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The 1960 DiDia 150, Bobby Darin's "Dream Car”
The 1960
DiDia 150 was a luxury, custom-designed iconic, handmade
car also known as the
"Dream Car" forever associated with its second owner,
singer Bobby Darin. The car was designed
by Andrew DiDia, a clothing designer, who Bobby Darin
had met whilst on tour in Detroit in 1957.
Darin telling DiDia at the time that he would purchase
the car if he ever "hit it big”. For seven
years, from 1953 to 1960 the DiDia 150 was hand-built by
four workers, at a cost of $93,647.29
but sold to Darin in 1961 at a cost of over $150,000
(1.5 million today). [At the time the car was
listed as most expensive 'custom-made' car in the world
by the Guinness Book of Records.] The
body was hand-formed by Ron Clark and constructed by Bob
Kaiser from Clark Kaiser Customs.
Its metallic red paint was
made with 30 coats of ground diamonds for sparkle.
Built in Detroit, Michigan, clothing designer Andrew
'Andy' DiDia designed this "unrestrained
and unconventional" automobile. Only one example was
ever built.
The normal V8 engine is located at the front with an
engine displacement of 365/427. It has
a rear-wheel drive, the body and chassis is hand-formed
from 064 aluminum with a 125-inch
wheelbase alloy tube frame.
It has a glass cockpit in
back, a squared steering wheel and thermostatically
controlled air
conditioning system.
The interior is rust colored in contrast to the ruby
paintwork.
The design included the first backseat-mounted radio
speakers and hidden windshield wipers,
that started themselves when it rained. Other features
include retractable headlamps, rear
indicators that swivel as the car turns, 'floating'
bumpers and a trunk that was hinged from the
driver's side. Each of the four bucket seats have their
own thermostatically controlled air
conditioning, individual cigarette lighters and
ashtrays, as well as a radio speaker. The original
engine, a Cadillac V8, was later replaced by a 427
high-performance by Ford when it was taken
on the show circuit.
Darin drove his wife, Sandra Dee, in the car to the 34th
Academy Awards in 1961.
When Bobby drove the car to the Academy Awards, Andrew
DiDia and Steve Blauner followed
behind him in a limousine. The car had two fans and a
switch that you had to turn on. Bobby
didn't realize, so it heated up. All the magazines said
the car caught fire but it didn't.
DiDia toured the car around the country, when Darin
wasn't using it for public appearances.
After publicity and film use, Darin donated his "Dream
Car" to the St Louis Museum of
Transportation in 1970 where it remains.
This is Andrew DiDia the car designer.
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