Mannix - Production - Mannix's Automobiles

Mannix's Automobiles

The automobile was a focus of Joe Mannix's professional life, and he had a several of them as his personal vehicle in the eight-year run of the series. Those were:

• Season 1 – 1966 Mercury Comet Caliente convertible (pilot episode: "The Name Is Mannix"), 1967 Mercury Comet Cyclone convertible (one episode only: "Skid Marks on a Dry Run"), 1967 Ford Galaxie 500 four-door hardtop then a 1967 Ford Fairlane 500 four-door sedan after the Galaxie got shot up – both were Intertect company cars (one episode only: "The Cost of a Vacation"). In all other Season 1 episodes Mannix drove a 1967 Oldsmobile Toronado roadster "customized" by George Barris, builder of TV's Batmobile from the 1960s Batman ABC series, since the producers wanted a convertible and Oldsmobile never produced an open-topped Toronado. Because of a change in episode run order ("The Cost of a Vacation" was the second episode of Mannix shot after the pilot although it was the sixth episode CBS broadcast), the one-shot appearances of the Galaxie and Fairlane were after the Toronado had been established as Joe's car.
• Season 2 – 1968 Dodge Dart GTS 340 convertible "kustomized" by George Barris with functional hood scoops, Lucas Flamethrower driving lights, blacked-out grille, racing-style gas filler cap, molded-in rear spoiler, blacked out taillight panel and custom taillight lenses. The car was originally red but Mannix Executive Producer, Bruce Geller, wanted it changed to a British Racing Green, which Barris did. (This car still retains its original red paint under the carpet.) A Motorola car-phone (a crazily expensive and rare item in 1968) was installed. Rader mag wheels like those on the Batmobile were originally installed by Barris, but changed later in the '68 season to Cragar S/S chrome wheels. George Barris also installed his own "Barris Kustoms" emblem on the lower part of each front fender. There were no duplicate 1968 Mannix Darts built; it is a "1 of 1" car. This car was used in both the 1968 and '69 seasons of Mannix.

Even though a ’69 Dart was built by Barris to replicate this car in the show's 1969 season, the ’68 Dart was regularly seen during the ’69 season. (In the 1969 episode "A Penny for the Peep Show" both the ’68 and ’69 Darts are used in the same shot, to elude a police tail on Mannix, but there was no explanation in the episode why or how two identically customized green Dart convertibles show up together.) In further tracing the car's history, it was learned that the '68 Dart was reportedly sold to a secretary at Paramount Studios and then was lost for decades until being discovered near a ranger station in the California mountains. It has since been restored to its original Mannix/Barris condition and was featured in Hemmings Muscle Machines, December 2009 issue.

The '68 Mannix Dart and its intriguing history was also featured on the TV show "Drive" on Discovery HD Theater in 2010. The TV show reunited the car with Mike Connors for the first time in over 40 years. The car is currently owned by C. Van Tune, former Editor-in-Chief of Motor Trend Magazine, who conducted the TV interview with Mike Connors and who also wrote an article on the Mannix Dart for the Summer 2011 issue of Motor Trend Classic Magazine. In that article, the Dart is reunited with Mike Connors, George Barris, and Mannix stuntman Dick Ziker.

Another article on the famous Dart was published in the October 2011 issue of Mopar Action Magazine. An article in the New York Times (July 22, 2012) included info on the 1968 Mannix Dart and a recent photo of Mike Connors with the car. The Mannix Dart was also mentioned on Sirius/XM Radio's "60s on 6" channel by disc jockey Mike Kelly.

• Season 3 – 1969 Dodge Dart GTS 340 convertible "kustomized" by George Barris to replicate the '68 Dart. This car was totalled in a wreck soon after being sold, following its use on the series.
• Season 4 – 1970 Plymouth Cuda 340 convertible
• Season 5 – 1971 Plymouth Cuda 340 convertible
• Season 6 – 1973 Plymouth Cuda 340 convertible (actually the 1971 car updated with 1973 grille, headlamps, front fenders and tail lights)
• Season 7 – 1974 Dodge Challenger 360 Coupe
• Season 8 – Chevrolet Camaro LT

Peggy Fair's cars were less prominent, but in seasons 2 – 8 they included a Simca 1204 hatchback, Dodge Colt sedan and finally a Chevrolet Vega hatchback coupe.