DiDia 150 Story: The Masterpiece That Was Once the World's Most Expensive Custom

Throughout history, few people have ever successfully transitioned from designing clothes to designing cars.

No, I'm not talking about collaborations between famous names from the fashion business and car manufacturers that led to production models with custom interiors and paint schemes.

What I'm referring to are bespoke, coachbuilt cars. The first one that springs to my mind is the Jankel Tempest, a wild British supercar that Robert Jankel designed in 1990 on the backbones of the C4 Corvette.

But, more than three decades earlier, another fashion designer from Detroit sketched out a work of automotive art that became far more famous than the Tempest.

From bus driver to fashion designer and finally, custom car stylist

Born on July 15, 1917, in Detroit, Michigan, Andrew "Andy" Di Dia was the second of three children of Italian immigrants Gaspare (aka Jasper) and Vircunza (aka Jean or Gina) Di Dia.

During the mid-to-late 1940s, Andy worked as a bus driver for Detroit's Department of Street Railways, but at some point in the early 1950s, he made the unlikely transition to the fashion industry.

Though he didn't become famous worldwide for his clothing, Andy did well enough to meet some interesting individuals, including then-aspiring singer, songwriter, and future actor Bobby Darin, who eventually became a friend and employer.

Since he was born and raised in Detroit - the automotive capital of the world back in those days - Andy was also passionate about cars and made a habit out of creating futuristic sketches.

Turning his favorite sketch into reality

As I mentioned earlier, Andy did well enough for himself during his early fashion business days, so he decided to turn his favorite sketch into reality, commissioning fellow Detroit residents Ron Clark and Bob Kaiser of the Clarkaiser Custom Shop to build it.

The project started in the second part of 1953 and would take nearly seven years and $69,811 (around $709,500 today) to complete.

While the crew at Clarkaiser Custom Shop were working their magic, Andy met Bobby Darin after one of the singer's concerts in the Motor City.

The fashion designer turned self-thought car stylist revealed his project to Darin and showed him several sketches of how the car was meant to turn out.

Darin, who immediately fell in love with it, promised that if he ever became a superstar, he would buy it from  Andy for big money.

One of the most beautiful custom cars of its era

Completed in 1960, the bespoke car eventually dubbed DiDia 150 was not just a unique custom but a genuine coachbuilt masterpiece.

Not based on an existing model, the car was built around an aluminum-alloy tube chassis fabricated from scratch by Ron Clark, Bob Kaiser, and their talented team.

Like all genuine coachbuilt automotive icons of the era, the car's bodywork was hand-formed from soft aluminum panels on wooden bucks, then welded together and, finally, bonded to the chassis.

The gorgeous 1950s aerospace-inspired body featured huge tail fins, jet engine-like fog lamps mounted on the "floating" front bumper, a driver's side-hinged trunk lid, retractable headlights, and a humongous panoramic rear plexiglass window that extended over the rear seats.

After it was finished, the car was delivered to the famous George Barris in California for an incredibly sophisticated paint job meant to complement the abundance of chrome exterior trims.

The legendary customizer used no less than 30 coats of metallic red paint mixed with genuine diamond dust to give the car a unique look.

Way ahead of its time

Apart from its unique design and incredible paint, the car boasted features that made it way ahead of its time.

Examples include electrically opening doors, automatic windshield wipers with moisture-detecting sensors, and an air conditioning system with four thermostats and individual climate controls for all four occupants (an early version of modern four-zone climate control).

Other notable features were a radio with speakers embedded in each of the four bucket seats and swiveling taillights that moved in the opposite direction as the steering column.

According to the November 12, 1960 edition of the Bakersfield Californian, the custom was initially powered by a modified 365-ci (6.0-liter) Cadillac V8 that made 510 hp.

Becoming "The Bobby Darin Dream Car" and the DiDia 150

The automotive masterpiece officially debuted in November 1960 at George Barris' third annual Bakersfield Motor and Boat Show.

In the following years, the car appeared at several prestigious car shows across the US. It was also frequently driven by Bobby Darin, who was now one of America's most famous singers and actors.

The car was featured in numerous publications as "The Bobby Darin Dream Car" but would soon earn another official name.

The Hollywood star, who had employed Di Dia as his personal stylist, held his promise and purchased the car for $150,000 (around $1,509,00 today).

That made it the most expensive custom-built car in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records, which officialized the record in 1961.

That feat also earned it its official name: DiDia 150, which stood for its designer's name (albeit written in one word) and the record-breaking $150k fee that Darin paid for it.

The DiDia 150 today

Bobby Darin used the unique custom from time to time, and in 1970, he and Di Dia agreed to donate it to the National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Missouri.

By this time, the car featured a host of improvements, including a 427 Ford V8, a new drive shaft, and a revamped two-leaf rear suspension system.

In 1981, the museum commissioned Manns Auto Body Shop in Festus, Missouri, to comprehensively restore the DiDia 150.

Though it was lent to other museums and events, such as the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance on numerous occasions, the DiDia 150 continues to reside in the National Museum of Transportation.

Even if it's not as popular as it was during the early 1960s, this fascinating car is still one of the most breathtaking customs ever built in the US - and probably the entire world.

For a virtual tour of this forgotten legend, we recommend watching the YouTube video below by RamblinAround.