Dick Dean Kustom: 1969 Shala-Vette

Dick Dean was a custom car builder who managed George Barris’ famous Kustom City garage for a few years, and is credited for building (or helping build) TV cars like the Munster Koach, Dragula, the Green Hornet’s Black Beauty, the Monkeemobile, Death Race 2000 cars, and the Ghostbusters ECTO-1. In the late 1960s Dean launched his own line of custom dune buggies built on shortened Beetle pans, including the Shalako and Shala-Vette. This work eventually lead to Dean building the Bricklin SV1 with Malcom Bricklin, but I still think his best design is the strangely appealing (not appalling) Shala-Vette. Find this 1969 Shala-Vette offered for $13,000 in Madison, WI (along with a number of other classics being offered by the seller including a ’59 Morris, ’70 Siata Spring, ’69 DAF 55, and others).

From the seller:

1958 Various
fuel: gas
odometer: 1
title status: clean
transmission: manual
Selling a variety of old, classics from my recently deceased father’s collection. All are stored and maintained in an enclosed, climate controlled garage – all below run or have run/driven in the past years. Thinning the herd so to speak and keeping what’s sentimental, and letting the things that are collecting dust go to new homes to be driven and enjoyed – I simply do not have the time to do so these days.

Brief information is below – if you have specific questions, or want more photos, please just let me know and I will email them to you. Anything listed below is current and I will remove them once sold.

All cars are located in Madison, WI

1959 Morris Minor 1000 Convertible – Runs and drives, very nice condition inside and out, clean WI title, extremely clean underneath with no rust or rot of any type – $11K

1969 Shala-Vette – Runs and drives, very rare – worth a Google search if you don’t know what this car is, clean WI title – $13K

1971 VW Beetle Convertible – Runs and drives, recent $800 service, extremely clean and rust-free underneath (previously kept in Arizona), clean WI title – $11K

1970 Siata Spring – Runs and drives, clean WI title – $11K

1947 Singer Convertible Project – Starts and runs nicely, needs some touching up here and there but very nice all around – $6K

1948 Crosley CC Van Project – $5K – Ran when parked ~3 years ago, simple little fun cars

1966 NSU Spider – Wankel Powered – $25K – Rebuilt Wankel engine

1969 DAF 55 Coupe – PERFECT condition, 33K original miles, Great Condition – $15K

All cars have titles and are priced to sell. I have sold many cars so far, and am happy to help coordinate with shipping to all over the country, no problem.

Please no tire kickers or gawkers, the cars are not selling for half the listed price – so please don’t bother asking. Finally, in the interest of everyone’s health and safety – please plan on wearing a mask and staying distanced when coming – thanks!

See a better way to drive a strange classic? tips@dailyturismo.com