Fun Facts About ‘The Beverly Hillbillies’ Car

You can visit the original “Beverly Hillbillies” car today in the place the show originated.
Written by Alexandra Maloney
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
“The Beverly Hillbillies” is a fun, lighthearted
TV show
that’s just as funny today as it was when it aired in the 1960s. It follows a Missuroi family that unexpectedly comes into wealth, and moves to California for a new life. Plus the show aired for nine seasons— from 1962 until 1971—so there’s no shortage of content.
One of the best parts of the plotline to “The Beverly Hillbillies'' is the hilarious car the characters drive around California. The
wacky-looking antique, classic car
was loved by fans of the show everywhere, but there are some things you might not know about this unique ride.
Jerry
, the
car ownership super app
, revisits this classic. 

The original “Beverly Hillbillies” car was a 1921 Oldsmobile Truck

Despite striking oil in Missouri and earning millions, the Clampett family still drives around their very old, very eye-catching car. 
Originally, this interesting car seen in the show was actually a 1921 Oldsmobile Model 46 Truck. According to
Street MuscleMag
research, the first “Beverly Hillbillies” car was powered by a four-cylinder, V8, 43 hp motor. But this wasn’t the car that appeared on the screen for every season of the show. 
In reality, there were five Oldsmobile Trucks that appeared as the Clampett car throughout the show.
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George Barris was responsible for finding the show’s cars 

George Barris was a crew member on “The Beverly Hillbillies” responsible for scouting and sourcing the Oldsmobile Trucks for the Clampett family. 
HotCars
reported from external sources that Barris was tasked with creating a car fit for a hillbilly family. He found the 1921 Oldsmobile Truck behind a feed store in Fontana, California. Although the car wasn’t in the best condition, Barris knew it would be perfect for the show, with its weathered paint and rusted exterior. 

The interior and exterior of ‘The Beverly Hillbillies’ car was unique

In addition to the rust, chipping paint, and crazy appearance, “The Beverly Hillbillies” car actually had purposeful design features—both inside and outside—that were unique. 
Outsider
reports that the Oldsmobile was designed to look big, due to its roll bars that were made for the safety of the passengers inside. Safety features like these were uncommon during the time period. 
On the inside of the car, HotCars reports that there were buggy-style seats, available in four or seven passenger open cars, or a five-passenger sedan. The Clampetts had an open-style. 

Today the original ‘Beverly Hillbillies’ car is in a museum 

The 1921 Oldsmobile Truck that was the original “Beverly Hillbillies” car today is in the Ralph Foster Museum, located on the College of the Ozarks campus. The Ozarks were where the Clampett family first lived before they struck it big in oil and moved to California in the show. 
Roadside America
reports “The Beverly Hillbillies” car is the most famous attraction in the car museum, which has a mission to preserve momentos that somehow relate to the Ozarks, or that people of the Ozarks find interesting. The other four “The Beverly Hillbillies” cars were destroyed, but if you visit the original one in the Ralph Foster Museum and pay $10.00, you can sit on the iconic car “The Beverly Hillbillies” cast drove around for years.
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