Bobby Darin's dream car

Be interesting to know what all the switches and buttons are for.........................

What a blind spot? Therefore they made the rear roof all glass?.

1960....The Bobby Darin "Dream Car”;

This exotic luxury car was built by Bobby Darin’s friend, Andrew Di Dia, a Detroit clothing designer.
It took seven years to build (1953-1960) at a cost of $93,647 in 1957.
Darin told Di Dia he would buy the car if he ever “hit it big."
He did and bought the car for $150,000 (1.5 million today) in 1961.
The car is powered by a 427 high-performance Ford engine with a 125-inch wheelbase.
Its metallic red paint was made with 30 coats of ground diamonds for sparkle.

Darin donated the car to the St. Louis Museum of Transportation in 1970 where it remains.

http://www.bobbydarin.net/dreamcar.html

I know that Bobby Darin had a lot of health issues. I suspect that he must have taken a lot of pain medication.

This is what gets me

"Its metallic red paint was made with 30 coats of ground diamonds for sparkle."

aussiesmg wrote: Darin donated the car to the St. Louis Museum of Transportation in 1970 where it remains.

Yep. I saw it in person there in the late '80s. That is one hell of an interesting museum - all sorts of oddball stuff. They have at least 1 of these rarities:

aussiesmg wrote: This is what gets me "Its metallic red paint was made with 30 coats of ground diamonds for sparkle."

I really want to see this paint. Best bassboat EVAR.

My understanding is it was actually built by the Clarkaiser custom car shop in Detroit for Andy Didia, and he somehow hooked up with Bobby Darin for publicity. There's some more information on the car along with photos on Rik Hoving's custom car archive website at http://public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_car_photos/beautiful_custom_cars/clarkaiser_custom_cars/didia-150/

I have a strong urge to do that to a Miata...

Duke wrote:

^That right there is berkeleying awesome.

GM Aerotrain. I absolutely love that it looks like they took the cabin off a '56 Fleetwood and stuck it on top.

I've seen it at the museum as well. I have to say it looks better in person.

Am I the only one who sees a more than passing resemblance here?

The Aerotrain, however, is spectacular. Trains used to be far more visually interesting....

aussiesmg wrote: This is what gets me "Its metallic red paint was made with 30 coats of ground diamonds for sparkle."

I didn't think Ford made a 427 in 1960. Seems a few years early to me.

I think it's kinda neat in a "concept cars of that era" kind of way.

gamby wrote: I didn't think Ford made a 427 in 1960. Seems a few years early to me.

They didn't. The 427 debuted in 1963. So...could be the article got the range of years wrong. Could be that they're wrong about the size of the engine entirely. Could be that the builder got his hands on a 390 crank (debuted in 61, and same stroke as the 427) late in the project and bored out the block. But I'd guess one of the first 2 options is more likely.