In 1988, Dave Stevens’ Oscar Mayer Wienermobile was reborn

Like roads to enlightenment, there are many ways to get into “Hotdogging” with an Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. There’s the official channel, in case you’re really dedicated. There’s also the occasional opportunity of one (or two) of these babies popping up for sale, although keep in mind that driving a Wienermobile around will draw attention—maybe more than you’d like. You can even spend the night in a Wienermobile these days, which sounds like a blast.

However, back in 1988, it was up to legendary Wienermobile creator Brooks Stevens’ son Dave to revive the Oscar Mayer fleet, creating six Wienermobiles based on a Chevrolet truck chassis at the Stevens Automotive Corporation in Wisconsin. With a V-6, Ford Thunderbird taillights, and a 23-foot long fiberglass wiener, these gull-winged icons had a crew of 12 enthusiastic Hotdoggers, who brought joy to wherever they drove.

And because we are talking about giant hot dog-shaped vehicles and a MotorWeek episode from the late ’80s, the following film contains more masterfully delivered puns than Robin’s script in the 1966 Batman TV series.

Five Wienermobile designs have followed since, but Dave Stevens’ version remains a true classic and an icon of a generation.