History Holey Batmobile

Yesterday in Tucson at mile marker 270 in the Westbound lane just before 5 pm; A small U-Haul truck towing a car trailer with one of the Batmobiles on it. It was in grey primer from the frontend to the back of the doors. The rear end was still black with some of the red/orange stripe. I checked online and it seems that George Barris built 4 of them. If anyone knows who the guy towing that Batmobile yesterday was - I would like to know the story behind that one. Thank you!

 

A few years back I followed one down the highway here in Oregon, now I'm not one to be starstruck but when you spot the BATMOBILE you want to tell everyone you know that you JUST FOLLOWED THE BATMOBILE DOWN THE HIGHWAY!

 

A few (many !) years ago, when I lived in Glendale CA., one of them was parked on the street for a few days, the next block over. Showed up, then disappeared, never came back.
It had a flat black paint, but did have all of the red trim.

Mike

 

Someone is still making them.

 

During the short summer season here in the great white north, I see a couple of them at car shows. The monkey-mobile is starting to catch up as well

 

They have been reproduced for years.

 

A couple of summers ago, one was just down the road from me, in a trailer. The guy does custom vehicle hauling and had it in his driveway waiting to deliver it the next day.

 

Here is the Batmobile in 1955 when it was the Lincoln Futura concept car, before Barris cut it up. It was on display at my fathers family Lincoln-Mercury dealership.

 

Hey! We've got the copyright on "The Great White North", you can't use it!
You'll be hearing from our lawyers.

 

Hello,

An iconic symbol of goodness as pushed on us via TV shows and comic books from those early days. My son’s collection has several very old Batman Comics. If my brother and I saved all of those old comics, we would have to rent a storage facility...HA!

But, it was the actual sighting on TV that inspired most of us to enjoy seeing the Batmobile roll out of the cave and into action. As posted before, someone is still making replicas for who knows what. Here is an old bit of information about the George Barris models they made for TV and appearances.

“The three replicas are all based on a 1965–1966 Ford Galaxie. The #1 Barris-built Batmobile sold at Barrett-Jackson Auctions on January 19, 2013 for $4,620,000. Hobbyists have built a number of duplicates of the TV Batmobile, sharing sources for parts and assembly kits.”

· The #1 Barris-built Batmobile, built from the original 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car was purchased by Richard Champagne of Ahwatukee, Arizona at the Barrett-Jackson Auction in January 2013 for $4,620,000.
· The #2 Barris-built Batmobile is owned by Dr. Anderson, Virginia, and has not been repaired or restored. Original purchase price was $225,000.
· The #3 Barris-built Batmobile was purchased and restored by Dennis M. Danzik of Paradise Valley, Arizona. It was reportedly purchased for $600,000. Danzik also owns the majority of the Warner Brothers 1989 Batmobile.
· The #4 Barris-built Batmobile is owned by Doug Jackson, and is located in Southern California.
· The so-called #5 Batmobile, originally built by Bob Butts, is owned by George Barris and is located in Southern California. It went for Sale on James Edition in June 2017 for an asking price of USD 250,000."

Jnaki

Back in 2017, I was allowed into the construction/pre-grand opening phase of the original Lion’s Dragstrip Museum. I was a part of the concept of showcasing my original and only color films from the 1958 to 64 Lion’s Dragstrip era. It was an honor that they allowed me to be a part of the set up and upcoming Original Grand Opening show.


The TV monitor inside of the photo of Charlie Ettien’s Truck Bed Rack is the large 80 inch monitor that was showing my original 58-64 Lion’s Dragstrip films throughout the event.

The Batmobile in front of a very meticulous drawing of the Bat Cave in Long Beach, June 20, 2017. (At the set up and preview days of the Lion's Dragstrip Museum)

I was there for several, early, set up days as my total Lions History films were going to be played on a monitor somewhere in the museum. There was this artist that created his version of the Bat Cave on the huge wall behind the Batmobile. He kept at it for weeks until it was finished, a true artist.

Those early Batman versions were quite something during our lifetime. (In those 60s TV shows, movies, car shows, drags, etc.) They were all over the place. There were a few copies for the shows and now in private ownership.

I happen to be at the Price Transfer Lions Dragstrip Museum Grand Opening and pre-set up days. I was able to talk to the artist who painted the fabulous wall painting of the Bat Cave. The detail was pretty accurate. In the final display, the Batmobile or one of, was sitting in front of the cave, during the event.

2017 museum floor by the entrance.



The Ratican, Safford, Gaide FED with the Batmobile in the background. The Bat Cave painting on the rear wall:

Sitting next to Charlie Ettein’s Yellow, Ford Pickup 2017

In the 2019 re-grand opening of the larger facility, a new Batmobile art and display was shown.

 

I was driving thru rural Oklahoma, no traffic, when the Batmobile came down the road towards us.
I looked on the Internet when I got home and found out that they have sold more than 300 copies.
http://1966batmobile.com/

 

I seem to recall a short scene in a movie called Rockstar where Mark Wallburg is racing a Batmobile with another car through a parking lot.

 

Detroit Autorama 2013.

 

It never really tickled my rev limiter. Iconic, deserves a spot, but I'll take Honey West in her Cobra any day of the week. Just sayin...

 

I'd say it is probably one of the most recognizable cars in the world.

And yes if I won a billion dollar lottery I would own one....

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It would be so much cooler without those 'effin radial tires.