What is a 406 and why would someone be driving one?
May 8, 2023 1:23 AM Subscribe
What is the 406 in Dick Dale's "Blonde in the 406"?
I was forced onto my lousy Spotify playlist, which includes a lot of Dick Dale that I never listened to before, including his hotrod stuff (out of mobile data, so no VPN access while at work, so Spotify at work instead of Pandora) and Blonde in the 406 came on. So what is a 406? Searching for that and car leads to modernish cars that he definitely is not talking about.
I was forced onto my lousy Spotify playlist, which includes a lot of Dick Dale that I never listened to before, including his hotrod stuff (out of mobile data, so no VPN access while at work, so Spotify at work instead of Pandora) and Blonde in the 406 came on. So what is a 406? Searching for that and car leads to modernish cars that he definitely is not talking about.
That Dick Dale track was first released on his 1964 album Mr Eliminator. The Peugeot 406 wasn't launched till 1994.
posted by Paul Slade at 2:01 AM on May 8, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Paul Slade at 2:01 AM on May 8, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: It might have been a Ford car, as they had a 406 engine in the early 1960s.
For example: 1962/63 Ford Galaxy 406 (another reference).
And a concept car Ford Cougar 406, featured in Hollywood movie Under the Yum Yum Tree (1963) staring Jack Lemmon.
posted by flicken at 2:17 AM on May 8, 2023 [5 favorites]
For example: 1962/63 Ford Galaxy 406 (another reference).
And a concept car Ford Cougar 406, featured in Hollywood movie Under the Yum Yum Tree (1963) staring Jack Lemmon.
posted by flicken at 2:17 AM on May 8, 2023 [5 favorites]
Best answer: The song references a dual quad engine, which does seem to match the description of a Ford 406.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 3:09 AM on May 8, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 3:09 AM on May 8, 2023 [2 favorites]
A 406 engine was a V8 engine used in a lot of Ford's classic hotrods and muscle cars like the Mustang and the Thunderbird, as well as the NASCAR title winning Galaxie in 1962.
So for the second part of your question - why would someone be driving one? - it's a "hot woman in a hot car" lyric, closely related to the Hood Ornament Hottie trope.
tl;dr: sex sells
posted by underclocked at 5:36 AM on May 8, 2023 [3 favorites]
So for the second part of your question - why would someone be driving one? - it's a "hot woman in a hot car" lyric, closely related to the Hood Ornament Hottie trope.
tl;dr: sex sells
posted by underclocked at 5:36 AM on May 8, 2023 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Given the era of the song, I would assume it's a Ford Galaxie with a 406 V8 engine. This was, for a time, the most powerful engine available in Ford's Galaxie sedan and cars so equipped carried a gold-plated 406 badge on each fender to distinguish it from more mundane Galaxies.
posted by zombiedance at 10:28 AM on May 8, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by zombiedance at 10:28 AM on May 8, 2023 [4 favorites]
I thought it was going to be the area code! For the record it's Helena, Montana 🤷🏻♀️
posted by Threeve at 7:50 PM on May 8, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Threeve at 7:50 PM on May 8, 2023 [1 favorite]
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posted by slimeline at 1:42 AM on May 8, 2023