What Is the Name of the Car in ZZ Top?

The car is called the Eliminator—a customized 1933 Ford three‑window coupe that became ZZ Top’s signature hot rod in the early MTV era. It’s the bright-red coupe featured on the cover of the band’s 1983 album “Eliminator” and in several of their most famous music videos, helping cement the group’s visual identity alongside its blues-rock sound.

Origins and Build

Commissioned by guitarist Billy Gibbons, the Eliminator was built in the early 1980s as a modern take on a traditional American hot rod. The car began life as a 1933 Ford three-window coupe and was transformed by noted customizer Don Thelen and his team at Buffalo Motor Cars in Paramount, California. With a chopped roof, a raked stance, contemporary wheels, and a stout small-block V8, the coupe balanced classic prewar lines with updated performance and finish—crucial to its on-camera charisma.

How It Became a Pop-Culture Icon

ZZ Top paired the Eliminator’s striking looks with the rise of music television, turning the car into a recurring character in the band’s storytelling. The coupe’s appearances coincided with the group’s commercial peak, making it one of rock’s most recognizable vehicles.

Music Videos and Media Appearances

These appearances helped the Eliminator transcend car culture and become a symbol of the band’s sleek, good‑time persona. Below are some of the most notable features that amplified its cultural impact.

• Album cover: ZZ Top’s 1983 blockbuster “Eliminator” prominently features the coupe.
• Gimme All Your Lovin’ (1983): The car debuts as a cool, quasi-magical ride arriving at just the right moment.
• Sharp Dressed Man (1983): The Eliminator returns, underscoring the video’s makeover theme and slick visuals.
• Legs (1984): Perhaps its most famous role, the coupe helps deliver a fairy‑tale ending—with extra horsepower.

Together, these high-rotation videos turned the Eliminator into an instantly identifiable icon, inseparable from the band’s 1980s image.

Design Hallmarks

The Eliminator’s design blends prewar Ford elegance with modern hot‑rod craftsmanship. The elements below formed the coupe’s unmistakable on-screen silhouette.

• Base: 1933 Ford three-window coupe with a chopped roofline.
• Stance: Low, raked posture that conveys speed even at a standstill.
• Finish: Signature bright red paint that reads vividly on camera.
• Power: A strong small‑block V8 for authentic hot‑rod performance.
• Details: Smoothed bodywork and contemporary custom wheels to modernize the vintage form.

These choices didn’t just honor hot‑rodding tradition; they also optimized the car for film and photography, making it pop in every frame.

Where the Car Is Today

The original Eliminator remains in Billy Gibbons’s collection and has periodically appeared at automotive museums and special exhibitions. Over the years, additional replicas have been used for promotional purposes, but the red ’33 Ford that anchored the band’s image in the 1980s is the definitive “Eliminator Coupe.”

Why the Name “Eliminator”?

The name mirrors both racing terminology—where “eliminator” evokes performance shootouts—and the title of ZZ Top’s 1983 album. The car became the album’s visual mascot and, in turn, the embodiment of the band’s sleek, turbocharged brand of Texas blues-rock.

Summary

The car in ZZ Top is the Eliminator, a bright red, custom 1933 Ford three‑window coupe built in the early 1980s. Crafted by Don Thelen’s Buffalo Motor Cars for Billy Gibbons, it starred on the “Eliminator” album cover and in hit videos like “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” and “Legs,” becoming one of rock’s most iconic automobiles.

What is ZZ Top’s most famous song featuring the car?

Gimme All Your Lovin’
37 years ago today, ZZ Top released their video for “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” the first appearance of Billy Gibbons’ 1933 Ford Coupe Hot Rod “The Eliminator.” The car appeared in three other ZZ Top videos, became closely associated with the trio, and Gibbons had another one built just like it to bring on tour.

Who owns the ZZ Top Eliminator car now?

ZZ Top’s iconic “Eliminator” car is owned by the band’s guitarist, Billy Gibbons. The 1933 Ford coupe, which was built by Dan Thelan’s Buffalo Motor Cars, is a highly recognizable custom hot rod that was featured on album covers and in music videos, making it a legendary symbol of both ZZ Top and the hot rod culture. While Gibbons still owns it, the “Eliminator” is often on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
 
Key Details about the “Eliminator” Car

• Owner: Billy Gibbons, the guitarist for ZZ Top. 
• Vehicle: A customized 1933 Ford coupe. 
• Creator: Built by Dan Thelan’s Buffalo Motor Cars. 
• Significance: The car achieved fame as the cover art for the band’s 1984 album, Eliminator, and was featured prominently in the band’s popular music videos. 
• Location: While Gibbons owns the car, it is often on public display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. 

Where is the ZZ Top car today?

The ZZ Top “Eliminator” 1933 Ford coupe is at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. The band’s guitarist, Billy Gibbons, still owns the car and loans it to the museum for display, though he commissioned a duplicate to meet the demand for appearances after the car’s fame from the music video.
 
Key Details

• Current Location: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. 
• Ownership: Guitarist Billy Gibbons still owns the original “Eliminator” car. 
• Duplicate: Gibbons also commissioned a replica of the “Eliminator” to handle numerous appearances and avoid moving the original. 
• Significance: The “Eliminator” is one of ZZ Top’s most iconic hot rods and has been featured on album covers and music videos. 

Where is ZZ Top’s Eliminator car?

The original ZZ Top “Eliminator” 1933 Ford Coupe is owned by Billy Gibbons and is on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, though Gibbons also has a custom-built clone of the car. Gibbons has driven the original car on occasion when he has been in the area.
 
Where it is located 

• The Eliminator car is housed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Ownership 

• The car is owned by ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons.

The car’s status

• Gibbons still owns the original car and a clone. 
• It is a driver, meaning it is functional and Gibbons takes it out occasionally.