Voxmobile Roadster - Designed and Built by George Barris
for the Vox Division of Thomas Organ in California - 1967

Jimmy Bryant and the Voxmobile in a Photo for his 1967 LP, "The Fastest Guitar in the West"

Back Cover of the 1968 Thomas Vox Product Catalog T. Warren Hampton, the director of promotions for the Vox division of the Thomas Organ Company, had a vision to have a custom car built for the purpose of marketing and demonstrating Vox products. He took his concept, along with a $30,000 budget (~$280,000 today), to famed custom car huilder George Barris in the early months of 1967. Known in the sixties as the "King of the Kustomizers," Barris had designed and constructed many cars for TV shows and theatrical movies. These included the "Munster Koach" for "The Munsters" on CBS and the "Batmobile" for the "Batman" series on ABC. The Barris designed "Voxmobile" was an open two-seat roadster with a tubular chassis. Power was supplied by a 289 cubic inch Ford Cobra engine mated to a C4 automatic transmission. The design of the left and right side body panels resembled a Vox Phantom bass. A dual manual Vox Super Continental organ was mounted on the rear deck along with mounting forks to hold two Vox guitars. Three Super Beatle amp heads powered five 12" and one 18" speakers. Two 450 watt AC inverters allowed the car battery to supply the 120 volts necessary to run the Super Beatle amp heads and Continental organ while the Voxmobile was in motion. Thirty-two ¼" guitar input jacks were scattered around the vehicle. Barris also included three running boards to provide several guitarists and the organist a place to stand while the Voxmobile was in motion in a parade. The Voxmobile was featured on the back cover of the 1968 Thomas Vox catalog. After Thomas Organ retired the Voxmobile in the early seventies, it was sold to Bill Baker of Strings and Things Music in Denver Colorado. Baker renamed the Voxmobile the "Tune Buggy" (see photo below).

Dashboard of the Voxmobile featuring a Super Beatle control panel Photo courtesy Kevin Sean Ryan, used with permission "Tune Buggy" Postcard from Strings & Things Music, Denver CO, Rear view of the Voxmobile, including a Vox Super Continental Organ Photo courtesy Kevin Sean Ryan, used with permission Description of the "Tune Buggy" from the "Strings & Things" Postcard

Guitarist Jimmy Bryant and the front of the Voxmobile