1960 DiDia 159

[George Smolinski]

The 1960 DiDia 150 was a luxury, custom-designed iconic handmade car also known as the "Dream Car"

[TTR]

Well, some could probably consider it a “Nightmare Car” ?  🙄

What were they smoking ?
 

While I can certainly appreciate (some of) the artistry and craftsmanship that go and went into these types of “creations”(?), I tend to wonder about the practicality, if any, they have and whether anyone would actually want to drive and/or be seen driving something like this outside of entering/exiting show field to/from some transporter.
You know, random commute or 100+ mile Sunday drive. 
If the answer is no, should it even be considered a “car” ?

[John348]

I think it is cool, far from practical, but pretty cool

[58L-Y8]

I recall seeing it featured on the cover and in Custom Car magazine as well as others of the time.  Wonder if Exner influence the customizer or vice-versa. 

[Pfeil]

First time I've had to wear sunglasses using the computer.

[1937hd45]

"The Bobby Daren Car"

[Pilgrim65]

ugh !!

Looks like might suit the Addams family 

Edited August 5, 2021 by Pilgrim65 (see edit history)

[TTR]

1 hour ago, 58L-Y8 said:

I recall seeing it featured on the cover and in Custom Car magazine as well as others of the time.  Wonder if Exner influence the customizer or vice-versa. 

As far I know, Exner and his team (along with numerous other automotive designers) “toyed” with many of the features exhibited in this “thing” already in the early ‘50s. 

The problem(?) with so many (most ?) of these types of extravagant “customs” is that the proportions of the “design”(?) and it’s execution are often so much off, it makes them appear more like (hideous ?) caricatures then cars.

But hey, to each his/her own !

[JACK M]

Terms like hideous and ugg, what were they thinking, what were they smoking etc.

It is clearly a product of someone's imagination and talents and I for one think its cool.

So, tell me you would walk by it with out a glance a muttering about some P.O.S.

I would rather own this than any other car in the photo. Just cuz its different and cool. (like me) lol

[Rusty_OToole]

Designed by fashion designer Andrew DiDia and built by Ron Clark and Bob Kaiser of Clark Kaiser Customs between 1953 and 1960. Only production part on the body  is a Chrysler windshield, everything else is hand made including the chassis frame. Powered by a 365 cu in Cadillac V8. DiDia sold it to his friend, singer Bobby Darin who drove it to the Acadamy Awards in 1961. Cost $93,647.29 to build and was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most expensive custom car ever made.

Love it or hate it, you have to give DiDia credit for commissioning something spectacular, and Clark Kaiser for their work, this being the first hand made aluminum body they ever did.

[CarlLaFong]

This was the era of American space age excess like the 59 Cad, The Chromesmobile, The Exner Fins so this car dovetails right in. It might have influenced the Powell Motors Homer

Edited August 5, 2021 by CarlLaFong (see edit history)

[Robert G. Smits]

8 hours ago, George Smolinski said:

The 1960 DiDia 150

Thanks for sharing it George.  I think it is great!!!

[Pilgrim65]

Appreciate the craftsmanship  but still think it’s over the top and ugly , but each to his own 

Bobby Darin obviously liked it or did he only drive it once 

[wayne sheldon]

I kind of sort of hate to say this. But I like it.

[Guest]

Ecclesiastes 3 says  "For everything there is a season..."

It has room for your girl's beehive hairdo (which also failed to stand the test of time) but I am solidly in the approval camp with this one.

With a build cost of $93K, I'd be curious to know what Bobby Darrin paid for it?

 

[wayne sheldon]

Fashion styles come and go constantly. And it is incredible the numerous bizarre things that come around, sometimes more than once. As an antique automobile hobbyist, with interest into the styles and era as well as the cars, I have some insight into such things. Knickers were a popular style for some years during the 1920s, especially popular for sporting people. They continued to be worn by golfers into the 1950s. In the 1920s, they were popular around racing cars as well. I have several original era pair of knickers, and used to sometimes wear them (I certainly couldn't get into them today!). Knickers as a style actually go way back a couple hundred years. Military type or horseman's breaches are another thing.

Breaches and knickers actually fit an active lifestyle quite well.

 

How do I go from Bobby Darrin's car through beehive hairdos and wind up wearing knickers?

[Walt G]

We are looking at it from today's view point , 61 years later.  I am not justifying the styling! But What did cars have then - FINS, lotsa big chrome bumpers, . I remember it in Rod & Custom magazine as a kid, View it from the perspective of that year/era and try to eliminate the rubber painted bumper cars of today that look like bars of soap, or as the my British friends are fond of saying "a half sucked sweet ( piece of hard candy)" . Personal opinion is I don't really care for either. 

[George Smolinski]

5 hours ago, Robert G. Smits said:

Thanks for sharing it George.  I think it is great!!!

You, sir, are welcome!

[nickelroadster]

Just about the end of the line and the most extreme example for the styling concepts it uses.  By 1962 the world had gone back to rather "basics".  Every era seems to go a little too far with styling of just about everything.  Clothes, furniture, housing etc. all seem to go a bit much before the end of the trends

[Pfeil]

5 hours ago, GregLaR said:

Ecclesiastes 3 says  "For everything there is a season..."

It has room for your girl's beehive hairdo (which also failed to stand the test of time) but I am solidly in the approval camp with this one.

With a build cost of $93K, I'd be curious to know what Bobby Darrin paid for it?

 

What goes around comes around;

Couldn't resist this one of her Hissing!

[Rusty_OToole]

Remember the initial design was laid down in 1953, it was futuristic for that year but by the time it was completed the tailfin era was nearly over. According to Wikipedia Darin paid $150,000 for the car but I suspect that was a publicity agent's claim. DiDia and Darin were good friends and I suspect he gave him a friendly price.

[JamesR]

I think I like the front view a little better than the view George showed.  Back in the '70's and '80's, American car guys were kind of embarrassed by customs like this, but now they're fascinating artifacts from a bygone era (and culture.) I don't view stuff like this through an automotive eye, but through a cultural eye (pop-culture, anyway.)

 

 

Edited August 6, 2021 by JamesR (see edit history)

[misterc9]

I saw this car at a show in the early sixties. They were selling color pictures of it. I think I still have the picture.

[bryankazmer]

Clip the tail fins and it's not so crazy for the era, as the front view shows.  Compare to late 50's Mopar

[Bleach]

It reminds me of a kids drawing turned real.

[Big Beat]

In 1953, this basically predicted the 1959 Cadillac. Toned down just slightly (like any concept car that actually goes into production) it would be no more overblown than most late 1950s production models, and more harmonious than some of them. It's one of those vehicles that needs an owner with an equally unique and oversized personality to match. And that's exactly the point of a custom like this. It' supposed to be outrageous, ostentatious, super-expensive, impractical and attention-grabbing. Otherwise, one might as well just drive a regular Ford or Chevy. 

Edited August 6, 2021 by Big Beat (see edit history)

[John348]

I see a lot of 1959 and 1960 Chrysler Imperial design looks in it