If you were around during the 1960s or a fan of classic shows, you’re probably familiar with the television sitcom “The Beverly Hillbillies.” It’s about the Clampetts—a poor family from the hills of the Ozarks who moved to Beverly Hills after they became rich overnight. One of the show’s trademarks is the “The Swamp Rat,” the iconic, beat-up the family owns.
What was the Beverly Hillbillies Truck?
The Beverly Hillbillies pickup truck was a customized 1921 Oldsmobile 43-A roadster powered by a 43-horsepower four-cylinder engine. It was designed by renowned Hollywood custom car expert George Barris.
Was the Same Truck Used for the Entire Series?
No, it wasn’t. Five customized Oldsmobile trucks represented the Swamp Rat throughout the show’s nine seasons. Barris was in charge of finding the trucks and ensuring they match the Clampett family’s truck. Only the original truck remains today.
How Was the Original Beverly Hillbillies Truck Designed?
Back then, many people remove the back half of a car’s body to turn it into a truck. It was how many pre-war vehicles ended their service lives. Image source: Wikimedia.
George Barris found a 1921 Oldsmobile behind a feed shop in Fontana, California. When he spotted the truck, it already looked like the ideal hillbilly truck. It was battered and timeworn, and it didn’t have a back end.
Back then, many people remove the back half of a car’s body to turn it into a truck. It was how many pre-war vehicles ended their service lives.
The Clampetts were a family of four (if you include their dim-witted relative Jethro). There’s Jed (father), Granny, and Elly May (daughter).
Barris added a back platform with a high bench to the truck for Granny and Elly May to sit on. Other than that, he didn’t have to do or change anything much else to create one of television’s most renowned cars.
Where Is the Original Truck Now?
Paul Henning, the creator of “The Beverly Hillbillies,” donated the original Swamp Rat to the Ralph Foster Museum in Branson, Missouri. The truck is usually on the first floor of the museum, just past the main entrance. For a couple of bucks, museum visitors can even sit in the iconic truck.
Interestingly, some people around the country claim that they have the truck from the old series.
For example, a 2014 article by USA Today featured Jim Johnson, who believed he owns the truck. According to him, a restaurant in New Jersey owned the original Swamp Rat after the show ended.
Johnson shared that when he came upon the truck, time had taken a toll on it. He had to work on its wheels and chassis to restore it.
A Closer Look at the Oldsmobile Model 43
Prior to its debut on the silver screen, the Oldsmobile Model 43 was already a head-turner on its own.
Manufactured from 1915-1916 and 1921-1922, the Oldsmobile Model 43 was marketed as an entry-level, four-seat passenger car.
The Model 43 replaced the Model 42, sporting a longer wheelbase that resembled a Buick Series C’s.
Before General Motors took over the Oldsmobile brand from Chevrolet, Model 43 and 42 were considered entry-level cars. As GM assumed control, these models were marketed as a higher-content product.
Model 43 had a four-cylinder engine that generated 30 bhp. It was initially offered as a touring car in 1915 and as a two-door roadster the year after.
Approximately 3,500 Model 43s were sold from 1915 to 1916 before it was replaced by the Oldsmobile 53.
When the original touring car reemerged in 1921, it was rebranded as Model 43A.
The Oldsmobile Model 43A was marketed as a larger and more upscale model compared to Chevrolet.
The Model 43A was once considered GM’s most successful entry-level vehicle, with sold units recorded at 28,706 during the two years the model was produced.
The Model 43A still sported the same four-cylinder engine but the bhp rose from 30 to 44 bhp. Some of its most notable features included a single-disk dry clutch and wooden spoke wheels.
Oldsmobile Model 43A was also offered with steel disk wheels as well as open roadster and touring car versions.
Back then, you could also get a Model 43A in a two-door coupe version or a four-door sedan with a closed interior.
Were There Other Iconic Cars in The Beverly Hillbillies Shows?
Jethro’s souped-up hot rod in season 7, episode 21 is another notable vehicle in the show. He bought it because he wanted a car that could perform better than the Swamp Rat.
Barris built the hot rod on a 1925 Oldsmobile roadster frame. It had a 1969 442 Olds engine, four dune buggy-style seats, dual chrome rollbars, and other over-the-top upgrades.
How Did the Beverly Hillbillies Start?
The Beverly Hillbillies series first aired in 1962. The first episode introduced Jed Clampett, a poor widower hillbilly who lives with his daughter and mother-in-law. He discovered an oil-rich swamp near his home while shooting at a rabbit.
An oil Business surveyor discovered the oil and paid Jed a lot of money for the right to drill on the land. Pearl Bodine, Jed’s cousin, encouraged him to relocate to California and pressured him to take her son Jethro along.
The family moved into a mansion in rich Beverly Hills, California, next door to Jed’s banker, Milburn Drysdale, and his wife, Margaret, who despises hillbillies.
Other Iconic Cars in TV and Movie History
Aside from the Beverly Hillbillies truck, here are other classic vehicles from popular TV shows.
The Mini Cooper in Mr. Bean (1990-1995)
Mr. Bean used a citron-green ’77 Leyland Mini 1000 for the rest of the live show, which ran for 15 episodes until a tank crushed it. Mr. Bean drove the same model in his animated series. Image source: Wikimedia.
Who could forget the mini cooper that Rowan Atkinson drove in his popular TV series, Mr. Bean?
Mr. Bean’s first car, an orange 1969 BMC Morris Mini 1000 Mark 2, was wrecked off-screen in the pilot episode. He used a citron-green ’77 Leyland Mini 1000 for the rest of the live show, which ran for 15 episodes until a tank crushed it. Mr. Bean drove the same model in his animated series.
Bean and his Minis have even appeared in two popular video game franchises: “Resident Evil 2” and “Grand Theft Auto V.” Players had to steal the Mini and transport it to a nightclub.
The Mustang Cobra II in Charlie’s Angels (1976-1981)
One of the most remarkable cars from the series is the sport Mustang Cobra II that Jill Munroe ( Farrah Fawcett) drove. Image source: phscollectorcarworld.
The OG Charlie’s Angels was a television show, and it featured various jaw-dropping vehicles. One of the most remarkable cars from the series is the sport Mustang Cobra II that Jill Munroe ( Farrah Fawcett) drove.
The Mustang brilliantly encapsulated the angel’s lively athleticism and visual flair, with its hood scoop, front and rear spoilers, and quarter-window louvers. Its wide blue racing stripes on white paint completed its iconic look.
The Batmobile from Batman (1966-1968)
The “Batmobile” of the 1960s Batman series began as an Italian concept automobile based on a Lincoln Mark II. Image source: IMCDb.
The “Batmobile” of the 1960s Batman series began as an Italian concept automobile based on a Lincoln Mark II. 20th Century Fox tapped Hollywood car customizer George Barris to design a ride for the caped crusader.
Barris bought the Lincoln for $1, then made a lot of modifications to make it fit for Gotham’s dark hero. For example, he had to attach aluminum bat symbols to the hubs and created a steering wheel shaped like an airplane yoke.
Aside from remarkable characters and memorable plotlines, many TV shows and movies also brought various vehicles to the spotlight. Many of them have become iconic over the years, and it’s always worth it to rediscover their interesting backstories.
Lisa Conant grew up in Canada around a solid contingency of gear heads and DIY motor enthusiasts. She is an eclectic writer with a varied repertoire in the automotive industry, including research pieces with a focus on daily drivers and recreational vehicles. Lisa has written for Car Bibles and The Drive.
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I grew up in the 1960s and remember eagerly waiting for the next week's episode on some of these TV shows to see what would happen next. Your description of the backstory to 'The Beverly Hillbillies' suggests you are more familiar with the theatrical film release than the weekly TV show. They made a number of creative changes, mostly to tie-in with President Clinton, shifting their origins from the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee to the Ozarks in Arkansas. Also the reference to the Clampetts being a family of four is misleading. While the only surviving Clampetts mentioned were Jed and Elly. As you mentioned Jethro was a Bodine [as was his mother, Cousin Pearl who was a regular during part of the first season and a recurring character thereafter] and Granny was a Moses [Jed's mother-in-law] plus numerous other kinfolk either referenced or actually appearing whenever the family returned to Bug Tussle. In small communities, especially in isolated places, it seems just about everybody is related to everyone else in some way or another--not incestuously, but by shirt-tail relationships [5th cousins twice removed for instance]. All that aside, it was a good article about the truck. I also enjoyed the piece about the Batmobile.
I'd like to find out about the iconic witch's car from Bewitched known as "MacBeth"
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I grew up in the 1960s and remember eagerly waiting for the next week's episode on some of these TV shows to see what would happen next. Your description of the backstory to 'The Beverly Hillbillies' suggests you are more familiar with the theatrical film release than the weekly TV show. They made a number of creative changes, mostly to tie-in with President Clinton, shifting their origins from the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee to the Ozarks in Arkansas. Also the reference to the Clampetts being a family of four is misleading. While the only surviving Clampetts mentioned were Jed and Elly. As you mentioned Jethro was a Bodine [as was his mother, Cousin Pearl who was a regular during part of the first season and a recurring character thereafter] and Granny was a Moses [Jed's mother-in-law] plus numerous other kinfolk either referenced or actually appearing whenever the family returned to Bug Tussle. In small communities, especially in isolated places, it seems just about everybody is related to everyone else in some way or another--not incestuously, but by shirt-tail relationships [5th cousins twice removed for instance]. All that aside, it was a good article about the truck. I also enjoyed the piece about the Batmobile.
I'd like to find out about the iconic witch's car from Bewitched known as "MacBeth"