An Outtake by Paul on Tuesday began with a statement about the first day of spring from “One Man’s Meat” by E.B. White. At almost the exact moment when that story hit the internet, on the first warm day of spring in the Washington, DC area, the world’s most famous four-wheeled meat caught my eye. Parked in a walled-in corner of a hotel parking lot, in what apparently was a futile effort at concealment, was the Wienermobile. One of eight active Wienermobiles, it is a rolling icon that needs no introduction.
The Wienermobile is a sort of national institution that is almost 80 years old. The ur-Wienermobile hit the streets in 1936, built for Chicago-based Oscar Mayer to promote Oscar Mayer’s German Wieners. Like Eddie Rickenbacker’s SPAD, it was an elemental machine, little more than a simple fuselage with an open cockpit, and with things to keep it off the ground and propel it attached.
The Wienermobile in its current form emerged in 1952 with the introduction of the second generation model shown here, preserved in the Henry Ford Museum. The template for the Wienermobile consisted of a wiener tipped by a glassed-in cockpit with panoramic windows, like on a World War II bomber, on top of a car or truck chassis. In 10 generations of the Wienermobile from 1952 to 2008, there have been many different chassis: Dodge, Willys Jeep, Chevrolet, Chevrolet van, GMC W-Series/Isuzu Elf, Dodge Ram pickup, and most recently the MINI Cooper S.
The Wienermobile captured here appears to be the 2004 edition, built on a GMC W-Series chassis with a 6.0L Vortec V8. Between the bubble windshield and the huge dual windows on each side, “panoramic” is an understatement for the view to any angle other than directly behind. The gawkers — and there will be many — all will be clearly visible to the driver. The two dashboard segments that mimic hot dogs are probably not visible to the driver, unfortunately.
A rear view emphasizes how large the upturned end of the wiener really is. It also shows the Pontiac Firebird taillights that the builder used.
Vanity license plates (OSCRMYR, BIG BUN, IWSHIWR, etc.) adorn each Wienermobile, and this one bears what has to be the best of all. It is part of an experience which is guaranteed to entertain. I have sighted the Wienermobile three times in the past six years, which may be abnormally often considering that each time caught the vehicle in transit rather than in a place where it was on display, and I can attest to the fact that sighting the Wienermobile forces one to (1) smile and (2) stare and walk toward it for a closer look. Like driving a Zamboni, driving a Wienermobile makes you the center of attention and rolling entertainment when you are just doing your job by driving around.
You beat me to it; I shot one in Eugene a while back, which is a bit odd, as I suspect our vegan and grass-fed meat loving town probably underperforms the nation in terms of OM wiener consumption.
I remember the first one I ever saw in Iowa City; quite the exciting moment. I do wonder whether this really is effective anymore. But than ad time on tv is expensive.
“I do wonder whether this really is effective anymore”
Yet . . . here it is. 🙂
I bet they are effective even today, at least worth their while in costs. I’m not even an american, and we don’t have Oscar Mayer wieners over here, but even I have heard of the Wienermobile.
It’s just a way of putting a smile on people’s faces, and the more they are seen, the more effective it is. The Wienermobile was going viral even before the computers were born. As a crowdpleaser, they don’t come any better than that.
+1
A gigantic rolling hot dog grabs my millennial attention far more than some snarky cookie TV commercial or banner ad does. Frankly I appreciate the effort way way more.
Cookies! Numnumnumnumnumnumnumnum.
Yep, these guys would be mad to let this idea go.
I can imagine many, many ‘in-the-know’ marketing execs have tried. ‘So Oscar, can I call you Oscar? These vehicles are old, Os. You gots to get into the new media thing, Ozzie. Looky here, don’t you know you should be in Game of Thrones? Product placement, with full earned media and interhyperactive support, plus some likes in Facebook that never get translated into sales or customer loyalty, just a bunch of freeloaders waiting for their next 2for1coupon. Today is the new paradigm Osness, this thing is so yesterday. I mean, who remembers last century anyway? Our cut is only 30% disguised as a 10% commission and some ridiculous service fees, Osnay. Want a line?’
I was going to take my time to submit an Outtake for this Wienermobile, but when I saw the meat reference in your Studebaker Outtake, I figured that the coincidence in timing was too good to pass up.
The song works with the vehicle as well – –
If I drove an Oscar Mayer wiener,
everyone would be in love with me.
I have seen these once or twice, but never during my CC career. Great catch. This and the Goodyear Blimp may be the only two really recognizable productmobiles left.
Don’t forget the Red Bull Suzuki X-90…
Cheese heads and rolling weiners. I love my state!
A local iron lot had a Red Bull Mini for sale for a while around here. It had the big can removed and a tiny pickup truck like bed was fashioned out of the rest of the car. It was pretty neat, but it disappeared one day and I have never seen it again.
Doooh! I got passed by a Red Bull Mini on I-65 Wednesday afternoon. How could I forget?
The Wienermobile has an honored place in my toy collection.
I have several of these, too!
Very good catch!
Mrs. Jason and Spawn stumbled upon the MINI Cooper version a few years ago.
I always find it interesting which car-model headlights (and taillights) they graft onto giant custom vehicles like this.
I love visiting RV campsites and making note of all the different, (and totally weird) choices they utilize for mass-produced motorhomes. The things sport headlights from Escorts and Aleros and Grand Cherokees and everything in between.
Looks like these came from a 1992-1995 Grand Am. As usual, random as hell, but go figure.
Hmmm. Does Oscar Mayer have the Wienerwhistle any more?
I had to look up the Wienerwhistle. They could never give away such an item now, the off-color jokes would be too much!
Its 1950s iteration (parade shot):
Factory promo postcard, 1996 (they credit the ’58 to Brooks Stevens):
This is so cool.
I feel like I’ve seen one at some point, but I’m not sure.
Definitely a cool sight.
Are those Citroen SM headlights or fifth generation Grand Prix headlights in the one on the center of the postcard?
GP
It’s very obvious that this was the inspiration for Bo Carter’s blues song “Please Warm My Wiener”.
Fantastic,lol I want one for my daily ride,lol that and the ..monkee mobile and maybe throw in the original pink panther car..dxx
You would need a very short, one-way commute for the Silver Hornet to be a good daily driver!
The Wienermobile also crossed the pond, this “Unox mobile” is built on an Iveco chassis. (Photo: Wikipedia)
I haven’t seen one of these for several years now, but I have seen a couple of the versions of the Wienermobile. Most recently was probably 10 years ago here in Grand Rapids. I believe it may have even been this version shown in the post. I remember the base model Firebird tail lights most prominently after the obvious. It was parked in a motel parking lot, I’m guessing they were traveling to some sort of show or exhibition and stopped overnight here. I had a couple of pix with me and the kids, but I think those may have been lost on a crashed computer hard drive somewhere. Too bad, I’d like to have them back.
I have to laugh a little, the original version of the WM had the insignia “German Wieners” on it. To my mind (and bouncing between the two languages) it says to me: “German residents of Vienna”, as Wiener is a German term for someone who would live in Vienna, as well as the style of sausage.
Now, how long is it until lunchtime?
You’ve got a point. Better call those sausages “Austrian Frankfurters”.
I find it interesting how they flattened the windshield a bit, no doubt to make the wipers functional. Must be custom I would think.
Every year, I take my family on a road trip (like I did with my family as a kid). It’s a great way to see the country (all of it–the good and the bad) and makes for entertaining family bonding. On a trip two years ago, a real high point was seeing the Wienermobile driving through Ohio. We all went crazy, but most of all my kids. I had to drive behind it, beside it and in front of it so they could take pictures. They still talk about it. Priceless.
So does it get a ticket if it does not have a red flag hanging off the end? Well, I guess if it did the officer would have to be a real…
I am reasonably sure those are built in St. Charles MO, along I-370. I forget the name of the place, but they also built Red Bull Mini COopers and other oddball promotional vehicles.
“I always wanted to drive a food-shaped car. The steering wheel is a giant onion ring. They thought of everything!”
~Homer Simpson loses out on a chance to drive the Wienermobile.
I want one!
They used to have three of these parked in West Los Angeles ,next door to a radio station .
I wonder what happens to the old ones .
Anyone else remember the wiener whistles they used ti give away ? .
-Nate
Seems to have been a wiener malfunction on a snowy day. Snagged this off FB.