When it comes to classic television detectives, few were as cool — or as car-savvy — as Joe Mannix, played by Mike Connors in the long-running CBS series Mannix (1967–1975). A tough, street-smart private investigator with a penchant for physical confrontations and old-fashioned grit, Mannix was also notable for the parade of stylish, performance-oriented automobiles he drove across the show’s eight seasons. These cars not only underscored his rugged yet sophisticated persona, but also became stars in their own right, many of them customized by legendary car builder George Barris, of Batmobile fame.

Let’s take a deep dive into the cars Mike Connors drove as Joe Mannix, season by season.

Inspiration comes from many places. After watching Hollywood writers/directors Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez' double feature movie, Grind House, Classic Industries' customer Clark Hogan decided to purchase a muscle car. Clark saw Grind House back in 2007. At the time, he had just sold a 1998 Ducati and a 900 Chromo and thought he could fill an adrenalin rush void in his heart and soul with a powerful four-wheel muscle car, as opposed to dodging bad drivers when riding his two hyper fast, exotic motorcycles. His wife likely also approved of such a wise choice.

 What’s in a name? In the case of the Ford Fairlane, quite a bit. Ford Motor Company Founder Henry Ford and wife Clara lived in an estate on Fair Lane near Dearborn, Michigan. Ford produced the Fairlane from 1955-1970. In this article, we'll look back at Ford Fairlane history across six generations.

Ford’s marketing team named the full-size Ford the Galaxie. This was an effort to capture some interest in the car with an association to the Space Race that held the attention of the U.S. during the 1950s and 1960s. For the 1959 model of the full-size Fairlane 500, the top of the line Galaxie name was added. The Fairlane models moved to an intermediate platform in 1962. Galaxie now encompassed the full-sized Ford offerings. Read on as we examine Ford Galaxie history across four generations from 1959-1974.