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The red car in ZZ Top’s “Gimme All Your Lovin’” video is the Eliminator, a custom 1933 Ford three-window coupe built for guitarist Billy Gibbons by Don Thelan’s Buffalo Motor Cars in Paramount, California. It is a chopped, Chevrolet-powered hot rod—not a stock Ford—and became the defining car on the band’s 1983 Eliminator album cover and in its videos.
What is the ZZ Top Eliminator?
The Eliminator is a singular custom hot rod based on a stock 1933 Ford three-window coupe body. The familiar name became inseparable from ZZ Top’s 1983 album Eliminator, whose cover features the car, and the “Gimme All Your Lovin’” video. The car helped give the album’s visual world a recognizable centerpiece.
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ZZ Top Gimme All Your Lovin' Pullover Hoodie | $44.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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ZZ Top Gimme All Your Lovin' Long Sleeve T-Shirt | $29.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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American Classics ZZ Top Gimme All Your Lovin T Shirt Natural XL | $23.95 | Buy on Amazon |
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ZZ Top Gimme All Your Lovin' Sweatshirt | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Gibbons said he had Buffalo Motor Cars build the chopped coupe for him in the early 1980s. The 1983 Hot Rod feature reports that he initially wanted a duplicate of Pete Chapouris’s “California Kid” film car; builder Don Thelan instead proposed creating a hot rod with its own identity. Gibbons later described the “California Kid” as an influence on the Eliminator’s look.
How the car was built
The September 1983 Hot Rod profile documents the car’s build from a stock 1933 body. Its specifications below are what the magazine reported at the time, not a claim about the car’s present-day configuration.
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- Rock Music design. Official ZZ Top Merch
- 8.5 oz, Classic fit, Twill-taped neck
| Area | Details reported by Hot Rod in September 1983 |
|---|---|
| Engine | Stock Chevrolet 350 with a Z28 hydraulic cam, polished intake and single AFB carburetor |
| Exhaust and cooling | Headers built by Positive Performance; radiator made by Jim Babb |
| Chassis and drivetrain | Pete & Jake buggy-spring chassis, Bell dropped axle, Turbo 350 automatic transmission, Ford 9-inch rear axle and Aldan adjustable shocks |
| Body and paint | Three-inch roof chop, filled rear pan, recessed license plate, 1939 taillights, lowered 1934 headlights and Cadillac dynasty red lacquer |
| Graphics, interior and wheels | ZZ graphics designed by Kenny Youngblood; custom wheels and knockoffs by Ultra Cars; leather and fabric upholstery by Vic Kitchens; power windows, milled dash and a large stereo |
That combination is why calling it simply a “1933 Ford” can be misleading: the body supplied the classic Ford silhouette, while the engine, chassis, suspension, paint and detailing made it a purpose-built custom.
Why it appeared in “Gimme All Your Lovin’”
The coupe was ready in time to feature on the Eliminator album cover and in the “Gimme All Your Lovin’” video. A retrospective by Louder reports that manager Bill Ham commissioned director Tim Newman to make videos for “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Legs,” and places the first video’s shoot at a gas station in Littlerock, California.
Rank #2
- Rock Music design. Official ZZ Top Merch
- Lightweight, Classic fit, Double-needle sleeve and bottom hem
The car became part of a deliberately connected visual identity: alongside the band members as comic observers and the “Eliminator girls,” it appeared with a golden ZZ keychain that helped carry the album’s imagery across the videos. The same retrospective reports more than 20 million worldwide copies sold for the album; that is an attributed figure about Eliminator, not a statistic about the car.
Does Billy Gibbons still own it, and can you see it?
In a 2017 interview reproduced on his official site, Gibbons said he still owned and drove the coupe, describing it as “fully operational.” A 2016 Louder feature said it was then on permanent exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Those dated reports do not establish its current display status or the arrangement between Gibbons and the museum, so check the Rock Hall’s current listings before planning a visit.
Rank #3
- Officially Licensed ZZ Top Merch: distressed vintage style Gimme All Your Lovin lettering with the classic ZZ Top logo below, from the bands 1983 Eliminator album, a top single from that little ol band from Texas
- Designed and Printed in the USA by American Classics: a unisex crewneck tee with a regular fit for men and women, cut from 100% cotton that is OEKO-TEX Certified and soft for all day wear
- Care Instructions: machine wash cold, turn inside out to help preserve the distressed vintage style print, then tumble dry per the care label; colors may vary slightly by screen so use the product photos as reference
- Wear It Anywhere: pair with jeans and boots for a classic Texas blues rock look, layer under a flannel or denim jacket, or wear it to a concert, festival, garage, or backyard barbecue
- The Gift Every ZZ Top Fan Wants: officially licensed merch for birthdays, holidays, Fathers Day, or any occasion, a pick any fan of La Grange, Tush, or Sharp Dressed Man will reach for often
Original car, replica or model kit?
The original Eliminator is one custom car, not a production model with multiple original examples. A full-size replica is a separate vehicle, and a scale kit is a separate collectible; neither is Gibbons’s original car.
- Full-size appearance replica: ZZ-KC advertises an Eliminator-style replica appearance service with chauffeur and photo session, and invites inquiries about 2026 routing. That listing does not establish availability in a particular location or on a particular date.
- Vintage model kit: An IPMS review says Monogram’s 1/24-scale ZZ Top Eliminator kit was withdrawn around 1986 or 1987 and had not been reissued in that form as of the review. Treat surviving kits as vintage items; confirm listing, completeness, condition and availability with the seller.
No reliable car-specific build cost, valuation, production count or performance figure is established by these accounts.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Rock Music design. Official ZZ Top Merch
- 8.5 oz, Classic fit, Twill-taped neck
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
