PLAYBOY MOTOR CARS
News and Updates
PLAYBOY CAR NEWS
(updated February 10, 2010)
PLAYBOY CAR ON "AMERICAN PICKERS" TV SHOW
"American Pickers," a new series broadcast on the History Channel about two antique dealers roaming the countryside in search of quirky old things to buy, has Playboy car #12 shown on one episode as they search through this owner's collection for items to buy. Here is a link to a YouTube video of this segment of the show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neflry8i0HY
PLAYBOY CAR ARTICLE IN "AUTO INDIA" MAGAZINE
"Auto India," that country's best selling auto magazine, has featured a two-page article on the history of the Playboy car in its May 2009 issue. We are unsure whether this magazine is available for purchase outside of India.
STILL ANOTHER PLAYBOY CAR DISCOVERED
We have "Breaking News" of yet another Playboy car re-discovered in Oklahoma. We are anxiously awaiting further information as to the serial number of this vehicle, and hope to receive some photos of the car as well. We will keep you all posted as soon as any information becomes available.
YET ANOTHER PLAYBOY CAR HAS BEEN RE-DISCOVERED!!
We are excited to report that in May 2009 Playboy car #31 was re-discovered in Colorado after its whereabouts had been unknown for many years. There are some parts missing from the car, but the new owner is excited about restoring this car. See current photo below of car #31:
A website viewer has recently sent us these wonderful vintage photographs showing his friend's father, a used car dealer in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, considering marketing the new Playboy car! Thanks Gary!
We have just learned that the car known as #1 (See the "Car Photos" page) has been sold to a new owner in Florida.
ANOTHER PLAYBOY CAR IS REDISCOVERED!
We are pleased to announce that Playboy car #23 has re-surfaced and now has a new owner in Wisconsin. We had been unaware of this car's location since the early 1990's. Here is a recent photo of car #23:
PLAYBOY STORY ON BUFFALO, NEW YORK TV !
On November 27, 2008 WGRZ-TV in Buffalo, New York aired a wonderful story about the history of the Playboy car hosted by local newsman Rich Kellman and featuring an interview with David Kaplan, grandson of one of the founders of the company. Thank you to Rich and WGRZ-TV for permission to post a link to the video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXB-FRIgK5A
We have recently received this vintage photo, from a viewer in Connecticut, of a Playboy car that his father, a potential dealer back in the day, wrecked. So sad!
VIDEO OF MY PLAYBOY CAR DRIVING
Here is the link to a short video on You Tube showing the Webmaster of this site driving his Playboy car:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-ftvlWYrig
ANOTHER PLAYBOY CAR "DISCOVERED"
We are excited to report that, because of this website, we have learned of the existence of car #44 in Ohio. This serial number had been previously unaccounted for. The car has had the same owner for over 30 years. Below is a photo of car #44.
We We have also re-established contact with the owner of car #62 in Pennsylvania. Here is a recent photo of his car, although he states that, since this photo was taken, he has replaced the bumpers with the correct bumpers:
NEW YORK STATE TRIP
In April, 2008, the Webmaster of this site traveled to Buffalo, New York and other parts of upstate New York to visit and learn more about several Playboy cars that are located there. Because there were so many new car photos acquired as a result of this trip, please see the new pages I have added to this site entitled "NEW CAR PHOTOS" and "EVEN MORE OLD PHOTOS" which are dedicated to this New York trip.
Car #72, shown below, is now completely restored and is residing in Ohio.
Car #38, shown below, was sold to a new owner near Tucson, Arizona in October, 2007. Here is the car upon its arrival with restoration ready to begin. This new owner made considerable progress in a short period of ownership. The car was recently driven over 30 miles, the first time it had been driven this far in over 20 years. Then this car changed owners again in January 2008 and is now residing in the Los Angeles area of Southern California.
An unknown numbered Playboy car was apparently re-discovered in October, 2007 in swamp-like conditions and in bad shape in Louisiana. See photos below.
Car #91, shown below, which was previously at the Owl's Head Transportation Museum in Maine, was auctioned in Maine on August 18, 2007 and the new owner is in Missouri.
Below is car #51, which was acquired by the Pierce Automotive Museum in Buffalo, New York in August, 2007. Its final restoration is complete and it has been placed on public display.
We have received this photo of a Playboy car dealership in Reading, Massachusetts from a gentleman in Florida whose father and uncle owned this shop.
We have received these three wonderful historical photos shown below from the private library of a website viewer now living in Arkansas whose father had invested money to be a prospective Playboy car dealer in Illinois back in 1948. His father was allowed to borrow a Playboy car for two weeks in order to show prospective buyers what they would get by purchasing a Playboy car. Our website viewer is pictured in coveralls in the first photo and his father is pictured driving a car in the second photo outside their shop in Illinois.
We have received this photo showing car #56 since its complete restoration by its owner, a former original Playboy car factory worker who originally actually built this exact car back in 1948 when the factory was still in operation! Beautiful car!
Playboy car #34, shown below, was on public display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California from June 2007 through February 3, 2008. The display was called "Microcars - the Minimum in Motoring." While not technically a microcar, the Playboy car was selected for display due to its rarity. There are only three Playboy cars currently known to be in California (cars #24, 34, and 38). The display has ended and this car has now returned to its home in Orange County, California.
Visit the Petersen Museum's website at:
On April 26, 2008, Playboy car #34 was awarded a First Place Trophy for "People's Choice Car 1940-1949" at the Orphan Car Show held at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California.
