(Photo: PATRICIA BECK AP)

Dean Jeffries, who created some of the most fun and wild custom cars of the last half century, has died. He was 80. Other cars from the Jeffries stable include the Monkeemobile, created for the 1960s TV show The Monkees; the original Green Hornet's Black Beauty; and the MoonBuggy from the James Bond epic Diamonds Are Forever, according to the obituary posted on his website. Jeffries died Sunday at his home.

One of his best-known designs was for a vehicle called the Mantaray, created for the 1964 Grand National Roadster Show. It had a Maserati Grand Prix chassis and Cobra engine, and has been featured in museums ever since.

"We were very sad to learn the custom car world lost one of its most important figures in Dean Jeffries," said Beau Boeckmann, vice president of Galpin Motors in Los Angeles and former host of the car customizing TV show Pimp My Ride. "His custom creations were inspirational."

Drive On last heard from Jeffries when he popped up to make sure that fellow famous 1960s customizer George Barris wasn't taking a little too much credit for vehicles in which he, Jeffries, had had a major hand. He also went in depth about that, and his career, in a Motor Trend interview a few years ago.

From his official obit:

"Dean Jeffries, also known as 'Deano' began pinstriping cars with the legendary Von Dutch in Lynwood, Calif., in the early 1950s. Jeffries pinstriping lead to custom painting, and then to custom fabrication.

"Jeffries started his craft in Lynwood before moving to Sunset Blvd, then to his long-time shop on Cahuenga Blvd in North Hollywood. Jeffries fabricated some of the most innovative custom cars and hot rods of all time. Jeffries painted the infamous words 'Little Bastard' on the tail section of actor James Dean's Porsche. Other stars that would visit his shop included Gary Cooper, Steve McQueen, James Garner and Jay Leno.

"Jeffries was also enamored with the Indianapolis 500, where he crewed for many years for the legendary A.J. Foyt. Jeffries also painted many of the Indy 500 entries, and in fact, one year painted 22 of the 33 starters in the field.

"Later in his career, Jeffries was involved in motion picture production, not only from a vehicle construction standpoint, but also as a stunt driver and stunt producer. Some of the movies he was involved in included What's Up Doc?, The Blues Brothers, Honky Tonk Freeway, Roger Rabbit, Romancing The Stone and Die Hard With Vengeance.

"In his semi-retired years, Jeffries could occasionally be found as a special guest at car shows across the country, but his passion was to be at his shop five days a week restoring his personal car collection and meeting with old friends."