Sunday, March 28, 2010

"My Mother the Car" the car was made by Norm Grabowski or Barris? Norm


Premiering in 1965, what may be the strangest sitcom of all time is a reminder that borderline brain-dead TV executives have been with us for decades — and deserve no say in the big-budget boardroom. Jerry Van Dyke played a man who discovers that his mother's soul has been reincarnated in his automobile, enabling him to hear her voice through the radio http://www.esquire.com/the-side/feature/worst-tv-shows-100109


http://carzhunt.blogspot.com/2016/02/my-mother-is-car-porter-funny-show-with.html

Hot Rod Deluxe, May 2010 issue page 69 says Norm made it, and it was owned by Kaye Trapp, Hollywood studio photographer who used it as a push car for the Zueschel, Fuller, and Moody dragster

But according to http://local.aaca.org/junior/starcars/mother.htm Barris built the car; The car's body (finished in Metalflake carnation red with a white top) was made up from various vehicles including a Model T Ford, a Maxwell (precursor to the Chrysler), a Hudson, and pieces of a Chevrolet, including drive train. The car had a custom-made hood and radiator shell.

2 were made, one is at http://starcarstn.com/index.html in Tennessee along with a lot of other cool cars like the Munsters Dragula, and a collection of Barris customs



The video is badly editted news shorts from a local tv station perhaps... it seems like it once had commercials, only the first half is really worth watching

Nov 2011 update, Carlustblog.com (now shut down) states that The no.1 car, or "hero" car was built by Craig Breedlove. It would be more correct to say Craig's father Norm... but even that is wrong.

 The no.2 car, a duplicate of the Grabowski car, a self driving "stunt" car was built by George Barris.  The car was a 1924 model t touring car which is a different body style than the 1927.


here is Norm at the LA Roadster Show, 1960

Headlights look the same, different grill and hood of course. Bumper is so similar I'll say it's the same one
Steering wheel appears the same, and so do the seats


3 comments:

  1. Norm's T Touring (as shown above in 1960) was later modified by Barris into My Mother the Car.

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    Replies
    1. Ah! Thanks David! That explains it!
      The missing link of info no one else had posted yet

      Delete
  2. From further research it appears Norm sold the car to Hollywood prop maker Kaye Trapp, who with the assistance of Norm Breedlove (Craig's dad) customized it to the My Mother the Car configuration. A second duplicate car was then built by Barris. http://blog.consumerguide.com/the-car-that-starred-in-my-mother-the-car/

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