1960 DiDia (United States) - AllCarIndex

The Di Dia 150, conceived by clothing designer Andrew Di Dia, was a striking custom-built car that took seven years to complete, from 1953 to 1960. Unlike most custom cars of its era, the Di Dia 150 was built entirely from scratch, with no existing vehicle as its base. Di Dia collaborated with Edward V. Francoise, a Chrysler designer, to turn his sketches into a finished design and clay model. The car was hand-built by four workers at Clarkaiser Customs, using a custom-made framework of chrome-molybdenum tubing.

Powered initially by a 365-cubic-inch Cadillac V8 engine with a marine induction manifold, the engine's low profile allowed it to sit sleekly under the car's custom bodywork. The car's transmission was a matching Cadillac automatic. In later years, the engine was replaced with a 427 Ford engine when it was exhibited on the show circuit.

The Di Dia 150 made its public debut in 1960 at the Bakersfield Motor and Boat Show in California. Though often linked to famed customizer George Barris, Barris himself did not build the car. The vehicle was later sold to singer Bobby Darin in 1961, becoming an iconic part of his collection.