I had to keep checking back hoping it wasn't true. I'm sad to hear that it is. We are losing hot rodding legends daily, big and small. I didn't know Mr. Jeffries personally, but he had a profound affect on my life/career. God speed.
I always will remember the photo of him and the Early Ford (Merc?)Convertible. R.I.P. Dean Jeffries, you were one of a kind and a straight up guy.
awwww...man i really was hoping the other posts were wrong we're losing way too many RIP mr jefferies
This is one of his best minor Customs but least known. It is not even in his book. I met him at Amelia Island a few years ago when I owned it. He was a class act and very talented craftsman. R.I.P Dean Jeffries.
Another great custom car guy goes to that big body shop up yonder! I never met him in person but enjoyed his many kool creations over the years.I bought his book a couple years back and was glad to see the record set straight on the Monkeemobile while he was still with us.Godspeed Dean.
I have always been fascinated by the strange but very cool pinstriping and little images he did way back when. There were a few good pictures of some of it in the Barris Kustom Techniques of the 50's Volume 4. His stuff was way out there like Von Dutch. He really was an artist, and was definitely one of the custom pioneers. I had hoped to meet him someday. Maybe in the next life. Truly a great loss. Vaya con Dios Mr. Jeffries..........E
I was proud to call Dean a friend - we consulted over the years as I worked on restoring his Porsche and I got to visit him in his shop a few times when business trips took me to California. I remember building a Mantaray model as a kid and then seeing the Kyote dune buggy on the cover of Hot VW's magazine in 1968. I thought it was the best looking dune buggy of its time. I was in awe of what he had created when I first saw the Mantaray in person. Dean was a great story teller but a very humble man - one of the true greats in his field and he will be sorely missed by his legion of fans and friends around the world. My wife and I offer our condolences to his son Kevin and his family in this difficult time. I can only imagine Dean Jeffries, Dick Dean and Carroll Shelby getting together for a bull session after a trio of lives well lived. Godspeed Dean - you'll be missed by a whole lot of us.
A super nice guy and a friend to many. Unpretentious and a real talent in many mediums. Proud to call him a friend and to own one of his cars. God speed my friend.
Got to meet him last year at he Detroit Autorama. Talked to me and a buddy like we were old friends - great sense of humor.
R.I.P. Dean - God Speed Brother Another great that will be missed sorely, our thoughts and prayers go out to the family. May his legacy live on through his great creations and wisdom gained by those that knew him well.
My condolences to his family and friends. Sounds like a hell of a guy. Standing in front of the Mantaray at the Petersen was a highlight of a trip to the US back in '07. I'll never forget that.
I was over at a good friend's garage today preparing the body of my roadster for him to paint. He walked into the garage with a terrible look on his face and said "well we just lost a good one." and shook his head . My friend is Dick "Peep" Jackson and he and Dean have been friends since junior high school. I only knew Dean slightly and am sad to hear of his death, but the grief Dick expressed tells me just how great Dean was. He indeed is and will be missed very much. A unique and extremely talented man even among the greats. I've enclosed a picture from the GNRS hall of fame lunch this past January with Dean and Dick. God speed Dean.
Although I never saw him in person, I heard his name a lot growing up in the 60's and 70's and it was always associated with something cool. R.I.P Dean...
RIP Mr. Dean....he was great friends of Bill Akin of Nashville who is very knowledgeable about the four cam Ford Indy engine that Dean used in his GT40 car. Bill and I visited his shop in 2010 and he treated me as if I'd known him for years...Just a great down-to-earth guy that will be greatly missed....Joe Loved his "picture" of George Barris
R.I.P. Mr. Jeffries. A true legend of customized vehicles! Thoughts & prayers for his friends & family.
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