Pee-Wee Herman's Peculiar Rides: The Strangest Cars From Paul Reubens' Movies

Paul Reubens has died at the age of 70 after privately dealing with cancer for six years. Reubens is most famous for playing Pee-wee Herman in a string of movies and specials spanning five decades. The iconic character made his debut back in the '70s, and Reubens was still playing Pee-wee until relatively recently. Reubens' career stalled following a controversial arrest in the 1990s, but in recent years the comedic actor had managed to mount a comeback. 

Netflix released "Pee-wee's Big Holiday" in 2016, and this would turn out to be the last full-length film Reubens starred in. His most famous work is 1985's "Pee-wee's Big Adventure," which was also the first time Pee-wee appeared on the big screen. He is also known for "Pee-wee's Playhouse," an odd series that ran throughout the late 1980s. While you may remember Pee-wee pedaling around on his custom bicycle, cars are also featured in his films. Fittingly, some of the vehicles showcased in the movies weren't what could be described as normal. 

During "Pee-wee's Big Holiday," the titular character finds himself in a Morgan 3-Wheeler. The Morgan is a very unique car in its own right, both mechanically and stylistically. It's configured with a single wheel at the back, which is more stable than having two in the back and one in the front. It also looks like the kind of vehicle Dracula would take for a ride along the Whitby coast. The 3-Wheeler only has one choice of engine, an S&S 1998 cc V twin, but one configuration will belt out 82 horsepower while another tops out at 68. 

Still, the Morgan has a fairly impressive zero to 60 time, either six or seven seconds depending on whether you picked the Euro 3 or Euro 4 trim. The version in "Pee-wee's Big Holiday" is somehow even more unique: it has wings and is capable of flying. Pee-wee hitches a ride in the Morgan but unfortunately, the unique British-made vehicle doesn't have a happy ending — it ends up crashing in the middle of nowhere, leaving Pee-wee looking for another way to complete his journey.

Fiat has a long history of producing quirky little European cars, with the most recent incarnation being the well-received Fiat 500. In light of that, a vintage Fiat 600D was a great choice for one of Pee-wee Herman's cars. The character drives the Fiat in his last movie, "Pee-wee's Big Holiday." In one scene it is seen on the highway with a "Big Apple or Die Tryin" sign taped to the back. Despite the craziness you usually find in a Pee-wee movie, it turns out even Herman isn't nuts enough to go cross-country on a bicycle. 

The Fiat 600 seems like a good compromise. The Fiat is also pretty important plot-wise. Pee-wee is driving it when he is kidnapped by bank robbers, and it helps kickstart his adventure. The car itself was on sale from 1955 to 1969, and despite its size had a four-door (Multipla) variant — though the two-door edition is what we see in the movie. Technically, you could tell someone you had a rear-engined Italian car in the garage if you owned a Fiat 600, but the actual specs may be way under the level of performance many people picture. The car's tiny 0.63-liter engine is only capable of producing 20 horsepower. Going from zero to 60 mph will take over a minute, and 60 mph is also the 600's top speed.

The Ford Thunderbird is one of the greatest muscle cars ever built, with more than 4.4 million units produced during the vehicle's 50-year run. Versions of the vehicle have also appeared on screen during that time, with perhaps the most memorable movie T-Bird being the 1966 convertible from 1991's "Thelma and Louise." Pee-wee famously had one too, though his model wasn't quite what you'd expect. In his movies, Pee-wee sometimes gets around in a small toy version of the Thunderbird, which is admittedly far less powerful — and probably less comfortable — than the real thing. 

Still, seeing a fully grown man crammed into a children's toy and using it as a transport option certainly had the comic effect Reubens intended. On his blog, Pee-wee uploaded several images of the mini-car along with the words "I truly feel this is the coolest car anyone could ever have, ever." The little T-Bird even came with a custom plate: PWH 827. As it's a modified children's toy, it can't actually get to 60 mph, but due to the fact it is technically a battery-powered electric vehicle, it probably has a very impressive nought to six time.