Hey, hey,
it’s the Corgi Monkeemobile, the
uniquely styled hot rod that comes complete with Monkees’ Davy, Micky, Mike and
Peter.
Corgi
released their Monkeemobile (Numbered 277)
in December, 1968, and continued production until 1972.
It doesn’t
come with any gadgets, although it has spring suspension, chrome plated engine
block and trim, detailed door logo, and the four Monkees sat inside. Davy is driving, with Peter sat next to him
with his bass guitar on his lap. In the rear seat is Mike with his lead guitar,
next to Micky who is clowning about!
Corgi sold
82,000 of them, which isn’t too bad considering Monkeemania was probably on the
wane at that time, as the series had already been cancelled in March, 1968 in
America. Also, I imagine the Monkeemobile was probably over- shadowed by
Corgi’s November release of their highly detailed and gadget laden Chitty,
Chitty, Bang, Bang car which eventually went on to sell 776,000 units.
The model
came in a window box, with a removable header card that had flaps to attach it
to the top of the box.
So what‘s
the gen on the real Monkeemobile?
There was no
shortage of T.V. custom cars during the sixties, mainly thanks to the legendary
Batmobile, and when the American sitcom The
Monkees was in production, customizer Dean Jeffries, who also created the
T.V. Green Hornet’s Black Beauty, was brought in during 1966 to come up with a
Monkeemobile for the pre-Fab Four.
At the time
Dean Jeffries was under contract to Model Products Corporation better known to
modellers as the kit makers, MPC at the time. (MPC was given the exclusive rights to market
a plastic kit of the car, which apparently went on to sell over 7 million) Word
of the project also got through to motor manufacturer Pontiac who saw it as a
promotional opportunity for their Pontiac GTO. Two cars were supplied to the
studio, one to be used as the ‘hero’ car and another for promotional tours,
although both did appear in the series. Before it was customised, the second
car was apparently used as Major Nelson’s convertible GTO in the sitcom, ‘I Dream of Jeanie’.
The first
car originally had a 6-71 supercharged blower engine, a solid mounted rear axle
with no springs, and extra weight at the rear to enable it to’ pop wheelies’. However,
the excessive power meant the car was hard to drive, so the original blower set up was removed and
replaced with a dummy blower covering a Pontiac’ Tri-power ‘ carburettor
arrangement used on large performance V8 engines. Frankly, I haven’t a clue
what all that means, as I’m not completely au-fait with the workings of
superchargers or V8’s, but I imagine, put simply the car could still
shift!
This hippie
hot rod has a distinctive convertible top, reminiscent of an exaggerated model
T Ford, which to me does give it its unique look, although this is occasionally
removed during its appearances in the
series; there are exaggerated tail lights, and a rear mounted parachute; the front
fenders and side panels are modified. The car also has three rows of seats. The
rear truck (or boot, as we Brits like to call it) was removed to accommodate
the extra third row.
Husky, and
later the re-branded Corgi Juniors also did a smaller version of the
Monkeemobile.
In 2001,
Corgi Classics re-released The Monkeemobile, although this time without the
Monkees on board.
The Monkees
do have a tenuous connection with Century 21 in that a comic strip based on the
TV series appeared in Lady Penelope magazine. The strip was initially drawn in
black & white by Tom Kerr, and later in colour by Harry Lindfield.
That is one of those toy cars that always seemed to be around when I was a kid but I never owned one. Nice photos as ever.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kev. Yeah,like you say one of those models that seemed to turn up everywhere and definitely a toy remembered from childhood, although I never owned one myself either. Oddly, enough apart a couple of their early hits I wasn't much into the Monkees TV series as well.
DeleteI am impressed with the individual characters manning the original release of the toy.You don't see that kind of detail anymore!Mickey recently played a concert at a University near my home.Admittedly,I would have attended maybe if it was a free event.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the figures are a nice detail,Brian. Being only a 1:43 scale the paint detail isn't bad. I saw Peter Tork a few years ago at a Cult TV event, where he did a very enjoyable gig at night for the attendees.
DeleteI never owned a toy one either. Always loved the car! So much I bought one of the actual TV cars!
ReplyDeleteNow that sounds extremely intriguing, Mel G. Do you still own it, and any photos? :D
DeleteExcellent article - once again packed with well researched detail and superb pics. I've ummed and arred about getting a Corgi Monkeemobile over the year, Scoop. Perhaps now's the time. I like the Monkees and the feel good factor of their music.
ReplyDelete:)
Thanks Tony. As they were a product of the sixties I don't mind those early four or five hits the Monkees had.I don't know whether you've ever had the misfortune of watching their movie, Head. Its an intentional attempt to finish the carefully delevoped clean cut image.:)
DeleteThe Monkeemobile was also a MPC 1/25 scale plastic model kit & a tin toy car from Japan that when a button was pushed played a Monkees song not sung by them. More recently it was ERTL released a 1/18 version & Playing Mantis released a 1/64 scale in 2 versions in their Johnny Lightning line.
ReplyDeleteYes, the MPC kit sold over 7 million units. Dean Jeffries was under contract to Model Products Corporation at the time.
DeleteI do like the Johnny Lightning two vehicle pack with the VW, the Monkeemobile and the little Monkee figures.
No nostalgic pull for me at the moment, but maybe in the fullness of time.:)