Guy Fieri Doesn't Really Drive The Red Camaro To Every Diners, Drive-Ins, And Dives Stop
Episodes of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" open and close with footage of Guy Fieri driving his red 1968 Chevy Camaro SS convertible, and the car has become a staple on the popular travelling food show. Fieri's passion for food is nearly matched by his love for automobiles. "Cars were my jam! I could not wait to get my license, and I could not wait to get those cars," he told Road and Track in 2021 while discussing how his penchant for cars (Chevys in particular).
Contrary to what the magic of television would have fans believe, Guy Fieri does not drive his red 1968 Chevy Camaro SS convertible from city to city to film "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." Instead, the Camaro is shipped to each location in a trailer. While on location, Fieri does not drive the car to each joint, but is driven by a driver in a separate car. "Fieri only opens and closes the door for the camera," People revealed in 2019.
Before heading into a restaurant on "DDD," Fieri is filmed in his convertible. During that time, the seasoned television host has an idea of what he wants to say to the camera, but tries to stay natural. "I hate sounding contrived," he told People in 2019 while discussing his process. Over the years, Fieri and the crew have worked to streamline filming days, and become more efficient. "At the time it would take five days to make one show," Fieri said.
The engine Guy Fieri put in his Camaro
Besides his iconic red Camaro, the Food Network personality has amassed a sizable car collection over the years. When selecting which car to drive, Fieri says it depends on the day's agenda. "Am I driving for fun? What's the weather like? Do I need to be on the phone? Who is coming with me?" he told R&T.
When "DDD" was first being filmed in 2007, producers borrowed multiple cars for the Food Network star to use for the show. According to the show's host, it was imperative that they used a convertible in order to make it easier for to film. At Fieri's request, they settled on making the Chevy Camaro his full-time on-camera ride, but it was in rough shape. "So we used that for a couple seasons and then I went and bought my own Camaro, restored it, did it exactly the way I wanted it," he told the Tampa Bay Times in 2017. "If it's going to be the face of the show, it'd better be a righteous ride."
In order to make his Camaro a fully "righteous ride," Fieri had the 396 engine swapped out for a ZZ502. "And now the car finally backs it up with the horsepower and the muscle," he said in a 2015 video for Chevy. To keep iconic ride in tip top shape, Fieri had another Chevy Convertible restored.
Guy Fieri's impressive Chevy collection
Even though Guy Fieri does not actually drive his red 1968 Chevy Camaro SS convertible to each location for "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," it still takes work to keep the classic automobile in pristine condition. For "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: Revved Up," the Food Network host teamed up with autoshop experts to restore another '68 Camaro to look identical to his trademark ride. Perhaps that would not only limit the wear and tear on the original Chevy, but make it easier by giving showrunners multiple options on which car to send to "Triple D" film locations.
Another Camaro is just one more car in the "Guy's Grocery Games" host's expansive collection. In addition to the Camaros, the self-professed Chevy fanatic has a Chevrolet C10, a Chevrolet Impala, a Chevrolet Kodiak, and a Chevy Corvette Stingray, per CarHP. Not only does Fieri have those American classics in his personal collection, but he also has a number of foreign rides including a Lamborghini Gallardo and an Aston Martin DB9.
Even though the TV personality has a large car collection, he did not simply gift his son Ryder Fieri a car when the youngster got his license. Instead, the "DDD" host made his son drive a minivan while proving he was a responsible driver by avoiding tickets and accidents for a year. "Then you can take your own money out of the bank and go buy a car," he told People in 2022 while discussing his son's driving probation period.