagination.
Automotive writer Tom Cotter tackles the biography of American automotive icon Dean Jeffries in his latest book, Dean Jeffries – 50 fabulous years in hot rods, racing & film. Jeffries is, without a doubt, one of the most influential characters to ever turn his attention to the automobile. His designs like the GTO-based Monkeemobile and the Green Hornet’s Black Beauty became stars in their own right, almost overpowering the actors whenever they rolled onto the screen. His Hollywood shop attracted celebrity car guys like Steve McQueen, James Dean and James Garner. If these three liked what you were doing, you knew you were on the right track.
Speaking of tracks, Jeffries’ business exploded onto the grid at Indianapolis in the 1960s and 1970s, as his unique paint schemes, striping and lettering helped make the cars look quick even while standing still, as well as bring a sense of marketing and flair to a sport that would take off with the emergence of television. This wouldn’t go unnoticed, and soon he was painting cars from other racing disciplines like Carroll Shelby’s Cobras and the awesome Scarabs of the same generation.
Unlike some of his more flamboyant rivals, like George Barris, Jeffries has always let his body of incredible work speak for his many talents rather than a corporate marketing machine. This may be part of the reason his name is less known by the masses, but his expansive body of work, huge list of famous clients, and prominent place in automotive history prove that if you have the skills, you can pay the bills.
After leaving school early to join the army, Jeffries found himself in Germany for a year, using his skills as an artist to draw maps for the military. While overseas, Dean purchased a pre-World War II Horch for $25, as every California-born teenager needed something to cruise in. Utilizing the mechanical skills he had learned from his father, he hot-rodded his obscure German ride to the point that its raucous straight pipe exhaust almost landed him in jail. A desire to give the stalwart-looking Horch some extra curb appeal led young Jeffries to befriend an older German gentleman who taught Dean how to pinstripe, adding to the toolset that would eventually make Dean Jeffries one of the most sought-after customizers in the business.
Upon his return stateside, he would find work in a machine shop at night, which proved beneficial as he became familiar with many of the tools that would become a big part of his trade. During the day, he would hang around the shop of local legend Kenneth “Von Dutch” Howard, from whom he would learn to hone his artistic talents. This led to a job at Barris Kustoms, where Jeffries would sub-lease space in an effort to further educate himself and collaborate with George on a number of significant projects. Eventually, demand for Jeffries’ work required a need for more space, but it also signaled that he had outgrown his partnership with Barris, and needed to set up his own shop before the two found themselves competing for business under the same roof.
Dean would land in Hollywood, where a small shop on Sunset Boulevard would become his base of operations. Dean Jeffries Automotive Styling became the go-to shop for many of the big studios (and stars) when the script called for automobiles to play a role, or any type of vehicle for that matter. This would fuel the four decade-long rivalry between Jeffries and old chum George Barris that has gotten so ugly in recent years that Barris takes credit for many of Jeffries’ cars!
Aside from his one-off custom work, Dean utilized his knowledge of fibreglass to develop and produce a line of dune buggies that could be mated to the chassis of a Volkswagen Beetle. The Kyote was a success, and at its peak, Jeffries’ shop was producing two a day, while a licensing deal with an English firm delivered bodies to European customers looking for some California style.
The second half of the book focuses on some of Jeffries’ most notable creations, but I most enjoyed reading about the one that truly set him apart form his peers and rivals, that being the Mantaray. Instead of modifying an old Ford, Chevy or Chrysler, Dean chose to make this storied hotrod using a donated pair of pre-World War II Maserati Grand Prix cars, a high-performance 289 Cobra engine delivered from his pal Carroll Shelby, and a fish-inspired aluminum body. The completed car helped Jeffries garner national attention when it was unveiled on the Steve Allen Show (another perk of locating in Hollywood), and shortly after it went on to win the Tournament of Fame prize at the Grand National Roadster Show in Oakland, California. Dean had arrived, in a big way. The car was on tour for a period of almost five years, and its unique asymmetrical design garnered him awards everywhere it went.
This book brings together a collection of stories and photos that offer us a look at the unique life of a man who had the passion and drive to make his living turning his boyhood dreams into rolling realities. This book is a keeper.
www.motorbooks.com
ISBN-13: 978-0-7603-3346-4
CAN$ 49.99
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