<HR style="COLOR: #e5e5e5; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #e5e5e5" SIZE=1> <!-- / icon and ***le --><!-- message --> I am fortunate enough to own one of Dean Jeffries creations: One of the two created Black Beauties used in the TV series The Green Hornet. After the series ended Dean toured the cars from 67-68 and then returned them to the studio and in 69 Barris got as hold of my car for a short period of time. This started much of the discord between the two with George claiming he built and designed the car, even going so much as creating his own clone in 73-74. My car will be completed in the coming months. Anyone have any memories of these cars at vintage car shows or photos you care to share? You can PM me if you like. I would appreciate seeing any Thanks. I forgot to add but he will be debuting a website in the future so we will see him on the Internet soon.
Very cool! A good friend of mine had one of the Green Hornet cars in his shop for a while (in South Sioux City, NE). I have no idea if it was one of the clones or real ones. It was about 10-12 years ago already. I think he has a few photos of it - I'll have to get ahold of them and scan them to post on here.... Malcolm
I wish I had some photo's.I saw one at a Make a Wish Car Show back in the late 90's and recently at the Peterson Museum.
Cery cool! I am currently restoring a 60's show car myself.Nothing like finding a car with history.Best of luck.
That is cool, you should do more of a write up on it and give use more back story on the car. Keep the photo's coming. CBB
this is great and Im glad to see ya on the HAMB. I have been a huge fan of this car since the late 60s...still have the original model I built in 68 plus the toys below..and yeah even that damn postcard with barris standing in front of it like he built it,even saw those at the peterson a couple of years ago.Is this the one that sat behind Deans shop for years??......long live TV & show rods
I have a website coming up soon on both cars history and builds and rebuilds. Vintage photos studio do***ents including some history on the Barris clones and some of the clones around the country. http://www.theblackbeauty.com
This one is called the #1 because it was the first one built. Mine was built at about the same time but the one above was delivered first.
I'm a little skeptical because the car in the photo (apparently at the Petersen museum) has the rocket launcher permanently attached to the lower grille. On the TV car, a panel in the grille would hinge down (you can see the panel permanently in the horizontal position in this photo) and the launcher would emerge. On this car it all looks to be fixed in place as someone might do if they were building a clone.
Exactally! What you see is how the car is displayed. The gun is not attached to the grill in any sense.
Barris picture of him at the Motorama with the Green Hornet car is in fact his clone he built in 73-74. This car was up for auction recently in Texas but has changed hands and now is heading for Detroit. Georges Clone is easy to spot for one big detail, it has two large sunroofs installed in the roof of the 65 Imperial. Both Jeffries cars are 1966 Imperials. Here is George and his clone.
still like the orig. wheels.what were they????? Mr Barris seemed to be hooled in with a wheel & tire company in the day cause he seemed to always put something strange on them
yeah, he did that to alotta cars the wheels on th BB were cool.....so is your car the one that sat behind Jefferies place? I could see it from the freeway for years
I don't think so. My car was there in 68-69 from time to time when it was being toured but to my knowledge there was no Black Beauty at his shop again until the early 90's when the #1 was being restored.
I saw one sittin out back in the late 70s and early 80s...didnt look in very good shape and didnt seem to move for two or three years
That is the #1 prior to Jeffries restoring it for a client in the early 90's..... unless this car was there in the early 80's as you suggest. Dean never mentioned that however. Oh well stranger things have happened.
Actually bought it from an old lady in Michigan. She was a real car gal and when I met her she was 87! She loved cars and had Hemmings in stacks inside her house, probably had every issue. Her daily driver was a 69 Lincoln and was an original owner of a black 55 T bird. She had the car for about 10 years.
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