[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/the-vox-mobile-tune-buggy\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/the-vox-mobile-tune-buggy\/","headline":"The Vox Mobile Tune Buggy \u2013 Daft and Fast","name":"The Vox Mobile Tune Buggy \u2013 Daft and Fast","description":"Back in the sixties, when not everyone under 35 was a bedroom producer or in a band, guitars were somewhat rare and expensive. If you were a company trying to make waves and compete with the likes of Fender in the electric guitar stakes, you needed to think outside the box. In 1967 Vox, makers of the famous AC30 guitar amplifier combo, which helped to shape the sounds of the sixties in the UK, devised a wild publicity stunt that […]","datePublished":"2019-04-16","dateModified":"2019-04-17","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/1967-voxmobile-tune-buggy-feature.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/1967-voxmobile-tune-buggy-feature.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/the-vox-mobile-tune-buggy\/","about":["BLOG","Cars","LATEST CAR NEWS"],"wordCount":489,"keywords":["1967","Vox","voxmobile"],"articleBody":"Back in the sixties, when not everyone under 35 was a bedroom producer or in a band, guitars were somewhat rare and expensive.If you were a company trying to make waves and compete with the likes of Fender in the electric guitar stakes, you needed to think outside the box.In 1967 Vox, makers of the famous AC30 guitar amplifiercombo, which helped to shape the sounds of the sixties in the UK, devised awild publicity stunt that has become somewhat lost in time. Using the talentsof George Barris of Barris Kustoms, who was renowned as the designer of theBatmobile for the original Batmanseries, Vox came up with the concept of building a 2-seater roadster based on theVox Phantom guitar.The Vox-Mobile (or Voxmobile) functioned as both car and amplifier thanks to the roadster incorporating three Vox amps sharing a total of 12 speakers. 32 guitar jack inputs were to be found along the side body panels. And if that doesn\u2019t sound batty enough, there was a Vox Super Continental organ mounted along the rear of the car.The roadster also had custom chromed side steps on each sideof the car, to allow guitarists to play \u2013 precariously – while the car wasmoving along. In case no-one brave enough could be found, the Vox-Mobile alsohad a Muntz 8-track player on board. The roadster really wasn\u2019t just a staticshell for people to stare at open-mouthed though, as the car housed a FordCobra 289 engine giving it a reputed top speed of 175mph.Part of the reason you might not be so familiar with the Vox-Mobile is that it didn\u2019t feature in the movie it was partly intended for. Psych-Out was a 1968 psychedelic counter-culture film about the aftermath of the Summer of Love and all the baggage that 1967 ended up thrusting upon the laid-back hippies from that memorable period in time. The film starred Jack Nicholson and Susan Strasbourg. Scenes were shot with the Vox-Mobile for the movie, but sadly these didn\u2019t make the final cut.It wasn\u2019t the end for Vox\u2019s crazy roadster though \u2013 the carproved too tempting for Strawberry Alarm Clock to not perform with it on Venice Beach in Los Angeles, and later theTV series Beverly Hillbillies usedthe Vox-Mobile in one episode of the long-running series that ran from1962-1971. The car also features in many great publicity shots for countryguitarist Jimmy Bryant who played fiddle on The Monkees\u2019 Sweet Yong Thing \u2013 a band that had their very own wacky car ofcourse.Today the roadster, which has also been known as the Tune Buggy, even has its own Facebook fan-page (search \u2018voxmobile\u2019) where a plethora of fantastically daft publicity shots can be found. Rumour has it that the Vox-Mobile is still going strong under the ownership of American comedian and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham. Images: lpcoverlover.com, vintageguitar.com, gbase.com, facebook.com\/voxmobile,"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Latest News","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Vox Mobile Tune Buggy \u2013 Daft and Fast","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/the-vox-mobile-tune-buggy\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]