From The Research Vault: Monkeemobile History from Pontiac Enthusiast Magazine

 
 
From The Research Vault: Monkeemobile History from Pontiac Enthusiast Magazine

It seems that nearly everyone with a television remembers The Monkees and their off-the-wall 1960s sitcom. Whether it was seen in original release or in syndication, the “made for TV” knockoffs of The Beatles became wildly popular in their own right. It was one of those overnight sensations that sometimes happen in show business, and like the Beatles, they seem to find new generations of audiences as time goes on.

As celebrated as the Monkees are, the story of the Monkeemobile is not very well known. In actuality, there were two identical cars built, one pictured above, which was actually the first car built (we had stated incorrectly in GRRRaffiti last issue that it was the second car) and one pictured below that is owned by customizer George Barris. How a Pontiac was chosen to become the Monkeemobile is one of those classic stories of someone knowing someone who knew someone else. The catalyst to the project was George Toteff, the CEO of Model Products Corporation, better known as MPC. In addition to manufacturing models, Toteff also built the “GeeTO Tiger” model drag strip that toured the country as part of that promotion.

Read this entire article – Monkeemobile History from Pontiac Enthusiast Magazine


Why The Monkees Matter: Teenagers, Television and American Pop Culture

 

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One thought on “From The Research Vault: Monkeemobile History from Pontiac Enthusiast Magazine”

  1. I remember I would try not to miss any episode, being a fan of the band and the stories , as well as being crazy about the car.

    It was another era, another moment in US history.

    It was one of the few programs in color at the time, but most TVs were still black and white in Puerto Rico.

    I was just a kid , and The Monkees were my inspiration, of “fun times ahead” for me.

    At the time, I was un aware they were not a “real band”, just a script played , as if they were.
    It would of been a real dissapointment; so Im happy I came to know of this many decades later.
    I do know they eventually tried their luck and became a band playing on stage, live , ( what there rolls were in the series ).

    This was news for me, as I always thought of them as the real thing…In a way they were, under the reality of what the nation was at that moment in time…
    That said, Im still a fan of all the songs as well as the converted GTO into the Monkeemobil….great memories that will last for ever.
    The theme song is always in my memory, “yey yey were the Monkees”…..

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