Dobie Gills hot rod

[Willys41]

Hi all, doe's anyone remember the Dobie Gills TV show? He had a really cool hot rod built by George Barris, I purchased a 1/25 resin model of this car about 5 years ago on Ebay and have never seen it anywhere ever again. I have been looking for pictures of it so I can build up a 1/8 version of this bad boy. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Willys41


Hot Rods & Sport Cars

Dobie Gillis Hot Rod - On the sitcom THE MANY LOVES OF DOBIE GILLIS/CBS/1959-63 teenager Dobie Gillis (Dwayne Hickman) and his friends Maynard G. Krebs (Bob Denver), Zelda Gilroy (Sheila James) and millionaire Chatsworth Osborne Junior (Steve Franken) had the chance of hanging around the coolest hot rod on the planet. Renamed the XMSC-210 for the show, the car featured Halibrand Indy magnesium rear wheels, chromed fuel-dragster spoked front wheels, half gull-wing doors, white pearl Naugahyde seats and door panels. The engine sported a fully chromed blown Oldsmobile engine and a rear-chromed suspension. The exterior was painted with thirty coats of Swedish pearl white lacquer with a diamond sparkle and accented with candy tangerine panels on the rood and sides. Expert customizer, George Barris created this sleek, V-shaped TV hot rod from an existing 1930 model A Bonneville coupe originally built by Art and Lloyd Christman. The car clocked at 196 mph.

[whodaky]

The Doby Gillis coupe was actaully the Art chrisman coupe redone by George Barris. The coupe nowadays has been restored back to how the Chrisman brothers used to race it. In the link below you can see the coupe in the background.
The coupe sold recently at auction I believe.
Do a google on Art Chrisman and George Barris and you will come up with images.
From memory I think the restored coupe ( as it was raced by the Chrisman Brothers, not like the George Barris makeover ) was featured in a copy of The Rodder's Journal a couple of years ago. When I get time I will check out my copies. Also I think the Doby Gillis version was featured in one of the Gorge Barris books, I will check that out also!
Hope this helps.
Geoff aka whodaky
The NHRA Motorsport Museum: Art Chrisman's No. 25 Dragster

[whodaky]

I knew I could lay my hands on the barris book quickly. So here is some scan of the 3 images contained in the book, as well as a scan of the cover. I think this book may still be available on Amazon. I will look for the Rodders Journal article later.
Geoff aka whodaky

[hot ford coupe]

That book pops up every once in a while at Barnes and Noble.

[Willys41]

whodaky, thank you very much, I did the google on barris and Dobie and got some pic but the one you got. I was able to get a barris book but no shoots of the Gillis car.
Thanks again for your time to research this. Willys41

[Deuces-wild]

Hey guys. I just picked up the latest HOTROD "Deluxe" edition magazine (November 2008) and it has a picture of the back engined '31 Coupe that was built by the Chrisman Bros. Seems the car spent some time on the Bonneville salt flats back in the early '50's. The car was numbered 638 on the doors. Hope that helps.

[Big John]

Nice choice for a custom job. I remember that there was an old (60s) Rod and Custom or Model Car Science that listed all the different kits and aftermarket parts you would need to make a 1/24th/25th model of this car. Harder to do in the larger scale. A 32 five window coupe is not out of the question, but the nose on the Chrisman brothers car was originally two 40 ford hoods top and bottom.

Looks sweet, all the best.

John